Metsä Board's Twisty Ice Cream Boxes by Adara Pakkaus have been bestowed a 2024 Excellence in the Flexography Award's Self Promotion Category. The Excellence in Flexography Awards is the premier awards programme for the flexographic industry in the United States.

By collaborating with industry leaders, Metsä Board re-designed a favorite of the frozen food aisle: ice cream cone packaging. The team investigated different stages of the value chain, ranging from material production to ink usage and logistics, showcasing new possibilities using carefully selected lightweight fresh fibre materials and flexographic printing methods to achieve excellent usability and unparalleled halftone graphics in extreme high 188 lpi print resolution.

The team included packaging designers at Futupack, packaging manufacturer Adara Pakkaus, flexo printing plates supplier Marvaco, ink supplier Siegwerk and ECG printing specialist Dr Kai Lankinen, who consulted on the project.

Metsä Board's double coated white-top kraftliner (MetsäBoard Prime WKL, 125 g/m²) was selected as the top liner for its lightweight and smooth surface that enables excellent reproduction of detailed visuals. The inside liner and fluting were made from uncoated kraftliner (MetsäBoard Natural WKL Bright 90 g/m²) which is ideal for small and lightweight packaging requiring high strength. Both materials are made from pure and traceable fresh wood fibre making the packaging easily recyclable or compostable and safe for food packaging. Having two layers from the same material also simplified production without compromising quality.

Attention was also paid to minimising ink usage while keeping each variety recognisable. Process printing was selected as the printing method to eliminate the use of spot colours and enhance efficiency and flexibility. The easy-to-open design eliminates the need for plastic parts or special tools for opening. Choices made at different stages also impact the packaging carbon footprint.

"This project showcased the power of seamless teamwork to achieve excellent functionality and resource efficiency. By combining our material expertise and design knowledge with a wide partner network, we were able to produce an innovative solution and superior quality in corrugated post-printing," concludes Metsä Board's Packaging Services Director, Ilkka Harju. Say the judges of the competition: "This promotional piece has a high degree of difficulty. It has outstanding coloured print, using just 4-colours."