JakeBox AB's optimism was vindicated by the pack's recent successful use for a limited edition CD from up and coming Swedish rock band The Ark.
The company was founded in 2004 by graphic designer Jakob Skarin who, having long felt plastic jewel boxes were “not that popular with some consumers”, set about designing an eye-catching board alternative which would present CDs, DVDs (and increasingly games) in a more eye-catching manner, and could be made of “environmentally-friendly” paper in numerous sizes, materials and styles “at a lower cost”, with or without print.
The pack's key feature is the unusual integral “claw” attached to the inner reverse facing which “springs open” on opening the case by more than 45 degs, enabling easy removal of the disc inside. Initially some aspects of the pack construction had to be undertaken manually (making mass manufacture prohibitively expensive), but JakeBox has since worked with Swedish printer Strand Grafiska and engineering company HJ Mek to develop a machine that glues and folds the “claw device” into place.
Peter Wergens, formerly of AssiDomän and SCA, and now JakeBox cfo, says: “The JakeBox will typically only arrive at our special folder/gluer with the pack's remainder in a finished, printed state, having been produced on conventional cardboard casemaking equipment.”
The board for The Ark's latest CD, Invercote G 300 g/m2 for the outer and the same material in 180g/m2 weight for the claw, was supplied by Iggesund Paperboard, whose PR manager Staffan Sjoberg says: "Invercote has the strength and resilience not to crack on repeated pack opening and closing - vital for both a good pack appearance and functionality.”
March saw The Ark visit Strand Grafiska in Malmo to inaugurate the new machine, which was then used to complete 5,000 limited edition copies of their fourth album “Prayer for the Weekend”.
Wergens explains: “The JakeBox has also been used by several other groups, some of them less well-known, but we are currently talking to packaging printers in the UK and the US keen to exploit its advantages. Our plan, working with HJ Mek (which will continue producing the folder/gluer), is to license the concept worldwide.”
Contact details
JakeBox
T: +46 8 679 6050
www.jakebox.com
Iggesund Paperboard
T: +46 650 280 00
www.iggesundpaperboard.com
