sig.biz/combibloc

Issue 03/03 

sig.biz/combibloc 

Marketing for children 

Tomorrow’s consumers 

Markets 

Developements in Eastern Europe

Editorial 

Dear readers, 

Welcome to this latest issue of our customer 

magazine sig.biz/combibloc, hot off 

the press. Youth is a tough subject, especially 

in marketing, and is covered in our title 

story: Kids marketing, or how to approach 

the consumers of tomorrow. Here you can 

find out how children persuade their parents 

to buy particular products. You can read 

about which methods of communication are 

the most successfull with this youngest target 

group, and the areas of importance to 

parents when selecting products for their 

children. And, of course, you will also discover 

which packaging formats and filling 

machines SIG Combibloc offers to suppliers 

to help them to target this important kids 

market successfully. 

We also report about interesting news 

from the Eastern European markets: e.g. 

about how the beverages market is developing 

in the Czech Republic, Turkey and 

Poland and about the trends in the fruit 

juice market in Russia. 

And speaking of Russia, did you know 

that Christmas presents there are not 

brought by Father Christmas but by Grandfather 

Frost? You can find out more about 

Christmas traditions in Russia and many 

other countries under our “Cultures” section. 

After all, people like us in a company 

which operates on a world-wide level have 

a lot to tell – not only about world markets, 

but also a great deal about customs and 

traditions. 

Imprint 

sig.biz/combibloc, winter 2003 Published by SIG Combibloc International AG, Industrieplatz, 8212 Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland Responsible for content 

Dr Bettina Horenburg Editors Dr Bettina Horenburg, Carmen Stegmüller, Martin Leuzinger, Heike Thevis, Brigitte Rinscheid, Ina Grothof, Ute Schirra, Reinhard Manter, 

Dr Isabella Claßen, RTS Rieger Team Concept and design RTS Rieger Team Werbeagentur GmbH, Düsseldorf Pictures SIG Combibloc, ACE Brüssel, 

Maggi GmbH, Stephan Schacher, Steffen Huppertz, Mauritius, Getty Images, Stockfood Lithography Weß + Lüer GmbH, Willich Printed by Druckerei Schlösser, Mönchengladbach 

Contact Phone: +41 52 674 7756, fax: +41 52 674 8124, e-mail: carmen.stegmueller@sig.biz Internet www.sigcombibloc.com, sig.biz/combibloc is published 

in German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Polish and Russian. All rights reserved. Articles indicated as being contributed by other writers do not necessarily 

reflect the views of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced or electronically distributed without the prior permission of the editorial team. 

sig.biz/combibloc 03/03 

Have fun reading this issue! 

Martin Inama, 

Management Board SIG Combibloc 

Eastern Europe 

Walter Thaller, 

Management Board SIG Combibloc 

Eastern Europe

Contents 2/3 

Contents Page 

Editorial & imprint 2 

News 

Natural juices – now in combibloc 4 

Bavaria Waldfrucht GmbH chooses combibloc carton packages. 

Gifts with a future 4 

In co-operation with UNICEF and the Assoziation Carton Nature (ACN), SIG Combibloc 

supports the “Brikkado” aid campaign. 

Contemporary design 5 

Changing with the seasons: the Spanish dairy organisation Capsa treads new paths. 

Europe-wide image campaign 5 

Vision for the future: SIG Combibloc communicates its innovative packaging solutions 

with an eye-catching idea. 

SIG Combibloc wins the German packaging prize 6 

The combishape machine concept is honoured as an innovative and clear system. 

combiTwist and combifit win the AmeriStar 7 

And the winner is: SIG allCap and SIG Combibloc receive the prestigious 

AmeriStar Package Award 2003 in Las Vegas. 

Title 

Small with a big future 8 

Not only is it important to understand children and teenagers, it is also essential to approach 

them the right way. Demands and expectations of tomorrows’ consumers. 

Cultures 

Christmas all over the world 16 

Christmas and New Year are celebrated all round the globe, but differently in every country. 

Here we take a brief look at some of the traditions. 

Markets 

It’s all action in Eastern Europe 20 

News, trends and success stories from Russia, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. 

Portrait 

The spice of success 24 

With his instant soups, stock cubes and liquid seasonings, Julius Maggi revolutionised 

our eating habits. 

Spectrum 

A success story with a future 28 

The third and final part of the SIG Combibloc company history: 

the years from 1987 to today. 

Taking responsibility 30 

It is a matter of course for SIG Combibloc to support humanitarian projects. 

In dialogue with the market 32 

A report from the International Federation of Fruit Juice Producers Symposium (IFU) in Moscow. 

New life in a former dairy 33 

MEET.DRINK.SHAKE.EAT: the building of the former TONI DAIRY in Zurich now houses the 

most popular club in the Swiss Metropolis. 

Environment 

Renewable on principle 34 

Stora Enso, the largest supplier of raw carton to SIG Combibloc, places great value on ecological 

and renewable raw materials management. 

sig.biz/combibloc 03/03

News 

Natural juices – now in combibloc 

Since September of this year, natural juices produced by Bavaria Waldfrucht GmbH are 

available in ecologically beneficial cartons from combibloc. 

Gifts with a future 

The “Brikkado” campaign proves that gift wrapping paper can be more than just a 

pretty covering. By supporting the campaign, France is making presents with a future; 

for children all over the world and for the environment. 

“Brikkado” is being organised by 

UNICEF through the Alliance Carton Nature 

(ACN) in collaboration with SIG Combibloc 

in France. The idea behind the concept is 

one of experiencing solidarity. UNICEF is 

facilitating vaccination programmes that 

will help combat polio. 

The appeal is to children to collect beverage 

cartons and bring them to school. In 

conjunction with the ACN, the packages 

are recycled. The recovered fibres are subsequently 

used to make gift wrapping paper, 

which is sold through the schools and 

the trade. Profits are allocated to UNICEF. 

With “Brikkado” there is a double benefit 

for both children and buyers: the knowledge 

that recycling beverage cartons is 

worthwhile plus the satisfaction of having 


Until recently, all the company’s products 

were filled into glass bottles. As a 

consequence of Germany’s mandatory deposit 

legislation, Bavaria Waldfrucht GmbH 

has decided to begin the transition to carton 

packages. Initially, their apple-blackcurrant 

fruit juice is being launched in the sports 

drink sector, while the elderberry juice is 

being positioned as a ready-to-drink tonic 

made a contribution to world health. The 

profits from a single roll of wrapping paper 

will pay for three children to be vaccinated. 

In 2002, no less that 480,000 school children 

took part in the “Brikkado” campaign, originally 

conceived in 1995. The revenue covered 

the cost of over two million vaccinations. 

The French government has since honoured 

UNICEF for its efforts in supporting 

solidarity and the environment with its 

award for sustainable development. A success 

story that is being achieved through 

collaboration with the ACN. Ever since 

1990, this association, comprising representatives 

of SIG Combibloc, Tetra Pak and 

Elopak, has been communicating the positive 

aspects of the beverage carton – above 

all for the environment. 

against colds. Both products, packaged in 

the combiblocCompact format, are being offered 

by discounters as well as the classic retailers. 

“Listing negotiations are highly 

promising”, says Axel Scharnofski, Marketing 

Manager at Bavaria Waldfrucht GmbH. 

“If this trend continues, we shall be converting 

other products to carton packages.”

Contemporary design 

The Spanish dairy cooperative Capsa is breaking new ground with the design concept 

of its combibloc cartons. In keeping with the season, their “Asturiana” brand UHT milk 

is currently presented in an autumn theme. 

One of the most definite ways of attracting 

the consumer’s attention to a product 

is to present it in an attractive and unusual 

packaging design. The number one in the 

Spanish milk industry is Capsa (Corporación 

Alimentaria Peñasanta), a dairy cooperative 

located in Asturias in the north 

of the country and the number one in the 

Spanish milk industry has taken the bold 

step to differentiate their “Asturiana” milk 

brand from competing products. 

