Beiersdorf AG won a ruling from Germany’s top court that gives it a second chance to defend a trademark for the blue color on its Nivea products in an ongoing dispute with Unilever NV. The Federal Court of Justice ordered a new hearing in a suit by Unilever challenging the national trademark Beiersdorf owns for the color. The top judges sent the case back to the Munich-based Federal Patent Court.  According to the latest ruling, the patent court established an overly strict standard when it ruled for Unilever, saying the color could only gain intellectual property protection when 75% of consumers associate it with Nivea products. Rather, that figure should be lowered to 50%, the judges said. The suit is part of an old disagreement between the two companies over colors used in their competing Dove and Nivea brands. A related case filed by Hamburg, Germany-based Beiersdorf against Unilever is still pending at the top court.
A man-made form of insulin delivered by nasal spray may improve working memory and other mental capabilities in adults with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease dementia, according to a pilot study led by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The study’s subjects were 60 adults diagnosed with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild to moderate Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). Those who received nasally-administered 40 international unit (IU) doses of insulin detemir, a manufactured form of the hormone, for 21 days showed significant improvement in their short-term ability to retain and process verbal and visual information compared with those who received 20 IU doses or a placebo. Previous trials had shown promising effects of nasally-administered insulin for adults with AD and MCI, but this study was the first to use insulin detemir, whose effects are longer-lasting than those of “regular” insulin. The researchers also sought to determine if the insulin detemir doses would cause any negative side effects, and found only minor adverse reactions among the subjects.

The newly developed tin plate aerosol can SteeloCare was awarded first place in the Steel Innovation Prize by the German Steel Federation. The award ceremony took place in June at the Berlin Steel Dialogue event in the German capital. SteeloCare won in the category Products Made of Steel. Lanico designed the can together with ThyssenKrupp Rasselstein and Schuler. It features a completely monobloc look with enhanced printing quality and surface feel as well as a seamless printed image.

What began as a grassroots volunteer program with Habitat for Humanity in a small U.S. town in 2005 has grown to be a global partnership in 18 countries around the world. Over the past 10 years, nearly 2,000 Procter & Gamble (P&G) employees have helped build, repair or clean homes for families through work with Habitat for Humanity. This year alone, more than 900 P&G employees in Brazil, Poland, the U.S., South Africa, Thailand and other countries have committed to volunteering and helping families realize their dreams of homeownership, according to P&G.

Dennis Smith, Eastern Aerosol Association (EAA) Treasurer, recently presented Sean Fitzgerald (left), Consumer Aerosol Products Council (CAPCO), and Sara Stickler (right), Alliance for Consumer Education (ACE) with donations on behalf of EAA.

Schick and Skintimate brands are partnering with Universal Pictures’ film “Pitch Perfect 2” in theaters May 15. As part of the partnership, Schick and Skintimate are introducing the Rock Your Legs campaign—an integrated program that incorporates an original “Ready, Shave, Shine” music video, limited edition product in-store, an Aca-battle sweepstakes, movie trivia game and in-film product placement. Since April 2015, limited edition Pitch Perfect 2 packaging has been available in stores nationwide for Skintimate Shave Gel, Hydro Silk Razors, Schick Intuition, Quattro For Women and Schick Xtreme3.

Ball Corp., its employees and The Ball Foundation donated more than $4 million to charitable organizations in the communities where Ball operates in 2014. The company’s employee matching gifts and Dollars for Doers program grew in 2014 to $2.1 million (up from $1.4 million in 2013). Employees also logged nearly 18,000 hours of volunteer service. The employee-focused program, called the Ball Community Ambassadors, supports and encourages employees to donate to and volunteer for the causes that matter to them. In the U.S. and Canada, employees can receive up to $5,000 a year in matching donations from the corporation.
Also in the U.S., The Ball Foundation invested $1.5 million into community programs that create a positive, measurable impact in education, recycling, food security and disaster relief.
Ball’s plants around the world also donated $467,000 to causes in their local communities and organized community events such as recycling, coat and food drives.

