Sidel has opened a new hub dedicated to PET recycling. At its unique small-scale PET recycling pilot line in Octeville, France, Sidel will develop its understanding of PET recycling with the aim of giving comprehensive support to the market as it switches to greater use of recycled PET.

Seeking carbon neutrality, the packaging industry is in the middle of a transition period that aims to replace virgin PET with recycled PET. Sidel is engaging with this transition to circular packaging solutions, enabling r-PET to be more widely used. The unique small-scale PET recycling line will allow Sidel to develop advanced knowledge about the recycling of food-contact PET bottles. As Sidel packaging experts assess the impact of additives and primary packaging materials on r-PET resin the facility will become an important reference for raw material producers, recyclers and recycling regulatory organisations. The line will also enable Sidel to further develop its own knowledge, ideas and innovative packaging solutions.

Helping to meet demand for r-PET

Demand for r-PET is increasing and the market is developing as brand owners seek carbon neutral solutions. The amount of recycled PET in packaging globally has increased to 8 % compared to 5 % in 2018. In Europe, the average is already 15 % and is projected to grow to 35 % in 2030.¹

“There is a big move towards recycled PET, but demand is outstripping supply,” says Naima Boutroy, Sidel’s Global Packaging Expert. “The market still has a lot to learn and we can provide valuable insights. There is a variability in recycled PET resin grades, and standardisation is still in development. We need to address this to create the best possible finished bottles. Our line will test the recyclability of post-consumer PET bottles from different feed stocks, including additives and caps as well as labels, inks and glue. We will be working with traditional Sidel customers such as brand owners, converters and co-packers, as well as other suppliers like raw material producers, recyclers and regulatory organisations, to enable the scaling-up of r-PET capacity. We can also check any innovations comply with bottle-to-bottle recycling.”

Fully-equipped line to study entire process

Sidel’s new line will take raw material from industrial partners such as sorting facilities, recyclers and brand owners. It will then recreate and study all aspects of the process from bales to flakes including pellets ready to be injected into preform, injection and blow moulding.

Sidel will give the packaging industry the opportunity to access a fully equipped pilot line. This line covers every step of the recycling process: from washing, drying and pellet extrusion, to solid-state polymerisation, including dedicated process and laboratory controls at every step.

Making PET a more sustainable choice

PET is proven to be recyclable and is the only food-safe bottle-to-bottle recycled material, but the market has yet to see the production of standardised r-PET resin grade in high quantities; achieving this could facilitate the market conversion from virgin PET to r-PET. Lifecycle analysis shows that PET already has the best carbon footprint among materials currently available; creating a robust recycling loop to achieve full circularity at scale will make PET an even more sustainable choice.

Sidel to become one-stop shop for r-PET

Sidel’s investment in the r-PET pilot line is unparalleled in the packaging industry and will also empower Sidel in shaping the packaging solutions of tomorrow. The line, which has a holistic bottle-to-bottle approach, is just one of a range of services that Sidel is establishing under the name RePETable^™ services. The services will draw upon Sidel’s 40+ years of blowing and packaging expertise, to support brand owners and convertors in producing r-PET bottles through line upgrade solutions, packaging optimisation, blowing process qualification, troubleshooting, r-PET processing training.

Sidel has created 1SKIN^™, a unique label-less recycled PET bottle. Combining distinctive shelf-appeal with the highest eco credentials, it has been designed to help Sidel’s customers achieve their sustainability goals and drive sales of high-end products.

The one-litre bottle is destined for the booming market in sensitive juices, teas and flavoured drinks. The new 1SKIN concept represents a breakthrough both in sustainability and in its streamlined design.

Made with readily available 100 % recycled PET (r-PET), 1SKIN has been designed by Sidel for easy recycling. The label-free bottle with its tethered cap can immediately enter the recycling stream with no need to separate additional raw materials such as ink, glue, labels or sleeves. Customers choosing 1SKIN will stay ahead of the main worldwide regulations and market trends for sustainable packaging.

Launched at the international beverages trade fair, drinktec in Germany in September, the bottle has attracted interest from customers from all over the world seeking to make their packaging more sustainable. Many of the major brands are embracing higher sustainability standards, driven by consumer influence as well as growing legislation to encourage recycling.

Appealing looks and drinking experience

1SKIN is made to stand out on shelves in one of the fastest growing and most competitive beverage segments. The bottle is designed to deliver an appealing drinking experience, with an ergonomic grip for comfortable pouring. It has a wide neck and a cap lock feature to keep the open bottle top away from the consumer’s face. On the bottle’s label-free surface there are multiple options to use differing fonts and textures, with the transparency enabling great opportunities for natural light and shadow play. The ultra-precise graphic elements are created using Sidel’s most advanced mould technologies combined with its blow moulding expertise. QR or bar codes can be printed on the bottle closure to provide information to consumers or enable individual unit sales.

The bottle design guarantees safety and protects the integrity of products with a long shelf life. Sidel’s patented Starlite^™ Sensitive base technology combines a premium glass-like design with optimised weight and performance on high-speed lines.

A broad coalition representing European beverage producers, material and technology suppliers, recyclers, NGOs and public entities have called for ambitious action to enable full circularity of beverage packaging¹ in the anticipated draft amendment of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), due at the end of November 2022.

The coalition believes that the upcoming revision of the EU PPWD is a real opportunity to take the right measures and accelerate the transition to circular beverage packaging.

For this reason, in their position paper², the coalition highlights the importance of setting a 90 % separate collection for recycling target by 2029 for beverage packaging. This is to ensure higher recycling rates and recycled content in packaging, which in turn will significantly reduce the demand for virgin resources in a meaningful way.

Under a 90% target scenario³, the EU would recycle an additional equivalent of 92 billion PET bottles by 2030. This would mean that 2.6 million tonnes less virgin PET would be needed by the bottle industry from 2022 to 2030.

The coalition also considers that it is key to adopt well-designed deposit return systems (DRS) in Member States whose collection performance fails to meet interim milestones needed to attain the 90 % target. To do it effectively, it is essential to develop minimum requirements for any new DRS to maximise their efficiency. DRS has already proven to be an efficient collection system in several European countries by ensuring high collection rates of high-quality material for recycling. This is a fundamental condition to promote closed-loop recycling and deliver circular beverage packaging.

“This proposal, which includes a 90 % separate collection target plus the promotion of well-designed national deposit return systems, is not just about waste reduction and circularity, it is also about stimulating local economies, creating jobs, and increasing Europe’s resilience by securing resources and saving energy,” says Clarissa Morawski, Chief Executive of Reloop.

Reloop’s model calculates that achieving a 90 % collection target would make an additional 170 billion beverage containers available for recycling between 2022 and 2030. The non-alcoholic beverage industry supports this potential significant step forwards:

For Nicholas Hodac, Director General of UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, this proposal points the way forward for reaching beverage packaging circularity: “This is a real opportunity to achieve closed-loop recycling and, therefore, we look forward to seeing the European Commission accommodating this proposal. Our sector could not be more committed to increasing the collection and recycling rates of our packaging to make it fully circular, but we need supportive measures to do it successfully.”

Patricia Fosselard, Secretary General of Natural Mineral Waters Europe (NMWE), believes that beverage packaging is highly suited to achieve full circularity: “Beverage packaging is highly recyclable, can be reused over and over again in high value applications and already delivers the highest recycling rates. We are calling on the EU to further boost circularity by laying down minimum requirements for well-designed DRS and granting bottlers’ access to a fair quota of their recycled bottles.”

Wouter Lox, Secretary General of the European Fruit Juice Association (AIJN), agrees that it is high time to move circularity forward: “Reducing packaging waste presents a huge opportunity for circularity within the EU, and as such, it is critical to get the PPWD revision right. The European fruit juice industry, therefore, fully supports the ambition of setting a 90 % separate collection for recycling target by 2029 for beverage container packaging.”

The European Commission has a perfect opportunity to drive the transition to a circular economy with a 90 % separate collection target and well-designed DRS for beverage packaging.

¹The coalition agrees that circular beverage packaging is packaging (single use or refillable) that is collected separately at a high rate, refilled or recycled multiple times in a closed loop. When recycled, it should contain a high percentage of recycled material, originating from beverage packaging, thereby contributing to material resource efficiency and waste prevention.
²Coalition Position Paper
³Target 90 Report

Dutch company Riedel, a leading producer of NCSD products, is the first in the Netherlands to offer its famous juices in SIG’s innovative on-the-go combismile carton pack. Riedel’s iconic Appelsientje, CoolBest and DubbelDrank juice brands will benefit from the clever design of combismile, which is also paired with SIGNATURE FULL BARRIER packaging material, where the small amount of polymers used are linked to certified forest-based renewable materials via a mass-balance system.

SIG’s combismile carton offers the perfect lifestyle match for Riedel juices and provides busy consumers of all ages with ultimate on-the-go convenience – easy to open, handle, hold, close and store on the go. With a curved, modern shape with easy grip corners, combismile offers consumers handy consumption straight from the pack and is resealable thanks to its innovative one-step closure.

Riedel has extensive expertise in carton packaging, naturally evolving over time in close partnership with SIG. The new 330 ml on-the-go combismile carton pack is a logical development, unifying Riedel’s carton packaging portfolio to offer the most convenient and sustainable choice for consumers.

Carton packs with SIGNATURE FULL BARRIER packaging material reduce the carbon footprint compared to a standard carton pack^* even further, as a result of the substitution of fossil polymers with mass-balanced plant-based polymers made from tall oil – a by-product of paper manufacturing. All three key raw materials are linked to certified responsible sources: paperboard is from FSC^™-certified forests and other controlled sources; forest-based renewable polymers are certified according to ISCC PLUS (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) via a mass-balance system; and an ultra-thin layer of ASI certified aluminium protects against light and oxygen. Riedel already successfully uses SIGNATURE FULL BARRIER packaging material for juices in 1,000 ml and 1,500 ml carton packs from SIG.

SIG’s CFA 1824 filling machine for combismileBig combines excellent flexibility with high speed, providing Riedel with the capacity to fill 24,000 carton packs per hour and the ability to fill five different volumes: 200 ml, 250 ml, 300 ml, 330 ml and 350 ml.

^*Results based on ISO-compliant life-cycle assessment CB-100732c: https://cms.sig.biz/media/4440/sig_lca_signature_addendum-combiswift-plus.pdf)

Following the March, 2022 decision to divest from the Russian market, Ball Corporation announced that it has completed the sale of its beverage packaging business in Russia to Arnest Group for USD 530 million. The purchaser, Arnest Group, has acquired all of Ball Corporation’s Russian-based business.

“This decision is the result of many months of consideration, delivering a solution that best secures the future of Ball’s colleagues and assets in Russia. We believe this is a sound outcome for Ball in these geo-political circumstances,” said Dan Fisher, president and CEO Ball Corporation.

Arnest is the largest manufacturer of perfume, cosmetic and household products in aerosol packaging in Russia and Ball’s Aluminum Aerosol division has had the opportunity to work with the world class team at Arnest in the past. The closing of this transaction is not subject to any conditions, and all required approvals have been obtained. The sale is not expected to impact Ball’s businesses outside of Russia.

“Transition In Packaging” is the key theme of the FACHPACK trade fair, to be held in Nuremberg from 27 to 29 September 2022. This describes the transformation currently taking place in the European packaging industry. More sustainability, more e-Commerce and increasing digitalisation are just some of the driving themes. Then there are the current challenges such as the shortage of skilled workers, high power costs and disrupted supply chains. “The dynamics in the packaging industry have never been greater,” says Heike Slotta, Executive Director NürnbergMesse. “But despite that, or perhaps because of it, companies in the sector are very strong on design and innovation.” The key theme of “Transition in Packaging” will be reflected at the stands of the 1,145 exhibitors (2021: 789), in the extensive lecture programme, in the fascinating special shows and in the award presentations. Visitors from the consumer and industrial goods sectors will be impressed.