Their traditional landscape design on 

the packaging has been replaced by an 

Europe-wide image campaign 

With its innovative packaging solutions, SIG Combibloc establishes new benchmarks. 

The Europe-wide image campaign is drawing attention to this particular strength. 

Current evidence is the packaging innovation 

combishape, which allows aseptic 

cartons to be formed individually, thereby 

providing branded products with an unmistakable 

external identity. 

The new image campaign exploits this 

packaging creation as an appealing example 

of SIG Combibloc’s innovative potential – 

attractive in every sense of the word. Under 

the motto: “SIG Combibloc – Innovations 

autumnal theme. Differentiation from competitors’ 

packages is not the only benefit. 

Associations with the natural changing of 

the seasons also emphasises the positioning 

of the brand as a natural source of 

health and well-being. 

Since November, Capsa is proving that 

the association with the seasons of the year 

is not simply a short-lived fad, but a concept 

that is being energetically implemented. 

Ever since then, their packages, sporting a 

wintertime theme, are gaining increased 

attention. 

Create New Perspectives”, the campaign 

draws the viewer’s attention to a human 

eye that, with its triangular pupil, could 

hardly be more unusual and individual. A 

shape and an idea which are literally eyecatching 

– no less so than the combishape 

concept and numerous other innovative 

solutions that SIG Combibloc can offer its 

customers. 

News 4/5 


News 

SIG Combibloc wins the 

German packaging prize 

SIG Combibloc has been awarded the German Packaging Prize 2003 for its machine concept 

for the combishape packaging system. This award from the German Packaging Institute or 

Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V. (DVI) honours exceptional achievements and developments 

that lead exemplary and pioneering routes through today’s packaging jungle. 

The official presentation of the prize 

for the distinguished CSA F10, a filling machine 

for varied shapes of aseptic beverage 

cartons, took place on 7 October 2003 

during the FachPack, a specialist trade fair 

for packaging and marking technology in 

Nuremberg. Winning the German Packaging 

Prize has automatically qualified SIG 

Combibloc for participation in the international 

packaging competition WorldStar, 

which is organised by the World Packaging 

Organisation. 


“The machine concept for the combishape 

is distinguished by its great flexibility 

with regard to form and format, with up to 

42 different shapes. The uniform operating 

concept along the production line (filling 

machine/final packaging), the flexible shaping 

and sealing-in of large pouring openings 

make the machine concept an innovative 

and clear system”, were the reasons for the 

jury’s decision. The jury was made up of impartial 

experts who assessed a total of 158 

applications in the following five categories: 

Left: German Packaging Prize 2003 

Heinz Knuppertz and Helmut Unterweger 

(second and third from the left), Project 

Management combishape, have every reason 

to be happy. 

Right: “Innovative and clear cut”, so the judgement 

from the jury of the German Packaging Prize 

competition about SIG Combibloc's combishape 

CSA F10. 

sales packaging, transport packaging, display 

packaging, machine concepts and prototypes. 

“This award of the German Packaging 

Prize for 2003 is fantastic proof for us that 

with the combishape, we have developed a 

concept that opens up entirely new possibilities 

to filling companies in the beverage 

market”, say Helmut Unterweger and Heinz 

Knuppertz proudly. They are the project 

managers for combishape at SIG Combibloc. 

“This means that we are in keeping with the 

trend towards greater differentiation”.

combiTwist and combifit 

win the AmeriStar 

The American Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) has honoured the SIG allCap and 

News 6/7 

SIG Combibloc companies with the AmeriStar Package Award 2003 for their combiTwist closure 

and the combifit aseptic beverage carton. The prize was awarded in the “Beverages” category. 

Jonathan Shaw, SIG allCap employee, 

and Fritz Seelhofer, Head of Marketing and 

Sales at SIG allCap, received the highly distinguished 

AmeriStar award on 14 October, 

during the PackExpo trade fair in Las Vegas, 

America. At the event, SIG allCap was in 

best company: well-known organisations 

like Kraft, Pepsi-Cola, 3M, Snapple Beverage 

Group, Motorola and Procter & Gamble 

were also among the winners in one of the 

other 14 categories. 

The AmeriStar Package Award is one of 

the most distinguished awards for packaging 

in North America. It honours top developments 

in packaging technology that set new 

standards for the industry. A total of 108 ap- 

Jonathan Shaw, SIG allCap employee, at the 

press conference for the prize winners. 

plications were assessed for innovative 

strength, product performance, economical 

aspects, suitability for marketing, user 

friendliness and logistics, as well as for their 

effect on the environment. 

Elegant form, user-friendly function 

“The combiTwist closure allows users 

to open beverage cartons with a single 

twisting action! This innovative closure 

combined with the combifit package offers 

an extremely high level of user comfort. 

The closure pours drinks ideally and accurately 

and also allows users to drink 

directly from the package. All in all it is a 

very consumer-friendly invention”, says 

Honoured: the winning packages were exhibited 

at the PackExpo in the “Packaging innovations” 

display case. 

Fritz Seelhofer about the advantages of 

combiTwist. The combifit beverage carton 

convinces with its sturdy and concave shape, 

which not only accords logistical benefits 

but is also eye-catching thanks to its elegant 

appearance. The jury of experts emphasised 

in their verdict that the combiTwist is a 

closure very easy to handle and that it is a 

perfect partner to the clever design of the 

combifit package. 

The ideal combination for convenience: the 

twist-type combiTwist closure and aseptic 

combifit beverage carton. 


Title 


Small with a 

big future 

Children are the consumers of tomorrow, who 

already know exactly what they want today. 

Even before they can read or write properly, 

children have a well-developed brand awareness 

that they like to use in an advisory capacity to 

“assist” their parents with their shopping plans. 

Reason enough to take a closer look at the 

demands and expectations of this marketing 

target group. 

Title 8/9 


Title 

For every child: each age group needs to be talked 

to differently. 


Anyone who has ever observed children 

in a shop persuading their parents to 

purchase the product of their choice, will 

recognise how great an influence children 

can have on consumer purchasing behaviour. 

One of the most mighty weapons – 

namely pestering – can be used in different 

ways, depending on the child’s age. 

Each child is different 

When targeting children in drinks’ 

markets it is important to differentiate between 

the different sectors. One single product 

will never appeal equally to all ages. The 

youngest sector (kids) is children between 

three and nine years of age. Still very dependent 

on their parents, children of this age 

still rely heavily on pestering as a weapon. 

The image of the product is of secondary 

importance to this age group. Between ten 

and 13 years of age (tweenagers), this dependence 

on parents diminishes. At this 

age, children usually have a limited amount 

of pocket money. The pestering weapon is 

now carefully aimed and employed tactically. 

For some children of this age, the 

image of a product begins to be important. 

Between 14 and 17 (teenagers), their 

degree of independence is relatively high, 

and the spending budget increases constantly. 

The pestering weapon is now rarely 

used. Fashion ranks more highly and the importance 

of image grows. 

Understanding an important 

target group 

Anyone who wants to launch a children’s 

product first has to understand 

children. One very interesting aspect is that 

children are always oriented towards older

children. In plain terms, this means that the 

positioning of a product should never be 

aimed directly at the targeted age group, 

but at a higher one. What is also interesting 

is that girls tend to relate more strongly to 

boys than vice versa. Children in all age 

groups want to be accepted and to be part of 

a group. Boys in particular want to be 

“cool”. And by the time they reach the 

tween age group at the latest, children 

don’t want to be called a “child” anymore. 

Dual messages 

A product for children should be packaged 

to appeal to children, but they are not 

the only person to be influenced before the 

purchase decision. The parents, who may 

make the purchase are another important 

factor to consider. While the child reacts 

primarily to bright colours, comic figures, 

games and a sweet flavour, the adult involved 

will be looking for different information 

like vitamins, sugar content, how 

natural the product is, etc. 