Wal-Mart has launched its Sustainability Leaders shop, an online shopping portal that helps customers identify and purchase products that are produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way. The shop is the customer-facing iteration of Wal-Mart’s Sustainability Index, launched in 2009 in collaboration with The Sustainability Consortium (TSC).
Until now, the Sustainability Index, which gathers and analyzes information about a supplier’s approach to managing its social and environmental impact on the full lifecycle of its products, had only been a tool for Walmart and its suppliers. Now, as part of the Sustainability Leaders shop, insights from the tool are available to the public. Products displayed with a Sustainability Leaders badge indicate that their manufacturer ranks as best in class among other suppliers in that product category, based on their responses to detailed category surveys developed by TSC.

The Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) has announced that its 2016 Mid-Year Meeting will be held May 10–13 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center located at National Harbor, MD in the backyard of the nation’s capital.
“This venue provides improved access to government elected and regulatory officials whose attendance and participation in the meeting is valuable for our members,” said Chris Cathcart, President & CEO of the organization. “In addition, we look forward to the many new business-to-business opportunities this location will provide.”
The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center anchors the 300 acre National Harbor waterfront entertainment district, located eight miles south of Washington, D.C. It has a 19-story glass atrium with sweeping views of the Potomac River, Washington D.C. and Old Town Alexandria, VA, both of which are accessible by water taxi. The resort is convenient to three airports.

According to a recent study by hotel chain Hilton, 73% of U.S. travelers admit to taking home hotel toiletries, and many have found creative reasons to use them after their stay. According to Hilton, 54% of business travelers have used hotel toiletries to clean their shoes before a meeting or event, while 39% of millennials have used them to remove stains. Fifty-five percent of men admit to taking body lotion home. Nearly 20% of U.S. travelers re-purpose purloined hotel toiletries when hosting overnight guests in their home; 10% confessed that they have given away amenities as a present. Millennials, according to the survey, are significantly more likely (31%) to take hotel toiletries directly from the housekeeping cart than those 55 and older (13%).

The Irish Exporters Association (IEA) named medical device and drug delivery company Aerogen as 2014 Exporter of the Year at its Export Industry Awards held at the Dublin Convention Center. The awards recognize the achievements of companies working in the export industry. Aerogen specializes in the design, manufacture and marketing of aerosol drug delivery systems, aimed at the critical care respiratory market. Aerogen’s patented OnQ aerosol technology is an integral part of its drug delivery systems that allows drugs to be nebulized into a fine particle mist that can be absorbed through the lungs while maintaining drug integrity.

The Detroit, MI Fire Department received a donation of 5,000 fire extinguishing aerosol cans to be handed out at community meetings and during residential smoke detector installations. The donation is from Hardge Industries; the fire department says the distribution of fire extinguishing aerosol cans is part of its ongoing public safety community outreach efforts.

Pictured L to R: Gregory Crawford, SRI; Hillary VanderBand, CAPCO; and Sean Fitzgerald (Cobra Plastics), CAPCO Chairman.

Representatives of The Consumer Aerosol Products Council (CAPCO) recently exhibited at the 2014 National Resource Recycling Conference in New Orleans, LA. It was the second time that CAPCO attended the event that brings together professionals throughout the recycling industry, including material recovery facility (MRF) operators, waste haulers, equipment suppliers and recycling coordinators for local municipalities.
Also in attendance were some of CAPCO’s key partners, the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) and Keep America Beautiful. CAPCO was able to make connections with new organizations to further its goals of increasing awareness about the recyclability of aerosol products among consumers; getting more recycling programs to accept empty aerosol products; and communicating its acceptance more consistently on carts and bins, waste-hauler and municipality websites and via other educational outlets.

Mark Rivers, VP, Technical Services at Aeropres Corp., catches the football of leadership at the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) Annual Meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in December. Bill Wood, President of Faultless Starch, bequeathed his responsibilities as Chairman of the Aerosol Division to Rivers with the symbolic pass.

