Give A Look of Luxury To Your Beauty Package

Today’s beauty business appeals for metals to packaging components to make the most impact. To add a look of luxury and an opportunity to communicate brand identity, most beauty companies use metal components of aluminum used as shells, caps, collars, ferrules and other decorative accents. Aerosol cans, bottles, jars and tins can also resort to aluminum as a strong, resilient material.

The most attractive and powerful packages use today what it is called anodized aluminum. Anodized aluminum is an aluminum sheet exposed to an electrolytic passivation process that imparts a tough, hard-wearing protective finish on its surface. During anodizing, the surface of the metal is converted to its oxide. The oxide layers are receptive to any color dye and are extremely wear, corrosion and heat resistant, FDA approved, won’t peel or delaminate. This process gives a metallic look to the package. “Anodizing is a treatment of the surface, which gets very hard and can be colored in almost any imaginable color—matte or shiny. The color is inside the anodizing layer, thus can never wear off. And it still keeps the metallic look in all colors,” said Boris Schafer, director of Seidel’s customer relations in New York.

Body & Beauty Works shiny cap made of anodized aluminum

“The advantage of aluminum is the fact that it can be anodized,” said Schafer. Aluminum cannot be plated, but can be anodized or lacquered to achieve different colors and finishes, which is an advantage over plastic.  “A wide variety of finishes can be applied to anodized aluminum”, according to Aviva Himoff, president of Préface Deux.

Men’s fragrance “Kenneth Cole Black” introducing a new popular simple shape

The anodizing aluminum package has been helping the world’s most trusted brands elevate their packaging to new levels. The men’s line fragrance “Kenneth Cole Black” launched by Kenneth Cole is a good example of the simple shapes that are now popular, noted Eric Bigotte, executive vice president at Axilone USA. The cap uses anodized aluminum, giving a shiny, deep black finish to perfectly match the black glass bottle of the new men’s fragrance. To provide the lightweight aluminum with a more substantial feel, the cap, which includes a PP insert, was assembled with a weight. Black is available in 50-ml and 100-ml sizes, but the cap was produced in only one size and two different sized inserts provide a snug fit on each bottle.

Shanghai Metal Corporation is a leader in anodized aluminum sheet manufacturing with various worldwide applications. To know more about our products, please visit our website. Please also follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Try also our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

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Source: Anomatic.com, beautypackaging.com

Pictures: Anomatic.com, beautypackaging.com

Camilla G.//SMC Editor

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5 Modern Innovative Packaging Concepts

Flexible packaging can now been seen in nearly all consumer products across the board because it provides the durability, transportability, and convenience that buyers are seeking out. Pouches, bags, and tubes come in an endless variety of shapes, sizes, and features such as stand up capabilities and resealable options. In fact, demand for pouches in the US is projected to increase 4.6 percent per year to 9.4 billion dollars in 2018, according to a new study from The Freedonia Group. By incorporating flexible packaging materials for their products, brands will be able to differentiate themselves from the rest of the market and cut transportation costs and material usage in hopes of increasing operating profits. Aluminum plays a vital role in the flexible packaging sector because it is light weight, strong, and has the ability to keep contents fresher for longer. We took a deeper look into 5 clever concepts in modern packaging: 

This two part beer crate consists of a carrying case with classic plastic handles and an aluminum base with a separate 12 bottles beer holder. The aluminum used is lightweight enough to not add much added mass and the sturdy handles allow customers to carry the case more easily.

Boring milk containers can be replaced by this innovative packaging idea. The visually appealing jug is lined with aluminum to keep the milk cold and fresher for longer. The packaging is the same dimensions as a 2 liter milk carton making it a smooth transition for customers.

Delhaize soup brings to life the principle ingredient through photo-realistic images. The packaging is not only eye-catching but allows consumers to indulge even for those with an on-the-go lifestyle. The aluminum lining creates a barrier between the contents and outside label making it safe for people to hold even when the soup is extremely hot.

Affordability and convenience were the main ideas behind offering wine by the glass in tubes. Research showed that 88% of experts acknowledge that consumers are demanding more interesting wine by the glass and are willing to spend more to have a glass of wine, rather than a bottle.

Shepherd’s Purse artisan cheeses are kept fresh in aluminum foil that can easily be resealed and disposed of once finished making it a great appetizer to bring to parties. The brand was able to cut costs by reducing the packaging material used by sticking to aluminum foil.

Shanghai Metal Corporation understands the potential in the packaging industry and offers a wide array of aluminum foil for flexible packaging. We are committed to providing value-added quality products with competitive pricing and prompt delivery. View more information on this product and more at our website here. Be sure to join the conversation in our LinkedIn Group, Facebook, and Twitter. 

Sources: The Freedobia Group and Packaging World

By: Kristie K. // SMC Editor

Food Trucks Industry Switching from Cheeseburgers and Fries to Lettuce Wraps and Kale Chips

Food truck vendors started to gain popularity in the United States around 2008, when citizens had to cut back on spending due to the economic downturn. Entrepreneurs saw this change in consumer preferences as a way to provide unique cuisine options to people at their convenience. Fast-forward five years, now there are many vendors in the marketplace and capturing the audience’s attention is becoming tougher than ever before. Now-a-days consumers are more cautious about the health benefits of the food they are putting in their body and, at the same time, are spending more and more time using technology to interact with the world around them. That is where unique marketing strategies by vendors come into play.

Many cities around in the US host a weekly event where food truck vendors gather at one location from lunch until early dinner. The event, called Food Truck Roundup, takes place at different lots across the city each week to attract customers from different areas.

