Packaging News & Updates | Great Northern Packaging

WEBINAR: Paper vs Plastic: Which Solution Is More Sustainable?

Posted on December 20, 2022

It’s no secret that consumers today are more environmentally aware than ever before, and that includes the packaging of your product. Product protection and print capabilities are important when developing a package, but what kind of effect does package sustainability have on the consumer’s purchasing decision?

Our recorded Paper or Plastic: Which Solution Is More Sustainable? webinar reviews:

Consumer’s impact on sustainable packaging
Consumer’s impact on retailer sustainability programs
The sustainability of paper vs plastic in each stage of the packaging life cycle

Access the Recorded Webinar

Great Northern Packaging Claims Two PPC Excellence Awards

Posted on November 29, 2022

This year marked the 79^th annual North American Paperboard Packaging Competition for carton manufacturers involved in the concept, design, print, performance, and shelf appeal of paperboard packaging. Each and every year the best paperboard package designs from across North America are submitted and judged by a jury of packaging professionals, industry experts, and professors and Great Northern Packaging is pleased to announce it received two Excellence Awards!

Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh Earns Safe Quality Food Certification

Posted on September 14, 2022

Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh is pleased to announce its renewal of the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Certification. This certification validates that Great Northern has robust food safety control systems effectively implemented in its manufacturing process. SQF is recognized by retailers and food service providers around the world who require a rigorous, credible food safety management system.

When the general manager of Great Northern Oshkosh, Galen Killam, was asked what the significance of this achievement means, he said, “Our team at Oshkosh has worked hard to recertify our SQF certification this year, allowing us to provide top quality, food safe folding cartons to our customers.” The Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh facility has maintained this certification since 2019.

To learn more about Great Northern’s printed paperboard packaging capabilities, click here.

Protective Packaging Solutions foe E-Commerce

WEBINAR: PROTECTIVE PACKAGING SOLUTIONS FOR E-COMMERCE

Posted on July 6, 2022

In the e-commerce marketplace, it is not just your products you are protecting, it is also the reputation of your brand and the potential for future purchases. That is why package integrity is so important through the last mile.

Our recorded Protective Packaging Solutions for E-Commerce webinar covers:

E-commerce and protective packaging trends
Amazon’s requirements for Frustration Free Packaging
Best practices to ensure your package integrity

Access the Recorded Webinar

WEBINAR: INNOVATIVE SHELF-READY PACKAGING FOR PRODUCE

Posted on April 28, 2022

With brick-and-mortar retailers requiring shelf-ready packaging in their stores and consumers paying more attention to packaging sustainability, the shelf-ready packaging market is soaring. Not only can this style of packaging benefit the retailer, but it can also benefit your brand on the shelf!

Our recorded Innovative Shelf-Ready Packaging for Produce webinar covers:

Trends in produce snack and shelf-ready packaging
Benefits for brands and retailers
What qualities you should consider when choosing a vendor

Access the Recorded Webinar

targeted packaging for changing market needs

WEBINAR: TARGETED PACKAGING TO MEET CHANGING MARKET NEEDS

Posted on April 28, 2022

The retail landscape continues to change dramatically. Learn how you can be responsive, flexible, and adapt to changes in the marketplace from a packaging perspective. We also shared case studies that show examples of how to lower packaging costs and optimize packaging inventory.

This webinar covers:

Trends – The rapidly changing face of retail from shopper, consumer brands, and retailer perspectives
How you can be responsive, flexible, and adapt to changes in the marketplace
Case studies that show examples of how to lower packaging costs and optimize inventory

Access the Recorded Webinar

WEBINAR: BEER PACKAGING SECRETS TO GET YOUR PRODUCT TO MARKET QUICKLY

Posted on April 28, 2022

The demand for craft brews continues to rise at retail. To keep up with demand, how can you get your products to market more quickly?

