October 2020 – In an ongoing effort to de
velop successful solutions for clients’ brands and messaging, Unicorr Packaging Group has opened a comprehensive, state-of-the-art design center in North Haven, CT. This new facility enhances packaging development capabilities and merges structural and graphic designers into a collaborative and dedicated environment serving all of Unicorr’s corrugated production plants.
Headed by Gary Lenkeit, Corporate Creative Director, the Design Center focuses on creativity and innovative thinking while utilizing the latest CAD and graphics software systems to accommodate a wide range of client needs.
“The future of corrugated products has just begun,” Lenkeit said. “With a rapidly expanding e-commerce frontier, combined with the growing importance of environmentally acceptable packaging, Unicorr is committed to ‘reinventing the box.’ This includes using Unicorr’s complete range of manufacturing capabilities to produce cost-effective solutions for e-commerce, retail and retail-ready packaging that captivates consumers, protects the product, is environmentally friendly, and reduces labor costs and packaging waste. We can develop several virtual solutions in less time than a single physical sample. After rendering approval, we will create a prototype to ensure production results.”
Before joining Unicorr, Lenkeit worked in New York City and Chicago creating innovative, multi-media packaging for a number of Fortune 500 companies and was Global Design Director for Graphic Packaging’s Consumer Products Division (CPD) in the Midwest. His notable awards include a Grammy for Best Recording Package of a Bruce Springsteen music collection. Beyond corrugated packaging and displays, Unicorr’s team works with many materials such as wood, foam, and plastic corrugated for a variety of applications and end uses. The design team also collaborates with technology providers to enable our customers to utilize new trends in connected packaging such as embedded QR codes, VR applications, and the use of specialty inks to take packaging to the next level. We continually push the envelope by creating features that make packaging tamper evident, easier to open, and easier to reseal. Similarly, through innovative work with graphics, we are expanding our capabilities to produce litho-like quality on our direct print presses.
“Whether for traditional retail outlets or e-commerce, our work is an essential continuation of our clients’ marketing efforts,” Lenkeit said. “With every project, our goal is to deliver the brand promise of the product, while enhancing the consumer experience through ease of opening, disposal, and product protection that are especially essential for e-commerce.”
Bernie Baszak, a Unicorr sales manager, added, “Our design team gives small and medium-sized businesses without internal design resources access to world-class level packaging previously only available through suppliers with larger minimum quantities than needed. This capability also allows us to aid startups in bringing products into the marketplace more efficiently and economically while helping more established businesses scale their production with custom designs and purchase directly from the manufacturer. Unicorr also has achieved certification as an Amazon APASS provider, qualified to design, test, and manufacture packaging that meets Amazon’s stringent guidelines.