When choosing a product a child does 

not act rationally, or at least only to a limited 

extent. The fun factor is at the fore in 

this decision. An important element here is 

interaction: does the product have added 

entertainment value, does it encourage creativity, 

are there great prizes to be won in a 

competition? Children also react very 

strongly to visual stimuli: lively colours, 

funny characters and figures, unusual packaging. 

A child’s senses are responsive to unusual 

flavours, fun (e.g. crackling sweets) 

and a special “touch-and-feel” element. 

Secondary means of communication back 

up these effects and help build up a certain 

image. 

Title 10/11 

“Brats”: children know what they want and 

how to get it. 


Title 

Favourite colours: blue, purple, red, green and 

orange are the ones most liked by children. 


Providing stimuli 

Regarding the entire range of colours, children 

have clearly four favourites: blue, 

purple, red and green – in all possible 

shades. The next colour on this list, orange, 

is considerably further down the scale. 

White, black, grey and brown are the least 

liked colours. The choice of colour can determine 

the success of a children’s product 

since children mostly react to design and 

colour at the POS. 

In addition children pay very much attention 

to figures, teenagers and twens to 

idols and athletic trends. When launching 

a product a unique positioning is vital. 

Brands, which can not develop their own 

identities, will drown in the masses of 

mediocre products. Another purchase of 

that product will be pure coincidence. A 

clear identity is only achieved through a 

clear concept, a unique design and possibly 

combined with a characteristic figure. 

Such a figure, which needs to be identifiable 

with a brand, can help that brand 

create its own identity long-term. If a 

figure is only needed to support a brand, a 

well-known character like the Walt- 

Disney figures can be used. These have a 

long life-span and can be put in use 

accordingly. If a company chooses characters 

like Pokèmon, Harry Potter, or popidols 

like Britney Spears, it has to be aware 

that their stardom might not last over a 

longer period of time. For this reason they 

are primarily suitable for short-term support 

like promotions. 

Keeping in touch 

Children are very receptive and open 

to advertising. There are many different 

media with which the different age groups 

can be approached. Television advertising is 

very effective, as it is possible to determine 

very accurately at what viewing time each 

group can be reached. Within the USA a 

more economic alternative is offered by 

radio advertising. US research has shown 

that children listen to about three hours of 

radio every day. This begins in the morning 

with the radio alarm and continues during 

breakfast, in the school bus, on their walkman 

radios and back at home in the 

evening. Another strong medium is the cinema. 

Cinema advertising also allows clear 

definition of the target group, because the 

film shown allows a conclusion to be drawn 

about which age group will be present. 

Another means of reaching clearly defined 

target groups is advertising in youth magazines 

like the German publications the 

Bravo, Bravo Girl, Teen or Teen People. 

On top of these classic media, the Internet 

has now also opened up new possibilities 

which are still only used to a limited 

extent, and certainly not yet to their full 

potential. This particular medium is a very 

economical but even more effective means 

of winning young consumers for the longterm. 

Carton packaging is an ideal means of 

communication. There is enough space 

available on four fully printable sides to 

communicate a promotion where something 

must be collected, or a competition. 

Title 12/13 

Children love it: the beverage box with the straw. 


Title 


Anyone who wants to participate or check 

the progress of the competition can do so 

on the product Website. Good Websites 

should have numerous other features like 

games, an SMS service, mobile ringing 

tones and images to download, creative 

tools and chat rooms. If the Website is interesting 

and interactive and regular updates 

keep users entertained, kids will log onto 

the site again and again to use what is on 

offer. There is also enough room on a Website 

to provide information about new 

products or flavours. What is important 

here is to achieve customer loyalty at an 

early point. Customer relationship management 

is the right motto for marketing to 

kids as it is elsewhere. If a company has 

already set up a good Website, it is also possible 

to collect e-mail addresses and use 

them effectively for communication purposes. 

It is important with children for 

these methods always to have an element 

of fun and to be interactive. 

Developing tastes 

Search the drinks market for new 

flavours and you will see some interesting 

results. Despite the great innovative force 

and continuous development of new 

recipes, most new products are launched in 

apple, strawberry, orange and raspberry 

flavours. It seems that even children tend 

to reach for familiar flavours. In other 

words, anyone who wants to put a product 

on the market that will sell in masses 

should choose the well-known flavours 

and ensure its market presence is made 

unique by great packaging. 

For every child an adequate format: the 

packaging size changes with increasing age. 

New trends – new products 

The eating habits of adults and children 

have changed fundamentally in recent 

years. The classic three meals have been replaced 

by five. Futurologists predict that 

consumers will move more and more away 

from fixed eating habits and, in particular, 

from eating at fixed times. The buzz words 

are ‘grazing’ and ‘snacking’. It is increasingly 

common for breakfast to be missed and 

replaced with a snack at break time. Many 

children have to eat their lunch away from 

home. Without doubt, there is market potential 

for the future here. Take a look at the 

shop shelves and you will see that the 

amount of fruit juices with vitamin supplements 

like AC and E is increasing. Juices or 

milk drinks with fibre supplements are also 

becoming more important. The percentage 

of children that are overweight has risen 

rapidly over the past few years. It is estimated 

that 33% of girls and 25.8% of boys in 

Germany aged between 10 and 13 are too 

fat. This is more than twice as many as in 

1985. The reason for this development has 

been shown to be the altered eating and 

leisure patterns of children, who now tend 

to have a less balanced diet and are more 

sedentary. This trend also provides marketing 

opportunities for new healthy and lowcalorie 

drinks and break snacks. 

A classic favourite – cartons with a straw 

Beverage cartons are not only loved 

by children – their parents like them, too. 

They are lightweight, fit nicely into a 

child’s hand and don’t break if they are 

dropped. Children love the straws. Adults 

Title 14/15 

like cartons with a straw because they are 

clean and hygienic and spills are rare. 

Tweens and teenagers prefer packages 

with a practical screw cap. Preferred package 

sizes also change with increasing age. 

Whereas a 200 or 250 ml package is absolutely 

sufficient for a child, the usual 

and most popular size for tweens is 330 ml. 

Teenagers are much more thirsty and will 

gladly consume ice tea from a 500 ml 

package. 

Marketing experts have a high regard 

for beverage cartons because they offer 

unlimited design potential with their four 

fully printable sides. What is more, SIG 

Combibloc gravure printing guarantees 

brilliant colours. SIG Combibloc filling 

machines allow different volumes to be 

dosed on a single machine. This means 

that beverage cartons can be filled according 

to the targeted age group in 200, 250, 

330 or 350 ml sizes. Perfectly packaged in 

this way, the products go out to consumers 

– in particular the consumers of 

tomorrow. 

Sources: 

Datamonitor, Targeting Soft Drinks to 

Youths, Reference Code: DMCM0059, 

Publication Date: 07/01 

Zukunftsinstitut GmbH, Megatrend 

documentation, 2002 


Cultures 


Christmas all over the world 

Cultures 16/17 

In many countries, special customs and traditions have developed that give Christmas Eve its own 

particular charm. In other cultures, it is the turn of the year that is celebrated. Here a selection. 

The most important festival for the 

Chinese is New Year in the lunar calendar, 

a celebration that goes on for days, where 

minute attention is paid to the details of 

ritual. There are presents, generous gifts 

of paper money for the children in red envelopes, 

bows and good wishes for the old 

and opulent meals. As many as half of a 

million Chinese travel during the weeks 

before and after New Year, since on no 

account should the family get-together be 

missed. In the most famous temples in the 

country, bells are rung at the turn of the 

year, an ancient tradition and an expression 

of the wish for harmony for the 

coming year. 

Thailand: water fight at New Year 

The alcohol does not necessarily flow in 

Thailand every year from 13th to 15th April 

Celebrations of the day – the New Year festival 

in Peking. 

at their New Year festivities or “Songkran” – 

but water certainly does. This is also known 

as the water festival, because early in the 

morning first the parents in the family and 

then the older relatives are blessed with water. 

