Smurfit Kappa (smurfitkappa.com), one of the world’s leading packaging firms, has taken one of Europe’s most coveted prizes for innovation at the “Goldene Welle” (Golden Wave) awards in Germany, held every two years by the Association of the Corrugated Fibreboard Industry.

Smurfit Kappa designer Steffen Munninger’s pioneering one-piece loudspeaker packaging blew the judges away, topping the ‘Storage and Transport’ category. Steffen’s winning design came up with an innovative, easy-to-use way of protecting speakers, exemplifying Smurfit Kappa’s relentless focus on delivering innovative solutions based on deep customer insights.

The design stood out by being made from just one single cut, making the packing process quicker and easier. The modular packaging gives additional stability and protection and the more compact shape means less space is needed for storage and transportation, lowering costs and its carbon footprint.

Munninger, the award-winning designer from Smurfit Kappa in Neuburg, Germany says, “At Smurfit Kappa, our designers talk directly to the customer, so I understood first-hand their frustrations when the loudspeaker was packed within three separate pieces of board. It was these insights, combined with inspiration from other innovative Smurfit Kappa designs from across the globe, which led to the creation of the one-piece packaging.”

Before joining the design team Steffen worked in a range of departments at Smurfit Kappa, giving him a holistic view of packaging solutions and a deep connection with customer brands. The Smurfit Kappa approach to innovation is rooted in the sharpest customer insights, meaning designs are not only creative, but solve real-world problems and deliver growth.

This approach is embodied by Smurfit Kappa’s new global brand strategy, launched across 32 countries, which is set to ‘Open the future’ for its customers.

 The new strategy focuses on delivering customer growth through insight and innovation, reflecting the continued battle for brand owners to win that all-important First Moment of Truth, where shoppers choose one brand over another. It is brought to life through a dynamic microsite, where a series of stories demonstrate how customers across the world have worked in partnership with Smurfit Kappa to create innovative solutions which have driven commercial success.