Durable, stable and different!

Whether it’s beer, juice or an energy drink, consumers like to buy many everyday beverages in multipacks. Cardboard carriers are the transport unit of choice for this purpose. The Greiner Packaging Design & Prototyping department, DesPro, has now  developed and already implemented an alternative in cooperation with the toolmaker Haidlmair: a 6-pack plastic carrier.

It is manufactured by injection molding – from up to 100% recycled material – and has the clear advantage that it can be reused many times. In addition to its durability, the packaging also features a practical carrying handle. This ensures easy and safe transport since tearing is impossible – unlike with carrying handles made of cardboard. The containers can be stored at home and on retail shelves in a space-saving manner thanks to their honeycomb shape, in which one carrier fits perfectly into the next. In addition, the unusual honeycomb design catches the eye in supermarkets and is also visually appealing at home, where drinks can be served to party guests directly from the designer carriers. After the last bottle or can has been removed from the 6-pack carrier, it can be ideally stacked with comparable carriers to save space. In the future, empty carriers can easily be returned via existing empty container systems to be ready for further use. Working towards the final design, our product developers gave free rein to their thoughts, creating a total of five design concepts.

Working with DesPro was incredibly efficient, extremely straightforward and fun. We continually pushed each other further until we achieved the optimum result. The 6-pack carrier is eye-catching and practical at the same time. We can achieve the finishing touch using interchangeable inserts in the mold through a unique surface structure that the customer can design completely freely – from logo embossing to haptic structure highlights,” says a delighted Roland Gradauer, Sales Director at Haidlmair.