Originally, it was customary to wash the 

body clean of things “old” and everything 

that had been felt to be negative during the 

past year. The custom originates from a 

ritual cleaning of the Buddha statues, in 

which they were ‘bathed’. Now at New Year, 

water is thrown at passers-by everywhere in 

the streets – by the bucketful! 

Russia: Christmas with Grandfather Frost 

In most countries with an Orthodox 

church, the Julian calendar is used. Since 

it differs from the Gregorian calendar, 

Christmas falls on the 6th of January in 

Russia. The traditional Christmas meal in 

Russia is Kutya, a porridge made of grain 

which is served in one large bowl from 

which everyone eats together as a symbol 

of communion. However, the table is not 

properly set until 12 fasting-day dishes 

have been set on it. After the Christmas 

meal, the family goes to mass together. 

Father Christmas, who brings the presents, 

is a familiar figure in Russia, too. 

Here, he is known as Grandfather Frost. 

He comes straight from the North Pole 

and is accompanied by a girl, “Snowflake” 

and a boy who is “New Year”. On the 14th 

of January, the Orthodox New Year, the 

Christmas season comes to an end. 

USA: Santa Claus and Xmas 

Presents are an extremely important 

part of Christmas in the United States of 

America. The shops are bursting with 


Cultures 


In the USA, everything has to be just right – 

especially the lighting. 

people and shopping is a must in December. 

Another favourite activity is decorating the 

house with Christmas decorations. These 

can cover all possibilities, from a fully illuminated 

reindeer sledge made of plastic in 

the front garden to a Father Christmas 

figure on the roof. 

Father Christmas is “Santa Claus” in 

the USA, and was brought by the Dutch 

when they immigrated 300 years ago. The 

legend goes that he lives at the North Pole 

and spends all year supervising the production 

of Christmas presents. However, 

despite all the hurly-burly, the Christian 

background to Christmas has not been 

forgotten. The American greeting “Merry 

Xmas” is not a modern abbreviation. The 

X stands for the Greek word “Christ”. 

Mexico: posadas and piñatas 

Christmas traditions also came to the 

land of the Aztecs 465 years ago, brought by 

the Spanish conquerors. One important part 

of the Mexican Christmas are the “posadas”, 

colourful processions that represent Mary 

and Joseph’s search for an inn. For the children 

there are “piñatas”, nine decorated 

clay pots that are filled with fruit and sweets 

A familiar sight at Christmas in many 

countries – a turkey with stuffing. 

and are let down on strings from the ceiling 

of the church after the mass. Children who 

have come to mass are blindfolded and can 

try and break the piñatas with a stick and, if 

they strike lucky, eat the contents. However, 

they are only allowed three attempts. 

Great Britain: paper hats and 

plum pudding 

The Christmas festivities in England 

have some carnival-like aspects. The excitement 

begins for children on the 24th of 

December. They hang up their stockings by 

the fireplace and, before going to bed, they 

leave cake and wine for Santa Claus and 

carrots for his reindeer. The huge family 

Christmas meal is eaten on the 25th of 

December. After presents have been exchanged 

in the morning, everyone sits 

down at table and pulls crackers with each 

other and puts on paper hats. Among other 

things, turkey with sage and onion stuffing 

as well as plum pudding is served. At three 

o’clock in the afternoon, the entire nation 

switches on the television when the Queen’s 

Christmas speech is broadcast.

Attributed with magic powers and not only 

considered by druids to be holy: in England, 

mistletoe is used as a Christmas decoration. 

Spain: waiting for the three kings 

Advent in Spain is a very quiet time. 

The first high point of the Christmas period, 

which lasts for fourteen days, is Nochebuena 

(Christmas Eve). It is celebrated in 

close family circles with a sumptuous meal. 

Then people go to midnight mass (“Misa del 

Gallo”) and watch the king’s Christmas 

speech on television. New Year also tends to 

be celebrated with the family. A typical tradition 

in Spain is to eat one grape with each 

of the last 12 strokes of the gong before midnight, 

so that the New Year brings you luck. 

But the most important part, at least for 

Spanish children, is Twelfth Night (Día de 

los Reyes) on the 6th of January, which also 

marks the end of the Christmas season. On 

the evening before, the children put out 

food and drinks for the three wise men and 

their camels to fortify them from their long 

journey. The next morning brings presents 

for children who have been good and coal 

(coloured sugar) for the naughty ones. 

Germany: Christmas trees and stollen 

The much-loved tradition of putting 

up a decorated Christmas tree inside the 

house has its origin in Germany. In 1419, 

the first Christmas tree was put up by the 

Freiburg Guild of Bakers. The custom 

quickly spread in Central and Northern 

Europe, and in the 19th century to Great 

Britain and as well to North America. 

Even then, the presents were put under 

the tree. Presents are exchanged here in 

Germany on Christmas Eve, the 24th of 

December. The evening meal is often potato 

salad and sausages. On the following 

days, carp, goose, pheasant, turkey or 

roast pork might be served up, according 

to personal taste. There is a huge variety 

of cakes and pastries to be had around 

Christmas time. In Germany, Christmas 

wouldn’t be Christmas without Stollen 

(fruit loaf), Lebkuchen (a kind of gingerbread) 

and a huge number of different 

little biscuits. 

Scandinavia: a sauna, celebration meals 

and Christmas beer 

Christmas is very important to the 

northern Europeans. After a long, dark 

autumn, it marks a turning point in the 

year when the light begins to take the upper 

hand over the darkness again. The 

Julfest, as Christmas is known in Scandin- 

Cultures 18/19 

avia, is celebrated differently in each 

country. It might sound like a cliché, but 

it’s true – the Finnish Christmas festivities 

traditionally begin with a companionable 

trip to the sauna and continue with a 

huge celebration meal. In the afternoon 

and early evening, people go to the cemeteries 

in remembrance of the dead. In 

Sweden, the Christmas season begins on 

the first Advent Sunday and ends on 13th 

January of the following year. The highlight 

is Christmas Eve, when Jultomte, 

the Swedish Father Christmas, brings the 

presents. Christmas in Norway tends to be 

very merry – and there is also plenty to 

eat. The celebration meal, which can consist 

of as many as 60 different dishes, is 

washed down with Juløl, a dark Christmas 

beer, and Jule-Aquavit. The Danes 

also treat themselves to a special Christmas 

meal. On 24th December, they eat rice 

pudding in which a single almond is hidden. 

The person who finds this almond on their 

plate will be blessed with good luck the 

following year. 


Markets 

It’s all action in Eastern Europe 


SIG Combibloc GmbH & Co. KG, located in Saalfelden, Austria, has 

been covering the domestic market and the Eastern European countries for over 

20 years – with growing success and increasing significance. In the coming 

enlargement of the EU, organizations with a profound understanding 

of the heterogeneous Eastern European markets and their specific requirements 

will have a decisive advantage.

Catherine’s Palace: former residence of the Czars near St. Petersburg, Russia. 

The markets of Eastern Europe are 

undergoing fundamental change and demonstrate 

considerable growth potential. For 

example, in the strongest regions for aseptic 

beverage cartons, Russia and Turkey, 

growth of some 13% is expected by 2006. 

The equivalent figure for Hungary is 12% 

and a still respectable 6% for Poland. 

(Source: Landell Mills/Canadean) 

According to the German market research 

institute GFK, this growth can be 

primarily attributed to per capita consumption 

of fruit juices. In Moscow, for example, 

the first half of 2003 registered an increase 

of 27% over the same period of last year, 

and now stands at 36 litres. In Russia as a 

whole, per capita consumption is likely to 

double to 10 litres by the end of 2003. 

