GPI at Pack Expo Connects: KeelClip and PaperSeal target eco-conscious and convenience-seeking consumers
13 Nov 2020 | Graphic Packaging International
PackagingInsights speaks with Roxanne McSpadden, Graphic Packaging International’s (GPI) director of marketing and beverage NPD, at Pack Expo Connects about the long-term benefits of virtual events. GPI is exhibiting KeelClip and PaperSeal, which address enduring demands for environmentally conscious and convenient F&B packaging solutions in the North American market.
This is Annie Schleicher reporting for Packaging Insights.
I'm here at PAC Expo Connects, one of the largest networking events in the North American packaging industry and hosted virtually this year.
I'm here with Roxanne McSpadden, director of marketing and beverage new Product Development at Graphic Packaging International.
We're gonna talk a bit about her company's experience with exhibiting at a virtual trade show and what innovations graphic packaging is keen to highlight this year.
So, hi, Roxanne, thank you so much for joining me today.
Hi, how are you?
Good, how are you?
So what's been your experience on day one so far?
How does the virtual event compare to physical trade shows and your pre-Corona experiences at PA Expo?
We're very grateful that there's a virtual option, because we think, you know, we, we don't want to be missing the chance to talk to people interested in our equipment and our packaging solutions, so we're happy there is a virtual event and, we are seeing folks visit our showroom and, have some dialogue with the team.
So overall we're, we're happy, that we've got this virtual option and we also, had a chance with the virtual option to communicate a little bit more to prospects ahead of the show.
So, that was a nice thing to know a little bit more about who is visiting our, our location and, planning to visit our, webinars ahead of time.
Yep, are you seeing his sorry.
We were able to get more planning done as a result.
Right, so are you seeing as much demand as you had hoped for?
It's probably still too early to tell.
We, we expect to get, more targeted folks, people who really, are interested in our products because they can also research ahead of time finding, you know, we're found in the cartoning category as as sustainability, so as they're planning what they wanna research, we, we expect to find people really looking in those, those core categories where we participate.
Right.
And how do you envision the future potential of this sort of event after the pandemic maybe comes to a conclusion, or, you know, when we can reconvene at physical trade shows?
Yeah, I, I, I envision a hybrid going forward.
I think, you know, certainly a virtual option extends the information beyond who's able to physically visit the location of the event.
So I think a virtual component, is something that we can probably see going forward.
I, I still think there's a need for the in-person events because that's where you can get that hands-on experience with.
With machinery, with the packaging solutions, you know, you can plan ahead for what you want to see, but one of the beauties of an in-person trade show is the stuff you just happen upon, by walking the, the show floor.
So I expect there's still to be a component that allows people to go visit, dedicate their time for a day or two to walk, walk a show, but the virtual component certainly is a great ad.
And so, you know, first day, today is day 2, what industry trends have immediately caught your attention, and what are you noticing from conversations with your customers at your show?
Two themes that are really coming through are sustainability, but also, you know, looking for convenient solutions.
So, although consumers aren't on the go, they were the way they were pre-pandemic, there's still a need for individual portions, things that make, meal preparation easy, and convenient.
So that's, that's certainly, one area and then the sustainability is really just looking for materials that help help our customers reach their own sustainability goals.
So we feel like we're positioned with our paper-based solutions.
I think the topic of sustainability and convenience, you know, going hand in hand or how those two meet is really interesting.
Can you share some insights into the average North American consumer and how those two trends kind of go together?
They don't always do so.
So what's your experience at graphic packaging?
You know, with, with most of our products being, heavily paper-based, we, we tend to focus on ways in which our solutions can help, deliver convenience because we know whether you're, you're back to being on the go or you're just trying to balance things at home and need a quick convenient meal, we're trying to Combine features so that you get a good sustainable solution.
So a couple of examples for, recent examples for us, we have a product called Integraflex, and we use that for categories like oatmeal.
So you could take your oatmeal on the go or you could consume it at home, but it's a completely paper-based solution that you can, you can cook in, essentially.
And then paper seal is one we're featuring at the show, and it's something for, Used for things like meat, cheeses.
It allows things to stay fresh, so that you can conveniently have them in at home when you want to consume them, but then when you're ready to, to use it and dispose of it, it easily can be recycled, and then the film that was required to make it, convenient, is something that then can be separated for easier recycling.
So, you've already addressed paper sale.
Can you outline maybe another product that you have on display today and how it, meets the specific requirements of your North American consumers?
Sure, one other one we have on display is Kiel clip.
Kill clip is a great, option for multi-packing beverage cans.
So, there's, there's, You know, a number of materials people can choose for their multi-pack, and we see our new kill clip as a great option to replace shrink film and plastic rings.
It is convenient in that you can, you know, easily, for the, for the manufacturer, it's convenient cause it makes its way all the way through very rigorous supply chains.
It's a very solid pack, and then for consumers, it's very intuitive in how, how it operates.
Great.
So it's easy to, easy to, grab off the shelf, and then the cans are, are easy to remove, so overall giving delivering convenience for, you know, how, how it's manufactured, but also for the end consumer.
Kill Clip is, is this newest offering we have in the multi-pack beverage category, and we're happy to be sharing more about it at the show.
That's fantastic.
So, my last question is, can, in terms of Kiel clip and, paper seal, what are you hoping for the next 3 days of, the event?
We're really hoping to just continue to connect with, with more, more people interested in these types of products, and educate them on the machine components as as the package solutions because we know any great innovation usually includes a machine component, to make it happen, so.
Hoping we have the time to connect with all the right players, across the, the decision-making process within these customers, cause we think both of the, both solutions, Kill Clip and Paper seal, which we're featuring, have great, branding benefits, for the, the brand portion, but also go backwards towards the supply chain and, and, you know, help make manufacturing easier.
Thanks so much for your time.
Thank you.