Farouk Systems will launch The Miss Universe Style Illuminate Line by Chi nationwide at the 63rd Miss Universe Pageant, set to air on NBC on Jan. 25. The host site will be Florida International University in Doral, FL. For over a decade, Farouk Systems, together with its Chi Hair Care brand, has partnered with and sponsored the Miss Universe Pageant. Both Chi Hair Care and the Miss Universe Style Illuminate Line will be used by Chi’s styling team, which will attend to the styling needs of nearly 90 contestants from different countries around the world.
According to Farouk Shami, Farouk Systems Founder & Chairman, “The Miss Universe Organization is well-known for empowering women and encouraging them to have the confidence they need to succeed in today’s world. We are honored to share this same passion and vision.”

The Hong Kong Society of Cosmetic Chemists (HKSCC) Cosmetic Innovation Summit was held in November at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center. The Summit was co-hosted by Hong Kong Cosmetic Technical Resources Center and Beijing ICJDC Ltd. Co., and was largely supported by Cosmoprof Asia, IFSCC’s International Speaker Program and InvestHK.

Fitzgerald (l.) and Nyarady (r.)

Eastern Aerosol Association (EAA) President Chris Nyarady (right) of Montebello Packaging presents Consumer Aerosol Products Council (CAPCO) Chairman Sean Fitzgerald (left) of Cobra Plastics with a check for $1,000 at EAA’s Spring Meeting & Aerosol 101 in Mahwah, NJ. The funds will help support CAPCO’s mission to provide factual information about aerosol products.

Team Cobalt

In March, “Team Cobalt” visited DS Containers of Batavia, IL to receive a check to sponsor them to travel to Anaheim, CA, to compete in the 2014 VEX Robotics World Championship. In the past, Team Cobalt, whose members also live in Batavia, won First Place in Software Programming Skills and came in tenth in the World Competition. Team Cobalt consists of two 12th graders, Mia Garbaccio and Sue Park and two 8th graders, Katie Miller and Gabby Garbaccio. Gene Garbaccio, father of two team members, is their coach. The slogan “DS Containers, the Shape of the Future,” will be affixed to Team Cobalt’s competing robot.

At the DS Containers plant, the team was provided with an overview of the company’s manufacturing process and a tour of the plant with special emphasis on the robots used to convert flat steel into finished, printed aerosol cans.

From L to R: Ralph Daehn, DS Containers’ consultant; Matt Kuehn, VP of Sales, Technical & Marketing; and Team Cobalt.

Harry Richard Black, the artist who created Mr. Clean, the bald character in a white T-shirt and gold earring featured in P&G product advertisements for more than 50 years, died March 30 at the age of 92. Born in Philadelphia, Black’s artistic career included a 20-year commission from the U.S Dept. the Interior to paint Smokey Bear, the fire prevention mascot who warns us that “only you can prevent wildfires.”

The Evo Oil Sprayer for everyday use in cooking was a winner at the recent third annual International Housewares Association (IHA) Innovation Awards at the McCormickCenter in Chicago. Evo is the first trigger sprayer for spraying cooking oils, according to the manufacturer Delta Industries. Evo Oil Sprayer exhibited at the corresponding International Home + Housewares Show with Harold Import Co., exclusive distributor of Evo in the U.S.  Packaging for Evo is supplied by M&H Plastics.

Hillary VanderBand, CAPCO

In recognition of National Inhalants & Poisons Awareness Week, the Alliance for Consumer Education (ACE) hosted a Health & Safety Fair at a local Boys & Girls Club in Alexandria, VA to help children and families learn how to make smart decisions in their homes. The Consumer Aerosol Products Council (CAPCO) participated in the event with a “Recycling Relay Race,” where students had to race to properly place articles in recycling or trash bins. Pictured, CAPCO’s Hillary VanderBand encourages recycling and increases awareness of the recyclability of empty aerosol products.

Procter & Gamble and more than 700 North American employees recently came together for the 6th annual P&G North America Marketing Service Day. employees from across the U.S.  volunteered to help make a difference in their  communities. For example, they partnered with the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund team to restore the Cheviot Memorial Fields (one of the oldest baseball fields in Ohio), as well as the historic grandstand which dates back to the 1930s, the Cheviot Armory and the surrounding community playground and picnic areas.

