Carlsberg, DS Smith and KHS have developed a cardboard multipack with rounded corners, using SCA’s patented Arcwise technology, with the first launch taking place in Poland.
The pack, named DS Smith Round Wrap, is being used for bottled products including Carlsberg, Garage and Somersby. It is designed for larger packs of 20 or 24 containers, which are commonly packed in wrap-around cartons in the Polish sales region.
Carlsberg began trials in Sweden in 2020, but early work did not deliver consistent quality. The project moved forward in 2022 when DS Smith joined material development and KHS assessed which machines in Carlsberg’s network could run the format without major conversion.
The Polish production site already had a KHS Innopack Kisters WP Advanced packer, enabling the first rounded packs to reach supermarket shelves in 2024. KHS said the change required different guide and folding tools in the folding area, with only minor adjustments for production.
DS Smith tested combinations of paper, corrugation, adhesive and machine parameters before supplying material. Jonathan Carter, head of innovation product management at DS Smith, said: “We need an outer liner that’s robust enough to stabilize the curve, whereas the inner liner must be much lighter to enable the fluting to form perfectly.”
The companies say the pack uses up to 20% less material through a lighter inner liner and optimized blank. Carter said: “Depending on the basis for comparison, we use up to about 24% fewer CO2e.” Carlsberg Poland expects annual savings of about 224 metric tons.
The rounded format is also intended to reduce damage during transport, storage and point-of-sale handling. A DS Smith-commissioned consumer study found that 77% of respondents were more willing to buy a product in the rounded wrap-around design than in another packaging type.
DS Smith said production has been tested at several locations across EMEA. Carlsberg plans selective rollout depending on market volume, brand strategy, material supply and machine compatibility.