Poland and Hungary are showing an 

increase of 1 litre per capita per year. The 

absolute head-to-head leaders in fruit juice 

purchases are Austria and Poland where 

32 litres per year are consumed. Only the 

Italian and Czech markets are expected to 

decrease. The cause is a declining UHT milk 

market that, in Eastern Europe overall, is 

expected to shrink by 7%. More lenient 

marketing standards in Italy for fresh milk, 

which have extended the minimum sell-by 

date, may have contributed. In the UHT 

milk market, the Czech Republic, with a per 

capita consumption of 34 litres, ranks far 

ahead of Italy and Hungary at 16 l each and 

Austria with 15 l per annum. 

The overall market for aseptically 

packaged beverages is expected to grow 

8% by the year 2006. (Source: Landell Mills/ 

Canadean) 

Different countries, 

different consumer habits 

Consumer habits are as diverse as their 

national markets and cultures. A closer 

look at individual segments will reveal 

different trends. 

Whereas in the Czech Republic, fruitbased 

drinks grew some 17% in 2002 to 

the clearly discernible detriment of fruit 

juices, the Russian market for fruit juices 

lost up to 16% market share within a year 

to nectars. In Turkey, the trend is even 

clearer: here, nectars are strongly dominant 

with a market share of 75%. 

Trends in packaging types are also different. 

In Hungary the market remains 

stable with 66% carton and 33% PET, 

whereas Poland has registered significant 

growth for cartons from 43% in 2002 to 

52% currently. The growing quality consciousness 

of consumers, observed since 

Markets 20/21 

2001, has generated increased demand and 

lower carton prices in that market. 

In the Czech Republic, by contrast, the 

market share commanded by PET is rising 

steadily, to the detriment of carton. Currently, 

the market share of the latter still 

holds some 60%, with PET already at 38%. 

In this market and in Hungary, glass can 

rarely be found. 

Russia is again demonstrating its individuality 

through its packaging mix, which 

reflects the tremendous importance of the 

Russian market for beverage cartons. At 

93%, the portion continues to remain extremely 

high; PET is currently a negligible 

factor. (Source: GFK, Nuremberg) 

Big is beautiful 

The 1 l medium format is strongly represented 

in all markets. Small formats 

play an insignificant role in Eastern Europe 

where their markets share remains relatively 

stable at 4–5%. Only in Turkey is the 

share held by formats up to 250 ml around 

40%, while there is no demand for volumes 

above 1 litre. 

In the other countries, the presence of 

large formats indicates a positive trend. In 

the first half 2003, the share held in Poland 


Markets 

Packaging Mix Eastern Europe in % (status 1st half year 2003) 

1 

33 

66 


14 

34 

52 

HU PL CZ 

Breakdown of fruit juice segments Eastern Europe in % 

(status 1st half year 2003) 

46 

10 

44 

CZ 

75 

25 

Production quotas of EU new member states 

Country 

Poland 

Czech Republic 

Slovakia 

Hungary 

Slovenia 

2 

38 

60 

TR RU 

2 

41 

57 

2 

3 

2 

93 

RU 

Other 

Glass 

PET 

Cartons 

Source: Landell Mills/Canadean 

Fruit based drinks 

Nectars 

Juices 

Source: Landell Mills/Canadean 

Production 2001 Requested quota Agreed quota Difference 

12,000 13,740 9,380 -21.8 

2,692 3,100 2,738 +1.7 

1,111 1,200 1,041 -6.3 

2,180 2,800 1,990 -8.7 

660 556 577 -12.6 

Source: ZMP 

by 1.5 l and 2 l grew by 38%: an increase 

year on year of 2%, with a continuing upward 

development. The share held by 

these volumes in Moscow stood at 24% in 

2002, and already 28% for the first half 

2003. In the Asian cities of Russia, market 

share grew from 23% to 27% over the 

same period. 

All roads ultimately lead to the customer 

With regard to distribution channels, 

Eastern Europe is no exception. The future 

lies with the large-scale organizations with 

their super and hyper markets. Particularly 

in the agglomerations, corner shops are 

dying out and shopping malls outside the 

city centres are taking over – a trend that 

has taken place in Western Europe over the 

past 30 years. Major European supermarket 

chains such as France’s Carrefour have 

already established a presence in the most 

important countries. With the on-going enlargement 

of the EU, this trend will continue 

to grow in strength. 

Trade with Eastern Europe in transition 

Effective 1st May 2004, Slovakia, the 

Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and 

Slovenia will join the enlarged EU along 

with other new entrants. Whereas conversion 

to the Euro will not take place until 

2007 or 2008, the situation for these countries 

will take on a more serious aspect following 

a preliminary phase during which 

their legal, economic and administrative 

systems will be harmonized. Joining the 

EU will not only have far-reaching implications 

for the production companies, but 

also for the neighbouring Western and 

Eastern European markets.

Dairies subject to massive economic and 

production pressures 

With the exception of the Czech Republic 

(+1.7%), all countries have to accept 

discernible reductions as a result of 

EU production quotas. Above all in Poland 

(–22%), but also in the other countries, the 

quota system will lead to a “battle” for the 

raw material milk and acceleration of the 

on-going concentration process in the 

dairy industry. As the price for raw milk in 

all the new member states is significantly 

lower than that for the German product 

(e.g. Poland 14 Cent/l; Germany 27 Cent/l), 

the export opportunities for UHT milk, condensed 

milk and cream to neighbouring 

Western Europe will be significant. It will 

be German firms, above all, who will try to 

benefit from lower raw milk prices through 

purchasing contracts, participations or takeovers. 

Production plants need to make massive 

investments 

In many production facilities, the stricter 

quality directives in force in the EU have 

The “Champion” premium brand of the 

Russian fruit juice producer Nidan. 

resulted in a need for investments to improve 

buildings and technology. This demand has 

only partially been met by promotional 

assistance offered by the EU and this will 

remain the case for some time to come. The 

current situation primarily aids multinational 

groups in their participation or takeover 

ventures. It is inevitable that, in the milk 

and fruit juice industries, some smaller local 

producers will not be able to stand the 

competition. They will either be taken over 

or disappear altogether. Additionally, EU 

directives on labelling will result in investments 

in the packaging sector, although 

generous transition periods will bring 

about a certain level of relief in this regard. 

Stricter volume classification, adapting fat 

levels for milk products and fruit content 

regulations for fruit juices, nectars and 

drinks will necessitate changes in recipes 

and to production related modifications. 

Opportunities and risks 

On the one hand, the elimination of 

customs tariffs through free trade will 

create clear export opportunities to the 

The quality brand “Valfrutta” produced by 

Conserve Italia. 

Markets 22/23 

West (primarily Germany and Austria). 

This will apply to Poland in particular 

where, to date, customs levies on the export 

of milk products to EU countries are 

substantial: UHT milk 3.5%, UHT cream 

30%, condensed milk 4% and UHT coffee 

cream 12%. On the other hand, imports 

from the EU into these new markets will 

also benefit from tariff relief. High value 

specialities, in particular, will create fierce 

competition for local suppliers. It remains 

to be seen what level of acceptance standard 

products from Eastern Europe can 

achieve among Western consumers. It is 

also questionable how fast Eastern European 

suppliers will be able to acquire the expertise 

necessary to survive in Western markets. In 

any event, the process of setting up partnerships 

and establishing contacts began long 

ago. This was documented by the strong 

presence of companies from the new 

member states at Anuga last October. It is 

also clear that cooperation between East 

and West European producers will create 

new opportunities in the sector of manufacturing 

private label products. 

The “SalzburgerLand” brand marketed by the 

Austrian dairy cooperative Alpenmilch Salzburg. 


Portrait 


The spice of success 

The beginning of the revolution in our eating habits was marked by 

an instant soup made by Julius Maggi from Switzerland. His soups, stock cubes and liquid 

seasonings were the beginnings of what is nowadays known by all as convenience food. 

Spiced up his life: Julius Maggi (1846–1912). 

Flashback to the 1880s. It is a time of 

rapid industrialisation. Every seventh 

workplace is already in a factory. The old 

farming society is pushed aside and traditional 

ways of behaviour and values 

are lost. 