FACHPACK offers a compact yet comprehensive overview of the products and services relating to the packaging process chain for industrial and customer goods – i.e. packaging and the associated technology and processes. This year’s event will extend to nine exhibition halls. Of the 1,145 exhibitors, 42 percent will travel to Nuremberg from outside Germany, the majority from Turkey, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Belgium, the Czech Republic and France.

A good half of the exhibitors are active in packaging materials and packaging accessories, and about one-third in the area of packaging machines and labelling and palletizing systems. About 15 percent work in the area of package printing and finishing, in-house logistics and services for the packaging industry.

Stora Enso and Tetra Pak are jointly examining a shared beverage carton recycling solution to meet the growing recycling need in Benelux, responding to the demand for circular paper-based packaging solutions. The joint feasibility study includes a plan for a comprehensive beverage carton recycling facility at Stora Enso’s Langerbrugge site in Belgium. Processing of the fibers would take place at the Langerbrugge site, while the polymer and aluminum barrier materials would be recycled by a dedicated partner.

Approximately 75,000 tonnes of beverage cartons are put on the Benelux market annually, a growing volume of which more than 70 % is already collected for recycling. Currently, there is no existing beverage carton recycling infrastructure in Benelux. This collaboration between Stora Enso and Tetra Pak would create a complete recycling system for beverage cartons in Benelux and surrounding regions.
Within the solution, Stora Enso would process collected beverage cartons and recover the fibers. The recycled fibers would serve as source material for producing recycled containerboard within the Langerbrugge site, delivering a fully circular solution. Tetra Pak would secure a recycling solution for polymer and aluminum materials to be processed by a dedicated partner.

The recycling project is linked to Stora Enso’s recently announced feasibility study to potentially convert one of the Langerbrugge site’s paper lines into a high-volume recycled containerboard line. This feasibility study is expected to conclude in the first half of 2023. Upon on a decision to invest, the recycled containerboard line is expected to be in production during 2025. The joint study with Tetra Pak will follow the same timeline.

The proposed recycling line in Langerbrugge will initially process an estimated 50,000 tonnes of recycled cartons per year with the potential to increase.

“With this joint initiative, we underline our commitment to local recycling progress and improving infrastructure in Benelux, a region with high volumes of collected beverage cartons. Stora Enso is a trusted and important partner which has the know-how and experience we need in fiber recycling. Together with them, we have the potential to put in place a circular solution that helps us secure a world where a growing number of carton packages is collected, recycled and we can minimise litter” – Chakib Kara, Managing Director France & Benelux, Tetra Pak.

“At Stora Enso, we constantly pursue opportunities to deepen our commitment to a circular packaging future. Circularity advancement requires smart investments and collaboration with the right partners. By working jointly with Tetra Pak, we can simultaneously create value, enhance circularity, and grow our competitiveness.” – Markku Luoto, VP LPB Aseptic and CUK, Stora Enso.

Beverage cartons contain high-quality fresh fibers that are an excellent source material for producing recycled paper containerboard. The Langerbrugge site offers a strategically important location to enable a local paper-based packaging circularity solution. Further, beverage carton collection for recycling is already advanced in Benelux.

Aetna Group, leading company in the production of end-of-line packaging machines and systems, has acquired the German company Meypack.

Meypack is a technology leader appreciated mostly for the quality and innovative capacity of its end-of-line products mainly in the food, spirits and home & personal care sectors in Germany and at an international level.

This operation is part of Aetna Group strategic plan to grow externally, to establish a production presence in countries with a manufacturing vocation, and to expand the product range in the food and personal care sector. Meypack’s internationalization will be further enriched by taking advantage of the presence of Aetna Group subsidiaries in the main countries of the world, so that Aetna Group will be able to increase its penetration in German-speaking markets.

Energy and raw material prices were already on very high level but surged even further after the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Those increases combined with availability issues have serious financial impacts on the flexible packaging supply chain. All main substrates used for flexible packaging such as plastics, paper and aluminium are concerned but also adhesives, lacquers and inks. The industry is confronted with the high energy prices in their direct operations manufacturing flexible packaging and logistics.

Even though the cost share for logistics is less than in other packaging sectors due to the low product to packaging ratio of flexible packaging and very efficient transportation (usually on reels) the absolute increase is very significant. Reports from forwarder associations even show the risk of reduction of available logistic capacities as companies will have to give up their operational business due to high diesel prices.

“The level of cost increases due this situation for manufacturers of the flexible packaging industry cannot yet be assessed completely but we are convinced that the peak is not reached yet,” commented Guido Aufdemkamp, Executive Director of Flexible Packaging Europe the situation.

“Main difficulties for our membership are the high uncertainty of serious pricing to their customers as many suppliers to the industry change their rates even after fixed delivery confirmation. Non-acceptance of such increases is often penalised by non-delivery or non-availability of the next order. Compared to the supplier and customer industry our sector is in a certain sandwich position. Furthermore, liquidity issues are of growing concern in particular for small- and medium-sized companies. That is combined with insufficient credit insurance lines due to high raw material prices.”

Almost half of the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) in Europe, excluding beverages, are packed with flexible packaging.

International research into sustainable packaging carried out by global packaging, product, and material test and inspection company Industrial Physics has found that almost half of the 255 global packaging professionals (49 %) surveyed said meeting testing standards was one the biggest challenges they faced in wider adoption of sustainable packaging materials.

The research goes on to reveal that almost three quarters of those surveyed (71 %) reported that they found quality control processes ‘significantly’ or ‘somewhat more difficult’ with sustainable packaging materials.

69 % of respondents cited ‘cost’ as the main supply chain challenge they face in the move to sustainable packaging. Global supply obstacles caused by the pandemic made sourcing more difficult and legacy issues remain, meaning numerous suppliers are often needed rather than one trusted provider. This places additional pressure on quality control processes and greater need for packaging integrity testing.

Full results are revealed in the Industrial Physics Sustainable Packaging Research Report just released.

Jim Neville, CEO at Industrial Physics, said: “Insights from our global network of technical experts provide manufacturers guidance to create innovative and sustainable packaging while ensuring the integrity of their brands and products by proper testing and inspection.”

He added: “Our research highlighted manufacturers face a range of risks. However, these risks can be identified and mitigated by partnering with a packaging testing and integrity solutions partner.”

The Sustainable Packaging Research Survey also revealed that respondents think that new standards (52.5 %) and new legislation/regulatory requirements (41.6 %) will have the most impact on sustainable packaging innovation over the next five years.

These findings come as no surprise to Industrial Physics, as Greg Wright, Global Vice President of Sales & Marketing, explains: “Sustainable packaging involves using completely new materials where there may not be test methods already established. Processes are constantly evolving and our expertise in packaging, product and material integrity testing means we can guide manufacturers through the transition to more sustainable packaging.”

The Survey found that most companies are actively seeking sustainable packaging solutions but, in doing so, they experience a range of additional challenges. These include optimizing material performance to protect goods (53 %), passing increased material costs onto the consumer (50 %), and ability to meet safety and testing standards (49 %).

“Our customers are trying to find the right standards and how to test for those standards,” says Joshua Miller a Product Manager at Industrial Physics. “We can really help customers shape their testing, such as giving them a better way to test a product that gives them better data and still meets internal standards.”

The research offers an insight into the future of sustainable packaging and explores adaptations that manufacturers, and the industry as a whole, will need to make in order to deliver innovation and implementation around sustainable packaging materials.

Sean Kohl, Global Line Product Director for Industrial Physics, adds: “This is what testing is for and why manufacturers must test. It all centers around the idea of being able to confirm that the physical properties, whether it be strength, puncture resistance, life prediction, recyclability, or whatever can meet the performance and durability standards.”

Findings show that paper, paperboard and fiberboard plant-based biodegradable flexible packaging, along with synthetic biodegradable packaging, are the most common materials being used to replace less sustainable alternatives like plastic, paper and foil packaging.

“A lot of new materials mean that we are dealing with limited established test methods,” says Nico Frankhuizen, Manager of Product Management at Industrial Physics. “So, if a customer comes to us thinking they may need a certain type of equipment or test, we may end up advising them that a different tool might be better.”

Results of the in-depth research involved organizations around the world, ranging in size to over £1bn turnover, and follows on the back of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and other legislation in UK, Europe and USA that imposes a tax on plastic packaging items manufactured, imported or imported filled, containing less than 30 % recycled plastic.

Industrial Physics offers a range of packaging, product, and material integrity testing solutions to food and beverage, flexible packaging, medical, pharmaceutical, and coatings markets. The company adopts a collaborative approach with customers to help them work through the challenges of moving to sustainable packaging.

Elopak is deeply concerned by the tragic developments in Ukraine and stands with all those who are suffering at this time. Elopak has wholeheartedly condemned the unprovoked attack by the Government of Russia and supports the resulting economic sanctions implemented by the EU and other actors.

This war has an enormous human cost. As a result of the ongoing and escalating conflict, Elopak is today announcing the suspension of all activities in Russia with immediate effect and until further notice. Elopak’s plant in Fastiv, Ukraine, has already been temporarily closed as we work to protect the safety of our colleagues and their families.

We will continue to pay the salaries of our 336 employees directly affected until further notice. As part of the vital food supply chain, Elopak continues to monitor and evaluate the situation. We are assessing how best we can adapt our operations to support continued access to essential goods across the Eastern European Region.

Our overriding priority remains the personal safety and security of our employees in Ukraine. We are in constant touch with our co-workers in Kyiv and Fastiv and have established a steering group that is working to support them and their loved ones.

The decision is not expected to impact Elopak’s operations outside of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

A new study by Oregon State University scientists outlines a key advance in turning apple waste into an environmentally friendly packaging material that could serve as an alternative to plastic.

Recycled newspaper has traditionally been the main ingredient of so-called molded pulp packaging products, which have become increasingly popular because they are compostable. But the supply of recycled newspaper is in decline, creating a market for substitute materials.

Yanyun Zhao, an Oregon State professor who leads a research team focusing on sustainable food packaging and processing, has studied apple pomace and other byproducts from processing fruit and vegetable juice and winemaking as an alternative for recycled newspaper in molded pulp manufacturing. She and the team received a patent for this research.

“Right now, apple pomace is typically just composted or used for animal feed,” said Zhao, whose research aims to reduce food loss and waste across the food supply chain. “We thought why not turn it into an environmentally friendly product that meets an industry need.”

Zhao envisions apple pomace being the main ingredient for molded pulp packing products such as take-out containers, flower pots, beverage cartons and bottles and clamshell packaging used for fruits and vegetables.

She is focused on apple pomace, in part, because it is readily available in the Pacific Northwest. When apples are processed for juice about 70 – 75 % of the apple goes into the juice, leaving the remaining 25 – 30 % as pomace.

One of the key problems to solve in creating pomace and paper-based packaging is improving water resistance so that it could withstand high moisture, liquid food or non-food items and products stored under high humidity conditions.

In a just-published paper in Food and Bioproducts Processing, the team sought to create eco-friendly, bio-based, compostable and cost-effective solutions that would improve the hydrophobicity, or water resistance, of the apple pomace-based molded pulp products.

They used two strategies: incorporating polymers and compounds with characteristics to improve water resistance into the pulp formulation and applying superhydrophobic coatings on the product surface. The polymers and compounds studied include lignin, chitosan and glycerol.

Lignin is a polymer that forms key structural materials in the support tissues of most plants. Rhubarb pomace, which is particularly lignin rich, was used in this study.

Chitosan is a bio-based polymer commonly used in the papermaking industry. A previous study from Zhao’s team found that chitosan reduced water absorption of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) films significantly through adsorption of chitosan onto CNF fibers via hydrogen bonds.

