The Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC) held its fall meeting at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort, San Antonio, Texas, September 24-27, which centered around the theme "Marketing to the Millennium." A wide variety of speakers, workshops, special events and group roundtables covered topics ranging from the changing retail marketplace, flexo simulation and computer-to-plate to the global corrugated industry, effective selling and forward thinking management tips.

Converters were also able to showcase their own marketing flair at the "Packaging Shoot-out," the AICC's eighth international corrugated packaging design competition, which drew a record 265 entries. The designs were on display in a 10,000-sq.-ft. tent in the parking lot of the resort, as none of the ballrooms in the hotel were big enough to accommodate the increased size of the competition. "This competition demonstrated the increasing sophistication and skill independents are employing in the compelling use of graphics and artistic design as well as innovative, highly technical and environmental applications of corrugated to exceed customer expectation in the marketplace," said Competition Committee Chairman Gary West, president of Custom Packaging, Lebanon, Tennessee.

There were two judging teams, one dedicated to the structural side, the other focusing on graphics/printing. Comprising the structural judging team were Jim Southwell, Tenneco Packaging; Jon Lord, O'Grady Union Camp; Chuck Connor, Bates Container; Steve Main, Hager Containers; and Dr. Paul Singh, Michigan State University. The graphics judging team included Chuck Throckmorton, Ward Machinery; Dennis Woodall, International Paper; Chris Heusch, Heusch Technical Services; Doug Morris, The Buckner Group; and Cordes Porcher, Clemson University.

The following winners were judged the best among this year's entries.

Category 1: Industrial Product Protection First place: B & L Packaging, Dayton Ohio, Saturn Back Window Lace

Second place: Laimbeer Packaging, Melvindale, Michigan, Freightliner Steering Wheel Pak

Third place: DeWitt Packaging, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ford Explorer Pack

Independent's Choice: Laimbeer Packaging, Melvindale, Michigan, Form Fitting Cell Partition Pack

Category 2: Consumer Product Protection First place: Northeast Box Co., Ashtabula, Ohio, Naturestone Lighting Package

Second place: Great Northern Corp., Appleton Wisconsin, Large BAT Rack

Third place: Phoenix Packaging, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Single Stein Shipper

Independent's Choice: Smith Packaging, Nepean, Ontario, Canada, Corel Draw Pack

Category 3: Counter Displays First place: Royal Continental Box Co., Cicero, Illinois, Small Kitchen Imitation

Second place: Badger Packaging Corp., West Bend, Wisconsin, Kellogg's Honey Crunch Display

Third place: Royal Containers Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Luminator

Independent's Choice: Calumet Carton Co., South Holland, Illinois, Rules of Golf display

Category 4: Floor Displays First place: Buckeye Container, Wooster, Ohio, Hickory Farms Display

Second place: Orange County Container, City of Industry, California, Seven Years in Tibet Display

Third place: Great Northern Corp., Racine, Wisconsin, X-2 Modem Tower

Independent's Choice: Great Northern Corp., Racine, Wisconsin, Mountain Dew NCAA Final Four End Aisle Display

Category 5: Direct Printing on Combined Board, Line Work/Non-process Screen First place: Kell Specialty Products, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, 130th Anniversary 12-pak

Second place: Dusobox Corp., Orlando, Florida, Gargoll Package

Third place: Central Graphics & Container Group Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Mondial Package for Bell/ Sporttrack

Independent's Choice: Buckeye Container, Wooster, Ohio, Crossbow Pack for Hunter Manufacturing

Category: Direct Printing on Combined Board, Using Standard or Process Modified Colors First place: Drake Container Corp., Houston Texas, Victorian Playhouse

Second place: Scotland Container, Laurinburg, North Carolina, Kenmore Tabletop Air Cleaning Package

Third place: Central Graphics & Container Group Ltd., Mississaugua, Ontario, Canada, Double Pak Vanilla

Independent's Choice: Connelly Containers Corp., Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, Pumpkin Bin

Category 7: Direct Printing on Combined Board Using a Two-color (or fewer) Press First place: Great Lakes Packaging, Germantown, Wisconsin, Waste Container Billboard

Second place: All-size Corrugated Products, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Gingerbread House

Third place: Suburban Corrugated Box Co., Willowbrook, Illinois, Bear Box Promoting the Colors of Vancraft

Independent's Choice: Northeast Box Co., Ashtabula, Ohio, Lomey Box Series

Category 8: Direct Printing on Combined Board Using Offset Printing Processes First place: Bay Cities Container, Pico Rivera, California, Magna Duster in E-flute

Second place: Crown Paper Box Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, Redmon Hamper Carton

Third place: Bay Cities Container, Pico Rivera, California, Fax Modem Package

Independent's Choice: Scope Packaging, Orange, California, Shindaiwa Package

Category 9: Best Application of Spot Label in Combination with Direct Printing First place: Bay Cities Container, Pico Rivera, California, GMI Presentation Case

Second place: Eagle Displays, Tullahoma, Tennessee, Left Bank Botique

Third place: Drake Container, Houston, Texas, Air Up Display

Independent's Choice: Englander Container, Waco, Texas, Grip Kit for Golfsmith

Category 10: Best Application of Single-face Laminating First place: C & B Corrugated Containers, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Contac C Tower Display

Second place: Danbury Square Box Co., Danbury, Connecticut, Think-Pad 380 Package in E-flute

Third place: Pacific Southwest Container, Modesto, California, Wine Pack

Independent's Choice: Crown Paper Box Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, Microsoft Resource Kit Slip Case

Category 11: Best Application of Preprinted Linerboard First place: Central Container Corp., Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, Interceptor Package

Second place: Schiffenhaus Packaging Corp., Newark, New Jersey, Converse Shoe Box

Third place: Great Northern Corp., Racine Wisconsin, Fresh Pak for Hickory Farms

Independent's Choice: Schiffenhaus Packaging Corp., Newark, New Jersey, First Years Project

Category 12: Innovative Use of Corrugated other than as a Shipping Container First place: Terrace Paper Co. Inc., Cicero, Illinois, Coffee Clutch

Second place: Northeast Box Co., Ashtabula, Ohio, Tyler Targets

Third place: Pacific Southwest Container, Modesto, California, Message Truck

Independent's Choice: Pride Container Corp., Chicago, Illinois, Taste of Chicago Press Kit

Category 13: Best Use of Corrugated Replacing Other Packaging and/or Best Demo of its Environmental Advantages First place: Terrace Paper Co. Inc., Cicero, Illinois, Coffee Clutch for Starbucks Coffee

Second place: Smith Packaging, Nepean, Ontario, Canada, Form Stabilizer Corrugated Insert

Third place: Schiffenhaus Packaging Corp., Newark, New Jersey, Converse Shoe Box

Independent's Choice: Pride Container Corp., Chicago, Illinois, Magic Kit for Harmony Toys

Category 14: Best Corrugated Promotion Piece First place: Dusobox Corp., Orlando, Florida, Maiden Voyage of Laser Technology

Second place: Brian Thomas Display & Packaging, Houston Texas, Capabilities Brochure

Third place: Bay Cities Container Corp., Pico Rivera, California, Corrugated Clock

Independent's Choice: Accurate Box Co. Inc., Paterson, New Jersey, It's a Jungle Out There Promotional Campaign