Diamond Packaging Wins Seven Awards in 2010 FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition

Rochester, NY – Diamond Packaging won seven awards in the 2010 FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition, the industry's premier showcase for foil stamping and embossing designs and techniques. Awards were announced last month at the IADD•FSEA Odyssey in Nashville, TN.

The competition, which is sponsored by the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), recognizes creativity and superior execution of designs that reflect positively on the industry as a whole. Entries are judged on several criteria including design, execution, and level of difficulty. Winning an award is a mark of excellence in the packaging field and recognition of superior achievement.

Competing against hundreds of entries from around the country, Diamond earned recognition by winning two Gold Leaf awards, four Silver Leaf awards, and one Bronze Leaf award. The total represents the highest number of awards Diamond has ever won in this competition.

Diamond won a Gold Leaf award in the category of “Most Difficult Application of Foil Stamping/Embossing on a Folding Carton” for packaging created for Coty's Beyoncé Heat, a sensual, sexy, and sophisticated fragrance that embodies the soul of Beyoncé's persona.

The overall presentation imparts unusual depth and distinction through innovative design, material selection, UV gloss spot coating, foil stamping, embossing, and debossing.

The structure incorporates a tapered die cut window on the front panel, allowing the products to show through and correlates with the tapered shape of the eau de parfum bottle.

Gold accents create the ultimate touch of luxury and complement both the gold band on the eau de parfum bottle and the gold shimmer on the body lotion tube.

Combination stamping was utilized for the “Beyoncé Heat” logo (front and rear). Foil stamping was used for the gold specks in red area (front and rear), and for the inside of the rear panel (showing through the window).

Embossing was used to create the textured pattern in the red areas (front and rear panels). Debossing was used to create the “B” logo and decorative patterns (corners of top and side panels).

Diamond also won a Gold Leaf award in the “Capabilities Brochure” category for its Diamond 2011 Centennial Calendar.

Diamond continues its annual tradition of producing a corporate calendar, a popular promotional item given to customers and suppliers. This year's centennial-themed calendar is the company's most ambitious to date, featuring twelve layouts: one for each decade that Diamond has been in business along with a futurevision layout and a 9-11 tribute. Each decade depicts memorable moments from that time period supporting Diamond's message that “We Were There”. The distinguished calendar cover protects the piece, which also serves as a capabilities book.

The calendar was decorated with the latest in package printing technologies, including specialty coatings (emboss, pearl, textured, soft touch), MiraFoil™ environmentally-friendly coating, Cast and Cure holographic effects, foil stamping, and multi-level embossing.

Diamond introduced several of its new specialty coatings (DiamondEmboss, DiamondPearl, DiamondTexture, and DiamondTouch) on the cover and several of its layouts. The goal was to produce unique decorative effects through an in-line process without requiring a separate stamping or embossing pass, thereby reducing material and energy usage.

The calendar cover and both the 1921 and 1991 layouts (inserts) feature MiraFoil®, a key component of Diamond's Green Chic™ packaging model, which delivers “Beauty without Compromise” by capturing the essence of luxury or upscale brands through more sustainable converting methods. MiraFoil® specialty metallic UV coating delivers “Foil on demand at print speed”. It is an economical, in-line alternative to film and foil laminates that enhances the brilliance of the printed surface while providing environmentally-friendly benefits.

Diamond applied its new specialty coatings and MiraFoil® in an initial flexo dispersion coater on its new state-of-the-art Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105 offset printing press prior to printing up to eight colors and two additional specialty coatings — all in a single pass. The Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105 offset printing press represents the state-of-the-art in package printing technology, providing Diamond with an unprecedented combination of cost innovation and sustainability. It offers the latest in coating capabilities, including a flexo coating unit upfront (to lay down eco-friendly metallic coating effects) and a dual flexo coating unit on the end to apply UV, aqueous, or specialty coatings.

Several layouts also feature Cast and Cure holographic effects. Diamond’s Cast and Cure technology is a cost effective, inline process that produces high-gloss, holographic finishes through the use of UV coatings and specialty film.

All of the components were manufactured using 100% renewable wind energy.

About Diamond Packaging

Founded in 1911, Diamond Packaging is a WBENC-certified woman-owned business specializing in developing innovative and sustainable packaging solutions. Utilizing state of-the-art technologies, Diamond designs and manufactures paperboard and plastic folding cartons, and provides comprehensive contract packaging services for the personal care (cosmetics & skin care, fragrance, hair care), health care, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and food and confectionery industries. Its client portfolio includes Bausch & Lomb, Beiersdorf, Coty, Elizabeth Arden, Estée Lauder, Godiva Chocolatier, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, and Procter & Gamble. As part of the Global Packaging Alliance® (GPA), Diamond and its alliance members offer packaging solutions to companies operating on an international scale. Customers receive responsive, localized service, award-winning creative designs, identical product specifications and consistent brand recognition, resulting in unparalleled worldwide packaging support. For more information about Diamond Packaging, contact Dennis Bacchetta at (585) 334-8030 x229 or visit the website at www.diamondpackaging.com. For more information about Diamond’s greenbox initiative, visit the sustainability microsite at www.diamondpackaging.com/green.