combidome is recognised with one of the world's most important design awards - excellent design, outstanding logistics
It is outstanding in every respect: combidome, the carton bottle from SIG Combibloc. combidome combines the best features of a carton pack with the best features of a bottle, making it different from anything that has ever been seen before in food packaging. The exceptional design of combidome has now been recognised with one of the world's most important design accolades: the iF Design Award. The carton pack's remarkable design also creates numerous logistical advantages with which substantial savings can be achieved in total system costs.
For 60 years, the iF (Industrie Forum Design e.V.) has represented the fusion of design and economics. Today, iF is a globally active design centre based in Hannover, and organises major design shows all over the world. 4,615 entries vied for the coveted iF Design Awards, which this year were awarded for the 61st time. And the flourishing internationalisation continued in 2014, with the 49-person expert jury evaluating designs from a total of 55 countries - another significant increase over the previous year.
With its iF accolade, SIG Combibloc joins a group of famous award-winners such as Volkswagen (awarded for Golf Variant), Hewlett-Packard (HP Chromebook 11) and Apple (iPhone 5c). Product optimisation and courage to differentiate through design - the jury at the iF Design Awards believes these are the points that will continue to be key.
"We are very proud that combidome convinced this blue-ribbon jury of experts of the many advantages that our exceptional carton pack combines in one. The design concept of combidome is outstanding in terms of convenience and differentiation - and in logistical respects too, our award-winning package has all kinds of advantages", says Hanno Bertling, Global Product Manager for combidome at SIG Combibloc, who accepted the award in Munich with Christoph Kenn, Senior Project Manager for combidome at SIG Combibloc.
Logistics costs make up a significant proportion of the total system costs of a packaging system. Hanno Bertling said: "Compared, for instance, to a standard gable-top carton, with combidome substantial savings can be achieved on the logistics costs. This reduces the total system costs. Our customers benefit from this, but so does the retail market".
Withstands considerable crushing forces
Packaging expert Kenn says: "Due to its construction, combidome can withstand higher crushing forces than standard gable-top cartons, without deforming or even leaking. The forces acting from above that are generated when the carton packs are stacked on a pallet are optimally transferred by the carton pack's centrally placed dome to the sides of the package. In the compression test, it was shown that combidome remains stable at a pressure of up to 120 Newtons. At a pressure of just 20 Newtons, standard gable-top carton packs begin to show visible deformation that can result in defects in liquid tightness".
What is more, the ingenious, stable design of combidome also means that much lower demands are placed on the secondary packaging than with standard gable-top cartons. If a manufacturer opts for package-high trays, thinner corrugated cardboard can be used than with gable-top cartons. And flat trays have already been tested successfully in Europe in connection with combidome. The possible savings here alone are worth up to 20 per cent of the logistics costs.
The construction of the carton packs makes it possible for operators to stack combidome in five layers on a pallet. Based on the standard formation of 2 x 4 carton packs, 800 carton packs fit on a Euro pallet. This also reduces the costs. Plus, the risk of damage when loading and during storage is substantially reduced, because combidome trays with 2 x 4 standard formation fit on a Euro pallet with no overhang
