Striking can design and “greener” production technology were the landmarks of this year’s “World Aluminum Aerosol Can Award” competition organised by the International Organisation of Aluminum Aerosol Container Manufacturers (AEROBAL). The panel of judges consisted of eleven leading international trade journals for packaging and cosmetics.

Aerocan won the AEROBAL Award in the category ‘Can Already in the Market’ for is Right Guard can, the successful brand from the USA, which has now also been launched in west-ern and eastern Europe. The design of the grip areas of the can body has been inspired by football protective gear, thus communicating energy, strength and protection. Colour coding within the grip structure supports differentiation within the range. The innovation lies also in the perfect fit of the coloured, striped artwork with the embossed-debossed body shape, the spray actuator and the cap leading to a brand new visual effect for aluminum aerosol cans. The final result is a new and elegant aluminum aerosol can, in diameter 45 mm, featuring male gender characteristics linked up with an original shape which also makes counterfeiting difficult. The Right Guard can was designed combining embossing technology with a unique know-how of mass production under consideration of stringent requirements of can quality and process control at high production speeds.

Tubex won in the ‘Prototype’ category with its “Yes Green Can”. Today sustainability is on top of the agenda of all leading customers of the aluminium aerosol can industry. Thanks to an optimized material input and sophisticated production technology the “Yes Green Can” embodies all characteristics of modern sustainability. The economic use of resources is real-ized by a significant can weight reduction which varies according to the required pressure resistance. In addition the can was produced from slugs which contain about 20% recycled clean and printed can production scrap, thus reducing the use of primary aluminium. Fur-thermore volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions from the can production process could be significantly reduced by the application of a solvent-free internal powder coating and the use of a water-based base coat and over varnish. All in all the awarded can meets highest requirements of an environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging.