Want the complete package? With Coated Natural Kraft (CNK®) paperboard and a new engineered packaging design, this multi-national brewer got it all – reduced costs, increased efficiency and an enhanced brand image.

 MWV helped one brewer cut costs, improve efficiency, and produce a better-looking package.

CONTEXTFor years, this multi-national brewer used pre-printed corrugated packaging for its 18- and 20-packs of beer. Yes, the strong cases held up during shipping, from the brewery to stores to homes. However, they were heavy, less efficient on the line and limited in printing capabilities. Since the corrugated packaging was driving up the brewer’s costs and lowering its bottom line, the company decided for a change.
 
CHALLENGEEnter MWV. The brewer enlisted our help in developing a completely new solution. What's the catch? It had to reduce costs without sacrificing performance. It had to be lightweight and durable during transport. It had to perform well at retail, and hold up even when wet.

We’ve had a lot of experience transitioning small cases of beer from corrugated board to paperboard. So we took that knowledge and began exploring new ways to convert larger cases.

Thanks to our latest design and engineering innovations, and our ultra-tough Coated Natural Kraft (CNK®) paperboard, we were able to develop a completely new packaging solution that reduced packaging weight by seven percent compared to corrugated, all the while maintaining the same performance. Plus the new packaging design features 10 to 21 percent recycled content, with eight to nine percent post-consumer content.

The savings were big, but they didn’t stop there. The lighter paperboard ran well on the brewer’s existing machinery offering exceptional printability. We also designed a proprietary handle for the new package, enhancing comfort and increasing security when consumers carry it.

RESULTSTest concluded that our newly engineered packaging with CNK paperboard gave conventional corrugated boxes a run for their money in more ways than one:

  • Stellar performance during distribution and transit
  • Improved printability enhanced the look and feel of the original
  • Increased operating efficiency thanks to CNK’s superior consistency and forming characteristics
  • Reductions in down-time on the line

The new packaging also helps the brewer save space, cutting pallet consumption in half and reducing the number of inbound trucks by four percent – and the list goes on.

Retailers and consumers benefit from CNK’s outstanding wet strength. A wet package retains 80 percent of its dry tear strength, even when wet over a long time. This helps prevent package failure, making it safer in shipping, in stores and in consumers’ homes.

In the end, this brewer got all that it was looking for – reduced costs, increased efficiency and a better looking package that enhances performance in stores and in consumers’ homes.

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