Interview with Steffen Schnizer from CD Cartondruck AG company

What other trends do you see?
For one, even more can be done with scent. For example, we can print encapsulated aromas from which scent unfolds by rubbing. This technique can be used for perfume samples in magazines or promotion packaging. Sound is also really interesting with folding boxes. Especially on luxury items, a full sounding click when opening or closing the packaging gives the consumer a feeling of quality. A solid sound, which the customer actually does not associate with cardboard at all, can be created with invisible magnets embedded in the cardboard or with a special fastening construction with snaps.

What role does sustainability play?
Sustainability and environmental protection are a basic responsibility of society and industry today. We use cardboard as the primary product for our folding boxes. This is almost exclusively made of new fiber material, since our customers have very high expectations for the look and processability. We were recently FSC certified. The fresh fibers of some types of cardboard that we use stem from sustainable foresting, which allows us to print the FSC logo on packaging upon the customer's request. More and more customers are asking for this. In addition, we are working on using inks with binding agents made from renewable resources or laminating foil made of starch. In this way, luxury packaging is produced from sustainable resources.

Your company work very closely with your clients - usually already during the development phase. How do you make yourself indispensable?
We increasingly try to put ourselves in our customers' shoes. We want to understand what their needs are in order to be able to sell their products successfully. For this purpose, we also work with trend researchers so that we can anticipate future developments. Then, if the customer has a clear concept for the packaging or puts a dummy on the table for us, we advise them how their ideas can best be realized technically and economically.

So, in other words, we explain which materials, effects and technologies are suitable. In theory, almost everything is possible, but alongside aesthetics, profits and processing are also important. That is why we also produce pre-series runs for "fill" or market tests. Packaging must not just look good, it also has to meet the customers' technical requirements on filling equipment.