The Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) has recognized CCL Label’s (www.ccllabel.com) Flexis^® Coffee valve with a 2013 AmeriStar Package Award.

The IoPP’s annual AmeriStar Awards are considered North America’s most prestigious packaging awards. Judges evaluate packaging in 15 categories and select winners based on innovation, sustainability, protection, economics, performance and marketing. At the IoPP’s 2013 AmeriStar Awards ceremony June 19 in Philadelphia, CCL Label, which at the time was a part of Avery Dennison Corp., and known as Avery Dennison Dennison Designed and Engineered Solutions, was recognized with an AmeriStar Award in the non-alcoholic beverage packaging category.

The Flexis Coffee valve is a pre-oiled one-way valve with a unique three-layer construction. The flexible valve prevents oxygen ingress while allowing CO₂ naturally emitted by the packaged coffee to be released. Flexis valves can be efficiently and cost effectively applied to coffee packages, resulting in up to a 30% increase in application throughput.

“It is an honor to be recognized as a leader in packaging innovation, and we thank the IoPP for its efforts in fostering unique and forward thinking packaging,” says CCL Label Global Segment Manager Nick Greco. “Flexis Coffee has proved to be a game changer in the coffee market and many of our customers are seeing significant improvements in both packaging machinery throughput and downtime.”

 In terms of sustainability, the Flexis valve is made of 90% less plastic than traditional button-style degassing valves. Because the valve is pre-oiled with food grade silicone oil, there is no need to add oil during the valve application process, making the valve package ready and easier to apply than traditional pressure sensitive applied valves.