Twice recognized for excellence in medical packaging design, Merrill’s Packaging is excited to have received AmeriStar design awards in 2021 and 2023. The AmeriStar Awards program, developed by the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP), recognizes and celebrates the achievements of packaging professionals across North America. Awards are based upon a number of criteria including innovation, product protection, package design, economics, and environmental impact. With nearly 650 professionals awarded since 2001, the AmeriStar program has become a symbol of excellence in the industry.

T-Line Hernia Mesh Package

In 2021, Merrill’s Packaging was selected as the recipient of the AmeriStar Award for Medical Device Packaging Design Excellence for the T-Line Hernia Mesh package. The T-Line Hernia Mesh package uses large pore, medium weight polypropylene mesh with extensions and needles and offers the choice of 7 or 14 mesh extensions per side, to accommodate the size of the medical device.  

SEEkey Transit Tray

Two years later, Merrill’s Packaging received the 2023 IoPP AmeriStar Award for Medical Device Packaging Design Excellence for the SEEkey Transit Tray. This tray was developed for wire spools and eliminates the popping issue caused by traditional undercut snaps, providing enhanced control and security and alleviates a user pain point. This thin design reduced plastic usage and achieved a 44% reduction and 24% cost savings for the customer and introduced a new way of thinking about design for a sterilized medical tray.  Through the development of this package, Merrill’s Packaging found a way to optimize production and save 25 – 50% of plastic usage as well as overall costs. 

As a company, we are grateful for the recognition that comes with AmeriStar awards, but we are most proud of how we have partnered with these customers, holistically integrating design and innovation to create these award-winning products. We take the same approach to each custom manufactured package we make. Merrill’s Packaging is dedicated to ongoing continuous improvement related to design, economics and environmental impact. We strive for excellence in the iterative process of how we design, engineer and manufacture products for our medical customers.