We recorded our webinar which discussed what you need to know about packaging to shorten your lead time and get your products to market faster. The webinar covers:

Trends that are driving the need for speed to market
Packaging structure options that are available to you
Package graphic designs and things to look for in the design element

Access the Recorded Webinar

WEBINAR: BEVERAGE PACKAGING SOLUTIONS

Posted on April 28, 2022

The alcoholic beverage market is more competitive than ever due to the emergence and growth of new segments. That is why getting your product to market quickly is critical to your brands success.

Our recorded Beverage Packaging Solutions webinar covers:

Current trends that are affecting the alcoholic beverage market
How to choose the package structure that is right for your timeline
Package graphic design and printing options that are available to you
What qualities you should consider when choosing a vendor

Access the Recorded Webinar

Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh Facility Earns G7 Targeted Certification

Posted on March 25, 2022

Great Northern Packaging is pleased to announce that the Oshkosh and Twin Cities facilities have both been recertified as a G7 Master Facility. The Twin Cities facility also received a G7 Targeted designation for its offset press while the Oshkosh facility received a G7 Targeted designation for both its digital and off-set print presses. This certification verifies that Great Northern’s digital and off-set presses meet G7 Targeted color specifications for grayscale colors, as well as primary and secondary colors (CMY and RGB).

First Year of Collaborative Course Produces Sustainable Packaging Designs

Posted on January 19, 2022

Introduction
At the beginning of the 2021 fall semester at UW-Stout, the Great Northern Corporation Collaboration Experience kicked off. Six teams of packaging and graphic design students in the course were tasked with creating new, sustainable packaging for Reckitt, a client that makes Air Wick plug-in scented oils and diffusers. When the fall semester wrapped up, the students presented their final projects to not only the class, but also to industry professionals.

Each team was to design a single sustainable package that meets club store and Amazon packaging requirements for in-store display and online retail, while improving customer experience. During their research, the teams found Air Wick’s packaging to be unsustainable, difficult to open, and it didn’t have storage for oil refills once opened.

4 Ways Digital Printing Can Add Value to Retailers

Posted on January 19, 2022

Retailers are always looking for new ways in which they can differentiate themselves from their competition and draw more shoppers to their store. Digital printing provides retailers with new opportunities to interact with shoppers, be that through retail customization, local and channel promotions, or market segmentation. The use of digital printing on packaging also offers opportunities for you to help retailers accomplish their goal in the following ways.

Red shopping card in a canned food aisle

4 Ways Digital Printing Can Add Value to Your Brand

Posted on November 30, 2021

Standing out on a crowded shelf has never been more important, or more difficult. As competition increases, so must your brand’s marketing strategy and ability to grab the shopper’s attention. Being able to stop the shopper at the shelf and convert them into a sale is made even more challenging by the depth of our shoppers’ omni-channel experience. With messaging coming from all different directions, how do you get YOUR brand noticed by the shopper and make them pay attention to your message? Digital printing is expanding the ways retail packaging can communicate your message to shoppers. Here are four ways digital printing can help your brand.

Great Northern Corporation Collaboration Experience for students

Great Northern Corporation Collaboration Experience is Underway

Posted on November 30, 2021

Earlier this fall, University of Wisconsin-Stout and Great Northern Corporation kicked off a four-year pilot project called the Great Northern Corporation Collaboration Experience. This sponsored course is an advanced design selective for graphic design students and a senior capstone for packaging students. The course is to be held four times over four years and is co-taught by packaging and graphic design faculty.

The inaugural collaborative experience has 24 students working together in cross-disciplinary teams. “It’s an opportunity for students to better understand and grow in appreciation of each other’s majors, skills and methodologies. It’s a chance for them to challenge each other and compromise in order to develop a package that meets the needs of the customer, just like in the industry,” said Robert Meisner, packaging program director.

Millennials Impact on Sustainable Packaging

Posted on November 30, 2021

It’s no secret that shoppers are more environmentally aware now than ever before, and the millennial generation is helping drive this trend. In fact, one of the main factors affecting the Millennials purchasing decisions is packaging, especially when it comes to the food and beverages they consume daily.