Unlike the farmers, factory workers 

were no longer self-sufficient. They had 

to buy their food at the market or in 

shops. Nor did they have enough time to 

prepare meals, cook and eat. Lunch breaks 

were short and the journey home long. 

Many people could not afford a balanced 

diet. Swiss factory inspector Dr Fridolin 

Schuler was one of the first to recognise 

that many illnesses and the high rate of 

infant mortality in the working classes 

were caused by this inadequate nutrition. 

He suggested the idea of creating a ‘food 

for the people’ to solve this problem, 

which should be made of pulses or 

legumes. These are a cheap source of protein 

but are highly nutritious and easy to 

digest. He was commissioned by a Swiss 

welfare organisation, the Gemeinnützige 

Gesellschaft (SGG) to find an innovative 

entrepreneur who would be prepared to 

put this quick-to-prepare food on the 

market. Schuler finally found him in the 

person of Julius Maggi. 

Dedicated to the pulse 

Julius Michael Johannes Maggi was 

born on 9 October 1846 in Frauenfeld, 

Switzerland. He was the youngest of five 

children, his father was an Italian immigrant 

and his mother Swiss. His turbulent 

childhood was characterised by frequent 

moves from one school to another. After 

leaving school in 1863, Maggi first did a 

commercial apprenticeship in Basle, 

Switzerland, then attended a school for 

cavalry recruits. 

From 1867 to 1869, Maggi worked at 

a mill in Budapest, where he advanced to 

the position of vice-director within two 

years. At the age of 23, he took over management 

of the Hammermühle mill in the 

Kempttal valley from his father. He continuously 

developed the company by 

acquiring other mills in Zurich and 

Schaffhausen. 

In 1880, the SGG commissioned Julius 

Maggi, whose roots were in Lombardy 

(and whose name should therefore really 

be pronounced “Ma-ji”), with developing 

a nutritious and easily digestible ‘food for 

the people’ with a lentil, pea or bean basis. 

Maggi got to know Schuler and began to 

experiment with flours made of legumes. 

In the following years, both threw all 

their efforts into the idea they shared of 

improving the dietary situation of the 

working classes in the long term – with 

legumes. 

By the end of 1884, they were ready. 

The first industrially produced powdered 

soup made of legumes went on sale. However, 

it had little taste and was difficult to 

digest. Small wonder that despite initial

Portrait 24/25 


Portrait 

1887 1909 1914 1917 1919 1924 1928 1937 1943 1946 1947 

A brand undergoes change: the 100 year history of Maggi seasoning. 


success, the product was not a great marketing 

achievement. Imperturbed, Julius 

Maggi continued to look for a way of producing 

powdered soup that could be used 

to cook “fast food”. Finally, in 1886, he 

added to his range of products the first 

ready-to-cook soups made of pea and 

bean flour. These gradually took over 

from the legume flour. 

The first brand product in the world 

In the same year, he launched the 

legendary Maggi seasoning sauce in its 

striking brown bottle with a long neck and 

yellow label. This product became so popular 

that the herb lovage, which has a similar 

taste, soon became widely known as 

“Maggi-Kraut” (Maggi herb). Maggi seasoning 

is considered to be the first real brand 

product in the world. The original recipe 

from 1886 is still kept under lock and key, 

like that for American Coca-Cola. What is 

known is that the brown seasoning is made 

of water, wheat and soya protein, salt, yeast 

extract and flavourings. However, nobody 

has yet succeeded in copying the product 

exactly. This seasoning has held its market 

position unchallenged for more than 100 

years. Some 9,000 tonnes of it are still produced 

every year. 

Maggi seasoning was soon followed by 

stock in capsule or cube form, which went 

onto the market at the turn of the century. 

More and more new products with improved 

formulas and in different forms were 

developed. In 1893, the factory was complemented 

with its own farm business, so that a 

supply of fresh vegetables and other produce 

was guaranteed. 

The young entrepreneur proved his 

farsightedness by extending his company 

across the borders of Switzerland. As early 

on as 1887–89, Maggi set up branches 

in Singen, Berlin, Amsterdam, Bregenz, 

Vienna, Paris, Milan, Prague, Posen, London 

and New York. This expansion strategy 

made a significant contribution towards 

making Maggi and his products popular all 

over the world. To acquire the capital he 

needed for this expansion, in 1889 he 

transformed the limited partnership company 

he had set up three years previously 

into a public limited company called the 

“Factory for Maggi foods in Kempttal”. 

Poetic licence 

Maggi realised early on that capital and 

good products alone would not guarantee 

him business success. The retail trade and 

consumers must be informed about new 

products and convinced of their quality. At 

the beginning, Maggi wrote and designed all 

the advertising himself. But very soon his 

enormous work load allowed him too little 

time for this job. For this reason, in 1886, he 

set up his own “advertising and press office”. 

The first head of this office, Franz 

Wedekind, who later became a famous playwright, 

spiced up the early Maggi advertisements 

with his own original texts: “Poetry is

1948 1957 1959 1965 1977 1980 Since 1987 

the spice of life, humour is the spice of entertainment, 

just as Maggi’s soups and seasonings 

are that of every good lunch dish”. 

The name of “Maggi” is borne out into 

the world with different advertising media 

like newspaper advertisements, posters and 

enamel signs and on countless products. In 

this way, the red and yellow company 

colours and the brand logo created by 

Maggi himself – a four-pointed or crossshaped 

star – also become well known. The 

latter was a symbol for Maggi’s own personal 

motto, roughly translated as “you must 

bear the cross to reach the stars”. He believed 

that happiness can only be achieved 

by overcoming difficulties. 

Social conscience 

The social attitudes of the company 

founder were remarkable for his time. At 

the end of the nineteenth century, he was 

already occupied with plans to provide his 

blue and white collar workers with progressive 

working conditions. He set up a 

holiday home for employees and a factory 

canteen, and also established the company’s 

own health insurance system. Maggi 

was also a progressive thinker when it 

came to working hours. In 1906, he drew 

up a charter on old-age pensions for employees. 

In 1907, Maggi was one of the 

first companies in Switzerland to introduce 

the free Saturday afternoon – with 

full pay! In 1911 the first wage scale, 

bonuses for workers and seniority bonuses 

for women workers were introduced. 

Maggi saw his employees as colleagues 

and explicitly granted them “the right of 

personality”. From this basis grew a corporate 

culture the influence of which is 

still felt today. 

In 1901, Maggi moved to Paris where 

he mainly headed the sale of fresh milk at 

the Société Laitière Maggi, founded in 

1903. Julius Maggi died after a stroke on 

19 October 1912 in Küsnacht near Zurich. 

He was 66 years of age. 

So ended the life of a person with 

many different interests and a creative 

spirit, whose achievements as an entrepreneur 

were extraordinary. 

Shortly after Maggi left the company, 

it was changed into a holding company, the 

Allgemeine Maggi-Gesellschaft. Since 1947, 

the company, which was subsequently renamed 

Alimentana AG, has belonged to 

the Swiss company Nestlé AG in Vevey on 

Lake Geneva. 

Quick to make and in hot demand: 

Maggi instant soups. 

Portrait 26/27 


Spectrum 

A success story with a future 

In this third and final episode in the SIG Combibloc chronicle, we reflect on the period from 

1987 until the present day. A phase during which the company strategically repositioned and 

manifested its global presence in all major international markets; a journey through time. 

The SIG Holding in Neuhausen Rhine Falls. 

SIG Combibloc has been a member since 1989. 


Keep it colourful: the brightly decorated company premises 

in Rayong, Thailand during the opening ceremony. 

