TIN STAGES A COMEBACK

Below you will find excerpts from Tin Stages a comeback. An article by written by James  Krouse

"Metal packaging, at one time, dominated store shelves. From cans to metal tins, the packaging was durable, protected goods from being crushed, and sealed in freshness. While cans have remained a staple of practical packaging, metal tins were relegated largely to occasional holiday container for cookies. Today, however, metal tins have seen a bounce back due to some of the inherent advantages of the material as well as unique applications leveraging its advantages to redefine entire product arenas.

Package designers and brand owners can take advantage of tinplate's unique packaging properties taking a cue from innovative applications that range from cat nip to software to adult entertainment products. Manufacturers can help along the way to help designers realize the full benefits of this time-tested form of packaging.

Unique appeal

In most retail product categories, tinplate is such a unique packaging material that it automatically gains attention. Often, this can rejuvenate not only a brand but an entire product category. The famous tin for Altoids mints is a good example. Although the tin package was used for the product since the 1920s, it was widely introduced in the U.S. in the 1980s and the unique metal tin along with a quirky ad campaign quickly launched the product into widespread success. Today, dozens of product categories are taking advantage of the "something different" factor in metal.

Cosmetics and personal care products are another good example of a product category that is taking advantage of the unique properties of metal. 

"Gourmet foods are still, by far, our largest product category," says Neil DeFrancisco, v.p. of sales at the Independent Can Company (www.independentcan.com) in Maryland. "Retailers in any sector are looking to get the most bang for their buck out of shrinking shelf space and demands for less packaging from retailers. Tin packaging can provide that quite well." 

 There are a number of applications that take full advantage of metal's unique look on store shelves. Bosch, for example, has launched a new line of handheld, cordless power shears in a custom metal tin. The container features an irregular, tube-like shape decorated in light green and silver.

Life after purchase

While many designers may be focused on leveraging metal's properties for initial sale, most manufactures point out that consumers often consider the use of a package in their home. A Google image search under "Altoids Tins," for example, reveals a huge trend in reuse for the package for everything from storing paper clips to creating custom MP3 players and portable speakers.

The reusability factor is a plus for brands looking to extend their image, promote the longevity of a product, and to give consumers an option of not throwing away a package.

Package uses and reuses also play into concern for the environment. As retailers and consumers call for less packaging, metal packaging is answering the call. The material is 100% recyclable, over and over, and recycled metal uses less energy to process than new metal does. Design flexibility can also impact the environment, as Independent Can's DeFrancisco points out. "We're seeing more and more requests for tapered designs of metal buckets which can be nested during transportation before they are filled, " says DeFrancisco. "A small change like this can reduce fuel and other transportation costs."

Challenges and benefits

For many designers, working with metal for the first time can present some challenges in execution and changes in thinking. Color, for example, plays differently on metal as opposed to paper.

"The PMS guidelines are based on paper and come out much darker on metal," says DeFrancisco. "We can do several things to accommodate for this effect, but there is a learning curve for designers. In addition, designers often don't know about all that is available to them with metal. We can selectively print a background color so the natural color of metal shows through or use a variety of varnishes in combination to highlight a design. "

In addition, tinplate can be manufactured with different properties to enhance a design such a pebbly textured varnish that is often used in combination with a printed label. There are so many possibilities with tins that most manufacturers point out that working with the material is more of an art than a science.

"We can do so much in the way of varnish combinations and coatings on the same package, " says Neil DeFrancisco. "That, in combination with embossing and printing, can really make a brand pop. We employ people who work with designers to help them achieve their vision but also leverage everything that tinplate packaging has to offer. For many designers, it's like working with a brand new medium even though it's been around for hundreds of years."

Getting back to basics

Tinplate packaging has been, for years, a staple of holiday cookies and candies, and although this form of packaging has clearly evolved to other applications, some of its basic benefits still apply.

Neil DeFrancisco points out that, although there are some new technologies they still build on the basic benefits of metal packaging. "We've seen the advent of six color printing and we're seeing concentric dot technology that can produce nearly 300 dpi print clarity, but many of the basic features of the metal like shaping, embossing, and varnishes are really new for designers in many markets, " Neil DeFrancisco explains."

Excerpts quoted from the original article written by James Krouse. James Krouse served as a consultant and writer for the packaging and printing industry for the past 10 years, covering package design for food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and a wide range of retail goods