Findings from the EcoFocus Worlwide 2019 U.S. Trends Survey suggest that millennials are rewarding brands that align their packaging with eco-friendly needs more than any generation before them and they expect brand owners to follow their lead. Here are five examples of how millennials will change the packaging aspect of businesses for years to come.

Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh Facility Wins Excellence Award for Packaging Design

Posted on November 30, 2021

The annual North American Paperboard Packaging Competition is a premier competition for carton manufacturers involved in the concept, design, print, performance, and shelf appeal of paperboard packaging. Every year the best paperboard package designs from across North America are submitted and judged by a jury of packaging professionals, industry experts and professors. This year marked the 78^th year of competition and our Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh facility is pleased to announce it has received an Excellence Award.

Why Paper is a More Sustainable Packaging Solution than Plastic

Posted on October 27, 2021

Sustainable packaging has become increasingly important as consumers become more aware of its impact on the environment. According to a report done by GlobalWebIndex, 42% of U.S. and UK consumers say products that use sustainable materials are important when it comes to their daily purchases. Environmentally aware consumers are more willing to support companies that share the same concern as them.

The two most common types of packaging are made up of paper or plastic. These two combined for 56.4 (69%) of the 82.2 million tons of containers and packaging produced in 2018. Here is a comparison of both packaging life cycles from their beginning to their end use.

Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh Facility Earns Safe Quality Food Certification

Posted on October 8, 2021

Our Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh facility is pleased to announce its renewal of the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Certification. This certification validates that Great Northern has robust food safety control systems effectively implemented in their manufacturing process. SQF is recognized by retailers and food service providers around the world who require a rigorous, credible food safety management system.

When the general manager of our Oshkosh location, Galen Killam, was asked what the significance of this achievement means, he said, “Achieving the renewal of our SQF certification shows our commitment to the time and effort required to provide our customer with a food safe folding carton.” Killam also mentioned, “We work hard all year to operate in a clean and safe manner and this recertification is the outcome of that work.”

To learn more about our packaging solutions, click here.

Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh Facility Earns SFI Sourcing Label Certification

Posted on September 21, 2021

Great Northern Packaging – Oshkosh Facility is pleased to announce its renewal of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Sourcing Label Certification. This certification verifies that products from our Oshkosh facility come from recycled content or from a certified forest and that all the fiber in our products are acquired from sources that are in compliance with state, provincial or federal laws.

Custom digitally printed packaging for retail

Three Benefits of Multiple Print Versions Packaging

Posted on September 17, 2021

The retail landscape is changing rapidly and a main contributor to this is customer preference. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are more willing to try new buying channels, brands, and product varieties than ever before. An advantage of this trend is that it offers new market opportunities and opens the door for new product variations and product packaging.

However, this puts more pressure on brands to not only get their products to market faster, but also to make sure their retail packaging stands out on a crowded shelf. Click on the link at the end of the article to access our Targeted Packaging to Meet Changing Market Needs Webinar for a more in-depth look at this trend.

What to Consider For Your Frozen and Refrigerated Package

Posted on August 19, 2021

When it comes to packaging for frozen and refrigerated products, there are different qualities that need to be taken into account compared to retail packaging. The most important aspect is preserving the quality of the product, and if a package is not strong enough to withstand freezer and refrigeration environments, you risk the product spoiling. You also need to have a package design that separates your brand from others in a crowded cooler. Here are a couple things you should take into consideration when choosing your frozen and refrigerated package supplier.

RETAIL SHELF PACKAGING

CUSTOM BEVERAGE PACKAGING

SHELF-READY PACKAGING

BAG-IN-BOX PACKAGING

MULTIPLE PRINT VERSION PACKAGING

WINDOWED CARTONS

CAPTURED BLISTER

CORRUGATED PACKAGING

CUSTOM FROZEN AND REFRIGERATED PACKAGING

PROMOTIONAL PACKAGING

Consumer Products

Consumer Products

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

HEALTH & BEAUTY

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

ARCTIC PAK

COOL CRATE

ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY SOLUTIONS

IGLOO PAK COOLERS

MOLDED COOLERS

CUSTOMIZED PRINTED CARTONS

ICE PACKS

Great Expectations