Outside of Cincinnati, P&G employees made a difference in eleven additional communities in Fayetteville, AR.; Bethel, CT.; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Hunt Valley, MD; Miami, FL; Minneapolis, MN; New York, NY; Woodland Hills, CA.; Los Angeles, CA and Puerto Rico. Local partners included Habitat for Humanity, Boys & Girls Club and Dress for Success.

Check out the new blog from the Western Aerosol Information Bureau (WAIB): www.air-us.org. Its main purpose is to disseminate industry related information (regulatory news, columns from industry experts, etc.) to members and all interested followers of aerosol topics. The launch is extremely timely in light of the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) recent position regarding the VOC (volatile organic compounds) exemption of LVP (low vapor pressure) chemicals. More info: www.waib.org

Vaze College in Mulund, Mumbai, India has opened a four-month perfumery course for the visually impaired, following research conducted by international fragrance house CPL Aromas and the Blind Persons’ Association. The company carried out the research in the hope of advancing employment opportunities for the visually impaired in the fragrance and associated industries. The research included a test that examined the candidates’ ability to differentiate between very similar odors and to rank identical odors in strength. It was revealed that the visually impaired candidates showed a significantly improved ability to identify certain odor groups than sighted candidates who took the same test.

Novelty gift company Mustard has launched CANNED, a $16 insulated water bottle masquerading as an aerosol can. Meant to represent the favorite tool of street artists everywhere, the container doesn’t actually spray. This may come as a disappointment to those who are enamored by the likes of Turbo Tango aerosol soda (see ST&M, August, 2011), but the “nozzle” is just a clever way of staying hydrated. If you keep a lot of spray paint around (and who doesn’t?), this may be an accident waiting to happen. Hmmm…

“The best part is that unlike [sighted people], the students cannot be biased towards a product. We see the attractive packaging first…but their evaluation is free from any bias,” commented Renuka Thergaonkar, Dept Head of Cosmetics & Fragrance at Vaze College.

CPL Aromas Group CEO, Chris Pickthall, said “I am very happy that the original idea has resulted in something real and tangible. It is important now to find employment for the students within our industry and to keep the course running for more students in the future.” CPL Aromas plans to continue seeking ways of using this research to create employment opportunities for the visually impaired.

Ever mindful of rules and regulations, Doug Raymond (left) and Eileen Raymond (right), of Raymond Regulatory Resources, along with Spray Publisher Cindy Hundley (center), enjoy some fresh air while sticking to the path in Lake Tahoe, NV following the Western Aerosol Information Bureau’s 40th Annual Conference at the Hyatt Lake Tahoe Resort & Casino in September. Photo courtesy of George Buckland, DS containers.

Aerosol Handbook now available!
The re-release of the 1982 landmark 2nd Edition of The Aerosol Handbook by Montfort A. Johnsen is now available in three fully searchable, easy-to-navigate and portable digital formats. In order to effectively bring this seminal work to a new generation of the aerosol industry, there are three formats to choose from: flash drive, DVD or web.

Chapters include Metal Containers, Glass Aerosols, Plastic Containers, Aerosol Valves, Cover Caps, Crimping, Toxicology, Flammability, Propellents and many more. The price is $129.99 and can be ordered at www.spraytechnology.com.

Ball Corp. won five awards at the recent International Metal Decorator’s Association (IMDA) conference in Bloomingdale, IL. Honors included The Best of Category for Aerosol Containers Award for Ball’s 9.5-oz. aerosol can for Barbasol’s Pure Silk Moisturizing Shave Cream. The label was printed using Ball’s six-color hexachrome process, unique in the metal decorating industry. The can was made at Ball’s Elgin, IL plant. Ball also received the Grand Award and Best of Category Award for Two-Piece Cans for the 12-oz. can for Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale craft beer; the Award of Excellence for Two-Piece Cans for Ball’s 16-oz. beverage can for New Belgium Brewing’s Fat Tire Amber Ale; and the 2012 Decorator of the Year Award.

