Annual Meetings was held in beautiful Tea Village of Hangzhou.

The company’s leads and employees got together happily for Annual Meetings

First of all, the company‘s leads addressed the Annual Meetings to review the past year and announced plans for the next year. For past year, the company’s lead not only identified problems, but also showed how we could create solutions. Also lead pointed out that the focus of next year.

He expressed the hope that joint efforts of every one. The plan of 2012 will successfully completed.

Second, it‘s our get-together. The company’s leads and employees performing show on the get-together. Every one giving best wishes to the company. All the people are very happy.

The functions of packaging are many- some of which are very crucial (like that for food packaging products) for safeguarding the items packed into the packaging products. Some other functions of packaging are business oriented for the brands ( like that for retail packaging products) who want to communicate, promote and sell their products by using attractive and innovative packaging products. All types of functions of packaging have been listed here:

Protective function - The packaging products protect the contents packed into them from outside elements and vice versa. Most of the packing products, especially plastic packaging products ensure full retention of the utility value of the packaged goods.

Storage function - Many packaging products have the primary function of storing along with protecting the contents in them. For example, some of the food packaging products like food safety bags made of net etc. are used by home makers for storing and protecting their food items like fruits and vegetables in refrigerators.

Functions of Packaging

Loading and Transport function - Packaging products are also used for convenience of handling the packed objects. Convenient goods handling entails designing transport packaging products in such a manner that they may be held, lifted, moved, set down and stowed easily, efficiently and safely.

Sales and Promotional function - Packaging products are increasingly acquiring the function of promotion and sales of branded goods. Attractive packaging products have been used to lure potential buyers’ attention and to have a positive impact upon their purchasing decision.

Information Providing function - Packaging products also function as an important medium for imparting information that is often printed on packaging. Most of the custom packaging products made by packaging manufacturers are targeted at providing the consumer with details about the contents and use of the particular product. For example, the nutritional details on food packets, pots or dosage information on medicines packages perform this informational function of packaging.

1. To protect a product from damage or contamination by micro-organisms and air, moisture and toxins. The product must be protected against being dropped, crushed, and the vibration it suffers during transport. Delicate products such as fruits need to be protected by a rigid package such as a laminated container. The product most also be protected against the climate including high temperatures, humidity, light and gases in the air. It must also be protected against micro-organisms, chemicals, soil and insects.

Ed THE HANDYMAN KICKS THE PACKAGE – SO HE CAN GUESS WHAT IS INSIDE BY THE NOISE IT MAKES WHEN IT BREAKS

2. To keep the product together, to contain it (i.e. So that it does not spill). Some shapes cannot be easily packaged, for example, certain vegetables. However, there are methods of getting around this problem. Suppliers of canned vegetables such as carrots have developed a particular type of plant that yields carrots that are straight and smaller than the normal variety. These fit into cans. Some products such as fruit juices and sausages need to be contained in packages that hold them together and are sealed to prevent spillage and loss.

ED THE HANDYMAN SHAKES THE BOX BUT THE PACKAGE FAILS AND HIS PRESENT FALLS OUT

3. To identify the product. Packaging is the main way products are advertised and identified. To the manufacturer the package clearly identifies the product inside and it is usually the package that the customer recognises when shopping. Advertising is very important when a manufacturer launches a new or existing product. The package, through its colour scheme or logo, is what is normally identified by the customer. The package will also contain important information including ingredients and ‘sell by date’.

ED THE HANDYMAN LOOKS IN THE MIRROR TO CHECK HIS BEARD. HE REALLY SHOULD READ THE LABEL ON THE BOX

4. Protection during Transport and Ease of Transport. A package should be designed to make it easy to transport, move and lift. A regular shaped package (such as a cuboid) can be stacked without too much space between each package being wasted. This means that more packages can be transported in a container of a lorry. Unusually shaped packages can lead to space being wasted and this can be costly if thousands of the same package are been transported.