Finally, glycerol is an organic compound often added to a material to make it softer and more flexible. Previous studies had shown that at low levels glycerol decreased water absorption.

The researchers determined the optimal amounts of those polymers and compounds while also adding a small amount of cardboard fiber for stability of the molded pulp packaging products.

Zhao’s team has a long history of studying food coatings as a barrier to water and gases. The team had previously created a two-step preparation of superhydrophobic coating that is heat, cold and water resistant. They applied a simplified, one-step coating on the surface of the apple pomace-based product to enhance water resistance.

They concluded that the study demonstrated the feasibility of using fruit pomace as a new source of fiber in producing molded pulp packaging and effective approaches to enhancing water resistance in those packaging materials.

Co-authors of the paper are Clara Lang, Jooyeoun Jung and Taoran Wang, all of whom are former or current members of the Sustainable Food Packaging and Processing team in the Department of Food Science and Technology in Oregon State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

The research was supported by the Oregon Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Kerr Concentrates, Inc. of Salem and Hood River Juice Company of Hood River provided fruit pomace for the research.

About the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences:
Through its world-class research on agriculture and food systems, natural resource management, rural economic development and human health, the College provides solutions to Oregon’s most pressing challenges and contributes to a sustainable environment and a prosperous future for Oregonians.

Elopak and Nippon Paper Industries sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen partnership and advance collaborative efforts in the field of liquid-paper packaging.

Elopak ASA and Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd have signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement covers further collaboration between the two companies, looking at how potential business can be jointly developed and organised given their respective expertise, assets and networks.

Nippon Paper Industries, the largest liquid packaging player in Japan, is concentrating efforts in the field of paper packaging with the goal of contributing to the enrichment of people’s lives and the development of culture under the slogan of “Pioneering the future together with trees.” Based on the slogan “What can be done with paper,” Nippon Paper pursues the potential of paper packaging born from wood, a renewable resource, and offers a variety of proposals.

Elopak, a leading global supplier of carton packaging and filling equipment, offers sustainable packaging solutions that provide a natural and convenient alternative to plastic bottles. The MoU aligns with Elopak’s ambitions to meet the rising demand for sustainable packaging solutions by pursuing a growth strategy centered on investment in innovation; the pursuit of new business opportunities in existing and new markets across both fresh and aseptic markets; and driving the plastic to carton conversion.

The two companies have worked closely together for many years. In March 2016 they signed a product licensing agreement that allows Nippon Paper to manufacture and sell certain Pure-Pak® cartons in Japan. When Elopak listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in June 2021, Nippon Paper entered into a cornerstone agreement to acquire shares equivalent to 5.0 % of the share capital.

Under the MoU a Steering Committee will be established, tasked with selecting and implementing collaborative themes that leverage the strengths of both companies, while increasing competitiveness and expanding sales of paper packaging to accelerate the move toward a low carbon circular economy.

Collaboration between Nippon and Elopak is built on the companies’ shared commitment to sustainability and innovation. Both companies are members of the United Nations Global Compact and incorporate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their development strategies. They also have a shared dedication to sustainable forest management and improved recycling of their paper products.

Commenting on the MoU Elopak CEO Thomas Körmendi stated, “We are delighted to be exploring the opportunities that exist for Elopak and Nippon to collaborate further. Building on our strong track record of working together to deliver for customers, we are excited by the opportunity to leverage our relative strengths and areas of expertise to drive the adoption of sustainable packaging solutions.”

Commenting on the MoU Nippon Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of Paper-Pak Sales Division Yasuhito Obayashi noted, “We are really excited by this opportunity to grow our strong relationship with Elopak and are looking forward to collaborative value creation based on both companies’ deep expertise and strength that delivers sustainable packaging solutions to market.”

Leading branded soft drinks business, Britvic is joining forces with University of Cambridge-backed tech company Xampla in a GBP 1 million packaging innovation partnership.

After 15 years of Cambridge research, Xampla has developed the world’s first plant protein material for commercial use. This revolutionary material uses pea protein to make microscopic capsules that protect vitamins within liquid, stopping them from being broken down by sunlight.

Xampla’s work has seen the company secure GBP 1 million in funding from the UK Government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, to scale up the technology and material processing.

The innovation is critical to delivering drinks fortified with vitamins in clear plastic bottles. Clear plastic bottles are considered a positive by consumers, with Britvic’s research showing that people are 40 % more likely to recycle clear bottles over coloured ones. However, the downside of clear bottles is that they let more UV rays in, losing the necessary protection for vitamin D.

Simon Hombersley, CEO of Xampla, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Britvic to deliver innovation that will revolutionise the drinks industry and it is extremely exciting to see what our material can do at scale. Xampla works with businesses to help solve their biggest problems while also enabling customers to meet their sustainability goals.

“Britvic has a proud history of fortifying its products with vitamins and seeking sustainability in its packaging. Our partnership is about helping to do both even more effectively. We can’t wait to get started.”

Last year, major Britvic brands Fruit Shoot and 7UP made the shift to clear bottles to drive up recycling rates and Britvic has started to add vitamins B, C and D to Robinsons Fruit & Barley.

Meanwhile, leading Irish squash brand MiWadi 0 % Sugar contains vitamins B, D and zinc and children’s favourite Fruit Shoot has been fortified with multivitamins since 2016. Added vitamins C and D help support the immune system and the growth of strong bones, while B vitamins contribute to energy release.

Sarah Webster, Director of Sustainable Business at Britvic, said: “Our work with Xampla supports our Healthier People, Healthier Planet strategy.

“By agreeing this GBP 1 million partnership with each other, we have shown the power of collaboration between established players and cutting-edge innovators to deliver Healthier People and Healthier Planet.

“Xampla technology has the makings of a ‘win-win’, enabling delivery of greater nutritional value in the drinks people love, while ensuring that more products can come to market in clear, recyclable bottles.”

Britvic has a long history of fortifying drinks with vitamins. The FTSE 250 company started life in 1845 as The British Vitamin Product Company, with a mission to provide customers with an affordable source of nutrition. The company is committed to a programme to reduce unnecessary plastic and is working with Xampla through an Innovate UK-backed grant to develop new formats for delivery of soft drinks and nutrients within drinks.

News of the Britvic partnership follows a successful Xampla world first product launch with meal kit manufacturer Gousto last year, where Xampla created an edible film to be used as wrapping for stock cubes. The trial kits – for making an Indian Spiced Carrot & Lentil soup recipe – sold out within one hour of going on sale.

About Xampla
Xampla is a spin-out from the University of Cambridge. Its Supramolecular Engineered Protein has been developed over the past 15 years. It has created the world’s first plant protein material for commercial use. Its material performs like synthetic polymers, but decomposes naturally and fully without harming the environment. Xampla is the first UK University spin-out to be awarded B Corp status.

SIG has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 % of Scholle IPN, a privately held company, for an enterprise value of EUR 1.36¹ billion and an equity value of EUR 1.05 billion. The transaction will be funded through 33.75 million SIG shares issued from existing authorised capital and EUR 370 million cash; the existing debt of Scholle IPN will be refinanced at closing. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the third quarter of 2022 subject to customary closing conditions.

This acquisition diversifies SIG’s exposure to growing and resilient end-markets. SIG’s portfolio of market-leading sustainable food and beverage carton solutions will be expanded into bag-in-box and spouted pouches for retail, institutional and industrial customers. SIG and Scholle IPN have many similarities and are highly complementary businesses in terms of systems and product offering. The combination will unlock significant growth opportunities and value.

Founded in 1945, Scholle IPN is a leading innovator in sustainable packaging with a systems offering. It is the inventor of and global leader in bag-in-box (2 l –1,500 l capacity) and the number two in spouted pouches (50 ml – 500 ml capacity). The acquisition will therefore expand SIG’s portfolio into both larger and smaller formats. Scholle IPN is headquartered in the USA and has approximately 2,100 employees globally. Revenue in the twelve months to 31 December 2021 was EUR 474 million with adjusted EBITDA of EUR 90 million (adjusted EBITDA margin c.19 %)². The USA accounts for around 55 % of revenue and the acquisition will significantly increase SIG’s presence in this large and attractive market. It will also enable the expansion of the Scholle IPN portfolio into the emerging markets of Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East Africa, where SIG has a well-established presence.

With this acquisition, SIG will be able to offer the most sustainable packaging solutions across a wide range of categories and product sizes. Growth in bag-in-box is being driven by the shift from rigid to flexible packaging which significantly reduces the amount of material needed to package the product. Scholle IPN has a longstanding focus on sustainability and on the light-weighting of both packaging and fitments. It is a pioneer in the development of mono-materials which are designed for recycling. Joining together the R&D capabilities of the two companies will deliver more value to customers by advancing the development of material and aseptic technology to reduce carbon emissions and food waste.

Around 70 % of Scholle IPN revenues are in food and beverages which will underpin the resilience already demonstrated by SIG’s business. The acquisition will enable SIG to build on its core strength in aseptic technology and to expand its use in both pouches and bag-in-box. It will also drive SIG’s expansion into new categories such as wine and water. Like SIG, Scholle IPN has developed long-standing customer relationships and the acquisition brings multiple cross-selling opportunities, as well as potential for an enhanced service offering for the combined customer base. In addition, run-rate cost synergies of EUR 17 million will be generated in areas such as procurement and manufacturing efficiencies.

¹At current USD/EUR exchange rate
²Unaudited. At 2021 average USD/EUR exchange rate

SIG announced the launch of SIGNATURE EVO, the world’s first aluminium-free full barrier packaging materials for aseptic carton packs. SIGNATURE EVO extends SIG’s lower-carbon aluminium-free packaging materials – already available for plain white milk – for wider use with oxygen-sensitive products such as fruit juices, nectars, flavoured milk or plant-based beverages.

SIGNATURE EVO is the latest evolution in the SIGNATURE portfolio – SIG’s innovative offering of the most sustainable packaging materials available for aseptic carton packs.

SIG led the industry with the first ever aluminium-free solutions for aseptic cartons. By eliminating the need for an aluminium foil barrier layer, combibloc ECOPLUS cut the carbon footprint of SIG’s standard packaging material by 27 % when launched in 2010. SIGNATURE 100 cut this further in 2017, offering a 58 % lower carbon footprint than SIG’s standard packaging material by linking the polymers to 100 % renewable forest-based materials via a certified mass-balance system¹.

With more than 1.9 billion packs now sold with these aluminium-free long-life packaging solutions for liquid dairy products, SIG has built on this success to create the first full barrier aluminium-free solutions for aseptic cartons.

SIGNATURE EVO packaging materials are expected to offer a similar carbon footprint reduction to combibloc ECOPLUS, to be confirmed through an independent, critically-reviewed life-cycle assessment. Like all SIG packs, SIGNATURE EVO is fully recyclable in existing recycling streams.

With barrier properties comparable to standard aseptic cartons that include an aluminium foil barrier layer, SIGNATURE EVO packaging materials ensure that even oxygen-sensitive products are protected over long periods of time without the need for refrigeration. This enables customers to bring the environmental benefits to many more food and beverage categories.

SIGNATURE EVO will initially be launched in the combiblocMini portion-sized format before being extended to other formats. It is suitable for both oxygen-insensitive products like plain white UHT milk and oxygen-sensitive products like fruit juices, nectars, flavoured milk or plant-based beverages.

SIGNATURE EVO enhances opportunities for customers to differentiate their products with an aluminium-free pack that offers both on-shelf appeal and stand-out environmental credentials.

In the future, it will also be available in more options such as SIGNATURE EVO 100 – SIG’s full barrier solution for aseptic carton packs linked to 100% renewable forest-based materials.

¹Results based on ISO-compliant life-cycle assessment CB-100732c for Europe.