Delaware Governor Jack Markell, Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources & Environmental Control (DNREC) Secretary Collin O’Mara and Croda Inc. President Kevin Gallagher broke ground in June to begin construction of a $6 million landfill-gas-to-energy project at the Croda Atlas Point chemical manufacturing plant in New Castle, DE. The renewable energy endeavor will use landfill gas from the nearby Cherry Island Landfill as fuel to operate the plant, providing it with enough renewable energy to power 55% of the plant’s operations. In total, the effort will allow Croda to use renewable energy equivalent to powering 3,500 homes. The venture also will shrink the facility’s carbon footprint, reducing its annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 33,000 passenger cars from the road.

Croda is investing $5.5 million as part of its commitment to sustainable energy. The company also received a $500,000 grant from the Delaware Energy Efficiency Investment Fund (EEIF) Program. The project will create 20 construction jobs and is expected to be completed this month.

Afa Dispensing Group is celebrating 40 years of packaging innovation. Afa has marked this anniversary of its trigger sprayers business with the opening of a brand new Innovation Center in Helmond, The Netherlands. The Center is adjacent to, and integrated with, Afa’s local production site, enabling the visitor to experience the entire process of product development—from research to concept, product design to prototype and final product to mass production.

In celebration of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Old Spice teamed up with Timothy Wang, who will look to secure the USA’s first-ever medal in Table Tennis at this year’s Games. Old Spice’s partnership with Wang celebrates the brand’s new Champion scent, which features the Olympic Rings on its packaging. The Old Spice Champion lineup includes a full range of aerosol body spray, anti-perspirant, deodorant and body wash products designed to give men motivation and self confidence. To kick off its partnership with Wang, Old Spice hosted a table tennis event in Los Angeles, CA in July, where Wang greeted fans and provided table tennis pointers prior to departing for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
 

The Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors (ICMAD) recently held its 7th annual Cosmetic Innovators of The Year (CITY) Awards at the Manhattan Penthouse in New York City. With a record-breaking increase of 180% applicants, the CITY Awards once again recognized entrepreneurs for their achievements. Janet Gurwitch, Founder and former CEO of Laura Mercier Cosmetics; Pam Busiek, CEO and President of ICMAD; and Ian Ginsberg, Chairman of the Board of ICMAD, presented the awards to the 14 winners, who were selected by a panel of industry experts, who cast their votes based on innovative products, packaging, and advertising/marketing concepts. In addition to earning the CITY Award this year, the winning companies will take part in the first-ever CITY 2012 Beauty Trunk Show. This all-new initiative will give the winners another platform to display their award-winning products at national retailers.

Aerosol manufacturer Empack Spraytech Inc. was given this year’s Award for Advanced Manufacturing for its innovative work in the automotive and chemical sectors at the 16th Annual Brampton Outstanding Business Achievement Awards held in April.

Custom fragrance development company Tru Fragrance announced the launch of Tru Blooms Chicago, a community initiative debuting in Chicago, IL. With a mission of sustainability, urban beautification and job creation through the planting of gardens specifically for the development of a fragrance, the initiative hopes to transform the city’s public green spaces into growing spaces for flowers whose notes will be captured in a limited edition women’s perfume. Tru Blooms Chicago is a joint effort between Tru Fragrance, Chicago Park District, the Chicago Botanic Garden, Growing Power, Growing Home and NeighborSpace. Pictured: The  groundbreaking of a half-acre garden in Grant Park. Roses, lavender and violets (the Illinois state flower) were planted in flowers beds here and throughout the city. Farmers employed through local nonprofits will cultivate the flowers throughout the growing season.
One-of-a-kind Tru Blooms Chicago First Harvest Limited Edition EDP will be available in limited quantities in three sizes (15ml, 50ml and 100ml). The fragrances will be offered at select Chicago-area retail locations and online at www.trubloomschicago.com beginning in October.

