One for All: STI Group coordinates packaging production for Universal Electronics in Asia

For Thomas Hascher, UEI Product Marketing Manager, packaging must communicate the product’s added value: ‘Our equipment promises exceptional quality. Our packaging must reflect this promise.’ Each remote control’s performance, number of controllable devices and technology used must all be communicated through the different UEI packaging variants.

‘Our premium models rely on high end folding cartons, finished with matt and gloss highlights and foil embossing. Manufactured at various plants in China, these products are packaged on site before being sold worldwide.’ European marketing and sales are controlled from Holland.

When seeking a packaging partner, UEI demanded strong design and development skills, European market knowledge, and production sites in both Europe and China. ‘STI Group is the perfect partner for our requirements,’ says Hascher, who works closely with the STI Asia Pacific teams in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, STI Group locations in Europe, and Dutch partner Vlastuin.

‘STI Asia Pacific develops new designs for us locally, liaising direct with each production facility. By working with audited partners, they guarantee a high quality end result that meets European market requirements.’ It is critical that the packaging optimally protects the remote controls from damage, while enhancing their visual appeal.

UEI also attaches great importance to sustainable solutions. Packaging for a recent product, the Streamer, was therefore made entirely of corrugated cardboard. This won over Walmart and BestBuy; initially sold primarily in the UK and Germany, the product will now be listed in the US from this autumn.