Elopak, a leading global supplier of carton packaging and filling equipment, has been awarded a platinum rating for its sustainability performance by EcoVadis, the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. This achievement places Elopak in the top 1 % of companies evaluated across all industries.  

EcoVadis is a trusted sustainability ratings provider, with a global network of more than 75,000 rated companies. They assess sustainability performance; how well a company has integrated the principles of CSR into their business and management system. The methodology covers 21 criteria across four themes of environment, labour & human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. It is built on international sustainability standards, such as the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000.

Carbon neutral since 2016, Elopak was one of the first companies to sign up to the Science Based Targets initiative to keep global average temperature rise below 1.5 °C in 2019. In line with this commitment, Elopak has pledged a 55 % reduction in internal GHG emissions by 2030 and a 16 % reduction in emissions across the value chain by 2030 from a 2017 baseline. In 2021, Elopak joined the United Nations (UN) Global Compact as a participant in recognition of its commitment to advancing sustainability and working collaboratively in pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Lithuanian design agency FOLK gave a holiday makeover to a beloved Christmas drink—kissel. The agency ditched the traditional powder mix and created a brand new product “Slippery Business” in tin packaging, specifically designed for a revamped drink formula.

FOLK, one of the most recognized design agencies in the Baltic region, reintroduced the nation’s Christmas favorite, a cranberry kissel, in unique packaging. Generally sold as a powder mix, the newly-formulated product, called “Slippery Business,” is packaged in a tin casing to shake and liven up the traditional festive table.

A Lithuanian beloved kissel is a non-alcoholic drink where cranberries, the star of the flavor palette, shine through a slightly gooey and slippery texture. It is served almost exclusively on Christmas and is usually the one drink no Lithuanian family forgoes.

However, the design agency felt the conventional drink packaging lacked some festive charm and should be given the justice it deserves in a specially-made tin casing. The product name, design, and font were inspired by the drink’s unique texture, while the colors represent the acidity of cranberries. The new drink formula also has less sugar, is vegan and gluten-free to suit everyone’s dietary requirements.

The freshly repackaged kissel was a Christmas gift to FOLK’s clients, friends, and partners. According to Ignas Kozlovas, creative director at FOLK, business gifts present a great opportunity to showcase the ingenuity and challenge oneself in non-conventional tasks. Therefore each year FOLK, which has a passion for Lithuanian folklore, aims to surprise their clients with knock-your-socks-off gifts.

“Traditions have a tendency to change over time, even during the biggest holidays of the year. Several past years have shown us that you can join everyone for a festive dinner through a smart device, or order international dishes instead of traditional ones,” said Kozlovas. “Not many things stay the same in these changing times, but kissel remains a national treasure every single Christmas. However, the drink is too good to be enjoyed only once a year, and we believe the new tin packaging might give it a chance to make an after-holiday come-back.”

“Slippery Business” also allowed the agency to experience the manufacturing process hands-on. The agency was involved in formulating the modern yet well-known flavor and adapting tin casing to the drink’s unique texture—the tin, filled with non-fizzy drink, is softer than usual, therefore allowing to feel the kissel’s texture without even tasting it.

“We created the product having in mind that Christmas itself is a slippery business with unexpected topics at festive dinners or unusual office parties. The entire process—from design to manufacturing—allowed us to also understand the challenges that our clients face every day and be better prepared to tackle the new unique tasks next year,” added Kozlovas.

About FOLK
FOLK is a Lithuanian brand creation and design agency with the main focus on consumer needs. The agency provides brand strategy, packaging, and logo design services, and collaborates with their clients to best serve the consumers and produce unique, Lithuanian folklore-inspired designs.

Acquisition will expand wine portfolio in France, including Bordeaux.

Berlin Packaging, the world’s largest Hybrid Packaging Supplier^®, announced the acquisition of Gerfran SAS, a family-owned supplier of glass packaging specializing in the wine and beverage end markets.

Founded in 1984 and acquired by Lionel Fruh in 2008, Gerfran is a unique player in the Aquitaine region of France. Headquartered in La Réole, the company specializes in the sale of wine bottles with an emphasis on Bordeaux bottles and serves wine producers of all sizes, from small vineyards to large estates. In addition to wine bottles, the company also sells bottles and jars for beer, spirits, fruit juices, and food.

With warehouses across the southwest of France, Gerfran has strong relationships with its customers, who benefit from the company’s value-added services and turnkey solutions.

Following completion of all pending transactions, Gerfran will be the 18th acquisition by Berlin Packaging in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) since 2016 and the 8th acquisition in EMEA in 2021.

All employees and locations for this acquisition will be retained.

With the acquisition of GEM Plastics Limited, Schütz is expanding its product portfolio in the field of industrial packaging and further increasing its performance for customers in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Schütz GmbH & Co KGaA, a leading manufacturer of high-quality transport packaging, has signed a purchase agreement for 100 % of the shares in GEM Plastics Limited of Ireland end of last week. The company, based in Cavan, Republic of Ireland, has been manufacturing plastic industrial packaging for over 30 years. It supplies in particular the chemical, lubricant, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. In addition to established plastic drums and jerrycans, the extensive product range also includes specific packaging solutions for individual customer requirements.

Schütz has been represented in the United Kingdom (Worksop) since 1992 and in Ireland (Killala) since 2000. From these two locations, customers are supplied promptly and effectively with IBCs and plastic drums. With the acquisition of GEM Plastics Limited, the globally operating company in the industrial packaging sector is once again significantly expanding its product range for customers in Ireland, the United Kingdom and beyond. In addition to the established IBC and plastic drum product groups, they will now also benefit from a wide range of jerrycans.

Elopak is reinforcing its presence in growth markets and investing in profitable growth with the acquisition of Naturepak Beverage Packaging Co Ltd, the leading gable top fresh liquid carton and packaging systems supplier in the MENA region.

Elopak ASA has signed a Share Purchase Agreement to acquire 100 % of Naturepak Beverage from Gulf Industrial Group Company Plc and Evergreen Packaging International LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pactiv Evergreen Inc.

Naturepak Beverage is the leading provider of fresh liquid carton and packaging systems in the MENA region with local production facilities in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, which will be integrated into Elopak’s global production network. Present in 16 countries, Naturepak Beverage has an annual production capacity of 2.7 billion cartons across various product sizes and its customers are global blue chip FMCG players and strong regional champions.

The acquisition will reinforce Elopak’s position in the region and is an important milestone in management’s ambitions to target 2-3% organic revenue growth, deliver inorganic opportunities and grow its global footprint by entering new geographies.

Commenting on the acquisition Thomas Körmendi, Chief Executive Officer of Elopak, stated: “This transaction represents an important part of the growth ambitions we outlined to our shareholders during our IPO this year. I am proud to take ownership of what we deem to be one of the highest quality assets in the region and to welcome the employees of Naturepak Beverage to the Elopak family. By establishing a presence in Morocco and Saudi Arabia we can access important growth markets and deliver Elopak’s brand portfolio to key local and international players. The transaction reflects our strong commitment to growth in the Middle East and Africa”.

Following the acquisition, Naturepak Beverage will be rebranded and incorporated under the Elopak name. The acquisition provides a strategic customer base in the fresh beverage carton segment, primarily in Morocco in fresh dairy, and gives access to growth markets in an attractive region.

Going forward Naturepak Beverage’s client base will have access to a wider fresh and aseptic product portfolio and innovative, sustainable packaging solutions developed by Elopak, with Elopak leveraging its Pure-Pak® carton portfolio and utilizing its technical expertise to drive further growth across products, segments and markets.

“Those who weren’t able to attend definitely missed out.” That was the unanimous view of the exhibitors as FACHPACK drew to a close on 30 September 2021. For three days, the trade fair for packaging, technology and processes was brimming with innovation and inspiration for the packaging sector. And the pleasure of being able to meet with customers and business partners in person was palpable throughout the exhibition halls. Goosebumps all around! A total of 788 exhibitors from 33 countries were on hand to answer specific packaging questions from about 24,000 trade visitors. Of the trade visitors, one in three had travelled to Nuremberg from outside Germany. Access to the trade fair with e-tickets and verification of “3G” status (proof of having been vaccinated, tested, or recovered from COVID) at the entrances was quick and uncomplicated. The hygiene strategy worked, with exhibitors and visitors observing the relevant regulations.

FachPack covered a comprehensive range of products from the entire packaging process chain, from packaging materials and machines to printing and processing, logistics systems and services. Forty-one percent of the exhibitors and about one-third of the visitors travelled from outside Germany, mainly from Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Poland, France and Belgium.

The exhibitors had particular praise for the high quality of the industry professionals. That is backed up by the results of a visitor survey by an independent institute: some 90 percent of the trade visitors said they were involved in the purchasing and procurement decisions in their companies. About two-thirds of them held senior positions, and more than one in five were from management. The visitors came mainly from the food and beverage, pharmaceutical and medical, cosmetics, chemical, electronics and automotive industries.

New key theme for FACHPACK 2022: “Transition in packaging”

FACHPACK perceives itself as a guide, and aims to offer direction to the sector. The new key theme for 2022 is therefore devoted to the powerful trends currently impacting on the packaging industry. Sustainability is demanded not only by law but also by consumers – and that is making far-reaching changes to the industry. Subjects such as the circular economy, digitalization and e-commerce add to the mix. Covid-19 has brought a focus to the aspect of hygiene in product protection. In addition, areas such as online shopping and home deliveries will continue to grow. What purchasing behaviours will consumers exhibit in the future? All these themes are not only a task for the packaging industry; they also offer a major opportunity to make changes.

The next FACHPACK will take place in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg in its usual sequence from 27 to 29 September 2022.

The global pandemic has affected the packaging solution industry by leading to a significant price increase and shortage of raw materials and components used in packaging equipment. To compensate for the rising costs and continue to provide the highest quality solutions, Sidel is implementing a commodity-induced price adjustment on its equipment by an average of 5 % effective September 6, 2021. Deficiency of raw materials and components may impact equipment delivery time as well.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Sidel has been striving to keep the same price level for its equipment despite the fact that the price of raw materials has increased significantly since 2020. Moreover, this increase is not expected to recover in the foreseeable future.

Additionally, the pandemic, combined with other external factors, has resulted in a significant shortage of microchips globally. This shortage is an outcome of supply-related disruptions, including forced closure of factories, together with an unanticipated increase in demand for personal electronics such as cell phones and laptops as people were required to work or study remotely. Both supply shortage of microchips and increase in consumption of personal electronics lead to supplier delays which might impact the overall Sidel delivery channels for the near future.

New company formed as KPS Capital Partners completes its acquisition of Crown Holdings Inc.’s EMEA food and consumer packaging business

Eviosys, a leader in the metal packaging industry with innovation and sustainability at its core, launches today as a newly formed, independent company. The business is Europe’s largest manufacturer of steel and aluminium food packaging with hundreds of global and regional food and consumer products customers.

Eviosys will focus on unique, smart packaging solutions by combining a rich heritage with an enhanced, market-leading focus on innovation, research and development. Sustainability is at the heart of Eviosys, which has a product portfolio centred on 100 % recyclable metal substrates. The Company will champion the evolution of truly sustainable packaging, developing solutions for its customers that help them meet their sustainability goals while also protecting the planet, people and communities around us.

Eviosys, with seven design studios and three laboratories across Europe, will continue its leadership role in smart packaging solutions by offering exciting, innovative ways to help customers differentiate from the competition and capture opportunities for growth.

Eviosys has the largest manufacturing footprint in the region, with 6,300 employees in 44 manufacturing facilities across 17 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). With its strategically located manufacturing facilities, Eviosys will continue its commitment to uncompromising product quality, preserving products and promoting the reputation of local and international brands in over 100 countries worldwide.

Tomás López, an industry executive with decades of experience leading packaging businesses, will lead Eviosys as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Lopez previously served as CEO of Mivisa prior to its acquisition by Crown Holdings in 2014.