ED THE HANDYMAN WALKS WITH A PACKAGE ON HIS HEAD – HE CAN KEEP HIS HEAD DRY IF IT RAINS

5. Stacking and Storage. In supermarkets and shops it must be possible to stack packages so that space is not wasted on the shelves. Lost space on shelves is looked up on a lost opportunity to sell to a customer. Also, the package must be designed in such a way that all the important information can be seen by a potential buyer, especially the product name. The next time you visit the supermarket look carefully at the shape of the packages. They are usually the same rectangular / cuboid shape. It is the selection of colours and shades that determine whether the product inside is regarded as a quality, sophisticated or cheap item. Often packages are stacked on top and alongside each other to reduce wasted space. The shape and form of the package determines how efficiently they can be stacked or stored Ameri Star Package Competition

Ameri Star showcases the most ground-breaking, innovative, packages of the year.

Does your package:

Go beyond brand-owner expectations

1 Increase product sales

2 Boost brand image

3 Result in cost savings

4 Show an innovative way to protect product

5 Embrace new material technologies

6 Address current environmental concerns

Packaging is a technique of using the most appropriate containers and components to protect, carry, identify and merchandise any product. It constitutes an important link between the manufacturer and ultimate consumer for the safe delivery of the product through different stages of production, storage, transport, distribution and marketing.

Though great efforts have been made in producing high grade processed milks or manufactured dairy products, unless they are delivered in a fresh, sound and suitable form to the consumer, they are likely to be rejected, thus causing enormous wastage. The loss can be offset to a great extent by adequate protective packaging to withstand the hazards of climatic changes, transportation, handling etc.

Because of rapid growth in the economy and consequent improvement in the living standards of the common people, packaging has become important in the distribution process. In today’s busy world, many consumers do not have the time to make it to the market. Internet is used to purchase groceries.

Innovative packaging technologies have become a necessity for the development of extended shelf life and value added foods and food products. In food industry, the package serves as a barrier to contamination by microorganisms or other undesirable elements like moisture and light. The secondary role of the packaging material is to care for storage and distribution.

The packaging material should satisfy the following conditions.

It must protect and preserve the commodity from the time it is packaged till the product is consumed.

It must be suitable for the selected sales and distribution pattern.

It must protect and preserve the commodity from the time it is packaged till the product is consumed.

It must be suitable for the selected sales and distribution pattern.

It must be attractive to the consumer.

It must be easy to open, store and dispose.

It must facilitate the handling, storage and distribution.

It must protect against biological, chemical and distribution damages.

It must inform the consumer through the medium of labeling.

It must impart security to the product through a tamper evident design.

It must act as a marketing and advertising tool.

It must protect the environment by taking the responsibility of empty packaging material after its use.

It must be economical i.e. it should neither burn the purse of the consumer nor the producer.

Definition of Packaging

Packaging means placing a commodity into a protective wrapper or container for transport and storage or it can also be defined as a tool that protects and contains goods with the aim of minimizing the environmental impact of our consumption.

The packaging concept is determined by the demand of both the consumer and the product. New technological development, environmental awareness and changes in the consumer market force the packaging technologists to consider an increasing number of factors when designing a package. Packaging materials provide a sort of inert barrier that prevent the interaction of food products with the external environment.

What are all the functions of the packaging material?

The package should perform at least three functions of containing, protecting and merchandizing.

What is “containing”?

The package or container should be adequately large to hold the product. It should have proper constructional features so as not to allow leakage and spillage. It should have enough strength to withstand handling, transportation and storage hazards. Finally it should be as compatible as possible with the product.

What is “protecting”?

The package should safeguard the product against contamination, or loss and damage or degradation due to microbial action, exposure to heat, light, moisture, and oxygen, accidental spillage, evaporation, pilferage etc.

What is “merchandizing”?

The shape of the package should be favourable to dispensation ad reclosure and to its disposal or re use.

Apart from the above discussed three important functions, the packaging material should lend itself to operation in whatever machines are available; be economical; be printable on the outer surface; and the last but not the least, it should have sales appeal.

What is the choice of an appropriate packaging material?

The specific sensitivities of the contents. For e.g. moisture, oxygen etc.

