AEROBAL unveils
Can Award winners
The International Organization of Aluminum Aerosol Container
Manufacturers (AEROBAL) has announced the winners of
the 2019 World Aluminum Aerosol Can Awards.
The winner in the “Aluminum Cans Already on the Market”
category was Coombs Family Farms Maple Stream Syrup in a can produced
by Montebello Packaging, Hawkesbury, ON, Canada. The 7oz.
(207mL) can has a special shoulder shape for convenient handling
and was produced with a white base coating in dry offset printed
graphics with gloss-over varnish. The Montebello graphics team was
involved in product development right from the start—from the concept
phase through to the final implementation by the customer—who
provided the graphics team with a true four-color process CMYK file
with a great deal of overprint. Selected spot colors were used to keep
“The competition reflects the wealth of benefits that aluminum aerosol cans
have to offer: excellent hygiene standards, first-rate product protection, recyclability,
a high degree of safety and consumer-friendly ease-of-use...”
the overprint to a minimum to obtain the desired printed image. The
artwork was complex and the graphics team had to interpolate the final
artwork for the printed cans to match the artwork supplied by the
customer. Proprietary color separation techniques and dry dot screening
technology were used to prevent overprinting of the inks. Dot gain
curves were used to make sure the screened area and screened images
were reproduced as closely as possible to the customer’s artwork.
The winner in the “Prototype” category was U.S. manufacturer
Ball Corp., Broomfield, CO, with its 360° technology that enabled
a wide range of shapes to be created over the entire circumference of
an aluminum can. The technology was not restricted to stock shapes,
but could also produce proprietary shapes chosen by the customer.
A special graphic design, which was aligned to the respective relief
area, further enhanced the shape’s visual impact. This resulted in a
can with a striking appearance when viewed from every angle and
perspective. At the same time, the shape provided added grip and
user-friendly ergonomics.
The lithography and embossing combined precisely to further
emphasize the depth of the design. The futuristic motif with its clear
lines and the playful honeycomb motif of the sample cans demonstrated
the possibilities of asymmetrical embossing. The new 360°
technology opened up a wide spectrum of additional design possibilities
for the creative design of aluminum aerosol cans.
The ten World Aluminum Aerosol Can Award judges were comprised
of a panel of editors from renowned specialist publications in
the fields of aerosol technology, packaging and personal care from
four different continents. The awards emphasized designs that inspire
creativity and drive innovation.
“Year after year, the AEROBAL competition is the benchmark for
the innovative strength of the industry and a reliable indicator of new
trends and ideas,” enthused AEROBAL President Leopold Werdich.
“In recent years, solutions for reducing the weight of cans, breathtaking
new shapes and printing techniques with photorealistic print
images or fascinating tactile effects have been awarded prizes. Our
competition has thus paved the way for many new ideas and improvements
in the market.”
AEROBAL Secretary General Gregor Spengler added, “The
World Aluminum Aerosol Can Awards once again demonstrate our
industry’s high level of performance and the creative potential of our
member companies. At the same time, the competition also reflects
the wealth of benefits that aluminum aerosol cans have to offer: excellent
hygiene standards, first-rate product protection, recyclability, a
high degree of safety and consumer-friendly ease-of-use.” Spray
December 2019 Spray 37