SIG’s second state-of-the-art production plant for aseptic carton packaging in China is now up and running. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, the large-scale project has been successfully implemented, once again demonstrating SIG’s ongoing commitment to engineering excellence and sustainability leadership.

The new plant is located close to SIG’s existing production facility at the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), which allows for shared resources in both production and operations. The new facility is also close to SIG’s Asia Pacific Tech Center, with industry-leading innovation capabilities that bring a flow of new concepts and solutions to SIG customers. Having the Tech Centre nearby ensures SIG can keep pace with, and anticipate, new trends.

Samuel Sigrist, CEO of SIG: “The Asia Pacific region continues to be one of the major growth engines for aseptic carton packaging. The expansion of our production network will enable us to further strengthen our position in the growing Chinese market. It also means we can respond more quickly to the needs of our customers to provide holistic solutions to the food and beverage industry.”

By building a second production plant in China, SIG is committed to serving the Chinese market by providing high-quality products and services to customers across the Asia Pacific region. The entire production process in the new plant is managed intelligently, which significantly improves operational and production efficiency. The smart manufacturing system covers extrusion, printing, creasing, cutting and sealing.

Samuel Sigrist continues: “SIG has built up a strong customer base across the Asia Pacific region, providing outstanding innovation capability and end-to-end solutions for differentiated products, smarter factories and connected packs. Our close partnership with the two largest Chinese dairies, and other food and beverage companies, will continue to grow and develop.”

By 2024, the new plant will cover an area of 120,000 square metres and is expected to have an annual production capacity of 8 billion carton packs. It has been designed and built to have the lowest possible carbon emissions, with an artistic combination of classical Chinese garden and modern elements. Photovoltaic panels on the roofs can provide 1.5 million kWh of solar energy and collected rainwater is also reused after treatment to save around 28,000 tonnes of tap water per annum. In addition to energy-saving lighting devices, special lighting systems are installed to significantly reduce electricity consumption.

The new plant’s best-in-class environmental, safety and operation performance has already been recognised with a prestigious international industry certification: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification for building design and construction. LEED is a green building certification programme created by the U.S. Green Building Council which is used worldwide. SIG’s new packaging plant was the first plant in China’s aseptic packaging industry to be built in strict accordance with the LEED gold certification standard.

Please watch how SIG is expanding its presence in Asia Pacific.

Ball Corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of infinitely recyclable aluminium beverage packaging, is planning to significantly increase its manufacturing capacity, with new cutting-edge facilities in the UK and Russia.

With an increasing consumer call for more sustainable purchasing options and a growing number of new brands and beverage categories choosing cans, demand for aluminium packaging is rapidly expanding around the world. Each facility would produce, from 2023, billions of cans a year across a range of formats and sizes, and provide up to 200 skilled jobs in a fast-growing but stable sector.

In the UK, Ball has identified a site at the SEGRO Park Kettering Gateway, an established industrial development in Northamptonshire. Ball has submitted its formal application to North Northamptonshire Council and anticipates breaking ground during 2021, following a period of public consultation.

The planned Kettering plant will represent Ball’s third beverage can manufacturing facility in the UK, adding capacity to its established plants in Milton Keynes and Wakefield. The plant will supply cans for domestic customers in a growing range of categories, which now includes hard seltzers, wines, ready to drink cocktails, together with pure and enhanced water brands.

To serve the fast growing Russian market, especially in the beer and energy drinks categories, Ball is planning to build a plant in Ulyanovsk in Western Russia. Ball Beverage Packaging Naro-Fominsk has signed a cooperation agreement for its construction with the Ulyanovsk Regional Government, who in June also awarded the development ‘Highly Significant Investment Project’ status.

The Ulynavosk plant will take the total in Russia to four, with established manufacturing facilities in Naro-Fominsk, Moscow Region; Vesvolozhsk, St. Petersburg Region; and Argayash, Chelyabinsk Region.

When FACHPACK gets to open its doors again at Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 28 to 30 September 2021, it will be the first major gathering of the European packaging industry for two years and a much longed-for reunion. Over the three-day period, the exhibition will focus on personal dialogue between business partners and colleagues and knowledge-sharing about trends, innovations and best practices. The main FACHPACK theme of “environmentally compliant packaging” will also be reflected in the extensive programme of presentations and at the special shows and exhibitor stands. Apart from sustainability, the key areas to be explored will be altered consumer behaviours, packaging design, and digital transformation. Start-ups will also be on- site to present their innovative ideas and products. And the best packaging solutions will be acknowledged at the ceremony for the German Packaging Award (dvi) and Sustainability Award (Packaging Europe). Visitors from the consumer and industrial goods segments are cordially invited to attend FACHPACK in Nuremberg. A comprehensive hygiene plan will ensure a safe visit to the exhibition.

myFACHPACK: the digital extension to the on-site event

A new feature this year is myFACHPACK, the digital extension to FACHPACK that facilitates matchmaking and knowledge transfer and extends the on-site event into the virtual environment. Even in the run-up to the trade fair, the new tool provides opportunities for networking and thus enables users to efficiently prepare for their visit. In addition, the forum programmes will be live streamed during the event and made available afterwards. The myFACHPACK tool can be used on your desktop or as an app on your mobile phone.

Hygiene plan makes in-person networking possible

Extensive protective measures and a comprehensive hygiene plan have been developed to ensure the safety of participants in the fair. Contactless payment, online ticket booking, hand sanitising stations, an ultra-modern ventilation system for exhibition halls and congress rooms, and digital tools for registration of admissions and contact tracing are just a few examples of the precautions that will be in place. “Community areas” in the exhibition halls will allow face-to-face networking in compliance with social distancing rules. For more information on the hygiene plan and protective measures (under the current rules) please go to: www.fachpack.de/schutzmassnahmen

For the latest information go to: FACHPACK.de

Smurfit Kappa’s Bag-in-Box division has announced the completion of a significant EUR 12 million investment in a new flexible material production facility at its plant in Ibi, Spain. The new state-of-the-art production facility commenced operations, on a phased basis, earlier this year and will be one of the most advanced Bag-in-Box manufacturing plants in Europe.

The investment has resulted in the addition of an extra 4,300 m2 production area which will be equipped with high-tech and advanced machinery which allows for more specialisation in the manufacture of film. The new machinery will allow the plant to complete the full production cycle of Bag-in-Box packaging solutions, from start to finish. This integrated production model means not only quicker and more efficient service to customers, but also a considerable reduction of the environmental impact – up to 21 % less estimated CO2 emissions for the current flexible materials portfolio.

Commenting on the investment, Thierry Minaud, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box, said: “This strategic investment represents an important step for Smurfit Kappa Bag-in Box Spain. In addition to introducing innovative technology to create a fully integrated plant for Bag-in-Box production, it will allow us to increase our production capacity to better respond to market demands.”

Victor Juan, Film Manager at Smurfit Kappa Ibi added: “These new facilities will accelerate the development of new, more sustainable films with the highest performance to meet the needs of our customers for high quality Bag-in-Box packaging solutions, and further strengthen our commitment to the environment.”

The Ibi manufacturing plant in Spain has been in operation for 45 years. The number of employees at the plant has more than doubled since it was acquired by Smurfit Kappa in 2007.

Since the financial and economic crisis, there has only ever been an upwards trend for food processing and packaging machinery. In 2020, the 10-year growth phase in tis mechanical engineering sector came to a temporary end with a decrease of 9 percent to 13.9 billion euros.

“The drop in production doesn’t come as a surprise, as 2019 was an exceptionally strong year for our industry. Even without the Corona pandemic, we would have probably only just exceeded this high level,” explains Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association.

In the packaging machinery sector, production dropped by a total of 8 percent to 6.7 billion euros. In food processing machinery, the change rates varied in the individual subsectors. Production of meat processing machinery slightly increased to over 1.2 billion euros. The demand also remained stable for bakery machinery. Both subsectors reported a good domestic business, which overcompensated the decrease in exports.

Production of confectionery machinery dropped by 18 percent below the very high level of the previous year. There was also a double-digit drop in the production of beverage machinery. “These two sectors are very active in non-European countries and are among those suffering from the Corona pandemic. In addition, the customers of these industries include many multinationals that have simply frozen their investment projects,” says Clemens, explaining the different developments.

Corona- pandemic weakens export business

Exports of food processing and packaging machinery dropped by a total of 8 percent to 8.5 billion euros in 2020. The decline varied greatly from one sub-sector to another. Manufacturers of packaging machinery, meat processing machinery and bakery machinery recorded downturns of 5 to 6 percent. Confectionery machinery was down by 24 percent, and brewery machinery saw a 38 percent drop in exports. However, the reference values of the previous year were also exceptionally high in these two sectors. The severe impact on the brewery machinery sector is also directly related to the limited or complete standstill of business activity in the hotel and catering industry as a result of the Corona crisis.

From a regional point of view, foreign shipments of food processing and packaging machinery decreased in almost all economic regions in 2020, except of North America. In particular, deliveries from Germany to the USA increased by 8 percent to over 1.2 billion euros. Positive impetus also came from important individual markets, such as Russia, Mexico and China.

However, deliveries to the EU-27 as the most important sales region dropped by 15 percent. Exports to Asia also decreased by a significant double-digit percentage.

Outlook

According to current estimations, a return to the 2019 level is not very likely for 2021. “We do expect production to grow this year, but it is unlikely to be in double digits,” says Clemens. The general outlook for the industry is positive, according to the trade association’s managing director, as the sector’s companies are well positioned internationally and continue to benefit from a rising global demand for processed and packaged food, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

The VDMA represents around 3,300 German and European mechanical and plant engineering companies. The industry stands for innovation, export orientation, small and medium-sized enterprises and employs around four million people in Europe, more than one million of them in Germany only.

SIG announced that it will construct a new plant in Queretaro, Mexico to serve North American markets. The plant will further expand SIG’s global production network and will enable the company to build on its strong track record of growth in North America.

Through its existing sales and service presence, SIG has been able to forge strong relationships with major dairies in Mexico, a large and growing milk market. In the USA, SIG has a well established co-manufacturing customer base and is ideally placed to serve innovative and expanding new categories.

SIG will invest around €40 million in the new plant over the period 2021-2023. The investment will cover state-of-the art production capacity for the printing, cutting and finishing of carton packs. The plant is expected to open in the first quarter of 2023 and will create around 200 jobs. It will have a highly flexible layout with a focus on ergonomics and the environment. Land and buildings will be financed through a long-term lease with an NPV of approximately €20 million.

Tetra Pak announced it is ready to deploy its portfolio of tethered cap solutions. The portfolio brings numerous benefits to food and beverage manufacturers and consumers, as the company builds on its vision of the most sustainable food package. These benefits include minimising litter, as the cap will stay attached to the package. The carbon footprint can also be reduced because the company’s tethered caps are planned to become available as a plant-based option, therefore increasing the renewable content of the package.

In tandem, the company is accelerating the expansion of its paper straws offering to ensure further renewable and low carbon materials across the range of packaging solutions. The aim of this is to address a broad range of customer sustainability needs without compromising on food safety, while still delivering on the end-user drinking experience.

Lars Holmquist, Executive Vice President Packaging Solutions and Commercial Operations, Tetra Pak, says: “These are key milestones in our journey towards the world’s most sustainable food package: a carton that is fully made from renewable or recycled materials, is fully recyclable and carbon-neutral. We consistently strive to deliver products and services that adds value to food and people while protecting the planet. Our promise, ‘PROTECTS WHAT’S GOOD^™,’ allied with this strong purpose means we are providing customers with innovative products that also meet the rapidly changing demands of society.”

Tetra Pak’s tethered caps and paper straws developments mark the latest additions to its range of responsible end-to-end solutions, allowing manufacturers to achieve their ambitions in three essential areas – food safety, food waste and the environment – simultaneously.

