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Creative Forming Takes 1st Place At 2005 SPE Parts Competition |
Ripon, Wisconsin, November 2005 - Creative Forming Inc. took first place in the Consumer Packaging Division at the 15th Annual SPE Parts Competition and Showcase, held in Milwaukee, WI. The company submitted a thermoformed lid and clamshell entitled “LidRock,” which functions as a soft drink lid that holds media CD’s.
A panel of six industry professionals from both cut sheet and roll-fed industries, judged the competition. They awarded Creative Forming’s re-design of Convex’s “LidRock” 1st place based on the following criteria:
- Technical Mastery
- Surface Finish
- Distinct Quality
- Market Viability
- Originality
- Material Difficulty
- Mold Complexity
- Secondary Operations
Development of the “LidRock” was initiated by the Atlanta based company, Convex Group, which presented Creative Forming with a need for a soda lid that was functional and versatile enough to house CDs and DVDs. “We love a good challenge, it fosters creativity,” stated Shawn Oaks, Project Engineer for the “LidRock” New Product Development Team. “And this project presented us with multiple challenges which we were able to convert to opportunities.”
The primary focus of the Creative Forming New Product Team was to enhance the Convex lid to meet all the requirements and set the stage for the “LidRock” program. The refinement of the “LidRock” was handled entirely in-house; the internal tooling shop built the mold, while the sheet was extruded within the company’s extrusion division. The team designed two different lids for Convex; a two-piece and a clamshell. The new Convex “LidRock”…
- Holds either an 8-cm mini disc or a 12-cm full-size CD
- Accommodates standard cup sizes (custom tooling can be developed to fit virtually any size cup)
- Allows for nesting, de-nesting and stacking without interfering with the CD
- Allows the lid to be run through automation filling process
- Protects the CD/DVD from the elements, i.e. temperature/liquid/rough handling
- Allows increased visibility for CD/DVD graphics
- Accommodates various straw sizes while preventing beverage contact with the CD
- Incorporates functional flavor buttons that can be formed out of PET vs. HIPS (a CF original design)
- Runs through manufacturing operations efficiently and in a timely manner
“Creative Forming is responsive to the customer’s needs, extremely competitive and easy to work with, and they provide direct access to team personnel as needed at all levels,” said Nancy Watts, Sr. VP Manufacturing with Convex. “They won me over with their cooperative attitude, creative solutions to my high volume manufacturing challenges and the quick time-to-market they provide. They are one of my best suppliers.”
“We are constantly pushing the boundaries to develop new products and methods to not only satisfy but also anticipate our customers’ needs,” stated Marc DeGroot, Manager Marketing & Customer Support. “We are committed to presenting our clients with functional innovation at all levels including inventory management, quality control, engineering, tool making, materials and scheduling, production and sales and customer support.
Proof of the company’s commitment is reflected by their impressive client portfolio, which consists of several Fortune 500 companies including Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, ConAgra Foods and Unilever.
About Creative Forming, Inc.
Located in Ripon, WI, Creative Forming and its extrusion division ALPHATEC EXTRUSION®, offer state-of-the-art extrusion expertise and custom thermoforming solutions to the consumer products, food packaging, and food service industries throughout the United States.
For more information, please contact:
Marc DeGroot
Creative Forming, Inc.
100 Creative Way
Ripon, WI 54971
(920) 748-7285