In 1989, the company, then still known 

as Papier- und Klebstoffwerke Linnich GmbH 

(PKL), was sold to the SIG Holding Ltd., in 

Neuhausen Rhine Falls. This event marked 

the beginning of an impressive business development 

cycle. By 1990, the company 

headquarters had been transferred from 

Düsseldorf to nearby Linnich, where a training 

centre for both customers and employees 

was set up in 1995. In Germany’s 

Wittenberg, a new production plant came 

on stream in 1994 to satisfy the ever growing 

demand for packaging materials. New 

packaging formats and pouring aids were 

successfully brought to market. As a result 

of the integration programme throughout 

the SIG group, the company was renamed 

SIG Combibloc in 1998. 

Think globally, act locally 

At an early stage already, SIG Combibloc, 

then still PKL, expanded its operational 

business activities to cover international 

markets and set up further production 

locations. A start was made in 1974 through 

a joint venture with Britain’s Rexam/ 

Bowater and the founding of Bowater PKL, 

later to become Rexam Combibloc. Acquisition 

of the Rexam shareholdings by SIG 

took place in the years 2001 and 2002. This 

successfully drove forward developments 

at SIG Combibloc Ltd., England, where today, 

in addition to rotogravure printing, 

flexoprint capability is also available for 

customers – a unique situation within the 

SIG Combibloc group of companies. 

A decisive expansion of SIG Combibloc 

production capacity was achieved when 

the packaging materials plant in Saalfelden, 

Austria, was completed. The starting signal 

for in-house production was fired in 1981. 

Continuing expansion activities pushed 

packaging material capacity to 1.5 billion 

cartons by 1992 already. 

The SIG Combibloc regional company 

in Thailand is responsible for the Asian 

markets. The packaging materials plant at 

the Rayong location began its test run in 

October 1997. It was inaugurated in March 

1998 in the presence of H.R.H. Princess 

Maha Chakri Sirikon. In China, carton 

sales developed exceptionally well. So much 

so that, in November 2002, a groundbreaking 

ceremony for a new packaging 

materials plant was held in the Suzhou 

Industrial Park near greater Shanghai. The 

location, with its production surface of 

20,000 square metres, will start production 

in 2004. 

To cover the markets in the Middle 

East, a joint venture was established at the 

beginning of 2001 with the Saudi-Arabian 

Obeikan Investment Group. 

Creating trends 

Increasingly, consumers appreciate packages 

that are easy to open and that can 

be closed again hygienically. In 1993, 

SIG Combibloc launched combiTop, the first 

ever re-closable pouring aid to reach the 

market. The combiLift flip-top and the combiTwist 

screw cap followed in 2000. In order 

Spectrum 28/29 

In the plant: the assembly shop for the new 

applicators designed by SIG allCap. 

to respond rapidly to market needs for 

consumer-friendly closures, SIG Combibloc 

set up SIG allCap in 2001, a strategic business 

unit dedicated to opening systems. 

SIG allCap brings together all activities 

relating to plastic closures and the corresponding 

applicators. 

Highly promising outlook 

Selective expansion of market shares 

in growth markets creates a solid foundation 

for future activities. Successful market 

launches such as the packaging innovation 

combifit, presented to the trade in the year 

2000, are strong evidence of the company’s 

innovative strength and ability to endure in 

the future. The latest highlight from SIG 

Combibloc, designated, created a sensation at 

Anuga FoodTec 2003 – a tailor-made world 

first that provides unmistakable brand identity 

for products. 

A success story with a bright future: 

SIG Combibloc will continue to create innovative, 

trend-setting, but invariably practical 

systems solutions. 


Spectrum 

Taking responsibility 

Particularly in these times of increasing globalisation, companies do not only 

have rights in the communities in which they operate, they also have obligations 

to them. For this reason, it is a matter of course for SIG Combibloc to become 

actively involved in humanitarian projects. 

Food for thought: “food in box” meets 

“school in a box”. 

The Christmas project for this year 

continued along these lines of assuming 

social responsibility. We chose to help 

UNICEF with its project “School in a Box”, 

which is implemented world-wide and 

gives children who have lost everything, 

either because of war or natural catastrophes, 

a realistic chance for a better future in times 

of need. The “School in a Box” contains, 

among other things, textbooks, slates, writing 

implements and a multiplication and 

alphabet table. It costs about 300 US dollars, 

which includes part of the costs for setting 

up the school teacher training. 


A lesson for us all 

On the occasion of the fiftieth birthday 

celebrations for UNICEF Germany on 

30 June 2003 in Berlin, Rolf-Dieter 

Rademacher, CEO of SIG Combibloc, presented 

a donation of 100,000 euros to 

UNICEF ambassador Sir Peter Ustinov. 

This will allow UNICEF to pack about 330 

“schools in a box”. Each will help 80 primary 

schools in their basic teaching work. 

250 “school boxes” from SIG Combibloc 

will be used in war ravaged Afghanistan to 

equip 20,000 girls and boys with slates, 

exercise books and pens. Another 80 

“schools in a box” financed from the donation 

will be sent to Sri Lanka. Here, heavy 

rainfall at the end of May caused landslides 

that destroyed many villages 

and schools. Thanks to assistance from 

SIG Combibloc Asia, 6,400 children in the 

crisis area will be able to learn for life. 

Recipes from all over the world 

Not least because of the international 

character of our company, it is a foregone 

conclusion for us to provide assistance 

wherever people, and especially children, 

are in need all over the world. This philo-

Christmas 2002: solidarity of a culinary kind 

with SOS children’s villages. 

sophy was the basis for an idea that came 

about in 2002 of supporting SOS children’s 

villages. We wrote to our partners and 

clients all over the world, asking them to 

send us their favourite recipes. For every 

recipe we received, SIG Combibloc gave a 

certain amount of money to SOS children’s 

villages. The result was a generous donation 

towards the financing of a family 

house in the SOS children’s village at San 

Jeronimo in Guatemala, and a cookery 

book with delicious recipes from all over 

the world. Because there are also countries 

in need in the Combibloc regions of Eastern 

Europe and Asia, these regions decided 

to donate their share to the Tomilino SOS 

children’s village in Moscow (CBEE) and 

the Chiang Rai SOS children’s village in 

Thailand (CBAS). 

Dr Teddy to the rescue 

Every year, countless children are involved 

in road accidents. In cases of this 

kind, fast emergency medical assistance is 

important. But all their injuries aside, small 

patients are hit particularly hard by shock. 

A teddy bear who brings comfort and consolation 

makes it easier for doctors to reach 

their young patients at an emotional level. 

For this reason, SIG Combibloc chose a 

very special Christmas charity drive for 

2001, one that called on the creativity of 

business acquaintances and clients from all 

over Western Europe, the Near East and 

South America. For every picture of a bear 

submitted, SIG Combibloc donated teddy 

bears to selected relief organisations. The 

resonance was heart-warming: we were 

sent bear pictures and figures that had 

been created with a great deal of thought 

and imagination. 

And a promise is a promise: 1,500 teddy 

bears were sent to different relief organisations. 

In Germany, for example, 500 of 

the soft toys went to the German Red Cross 

(DRK) in Aachen. The resonance was also 

excellent at our subsidiaries in Switzerland, 

the Benelux countries, Spain, France and 

Brazil. A selection of the best bear pictures 

were exhibited from 7 to 25 March 2002 in 

the Foyer of our SIG Combibloc administration 

building in Linnich. It goes without 

saying that SIG Combibloc will continue to 

take on responsibility in the future and remain 

committed to social projects of this 

kind. 


The bear necessities of life: our Christmas 

project 2001. 


Spectrum 

In dialogue with the market 

The International Federation of Fruit Juice Producers Symposium (IFU), a forum where suppliers, 

producers and institutions exchange views and experiences, was held from 22 to 27 June 2003. 

The choice of Moscow as the venue clearly reflects the significance of the Russian market which, 

with a volume of 1.8 billion litres, has developed into one of the world’s largest. 

Showing the flag in Moscow: Thomas Binder, 

Business Development Manager, Russia, spoke on 

behalf of SIG Combibloc Eastern Europe. 