Holmquist continues: “Approximately 32 % of all plastic packaging is not collected and plastic can take hundreds of years to degrade^[1]. We focus on recycling by design, committing to invest approximately € 100 million per year over the next 5 – 10 years to develop more sustainable packaging solutions. This includes alternatives to replace fossil-based plastics and avoid littering, as well as maximising the use of renewable, responsibly sourced materials in our packages. Addressing people’s needs for recycling is a critical component for not only becoming more sustainable but making food more available and safer for all consumers.”

These steps are also central to ensuring that Tetra Pak’s customers in Europe will be ready to comply with the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive, an integral part of the wider approach announced in the Plastics Strategy and an important element of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan^[2].

With this in mind, Tetra Pak has accelerated innovation in the caps domain. Holmquist adds: “The significant challenge of deploying tethered caps is the scale of the change that this brings across the value chain. If we look at Europe alone, more than 1,000 packaging lines supplied by us will be potentially transformed, translating into over 20 billion packages which are expected to be converted. All of that in three years, while minimising impact on our customers’ operations, optimising the consumer experience and contributing to both minimising litter and creating a carton package with increased plant-based and recycled content.”

Tetra Pak is progressing on this complex journey by working seamlessly across various project streams. Overall, this covers approximately 40 different packages with tethered caps. Those caps are all planned to become available as a plant-based option. The first one to be released on the market is the HeliCap™ 26 Pro closure. This product features a new screw and flip concept with a self-locking hinge, securing food protection while providing convenience for in-home consumption. Its opening and closing mechanism has proven popular with consumers, demonstrating that the solution is delivering further benefits in addition to meeting legislative requirements^[3].

Holmquist concludes: “We won’t stop here. We are continuously innovating our sustainable openings offering. We envision a world where carton packages never become waste and where every carton is collected and recycled.”

^[1]Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation, https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/
^[2]Main objective of Directive 2019/904 is the prevention and reduction of marine litter from single-use plastic items. The implementation of this directive into EU member states’ national legislation will lead to a ban of selected products from the market, whenever affordable alternatives are available, among other measures. While bans on plastic straws will come into force by July 2021, EU-based beverage producers, retailers and manufacturers, as well as importers, are obliged to implement tethered caps and lids – designed to remain attached to containers – by July 2024.
^[3]Source: consumer research conducted in Spain, Italy and Poland in November 2019, with 300 consumers through face to face interviews, focussed on HeliCap^™ 26 Pro opening on Tetra Prisma^® Aseptic 1000 Square package.

SIG joins AIM-Progress to collaborate for positive impact through responsible sourcing

SIG announced it is the first in the beverage carton industry to become a member of AIM-Progress, a global forum of leading fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturers and common suppliers, assembled to enable and promote responsible sourcing practices and sustainable supply chains.

Collaborating for positive impact

Responsible sourcing has been a key pillar of SIG’s net positive ambition to go Way Beyond Good for society and the environment since the outset. This commitment is closely aligned with AIM-Progress’ focus on collaborating for positive impact through responsible sourcing, making membership a natural fit.

The goal of AIM-Progress is to positively impact people’s lives and ensure respect for human rights, while delivering value to its members and their supply chains. A priority is to build members’ and suppliers’ capability to adopt and implement the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights.

As the first beverage carton provider to join the organisation, SIG has an excellent opportunity to build strong partnerships with other members. The aim is to work together to co-create solutions and share best practices that can positively impact people’s lives and ensure human rights are respected through the supply chain.

Helping customers meet demand for responsible sourcing

FMCG brands are seeing increasing demand from consumers, investors and other stakeholders to demonstrate that they meet high ethical, environmental, labour and human rights standards – not only in their own operations, but throughout their products’ supply chain.

SIG’s solutions enable customers to clearly demonstrate that their packaging comes from responsible sources. The company has led the industry in the development and adoption of certifications for responsible sourcing for over a decade.

SIG is the only aseptic carton provider to offer packs with all three main materials certified as responsibly sourced – FSCTM-certified liquid packaging board, ASI-certified aluminium foil and ISCC PLUS-certified polymers. All three of these certifications include stringent requirements on human rights as well as other social and environmental criteria. SIG has also made a strong commitment to human rights in its business and supply chain as a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact.

About AIM-Progress
AIM-Progress is a forum of leading Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) manufacturers and common suppliers, assembled to enable and promote responsible sourcing practices and sustainable supply chains. It is a global initiative supported and sponsored by AIM – the European Brands Association.

AutoCoding’s software solution automates and integrates in-line packaging systems, such as labelers, scanners, coders and checkweighers

JBT Corporation, a global technology solutions provider to high-value segments of the food and beverage industry, has announced the acquisition of AutoCoding Systems Ltd, a leading provider of software solutions for the automated set-up and control of end-of-line packaging devices. AutoCoding extends JBT’s capabilities in packaging line equipment and associated devices, including coding and label inspection and verification. The company is headquartered near Runcorn, UK, with additional operations in the US and Australia, and generates approximately $7 million in annual revenue.

AutoCoding’s central command software solution integrates and automates the use of in-line packaging devices, such as coders, scanners, labelers, and checkweighers, reducing manual inspection and downtime for line configuration. While AutoCoding is scalable across JBT FoodTech’s diverse end markets, it provides a particularly strategic fit with JBT’s Proseal business where its tray sealing equipment begins the end-of-line process.

“AutoCoding’s offering embodies JBT’s broader mission to make better use of the world’s precious resources by providing a solution that substantially enhances our customers’ success. AutoCoding helps its customers reduce food waste, ensure complete and accurate food packaging information, and facilitate traceability and food safety,” said Brian Deck, JBT’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The acquisition also expands our capabilities in the large and growing global market for in-line coding and inspection solutions, which includes hardware and software for food & beverage, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical customers.”

JBT is a leading global technology solutions provider to the food & beverage industry with focus on proteins, liquid foods and automated system solutions. JBT designs, produces and services sophisticated products and systems for multi-national and regional customers through its FoodTech segment. JBT employs approximately 6,200 people worldwide and operates sales, service, manufacturing and sourcing operations in over 25 countries.

Registration for components opens simultaneously

Interested companies from the packaging industry and the associated processing industry can register for interpack 2023 online at www.interpack.com right now. The trade fair will take place from 04 to 10 May 2023 at the Düsseldorf Trade Fair Centre.

interpack is a platform for complete value chains. This includes processes and machines for packaging and processing packaged goods, along with packaging materials, packaging containers and packaging manufacture, complete with services for the packaging industry.

Exhibitors that gained approval for interpack 2021, which was cancelled due to the pandemic, can rebook.

The supplier trade fair, components, will take place in parallel with interpack again. You can also register for this now, at www.packaging-components.com.

Scholle IPN, a leading global supplier of flexible packaging solutions, announced that they have completed the purchase of Bossar, a global supplier of flexible horizontal form-fill-seal packaging equipment.

The new business combination will leverage the combined capabilities of both businesses to provide one stop shopping for vertically integrated, sustainable solutions for the global flexible packaging market.

The company will retain the Bossar brand and will continue to utilize Bossar’s operational headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, and their manufacturing facility in India. The combined business has operations across Europe, Russia, China, India, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Canada and the United States.

Coca-Cola in Europe will trial its first ever paper bottle prototype. The move marks a further step in fulfilling The Coca-Cola Company’s global vision of achieving a “World Without Waste”, in which the Company has pledged to ensure all of its packaging is collected, recycled or re-used by 2030.

The new paper bottle prototype has been developed through a partnership between scientists at the Coca-Cola Research and Development Laboratories in Brussels and The Paper Bottle Company (Paboco).The technology developed by Paboco is designed to create 100 % recyclable bottles made of sustainably sourced wood with a bio-based material barrier capable of resisting liquids, CO₂ and oxygen, and suitable for liquid goods such as carbonated and still drinks, beauty products and more. The current prototype consists of a paper shell with a recyclable^* plastic lining and cap. The ultimate goal is a bottle that can be recycled as paper.

“The trial we are announcing today is a milestone for us in our quest to develop a paper bottle”, said Daniela Zahariea, Director of Technical Supply Chain & Innovation for Coca-Cola Europe. “People expect Coca-Cola to develop and bring to market new, innovative and sustainable types of packaging. That’s why we are partnering with experts like Paboco, experimenting openly and conducting this first in-market trial. It’s part of delivering on our World Without Waste commitments.”

The trial is scheduled to take place in the second quarter of this year and will involve the Company’s plant-based AdeZ drink being offered to 2,000 consumers in Hungary, through a partnership with Kifli.hu – one of Hungary’s fastest growing online grocery retailers.

The launch is an important step in seeing how the paper bottle prototype performs and how consumers react, according to Coca-Cola Europe’s Stijn Franssen, R&D Packaging Innovation Manager. The paper bottle prototype is 100 % recyclable* and currently consists of a paper shell, with a recyclable plastic lining and cap. Mr Franssen said the Company’s partnership with Paboco is focused on developing a paper bottle than can be fully recycled as paper.

“This trial will provide us with invaluable insight and feedback”, said Mr Franssen. “We will get to see how the paper bottle prototype performs as packaging and what consumers think and feel about it. This is an exciting step forward for us, as it means we’re out of the lab and into the real world. So for the first time, consumers will actually be drinking one of our products from a potentially new type of paper packaging”, he added.

^*where technology is available

Smurfit Kappa has launched a new range of eBottle packaging solutions for the rapidly growing online beverage and liquids market. The new portfolio includes a variety of sustainable solutions for single and multi-pack products, including the Rollor bottle pack, BiPack, and Pop-up insert.

The surge in e-commerce due to the Covid-19 pandemic is evident across all sectors and the beverage market has also seen a significant impact. In particular, online sales for alcoholic beverages has increased by 34 % in Europe  driving a demand for sustainable, durable and consumer friendly packaging that protects the product during shipment.

Key challenges for the beverage e-commerce channel are product damage, sustainability, consumer experience and the ability to accelerate growth using the right packing processes. Consumer research carried out by Smurfit Kappa also shows consumers are continuing to push for higher standards.

The research found :

• Over two thirds (69 %) of consumers prefer paper-based packaging
• Over half (59 %) of consumers want the parcel to be easy to open
• 1 in 10 consumers will reconsider re-ordering in the case of damage

Commenting on the announcement, Arco Berkenbosch, VP Innovation and Development at Smurfit Kappa Europe said: “Our new eBottle product range offers beverage businesses a suite of fit-for-purpose and bespoke packaging solutions which address the key challenges for their e-commerce channel. The innovative range, combined with our focus on e-commerce processes, supply chain and consumer experience, have all contributed to increased sales and greater efficiencies for our customers.”

Smurfit Kappa also offers a host of automated solutions to optimise packaging processes in addition to the eBottle range. The launch of this new product portfolio is the latest addition to its range of Better Planet Packaging, designed to be more sustainable and coming from a renewable and recyclable raw material.  Businesses are already benefitting in the alcoholic beverage segment.

InterDrinks is an eMerchant selling more than 2,500 different types of beers and beer products. Smurfit Kappa introduced a flexible and unique packaging solution that accommodates all the various sized products sold by InterDrinks. It also includes automated assembly that mounts the packs as required.

Herwin Wichers, Market Development Director at Smurfit Kappa said: “The online European alcohol beverage market is worth EUR 5.6 billion  and we want to help companies take advantage of the real growth and opportunity in this segment. As a result of the implemented packaging and automation solution by InterDrinks, it has increased its packing and filling capacity by 66 %, allowing it to fulfill more orders, faster.”

SIG turns innovative food and beverage ideas into commercial reality

SIG is delighted to announce that the first of three application rounds in 2021 is now open for their SIGCUBATOR program. Food and drink start-ups and small companies eager for an amazing no-strings attached opportunity can apply at no-costs until February 28th at www.sigcubator.com.

