94 | Haney Packaging ‘As a designer, I’m very empathetic to the consumer experience,’ says Haney. ‘If the package isn’t beautiful, if it doesn’t evoke something and tug on the heartstrings of the consumer while also meeting those performance criteria laid out, then it’s just going to fail before it even goes to market.’To understand what the fnal customer is looking for, Haney goes through what it calls a ‘vision session.’ During the session, which can last anywhere from half a day to two days, the company puts its customers through an immersive experience where both companies discuss the ‘three legs that hold up the stool called innovation at the brand level: design, consumer insight, and technical packaging,’ says Haney.Haney then fgures out which materials can be used not only to make the labels and packaging look nice but be scalable and cost effective for its customer. In 2017, the company was rebranded as Haney Packaging, The Packaging Microfactory to showcase how it has shiftedPrototyping phaseNext comes the prototyping phase. Here, “Haney Packaging is focused on connecting early Haney Packaging utilizes its equipment feet and full pre-press capabilities to innovation to activation. We do that through what showcase the design concepts developed during the vision session, a process Haney we like to call a microfactory, a mini supply chain calls ‘informed prototyping’.all under one roof”‘For us, informed prototyping is a term we use to mean a prototype that understands manufacturing feasibility The range of offerings and capabilities compete with any of the program partners.and what we can and can’t do at a full is part of what makes Haney Packaging ‘Here at Haney, we’re not really a threat manufacturing scale. It’s important to note unique. Haney doesn’t consider the to anybody,’ says Muenzer. ‘We have our that, when we talk about Haney being a company a converter, but they do some own lane and because of that, we have microfactory, it’s across all formats,’ says converting. They don’t consider themselves created an environment where the entire Dan Muenzer, director of marketing and co-packers, but they do some co-packing. supply chain feels comfortable coming here, business development at Haney Packaging. ‘If you’re able to look down at our collaborating, and developing together.’‘Labels is obviously something that we do, building, we have design capabilities The current partners on the program but we also engage with fexible packaging, attached to a world-class materials science include a wide array of material and folding carton, corrugated, tubes, clamshell, library, printing and converting capabilities, raw material suppliers, including resin almost anything you can think of.’ and co-packing and flling operations right manufacturers, flm extruders, paper At the end of the process, Haney behind us,’ says Haney. ‘At the end of the manufacturers, coating manufacturers, Packaging assists its customer with a ‘path day, what we’re able to deliver to brands is adhesive manufacturers, ink manufacturers, to commercialization’. a total package. From mind to market.’ and more.‘All while we’re converting and Although offering a vast array of possible prototyping, the customer is taking notes, Invitation VIA Haney technology solutions, the program has asking questions and we’re fguring out Haney Packaging’s Value in Action (VIA) recently been dedicated to sustainability. what worked and what didn’t, developing program is an invitation-only, open This means helping not only the large CPGs a path to commercialization or what we innovation program with partners across reach the fast-approaching sustainability call the recipe card,’ says Haney. ‘The recipe the supply chain, with the aim of building goals, but also the small and mid-size card then enables our customers to scale up a vast library of cutting-edge materials and companies that don’t have access to the more accurately.’ products that can be used to demonstrate R&D capabilities of the multinational For some customers, however, the work to brand owners just what’s possible when corporations. That, according to Haney, is doesn’t end here. Haney Packaging also developing new packaging concepts – and where the change starts.houses a 55,000 sq ft co-packing facility also to have an easier way to bring this ‘If you really want to affect changes with everything from horizontal and innovation into its facility. in the industry, you have to go to the vertical flling machines to steam tunnels to ‘We have a market team that spends small-to-mid tier players,’ says Haney. ‘If crimpers and sealers. The company mostly a lot of time doing research, but I think you give them all the same tools the larger focuses on primary and secondary food the secret sauce is our VIA program,’ says companies already have access to, the packaging but is also FDA-certifed for level Muenzer. ‘We literally have 33 materials whole process is accelerated.’one and two over-the-counter drugs. The partners who are on the bleeding edge, co-packing operations are typically focused cutting edge, of packaging development.’For more information, go to on test markets, sampling programs, or Muenzer believes this has been possible www.haneypkg.comlimited-time promotional packaging. because Haney Packaging does not labelsandlabeling.com