Factors affecting the contents viz. temperature, relative humidity, pH, and the reaction mechanism involved.

Weight and shape of the container and effect on filling and sealing speeds.

Contamination of food by constituents of the packaging material.

Storage conditions – How long the product needs to be protected?

Bio degradability and recycling potential.

ASEPTIC PACKAGING

When comparing the aseptic packaging technology to the classic sterilization technology, the latter is based on filing non-sterile products in to non-sterile containers under non-sterile conditions. It is then followed by the sterilization of the container. Very high retention of organoleptic and nutritional food qualities coupled with better economics are claimed as the advantages of aseptic filling. The following requirements are essential for the aseptic packaging.

1. The product has to be pre-sterilized and sterile conditions have to be maintained during transfer and filling.

2. The equipment parts that comes in contact with the product including all pipe-lines for product, gas and air have to be pre-sterilized.

3. All the required areas including the atmosphere around the filling lines have to be maintained sterile.

4. The packing materials / containers have to be sterilized.

5. Use of packing material or containers that are impermeable to germs

Packaging is now generally regarded as an essential component of our modern life style and the way business is organized. Packaging is the enclosing of a physical object, typically a product that will be offered for sale. It is the process of preparing items of equipment for transportation and storage and which embraces preservation, identification and packaging of products. Packing is recognized as an integral part of modern marketing operation, which embraces all phases of activities involved in the transfer of goods and services from the manufacturer to the consumer. Packaging is an important part of the branding process as it plays a role in communicating the image and identity of a company.

How can we define Packaging?

Kotler defines packaging as “all the activities of designing and producing the container for a product.” Packaging can be defined as the wrapping material around a consumer item that serves to contain, identify, describe, protect, display, promote, and otherwise make the product marketable and keep it clean. Packaging is the outer wrapping of a product. It is the intended purpose of the packaging to make a product readily sellable as well as to protect it against damage and prevent it from deterioration while storing. Furthermore the packaging is often the most relevant element of a trademark and conduces to advertising or communication.

Functional Requirements

1. Protection and preservation

A basic function of package is to protect and preserve the contents during transit from the manufacturer to the ultimate consumer. It is the protection during transport and distribution; From climatic effects (heat and cold, moisture, vapour, drying atmospheres); from hazardous substances and contaminants; and from infestation. Protection is required against transportation hazards spillage, dirt, ingress and egress of moisture, insect infection, contamination by foreign material, tampering pilferage etc. A package should preserve the contents in ‘Factory Fresh’ condition during the period of storage and transportation, ensuring protection from bacteriological attacks, chemical reaction etc.

2. Containment

Most products must be contained before they can be moved from one place to another. To function successfully, the package must contain the product. This containment function of packaging makes a huge contribution to protecting the environment. A better packaging help to maintain the quality of the product and reachability of the product in the consumer’s hand without spillages It gives better image to the organisation.

3. Communication

A major function of packaging is the communication of the product. A package must communicate what it sells. When international trade is involved and different languages are spoken, the use of unambiguous, readily understood symbols on the distribution package is essential. It is the interest further that to get appropriate communication to the consumer about the product, how to use it and other utility informations. Packaging protects the interests of consumers. Information includes: quantity; price; inventory levels; lot number; distribution routes; size; elapsed time since packaging; colour; and merchandising and premium data.

Types of packaging

An important distinction is to be made here between two types of packaging

* Transport packing: The product entering in to the trade need to be packed well enough to protect against loss damage during handling, transport and storage. Eg: fiberboard, wooden crate etc.

* Consumer Packing: This packaging holds the required volume of the product for ultimate consumption and is more relevant in marketing. Eg: beverages, tobacco etc.

Hazards of Transport

There are four main hazards of transport

* Drops and impacts

* Compression forces

* Vibration

* Climatic variations

Various Mechanical Tests

* Drop Test: This test help to measure the ability of the container and inside packing materials to provide protection to its contents and to measure the ability of the container to withstand rough handling.

* Vibration Test: This test is to determine the ability of the container to withstand vibration and the protection offered by materials used for interior packing.

