Plastic Ingenuity Earns 2023 AmeriStar Award for Electronics Packaging

Innovative installation tool improves user experience and sustainability

Plastic Ingenuity, the largest custom thermoformer in North America, has been recognized by the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IOPP) with a 2023 AmeriStar Award. IOPP will present the award for excellence in electronics packaging design and manufacturing during this year’s Pack Expo event in Las Vegas.

With the goal to enhance functionality and sustainability, Plastic Ingenuity redesigned a Glass Screen Protection Installation Tool for Otter Products. The new design can be used on virtually all smartphone devices with greater accuracy than previous installation tools. Plastic Ingenuity transitioned an injection-molded tray made with 100% non-recyclable virgin material to a light-gauge thermoformed package using 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material, which is also curbside recyclable. Additionally, the redesigned package reduced costs by almost 40%, resulting from the switch to thermoforming and a universal design that reduced SKUs and inventory requirements. The new, lightweight tray also helps improve package distribution and transportation efficiencies.

Plastic Ingenuity’s thermoformed tray not only protects the glass product, but also serves as a functional installation tool. A cardboard sleeve protects the glass. The glass itself has a membrane that is locked into the tray during assembly. A rubber band secures the phone for proper positioning, allowing application of the glass within 15 thousandths of an inch. In addition to physical tests, multiple focus group sessions were deployed to understand how consumers reacted to the functional package. Improved installation performance and instruction demonstrated a 100% chance of success for accurately applying the glass protection to the phone.

“We are pleased to receive an AmeriStar Award for our work with Otter Products,” said Dan Kuehn, President and CEO of Plastic Ingenuity. “The new tool has received numerous accolades from consumers, turning the installation process into a product positive. Moreover, this package redesign is an achievement in minimizing environmental impact, from enabling recyclability and using recycled materials to increasing economic efficiencies.”

Each year, the IOPP presents the prestigious AmeriStar Awards to leaders in the industry, recognizing excellence and innovation in packaging design in categories like food, electronics, pharmaceutical and medical device packaging. This is one of 10 AmeriStar Awards that Plastic Ingenuity has received in recent years.

About Plastic Ingenuity

With seven strategic locations, Plastic Ingenuity is one of the largest custom thermoformers in North America. Its experience, global reach, and genuine dedication to customers allows the company to bring clients’ packaging vision to life, scale the product, and create a partnership that lasts beyond the product’s lifecycle. Specializing in food, healthcare and consumer goods packaging, Plastic Ingenuity offers a range of services to support customers sustainability and circularity goals, including sustainable packaging assessment, sustainability roadmaps, recyclability consulting, life-cycle assessment and take-back programs. For more information, visit  plasticingenuity.com.