SIGCUBATOR is SIG’s accelerator program for new businesses who need just the right spark to ignite the next novel food or drink innovation.

Anna Rabanus, Global Category Manager at SIG, explains the program: “We understand that getting a product off the ground is often a challenge for start-ups. The SIGCUBATOR program supports entrepreneurs with the production facilities, the knowledge and connections in the food and beverage industry. Our team of experts will be there to guide start-ups through the most crucial period of their innovation: from testing prototypes in SIG’s combiLab in Germany through to a final product and package concept that’s ready for consumers.”

SIG is keen to identify and engage with entrepreneurs at an early stage and attract potential like-minded partners who share the same vision for delivering nutritious food and beverages which excite and improve peoples’ lives in a sustainably packaged way. Forward-thinking food and beverage start-ups are one key to driving industry innovation and value creation. SIG will evaluate concepts based on their innovativeness within the space, their market entry strategy as well as principles of future acceleration in the market with co-manufacturing partners.

One new start-up business which has already successfully launched its exciting range of shakes to market via SIGCUBATOR is UK-based GROUNDED. Filling two SKUs in SIG’s combiLab, GROUNDED recently launched its innovative plant-based protein shakes in SIG’s unique carton bottle combidome. Products are now available online and in retailers such as Selfridges and Planet Organic – a UK based organic supermarket chain where they already are #1 selling protein drink range within 3 months of launching.

Gabriel Bean, Founder at GROUNDED: “Just one small idea can change an entire industry and we identified a gap in the market for a clean, genuinely natural, plant-based shake – with no compromise on natural ingredients and packaging. The team and people at SIG were just as aligned on values, and we couldn’t have found a better partner with which to launch these products. They supported us all the way, from our first contact with their UK team, through to their exceptional combiLab operation in Germany. We look forward to continuing our partnership with such professionals in their field.”

components will be held alongside once more

The next interpack will take place from 04 to 10 May 2023 at the Düsseldorf Trade Fair Centre. Messe Düsseldorf set this date in agreement with its partners and committees. Interested companies from the packaging sector and the associated processing industry will be able to register online at www.interpack.com from the end of March/beginning of April provided all goes to plan. Exhibitors who were approved for interpack 2021, which was cancelled due to the pandemic, have already been able to reserve their stand positions for 2023 and will now be able to rebook when they register.

components will take place in parallel with interpack. It is oriented towards the supplier sector for the packaging and processing industry. You can register for components in the same period as interpack by accessing www.packaging-components.com.

www.interpack.com and www.packaging-components.com will regularly provide information on industry trends and innovations up until the next edition of both trade fairs. The online presence of the upcoming interpack and components 2023 is also being built up and expanded.

The shift from fossil-based to renewable bio-plastics requires new efficient methods. New technology developed at VTT enables the use of pectin-containing agricultural waste, such as citrus peel and sugar beet pulp, as raw material for bio-based PEF-plastics for replacing fossil-based PET. The carbon footprint of plastic bottles can be lowered by 50 % when replacing their raw material of PET with PEF polymers, which also provides a better shelf life for food.

“In the near future, you may buy orange juice in bottles that are made out of orange peel. VTT’s novel technology provides a circular approach to using food waste streams for high-performance food packaging material, and at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” shares Professor of Practice Holger Pöhler from VTT”.

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and other polyesters are being widely used in food packaging, plastic bottles and textiles. The annual production of PET products is estimated at 30 million tonnes. Replacing fossil-based PET with plant-based PEF (polyethylene furanoate) polymers can lower the carbon footprint of the products by 50 %.

Moreover, the barrier properties of PEF plastics are better than PETs, meaning that the food products have a longer shelf life. PEF is a fully recyclable and renewable high-performance plastic. Therefore, it opens up possibilities for the industries to reduce waste and to have positive impact on the environment.

VTT’s technology has significant advantages for making bio-based PEF plastics. The technology uses a stable intermediate for the production of FDCA (2,5-furandicarboxylic acid), one of the monomers of PEF, which enables a highly efficient process. In addition, utilising pectin-containing waste streams opens up new possibilities for the circular economy of plastics.

VTT’s unique scale-up infrastructure from laboratory to pilot scale ensures that this new technology will be brought to a technology readiness level that will allow polymer manufacturers’ easy transition to full scale.

VTT has patented the technology, and the research has been published in the scientific journal Green Chemistry on 7 December 2020: A unique pathway to platform chemicals: aldaric acids as stable intermediates for the synthesis of furandicarboxylic acid esters

Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) is set to accelerate the decarbonisation of its business by reducing absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its entire value chain – including scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions – by 30 % by 2030 (vs 2019)^* and setting a path to become a Net Zero business by 2040, in alignment with a 1.5˚C pathway and the Paris Climate Agreement.

CCEP will reduce GHG emissions across all five areas of its value chain – ingredients, packaging, operations, transportation and refrigeration. Crucially, there is a significant focus on reducing scope 3 emissions via a commitment to support strategic suppliers to set their own science-based carbon reduction targets and use 100 % renewable electricity.

CCEP’s immediate action plan is supported by a three-year €250m investment which will provide targeted financial support to decarbonise its business. This includes sustainable packaging initiatives, such as the progression of its 100 % rPET roadmap and investing in the scaling of depolymerisation technology, which will help accelerate the delivery of its longer-term net-zero objectives.

The ambition is underpinned by the inclusion of a GHG emissions reduction target in CCEP’s long term management incentive plan (LTIP) – 15 % of the LTIP awarded in 2020 will be based on the extent to which CCEP reduces GHG emissions over the next three years.

It builds on work undertaken over the last decade to reduce GHG emissions across CCEP’s entire value chain by 30.5 % (vs 2010) as part of This is Forward, its joint sustainability plan with Coca-Cola in Western Europe. CCEP’s 2030 GHG reduction commitment has been approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as being in line with a 1.5˚C reduction pathway as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

As part of its journey to Net Zero, CCEP will invest in projects which remove carbon from the atmosphere or verified carbon offset projects. However it will focus on reducing emissions as far as possible and will only offset where essential and where it can’t reduce emissions any further.

^{*This includes a commitment to reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 47 % and Scope 3 emissions 29 % by 2030 from a 2019 base year.}

Uncertainty among companies due to high infection numbers proved too great

In agreement with its partners in associations and the industry, and with the trade fair advisory committee, Messe Düsseldorf has decided to cancel both interpack and components 2021, scheduled to take place from 25 February to 3 March, due to the restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have done everything we can to do justice to interpack’s tremendous importance for the processing and packaging industry, even during this pandemic – above all because we have received encouragement from the industry in support of a face-to-face event and have a hygiene concept that has been tried and tested in practice in place to protect everyone involved. Ultimately, however, feedback from our exhibitors has shown that the uncertainty is too great, and we are thus unable to host an interpack event that would meet the standards of a leading international trade fair,” explains Wolfram N. Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. “On 25 November, the Federal Government and the German states decided to implement stricter measures in Germany, and to possibly even extend these measures into the new year. This, unfortunately, does not give cause for hope that the situation will improve significantly over the course of the coming months. This will affect all Messe Düsseldorf events in the first quarter. We are now focussing on the next edition of interpack, which will take place in May 2023 according to plan, and which we will supplement with extended online offers,” Diener goes on to explain.

Messe Düsseldorf had offered registered exhibitors special conditions for their participation and at the same time granted them an extraordinary right of termination for those companies that were unable or unwilling to take part.

“Besides the unique market coverage, it provides, interpack is primarily characterised by the direct exchange of information between market-leading companies and top decision-makers for brand names around the world. This is exactly what is now largely prevented by continuously high infection numbers in core Europe and the associated and continuing travel restrictions and quarantine regulations. We therefore welcome Messe Düsseldorf’s decision to cancel interpack 2021 and are focussing on interpack 2023,” says Christian Traumann, President of interpack 2021 and Managing Director & Group President at Multivac Sepp Haggenmüller SE & Co. KG.

“For the industry, in-person meetings and live experiences are still extremely important, especially when it comes to complex technology. Both enable a direct market comparison to be drawn and foster new ideas as well as new leads and networks – this is something online formats only offer in part. We are now looking forward to a successful interpack 2023, where the industry can once again come together at its leading global trade fair in Düsseldorf,” analyses Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association.

Until the next edition of the leading trade fair, the industry can access continuous updates on industry trends, developments and innovations at www.interpack.de. The online offer for components is available at www.packaging-components.de. Additional online options will be made available for exhibitors and visitors of the upcoming interpack and components 2023.

Completition of wind power transition advances Company’s global operations to 27.5 % renewable electricity, aligns with Twentyby30 and RE100 commitments

Crown Holdings, Inc. is now operating all 14 of its beverage can plants in the U.S. and Canada on renewable energy. It is the first metal packaging manufacturer to achieve this milestone, which is the result of a 15-year wind power Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with Longroad Energy. With the VPPA in effect and all of Crown’s manufacturing facilities in the U.K. already completing a similar transition, 27.5 % of the Company’s global operations are now using renewable electricity.

This accelerated usage of alternative power sources serves as a major step in Crown’s plan to employ 60 % renewable electricity by 2030, 90 % by 2040 and 100 % by 2050—targets established in Crown’s Twentyby30 initiative, a comprehensive sustainability program that addresses climate issues among other areas of urgent global concern. The action also supports Crown’s Twentyby30 goal to decrease Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within its global operations, targeting a 50 % combined reduction in absolute Scope 1 (fuel) and Scope 2 (electricity) emissions. The transition reflects Crown’s commitment to the RE100, which is led by The Climate Group and CDP and focuses on accelerating the transition to zero carbon grids at global scale.

Relying on a Texas-based wind farm, the VPPA generates more than 440,000 MWhs of electricity, helping prevent over 310,000 metric tons of carbon emissions each year—the equivalent to taking at least 67,000 passenger vehicles off the road for one year. The renewable power offsets 100 % of the energy usage within Crown’s U.S. and Canadian beverage plants, which account for over 20 % of the Company’s global Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions.

South Korea’s Ministry of Environment has recognised the recyclability of Ecolean’s aseptic packages, which rank higher than most other food and drink packaging solutions in the country’s new recyclability grading system.

The absence of aluminium, which is often used for aseptic cartons and other liquid food packaging, means Ecolean’s portfolio ranked ‘good’ in a four-grade scale to determine how easily packages can be recycled.

The announcement follows South Korea’s introduction last December of the Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources, requiring food and beverage packaging to contain labels that show a material’s recyclability grade, thereby encouraging resource efficiency and the use of easy-to-recycle packages.

A nine-month grace period for businesses to comply with the new regulations ends this September.

“The South Korean Ministry of Environment’s grade of the Ecolean packages’ recyclability only confirms that we are on the right path – developing and manufacturing unique packaging solutions that make a difference in the long run,” said Paul Mellbin, Senior Advisor, Ambient Technology at Ecolean.

“As a global producer of lightweight packaging, Ecolean makes it easier for consumers, liquid food brands as well as the environment.”

Aluminium-free packaging

Ecolean’s lightweight portfolio consists of aseptic, flexible packaging made from polyolefins and up to 35 % chalk, which gives the packages their strength, stiffness and smooth surface.

The printed, shaped and fully sealed packages are sterilised using electron beam treatment before shipping to the filling machine at the customer’s site. Prior to opening, filling and sealing in the filling machines, the outer surfaces of the packages are desterilised using a system of 1 % peroxide spray and UV light.

“The fact that our type of sterilisation process is separated from the filling machines and performed at the Ecolean manufacturing plants is quite unique in the industry and something we are very proud of. It makes the process easier for our customers, and that as well as having sustainability in mind when designing our lightweight packaging solutions is key. The confirmed recyclability of our packages in Korea just further adds to the fact that our unique approach is crucial for the beverage, dairy and liquid food industry” Paul Mellbin said.