In Moscow, some 300 participants 

caught up with the latest perspectives and 

strategies in the fruit juice market. Changing 

consumer habits were discussed as 

much as the latest marketing trends as 

well as innovations and optimisations in 

the sectors of quality management and 

process technology. The professional forum 

also addressed market-specific questions 

such as national guidelines, trade 

agreements and barriers, plus the particular 

aspects of rapidly growing markets. 

Meeting consumer requirements 

Given the major strategic significance 

of Russia, the main sponsor of the symposium, 

Thomas Binder, Business Development 

Manager for Russia, spoke on behalf 

of SIG Combibloc Eastern Europe. In addition 

to highlighting SIG’s 70 years of competence 

in packaging liquid products, the 

other focal points of his presentation were 

the packaging innovation combifit and the 

new combishape technology. 

In order to survive in an environment 

of ever stronger competition, juice producers 

must position their products towards 

meeting the growing requirements of consumers. 

Nowadays, products that are consumed 

on a daily basis are at the heart of a 

continuous improvement process. 

One of these improvements from 

combibloc was, in addition to combiTop 

the world’s first reclosable opening aid, the 

combiTwist which, according to Thomas 

Binder is, “A closure that has significantly 

enhanced consumer convenience and generated 

increased sales for producers.” 

The package makes all the difference 

Also as a marketing tool for differentiation 

from competitors, the package is taking 

on increased significance. By presenting 

the current combifitPremium format 

and the new technology combifit, Thomas 

Binder again emphasised the importance 

of combibloc as a competent and innovative 

systems supplier to the beverage industry. 

Its expertise ranges from the development 

of filling equipment right through to POS 

positioning in the market. 

Overall, the participants in the forum 

events gained a comprehensive overview 

of current trends in the global fruit juice 

market and valuable impressions that will 

impact on future developments.

New life in a former dairy 

TONI DAIRY goes POP! A new meeting point at the heart of the action has been created at 


the Toni site in Zurich. When yoghurt and music meet, the result is a leading-edge refreshment 

containing MEET.DRINK.SHAKE.EAT. 

Mention the name Toni to any Swiss 

and they will answer “the yoghurt in a 

glass” which is so characteristic for the 

brand. The dairy no longer exists, but the 

popular glass yoghurt container is still to be 

found on the shelves of refrigeration cabinets, 

albeit filled by another well-known 

producer. Anyone passing by the former 

corporate headquarters in Zurich will be 

surprised by the unusual banner announcing 

“TONI MOLKEREI”. Behind the name 

nowadays is one of the coolest clubs in the 

Swiss metropolis. 

Exquisite harmony 

When you enter the TONI MOLKEREI, 

you submerge into a gigantic lounge covering 

at least 3,000 square metres. Conceived 

at the University of Leipzig, this synthesis of 

sound, light and space has become reality 

here. Sound combines with light and both 

are able to move in space. Guests experience 

“live virtual reality”. Two-thirds of the 

floor space is furnished in lounge style and 

provides seating for a good 200 guests. The 

beige upholstery of the cube-shaped seating 

is remotely reminiscent of milkmaids’ aprons. 

Between them stand low glass slabs, paying 

homage to the “yoghurt in a glass”. 

Club culture 

The Hiltl Zurich was Europe’s first 

vegetarian restaurant and remains the 

leader to this very day. Hiltl is a family 

business which is currently managed by 

the fourth generation. An innovation is 

“Food by Hiltl”, available until late into 

the night, also at the TONI MOLKEREI. 

The club literally offers its guests a 

regular change of scenery. Every month, 

large-scale slide projectors and videos of 

selected architectural modifications create 

new combinations of dimension and atmosphere. 

Entertainment is varied, ranging from 

acoustic space design and atmospheric 

soundscapes to Cyber R ’n’ B, Digital Hip 

Hop, Hits ’n’ Cuts as well as Intellitrance, 

and Clicks ’n’ Dance. The club also shows 

short films, video art, computer animations, 

graphic ornamentation and atmospheric 

design. Irrespective of whether 

fashion promotions or literary text projections 

are involved, the guests are always 

at the very heart of the event. Check out 

the Internet at www.tonimolkerei.ch to 

find out what is going on at the TONI 

MOLKEREI. 


Environment 


Renewable on principle 

Where does the raw packaging board that serves as the substrate for beverage cartons 

actually come from? The answer to this question leads us to the forest products group Stora Enso 

in Finland; to the land of the thousand lakes and endless forests. 

Over 50% of Finland’s total exports are 

made up of products from the timber 

processing industry. Germany is the major 

consumer, importing some 40% of pulp exports 

and 20 percent of the exported paper. 

As a world-wide leader in forest products, 

the Stora Enso Group is the major supplier 

of raw paperboard to SIG Combibloc. The 

Finnish group has an annual production 

capacity of paper and carton exceeding 

15 million tonnes. 

Stora Enso’s major resource is wood – 

a renewable raw material. The group prides 

itself on using pulp fibre from sustainably 

managed forests and verifiable sources in all 

its products. Within its corporate philosophy, 

the principles of forest protection 

throughout the world play a decisive role. 

The primary raw material sources include 

both small, private woodlands and largescale 

state-owned forests. The group continues 

to make extensive use of virgin fibre 

from its own production facilities and, increasingly, 

recycled cellulose that is not 

available in unlimited quantities everywhere. 

Origin of pulp fibre sustainably ensured 

Stora Enso is pursuing its own fibre 

procurement strategy. All its raw material 

sources must be ecologically and socially 

sustainable, i.e. no environmental or human 

rights may be infringed. To ensure that 

no wood is cut and procured in protected 

environments, Stora Enso documents the 

origins of this raw material as completely as 

possible. On the one hand, certified environmental 

and quality management systems 

(EMAS and ISO) are implemented to guar-

New seedlings are planted for every tree felled. 

They are grown beforehand in large nursery 

greenhouses. 

antee compliance with local legislation. On 

the other, Stora Enso participates in the 

Finnish Forest Certification System (FFCF) 

and uses the chain of custody verification to 

trace the origin of all pulp products from 

the forest to the paperboard mill. The chain 

of custody verification is monitored by external 

organisations. 

Over and above this, Stora Enso implements 

its own, internal documentation systems 

in regions that do not have attestation 

of forest certification. In such cases, for example, 

the areas marked out for logging are 

re-inspected to verify the precise origin of 

the timber and to ensure that all local legislation 

is observed. 

Balance between ecology and economics 

Forests play a vital role in maintaining 

biodiversity. Finland has a vested interest 

in maintaining equilibrium between 

nature conservation and economic exploitation 

of forests. This is not always 

easy because to start with, there is no 

clear definition of the term “virgin forest”. 

In addition to virgin forests, there are diverse 

classifications: natural forests, snow 

forests, old forests, primeval forests, primary 

and secondary forests and so on. 

For the tenth time, the organisations 

Metsähallitus, the Finnish Association of 

Nature Conservation and the WWF Finland 

recently convened to discuss concrete 

measures to improve the protection 

of old forests. Metsähallitus is a state body 

within the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture 

and Forestry. In ecological affairs, Metsähallitus 

reports to the Ministry of the 

Environment as it is responsible for the 

majority of the nation’s nature reserves. 

During the meetings, the participants 

agreed not to conduct logging in ecologically 

valuable areas. Stora Enso has aligned 

its activities accordingly. Its strategy is 

based on the ground-breaking principles 

of renewable resources, recyclability and 

sustainability. For the fifth time in succession, 

Stora Enso was ranked as the leading 

sustainability company for forest products 

among 300 others listed in the Dow Jones 

Sustainability Index. 

Environment 34/35 


www.sig.biz/combibloc 

SIG Combibloc International AG 

Industrieplatz 

CH-8212 Neuhausen am Rheinfall 

Phone: +41 52 674 8111 

Fax: +41 52 674 8123 

info.cbin@sig.biz

sig.biz/combibloc

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