* Compression Test: This test is carried out, generally, on empty containers, to measure the ability of the container to resists external compressive loads applied to faces or applied to diagonally opposite edges or corners.

* Inclined Impact Test: This test help to study the extend of damage in a way of crushing, breaking, cracking, distortion, and shifting during handling storage and transport which occurs to the container and its content.

* Rolling Test: This test helps to evaluate the overall strength of the container and the cushioning material provided inside and any failure of the content.

* Drum test: This test help to evaluate loaded shipping containers with respect to general overall durability and for the protection afforded to the contents against certain hazards of handling and shipment.

Various Climatic Tests

* Rain Test: This test is conducted in a simulated rain condition to assess its impact on the test area for two hours.

* Sand and Dust Test: This test is to evaluate the resistance of a package to the penetration of sand and dust.

* Salt Spray Test: This test is to evaluate the resistance of a package to corrosion by salt spray and to serve as a general standard for corrosion.

* Fungus Resistance Test: This test is to evaluate all the materials used in the fabrication of shipping containers for fungus resistance.

Importance of Cushion Materials

Cushioning is that part of packaging, which protects the article from damage due to shock and vibration. The main functions of cushioning materials can be detailed as follows:

* Shock protection against vibration

* Protection against abrasion

* Protection of grease proof and water proof barriers at ponut of contact with solid blocks

* Protection of moisture vapour barriers at points of contact with sharp edges of the article itself.

* Protection of small projections

* Filling of void space in the container

* Other secondary purposes

Packaging Cost

The most important aspect when we look into packaging is the packaging cost. Packaging cost include the following:

* Material cost: It means the cost of the pack and quality control cost.

* Storage and handling cost of empty packages: This include the handling cost of bulky packages, heavy materials of construction, drums etc.

* Packaging operation costs: This includes the cost involved in operations like, cleaning the package product filling – closing, labeling – unitizing, stenciling, handling cylindrical slums etc.

* Storage of filled packages: This includes the cost incurred to shift the goods from one form of packaging to another.

* Transportation cost of filled packages: This involves the transportation cost by sea, air etc. (freight by volume)

* Loss and Damage cost: It is related to the loss and damage during operation, transportation delivery etc.

* Insurance cost: It varies depending on the vulnerability of package

* Effect of packages on sales: The package that influence on sales.

* Obsolescence Cost: This cost involves when changes in the packaging materials, packages and labels happen.

* Package developmental cost: This include the evaluation cost, pilot test cost, field testing cost, consumer research cost, feed back cost, final trial cost etc.

Importance of packaging: An Overview

Some of the major significance of packaging can be detailed as follows:

* Can make a product more convenient to use or store, easier to identify or promote or to send out a message.

* Can make the important difference to a marketing strategy by meeting customers’ needs better.

* Packaging plays a key role in brand promotion and management. Packaging is of great importance in the final choice the consumer will make, because it directly involves convenience, appeal, information and branding.

* The paramount concern of packaging is the reachability of the product without any damage. No matter where and how the products are transported or shipped, they arrive at the customer’s door in working condition without need of repair or adjustment.

* Packaging is especially important in certain industry where future sales may be based largely on the quality, integrity and performance of a company’s previous delivery.

Conclusion

The significance of packaging has come to be increasingly recognized in export as well as in marketing of a wide range of consumer goods and industrial products within the country. The volume of exports depends not only on the quantity of the production and prices, but also to a substantial extends on the standards of packaging adopted for the products. Goods damaged in transit or arriving at the destination in an unacceptable condition tarnishes the reputation of the manufacturer as well as the country as a whole, besides colossal wastage of scarce economic resources. Further, packaging has a crucial role to play in the fetching higher unit values for our consumer goods (like tea and cashew) through the substitution of the bulk packs by consumer packs. In the recent past packaging has been increasingly recognized as a significant factor in the nations export promotion effort. Effort should be there to understand the importance of packaging there by to avoid the loss and damage cost incurred during transport and delivery. Keep in mind that a conscious effort on the part of marketing managers can increase the volume of sales and there by improve the reputation of the product and organisation