Ecolean increased its footprint in South Korea last year with Yakult selecting its Air Aseptic range for two new launches in the country.

“The Ecolean package is the perfect fit for us, since it is lightweight and flexible, yet extremely durable. We have already seen a huge interest from consumers,” Jeonghyeon Hong, Marketing Manager, Yakult Korea, said.

O-I Glass, Inc. and Germany’s Krones AG signed a strategic collaboration agreement that aims to elevate glass by innovating together and to jointly create solutions for the growing glass market.

“For O-I, glass is the preferred packaging solution in a world that increasingly values health, premium products and the environment. Not only does it maintain the integrity of the products and protects the environment, as customers and consumers intend, but it also offers magnificent opportunities for establishing brands and implementing sustainable solutions,” explains Andres Lopez, President and CEO at O-I. “This agreement is the first step that O-I and Krones are taking together in order to offer clients completely integrated, end-to-end solutions in the future.”

Focus areas include improvements in glass filling and packaging line speed and efficiency; enhanced agility and flexibility of responding to market trends; development of innovative and sustainable glass systems; and advancements in digital solutions such as direct-to-glass digital printing technology.

“In production facilities all over the world, the products of O-I and Krones are already encountering each other. So it was absolutely logical to improve still further the compatibility of Krones’ complete lines and the glass containers from O-I,” adds Christoph Klenk, CEO of Krones AG.

With this agreement, the two companies are combining O-I’s specialized knowledge of glass with Krones’ leading competence in manufacturing machines and filling lines for the food and beverage industries.

IncuBev, a collaboration among four companies with significant beverage commercialization expertise, has been launched to help brand owners bring their beverages to market faster by offering a unique turnkey project management solution. The companies are harnessing their collective knowledge and expertise to dramatically accelerate pre-commercial activities including product development, package conceptualization, prototyping, and activation for consumer testing and concept validation.

The IncuBev alliance includes Haney, a Packaging Microfactory™; PTI, a leader in packaging development; Symrise, a leading global supplier of natural flavor and nutrition solutions; and Califormulations, a unique provider of beverage formulas and small-scale production for commercialization trials.

All four companies have experienced the challenges beverage brands encounter when trying to successfully navigate the choppy go-to-market waters. Not having the resources of larger brand owners, those entrepreneurs frequently don’t know where to go for answers or may not even know what questions to ask. By harnessing the critical functions of beverage formulation, package design, contract manufacturing and logistics under one alliance, the IncuBev family of companies hopes to remove those pain points and guide brand owners to successful brand introductions.

According to Paul Graham, President, Symrise Flavors NA, “What differentiates IncuBev is that collectively, we are a single source that provides the flavor, the packaging, the printing, and the filling. The result is a true end-to-end beverage development ecosystem, from innovation to commercialization.”

For brand owners facing the challenges of consumer testing and validation for their new beverages, line extensions and product improvements, IncuBev’s multi-phase approach delivers speed, efficiency, focus, and agility from expert sources with a proven track record of commercialization solutions.

About Haney
Haney is the world’s first Packaging Microfactory^™, designed to connect innovation with the accelerated production of small-batch, consumer usable product samples for retail and e-commerce programs.

About Symrise
Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances, flavors, food, nutrition and cosmetic ingredients. Its clients include manufacturers of perfumes, cosmetics, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals and producers of nutritional supplements and pet food.
Its sales of approximately € 3.4 billion in the 2019 fiscal year make Symrise a leading global provider. Headquartered in Holzminden, Germany, the Group is represented by more than 100 locations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the United States and Latin America.
Symrise works with its clients to develop new ideas and market-ready concepts for products that form an integral part of everyday life. Economic success and corporate responsibility are inextricably linked as part of this process. Symrise – always inspiring more.

About Califormulations
Califormulations provides a fresh approach to food and beverage product development, using a unique innovation approach that is designed for speed, agility, flexibility and focus. Califormulations offers complete, end-to-end beverage innovation services that include consumer insights, prototyping, piloting, scale-up, packaging and more, all from a single source, with full project management. Founded in 2019, Califormulations is headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, and has over 100,000 s.f. of laboratory, production and office space.

About PTI
PTI is recognized worldwide as the preferred source for preform and package design, package development, rapid prototyping, pre-production prototyping, and material evaluation engineering for the plastic packaging industry.

The acquisition strengthens the glass packaging offer throughout Northern Europe

Berlin Packaging, leader in the supply of glass, plastic and metal containers and closures, acquired on 6th October Vinkova B.V., important supplier of food products and drink glass packaging solutions, based in Bussum, the Netherlands. With more than 50 years of experience, Vinkova offers a huge range of tailored solutions and products to a large customer base on the Dutch market, boasting solid industry know-how and strong relations with some of Europe’s most important glass producers.

The strategic joining of Vinkova is, for Berlin Packaging, the completion of the range offered on the Dutch market, supplementing the innovative plastic and metal solutions and innovative closures already marketed on the territory since 2019.

Berlin Packaging is a global player supplying packaging solutions and services to customers of all types, across the globe, in all industrial sectors. The company is based in North America, where it has been operating since 1898, and boasts a global footprint that is expanding rapidly, with more than 130 offices and warehouses worldwide.

Vinkova is the eighth acquisition to be made in Europe since 2016. Customers and suppliers of both companies will benefit significantly from this acquisition and the combined operations of Europe’s most important packaging distributor.

Starting today, Vinkova’s customers can enjoy the exclusive design and innovation services guaranteed by Bruni Glass Innovation Center in Italy and by the One Eleven Studio in the United States of America.

Fully in line with the Berlin Packaging acquisitions strategy, the workforce and structure of Vinkova will not change in any way: all employees will remain with the company, as confirmation of the growth and development objectives in Europe.

Comprehensive hygiene plan for the 2021 trade fair

Thomas Dohse (50) has been the new leader of interpack in his capacity as Project Director since the start of September. He follows Bernd Jablonowski, who rose to the Managing Board of Messe Düsseldorf as an Executive Director.

Dohse has woven an excellent web of connections within the global packaging industry and the related process industry. He has been part of the interpack team at Messe Düsseldorf since 2005 and led interpack 2017 on an operative level as Deputy Director. During this period, the father of three supported many formative themes for interpack, such as SAVE FOOD and the special shows under the innovationparc label. These are now also successful at the international events within the scope of the interpack alliance, which will also be led by Dohse in the future.

The upcoming interpack in Düsseldorf was postponed from its original date in May 2020 to the following year, due to the Corona pandemic. It will now take place from 25 February to 3 March 2021 and continues to be fully booked.

Messe Düsseldorf relies on a comprehensive hygiene concept in order to protect exhibitors and visitors. “interpack is the most important event in the international packaging industry and, especially in times of crisis, provides crucial stimuli in order to build a successful future for the companies involved. Therefore, we give our all in order to do justice to this responsibility and simultaneously guarantee the best possible protection of the health of the people coming to our trade fair centre”, emphasises Thomas Dohse.

The hygiene plan has already proved that it lives up to its motto: “PROTaction – Back to Business” with Caravan Salon, the first trade fair at the Düsseldorf trade fair centre after the Corona break. After selling personalised tickets exclusively online before the trade fair, extensive hygiene measures shaped implementation of the concept on-site.

Coca-Cola European Partners announced the introduction of CanCollar^®, an innovative paperboard packaging solution, for multipack cans in Spain. The move supports its work, in partnership with Coca-Cola, to remove all unnecessary or hard to recycle plastic from its portfolio, avoiding the use of more than 11,000 tonnes of virgin plastic a year across Western Europe.

Initially, Coca-Cola European Partners will launch the new, PEFC certified¹ recyclable and sustainably sourced paperboard CanCollar^® in the Balearic Islands in November 2020, a first in Europe.

Innovative packaging design is a core principle of Coca-Cola’s World Without Waste strategy and through collaboration with WestRock, a global company that provides its customers with sustainable differentiated packaging solutions, Coca-Cola European Partners will start to use the CanCollar^® paperboard can ring technology in the Balearic Islands, replacing the current Hi-cone solution and saving more than 18 tonnes of plastic annually.

Coca-Cola European Partners has invested 2.6 million euros in its Barcelona plant to support this initiative. The installation of WestRock’s CanCollar^® Fortuna^™ manufacturing equipment will enable multipack cans to be grouped in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, with a process that does not require the use of glue or adhesives.

¹PEFC, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, is a leading global alliance of national forest certification systems. As an international non-profit, non-governmental organization, PEFC is dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification.

Ozarka^®, Deer Park^® and Zephyrhills^® join Poland Spring^® in using 100 % rPET bottles in multiple sizes. All Nestlé Waters North America U.S. domestic packaging continues to be 100 % recyclable.

Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) announced that three more of our U.S. domestic still water brands have started to convert their packaging to 100 % recycled plastic. Ozarka^® Brand 100 % Natural Spring Water, Deer Park^® Brand 100 % Natural Spring Water and Zephyrhills^® Brand 100 % Natural Spring Water packaging, which has long been 100 % recyclable, will now be both 100 % recyclable and made from 100 % recycled plastic. With the expansion of recycled plastic (rPET) to these brands, nearly 60 % of all households in the U.S. will have access to one of Nestlé’s regionally distributed spring water brands in bottles made entirely with recycled plastic.

The packaging conversion for these three brands means that NWNA has now doubled the amount of rPET used since 2019 across its U.S. domestic portfolio to 16.5 %. This step brings the company closer to achieving its goals of using 25 % rPET across its U.S. domestic portfolio by 2021 and 50 % rPET by 2025. By accelerating the use of rPET in its bottles, NWNA is leading the shift from virgin plastic to recycled plastic and helping to create an end-market for sustainable rPET. Using recycled plastic can help keep it out of landfills, waterways and oceans, and reduces greenhouse gases by 67 % compared to using new plastic¹.

To help consumers identify the new rPET bottles, all three brands will include a new message on the labels of the 20 oz, 700 mL, 1 L and 1.5 L bottles, stating they are both 100 % recyclable and now are also made from 100 % recycled plastic. To provide greater transparency about the source of the water, the labels will also include a QR code that allows people to scan and track the journey of the water they’re drinking, as well as the bottle. Ozarka will be launching a TV, digital and social media campaign this summer to inform Texans of the new rPET bottles. Understanding that bottles need to be recycled in order to create bottles with other bottles, Zephyrhills will be launching limited edition labels that encourage consumers to recycle through a bold message stating, ‘I’m Not Trash! I’m 100 % Recyclable.’ This message will accompany the “100 % recycled” message on the applicable bottle sizes.

NWNA’s ability to expand its use of recycled plastic partially relies on existing bottles being recycled when empty. Unfortunately, right now, less than 30 % of PET bottles are recycled and many recovered beverage containers are being down-cycled and used in non-food contact applications versus being made back into beverage containers. While giving a plastic beverage container another life in products such as carpets and textiles ensures one more use, it does not represent the highest and best use of food-grade recycled material. Recognizing these challenges in obtaining enough rPET to incorporate into more of our product packaging, NWNA will continue to work collectively with industry, NGOs, governments and consumers to address critical issues related to infrastructure, collection, policy, consumer education, and development of end-markets for recycled materials.

To help the underfunded and often outdated recycling infrastructure in the U.S., NWNA made a $6 million investment in the Closed Loop Infrastructure Fund to support projects that help increase recycling capabilities throughout the country. In 2019, Poland Spring collaborated with The Recycling Partnership to launch the first Instagram recycling hotline to help Americans understand what is recyclable in their communities. NWNA was also the first beverage company to add How2Recycle information on the labels of its major U.S. brands, reminding consumers to empty the bottle and replace the cap before recycling.

¹Association of Plastic Recyclers (2018)