3M today announced that Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., manufacturer of the leading brand of canned and bottled juice drinks in the United States, will use the 3M Integrated Packaging Tool to streamline its corporate packaging system across all operations. Project kick-off was early June. The 3M Integrated Packaging Tool is the first web-based, centralized database that enables integration and management of packaging data.
The system will be used to manage packaging specifications by corporate package engineering and manufacturing for all Ocean Spray products. With 2003 sales of $1 billion, Ocean Spray leads the industry in providing new and unique juices and juice drinks and innovative packaging for its products to the consumer and food service markets. The 3M Integrated Packaging Tool will enable Ocean Spray to be faster and more flexible in introducing new products and standardizing the entire packaging process.
"Time to market and brand management are primary considerations in the development and distribution of our products," explained Ken Zaval, packaging manager at Ocean Spray. "3M has proven that they are able to help us increase efficiencies and collaboration in our packaging system, along with reducing costs, ultimately helping us better serve our customers."
Ocean Spray's selection of the 3M Integrated Packaging Tool is part of the company's ongoing commitment to best manufacturing practices. According to Zaval, "This will bring us to a new level of packaging systems management."
"Packaging is one of the last frontiers in IT and supply chain business processes where there are clear opportunities for improvement," said John Pohl, division vice president, 3M Industrial Services and Solutions Division. "The 3M Integrated Packaging Tool is the first that specifically addresses this important challenge. This is particularly relevant to the food and beverage industry, where getting products to market late can cost millions of dollars in lost revenue."
Based on its own history of packaging expertise, 3M developed the 3M Integrated Packaging Tool to more efficiently integrate and manage its packaging information. The system helps companies in packaging-intensive industries -- food and beverage, consumer packaged goods and life sciences -- effectively address business critical issues -- such as compliance, product surety, time to market and reduction of packaging costs -- at an enterprise level.
For food and beverage companies like Ocean Spray, where time to market is critical, the 3M Integrated Packaging Tool can accelerate and streamline the process of packaging development for new-product launches or promotions by centralizing packaging specifications, labeling data and artwork. In addition, the data-enabled solution supports customer and industry initiatives like UCCnet and RFID.
About Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc.
Ocean Spray is the No. 1 brand of canned and bottled juice drinks in the United States with 2003 sales of roughly $1 billion. Formed in 1930, the cooperative is made up of cranberry growers from Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and other parts of Canada, as well as Florida grapefruit growers.
About 3M -- A Global, Diversified Technology Company
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3M, St. PaulRon Wenaas, 651-736-7918http://www.3m.com/profile/pressbox/media_contacts.jhtmlorSnow CommunicationsHaley Marconett, 612-338-4792hmarconett@cybersnow.com