SC Johnson received a Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment Award from the
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC). SCJ was recognized in the Pollution Prevention category, in particular for its newest aerosol production line at its Waxdale manufacturing facility in Mount Pleasant, WI. The line uses compressed gas technology to manufacture Glade and Pledge aerosol products. In addition, the Waxdale facility has reduced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by approximately six million pounds in its first year of operation. This is the equivalent of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 1,600 passenger vehicles per year or the CO2 emissions from 915,000 gallons of gasoline consumed.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) announced the availability of its 2012 Graffiti Hurts Grant Program, designed to assist communities in augmenting their local graffiti prevention activities. With municipal
government funding under increasing burdens, KAB hopes that the grant program will serve as a catalyst to combat the economic and quality-oflife
setback caused by graffiti vandalism.

Keep America Beautiful is offering six grants for the 2012 program: four cash grants of $2,500 each; two graffitiresistant paint product grants from The Sherwin-Williams Co. valued at $2,500 each; and one FlashCAM from Q-Star Technology, valued at $6,100.

“Preventing and abating graffiti vandalism helps to keep our cities and towns cleaner, safer and more livable,” said Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Matt McKenna. “Keep America Beautiful values our partnership with Sherwin-Williams for bringing needed resources to communities, raising
awareness about the harmful effects of graffiti vandalism and activating proven prevention methods.”

Local governments, police departments, youth groups, downtown associations, crime prevention organizations and other groups dedicated to eradicating graffiti vandalism are encouraged to apply. (Businesses that make or operate graffiti-removal equipment or technologies are not eligible). Proposed projects can address graffiti prevention and education, eradication, or enforcement of local anti-graffiti laws. Programs that focus on prevention initiatives, including Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), and engaging and educating youth are encouraged.

Home Care Industries, Inc. announced that their Febreze Carpet Care product line was featured on the “Designing Spaces” homeimprovement television series on the Lifetime Channel. HomeCare licenses the Febreze brand for carpet cleaning products from The Procter & Gamble Co.

Febreze Carpet Care products include Deep Cleaning Carpet, Rug and Upholstery Formulas such as Oxygen Action, Advanced Pet Solution, Oxy, Advanced Pet, Oxy for Truck & Cars, Spot & Stain Remover Sprays and Pretreaters, ToughSPOT OXY Stain Remover & Pretreater, Pet Stain & Odor Remover with Oxygen Action and ToughSPOT OXY for Cars & Trucks.

“We felt that the Febreze Carpet Care product line was a perfect fit for our ‘Spring Cleaning Tips from the Pros’ theme this year,” said Jennifer Giordano, Supervising Production Coordinator from Designing Spaces. The segments ran in March and April, so look for reruns.

The deadline for all applications is June 15, 2012. All interested communities and organizations should complete the online application available at www.kab.org/grants. Grant winners will be announced by Sept.12, 2012.

In a recent article titled “How to Recycle Anything—An A-to-Z guide of what can be tossed into which bin” by Natalie Ermann Russell in Real Simple magazine, the first item on the list was aerosol cans:

“Aerosol cans: These can usually be recycled with other cans, as long as you pull off the plastic cap and empty the canister completely…”

We already knew that, but now everyone else does too.

More than 250 guests attended the annual Pratt Institute & Luxe Pack Art of Packaging Award Gala in New York City on April 17. The gala, which supports the Marc Rosen Scholarship & Education Fund for Packaging by Design and raises funds for scholarships for graduating packaging design students at Pratt Institute, raised $300,000 at the event and has brought in more than $3.5 million over the last 23 years.

The fundraiser honored Shiseido for its outstanding commitment to packaging design; Heidi Manheimer, CEO, Shiseido Cosmetics America, and Katsuhiko Shibuya, Creative Director, Shiseido Co., Ltd from the headquarters in Tokyo, accepted the award. This year, 2012, marks the celebration of Shiseido’s 140th anniversary, which coincidentally marks Pratt Institute’s 125th anniversary.

Pictured, left to right is Marc Rosen and student scholarship winners Maija Rozenfelde (Latvia), Aaron Mickelson (New York, NY), Wei-Hsin Lin (Taiwan) and Renato Martins Cerqueira (Brazil).