Award-winning design concept: ‘60° - creative boxes to inspire’ wins prestigious FSEA Award

Fürth/Germany, July 04, 2025: Great recognition for an extraordinary design project: The current issue of the KURZ trend boxes "60° - creative boxes to inspire" has been awarded the prestigious FSEA Gold Leaf Award with SILVER. The award ceremony took place on June 10 at Amplify Print in Rosemont, Illinois. The award was accepted by Brian Damitz, Sales Manager - Strategic & Key Accounts, on behalf of the Fürth-based KURZ Design Management team.

"The jury was impressed by the overall concept and the unique presentation of the '60° - creative boxes to inspire' as an example of creative self-marketing," explains Jeff Peterson, Managing Director of the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), and continues: "The project is an excellent showcase for a variety of finishing techniques."

A project that makes trends tangible

The current edition of the packaging series, based on the KURZ trends analysis, translates social trends into expressive design. The concept is based on four clearly curated theme worlds that make current socio-cultural changes in materiality, color and feel tangible, inspired by interdisciplinary trend research and implemented with innovative finishing technologies from KURZ.

The 2024 edition comprises four themes. Each box represents a conceptual approach that reflects social developments and uses design as a means of discussion and inspiration. In ‘The New Drama’, opulent drama serves as a clear wake-up call to society. ‘The Great Analog’ pleads for more haptic stimuli in times of digitalization and is a reminiscence of times gone by. ‘The Non-Sense’ plays with absurdities and can be understood as breaking the rules with a wink - and ‘The Very Nothing’ focuses on the essence of simplicity. A wide variety of materials and transfer technologies are used to implement the concept, complemented by embossing tools from Hinderer + Mühlich (H+M), a subsidiary of KURZ and specialist in high-quality hot stamping.

Refinement meets impact

For LEONHARD KURZ, the award is further proof of the company's relevance and innovative strength in the world of print embellishment. With products and concepts such as ‘60° - creative boxes to inspire’, the expert for decorative and functional surface design succeeds in combining technology, sustainability and design at the highest level.

The design management team at KURZ is particularly pleased about the prestigious award: "It is a very special honor to be recognized by the FSEA for our design concept - especially in an international competition with such high technical quality," says Annie Kuschel, Head of Design Management Packaging & Print at KURZ. Julia König, Senior Designer, adds: "The boxes are our creative playground every year. We are delighted that we not only provide inspiration but also attract international attention."

About Amplify Print

Amplify Print is the central industry event for print finishing, packaging and design in North America. The show brings the latest technologies and creative applications into focus - from transfer finishing and coatings to die-cutting, folding and bookbinding. Visitors will experience live demonstrations, meet leading suppliers and benefit from in-depth knowledge in practical technical seminars. For KURZ, the event offers the ideal platform to present the creative and technically implemented excellence of projects such as '60° - creative boxes to inspire’ to a broad specialist audience.