It is not difficult to get started in the food truck industry but differentiating yourself from the masses of other trucks lined up downtown during peak lunch hours is a different story. Many food trucks are pertaining to healthy eating lifestyles by offering food catered to those who are vegan or vegetarian. Imaner Consultants, an ethical organization who specialize in vegan website involvement, calculated that 95 percent of vegans go out of their way to buy foods from ethical companies. The group also discovered that 96 percent of vegans use the internet as a way of locating vegan products. Some food trucks have taken these statistics into consideration and work to enhance the social responsibility of their trucks and portraying their vision on social media sites. When catering to vegans, vendors consider not only the type of produce they use when preparing each dish but also the type of fuel used in their trucks and the types of packaging and utensils used to eat the organic dishes.

The Cinnamon Snail, based out of New York, New York, won Mobile Cuisine’s 2013 Vegetarian/Vegan Food Truck of the Year. The truck is known for its assorted pastries and desserts, soups, salads, and burgers.

Aluminum foil is used by many trucks as a way to serve hand held meals like sandwiches and wraps. The foil is not only an easy clean up for guests but its recyclable capabilities cater to those concerned with preserving the earth. Vendors see it as a way to get the food to customers quicker and using foil doesn’t require any extra packaging material. It is a cost effective way to ensure the food inside stays the same temperature from the time it comes off the grill to the time the consumer opens it up to enjoy. Shanghai Metal Corporation offers a wide array of aluminum foil for packaging. To read more detail on the types of foil we offer be sure to check out our website here. Be sure to join the conversation in our LinkedIn Group, Facebook, and Twitter.

Sources: IBISWorld, Imaner Consultants, mobile-cuisine.com

By: Kristie Kaaa / SMC Editor

Chocolate Bar Industry Trends Are Volatile While Aluminum Foil Industry Remains Steady

Chocolate bars were the first product to be wrapped in aluminum foil in 1910 by the Nestle Company and the trend caught on like wild fire. Fast forward more than 100 years, the candy industry in the United States has had its ups and downs. Chocolate and candy consumption has followed the movements in the economic cycle; decreasing when money is tight during a recession and increase when consumers have more disposable income during periods of expansion. At the current state of the US economy, chocolate consumption is growing because people are more willing and able to spend their money on indulgences but in order for candy companies to stay afloat, they will need to adjust to consumers changing tastes and buying habits.

There are a few barriers in the chocolate bar industry. First, leading producers in this industry collectively account for an estimated 67.7 percent of industry revenue. This stronghold on market power makes it difficult for small companies to enter the market. Mergers and acquisitions are becoming more common, adding to the muscle of the few. Second, Americans are showing growing health concerns shifting demand for white and milk chocolate to healthier alternatives such as reduced-fat, dark, and organic chocolate. Lastly, the price of sugar is expended to increase later in the year, posing a threat to the industry. Large firms will be able to pass the cost increase on to consumers but many small chocolate shops will not have the ability to do so.

While health trends have hampered demand for industry products, producers responded quickly by introducing new products that appeal to health-conscious Americans.

Luckily the aluminum foil industry has been less volatile than the chocolate bar industry. As producers become more creative with their packaging techniques, aluminum foil for flexible packaging has expanded into goods with steady demand indicators. Consumers are now looking for their food and beverage products to be transportable, convenient, and lightweight to accommodate their on the go lifestyles. Shanghai Metal Corporation offers a wide array of aluminum foil for flexible packaging options, for the full line of products visit our website here.

Be sure to join the discussion in SMC’s Linkedin group page, Facebook, and Aluminum specific twitter.

Kristie K.//SMC Editor

Aluminum Sector Analysis in Brazil

Growing demand for aluminum in Brazil is powered by the packaging, transportation and construction industries. Aluminum foil is used in flexible packaging and many consumer products are making the transition in packaging material, leading to greater demand across the world.  Increases in demand for transportation and construction needs are powered by the 2014 World Cup and the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, where extrusion-related programs include stadiums and airports. The Brazilian Aluminum Association (ABAL) technical director Arton Filletti says “We also see great potential for extrusions in other modes of people transport, such as railways, urban surface trains and subways.” He also sees potential in the shipping and offshore industry.

Four industries account for three fourths of aluminum consumption in Brazil: packing, transportation, construction and electricity.

 

Aluminum is on the rise in the auto industry and has plenty of room for growth in Brazil. In 2013, vehicles produced domestically have average aluminum content per vehicle at around 110 pounds. In leading markets such as the U.S. and Europe, average aluminum content per vehicle exceeds 300 pounds. Inovar Auto is a government program established to boost vehicle technology innovation should raise demand by the industry as well as tax breaks for cars that reach a set level of energy efficiency. Demand should increase for aluminum since it is known to make cars lighter and run more efficiently.

Last year, Brazil dropped to 8th from 6th largest producer globally as production of primary aluminum fell 9.2%. The main barrier is poor competitiveness in the cost of electricity. The loss of competitiveness will mean that Brazil will have to become a net importer of aluminum. The People’s Republic of China remains at the top of the list and Shanghai Metal Corporations is a leading manufacturer in Aluminum sheets and plates committed to providing value-added quality products with competitive pricing and prompt delivery. Our group of competent engineers develops and improves our products using specially design and advanced equipment to meet the special needs to our clients. To find out more about our wide variety of products check out our website here.

Sources: The Brazilian Aluminum Association (ABAL), Bain & Company

Kristie K.//SMC Editor