With a growing need to develop sustainable alternatives to plastic, especially in the packaging industry, many novel technologies have surfaced. Bioplastics is one such category of substitutes for the highly versatile and highly polluting plastic.

Bioplastics are considered to be a lot more eco-friendly than ordinary plastics and are quickly replacing them in many industries. However, there are many misconception in the consumer community regarding the production and disposal of the same.

INEOS and PLASTIC ENERGY have today announced a collaboration on the construction of a new plant to convert waste plastic into the raw material to make new plastic. Production of the new facility would be targeted for the end of 2023. Advanced recycling technology converts waste plastic back to its basic molecules. The resulting material is then used in INEOS crackers to replace traditional raw materials derived from oil. First trials of product from PLASTIC ENERGY’s current advanced recycling process have been completed.

This year, Amcor celebrates two gold and six silver Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) Achievement Awards with five customers: MITG, Predilecta Sacciali, Cargill, Full Moon, and Tyson.

“It’s exciting to be recognized for developing and producing new, leading packaging formats for our customers in food, pharmaceutical, and home- and personal-care,” said Amcor Chief Technology Officer William Jackson. “It’s even more exhilarating – as sustainability becomes an increasingly important design feature – to offer innovative products, services and processes that create winning outcomes for our customers, consumers and the environment.”

The FPA Achievement Awards have been showcasing industry innovation and advances that have changed the packaging industry since 1956. For recognition in expanding the use of flexible packaging, technical innovation, sustainability, printing and shelf impact, and packaging excellence, this year’s nominations included more than 200 entries across 73 package samples; delivering only 48 achievement awards across 30 packages, including:

MITG package with Insura™ Seal Verification secures Gold Achievement Award for technical innovation

Insura™ is an innovative seal-verification technology designed for medical device packaging. This real-time, non-destructive visual indicator of seal quality is imbedded into a sterile barrier system to deliver a blue color that is generated only when chemistry, heat and the right contact are present to indicate proper seal conditions.

“What makes this technology so exciting is the ability to confirm seal strength in real time,” said Jackson. “Then, through ETO sterilization, the color is reversed so there is no visual difference for the end-user.”

Predilecta Sacciali Pouch lauded with Gold Achievement Award for shelf appeal, and two Silver Achievement Awards for packaging excellence and expanding the use of flexible packaging

Delivering convenience and value to consumers, sustainability gains and the strength to withstand rigorous distribution channels, the Predilecta Sacciali pouch moves product like tomato sauce – traditionally packaged in glass – into flexible packaging. This innovative pouch delivers a familiar look to consumers, while offering lighter-weight, great-looking packaging that stands out in a crowded sauce aisle, reduces waste in distribution, and lowers CO2 emissions and energy consumption.

Cargill Grab N’ Go Deli Meat Package takes two Silver Achievement Awards for packaging excellence and technical innovation

Amcor’s innovative designers set out to help Cargill respond to consumer research that revealed a preference for thin polyethene zipper bags commonly found at grocery deli counters for deli meat packaging. Providing a high oxygen barrier and strength were key, while targeting the thin design customers want. The Cargill Grab N’ Go Deli Meat package is a modified atmospheric package with film thickness under 1.75 millimetres that also extends shelf life, while delivering all the attributes – thin appearance and reclose zipper – that Cargill’s customers want.

Full Moon Natural Pet Treat Pouch garners Silver Achievement Award for technical innovation

Amcor partnered with pet food producer Full Moon to design a package that combines tactile material with an innovative matte finish and gloss print, enabling it to stand out on shelves and communicate the brand’s premium, organic product position for authentic, high-quality pet treats. In addition to the innovative finish, the gloss print on paper-like texture of the pouch also incorporates a zipper reclose to maintain product freshness.

Tyson’s use of SmartTack™ Resealable Label with Premium Tamper Evidence brings home Silver Achievement Award for technical innovation

Amcor’s SmartTack™ resealable label with premium tamper evidence uses a proprietary label design to enhance package security by clearly indicating if the package was opened from an area other than the peel tab. The technology incorporates tear initiation points consistently around the edges of the label, such that opening the package from any location other than the peel tab provides obvious tamper evidence to consumers and retail workers.

Paperex is an internationally renowned series of exhibitions and conferences focusing on Paper, Pulp and all Allied Industries. It is the only comprehensive business platform serving the paper industry and over the years, this leading business event has become the perfect platform for showcasing the entire spectrum of products and services relating to the Paper and Allied Industries.

At Paperex, one gets to witness latest technology, machinery and raw material for paper & board manufacturing: complete paper mill machinery, automation & instrumentation, bearing & accessories, boilers & turbines, industrial gears, rolls & rollers, pumps valves & systems, quality control equipment & system, raw material handling, stock preparation equipment, testing equipment’s, transport & material handling. The show hosts buyers from paper & board manufacturers, paper traders, printers, publisher, converter and paper packaging companies, designers for corrugated box & related packaging, investors & promoters.

The Paperex series of exhibition and conference has always been a gratifying experience in terms of organization, participation, and generation of new business opportunities in the field of Paper, Pulp and alliedindustries.

The steady growth of the event, which has already seen 14th editions, is a reflection of the increasing capabilities as well as the potential for new technologies and investments in the Paper, Pulp and Allied Industries. An interesting dimension to the popularity of Paperex has been the expanding international interest. This is evident from the growing numbers of participants as well as visitors from countries across the globe. Paperex also credits its growth to the active support & patronage of both Indian and the International Paper Industry and Associations

The coronavirus has only helped to underscore the importance of plastic packaging when it comes to keeping food contamination-free and to preserving its freshness and usability for longer. This is particularly vital now, given how millions of people worldwide are sheltering in place, and doing their best to make their provisions stretch.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis., May 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glenroy™ Inc., an essential manufacturer and Wisconsin-based converter and printer of flexible packaging for over 50 years, is committed to the health and safety of all employees, customers, partners, and communities served during the COVID-19 pandemic. Glenroy initiated a campaign to recognize their manufacturing staff as heroes who come to work every day to continue to produce flexible packaging for essential products like food, medical supplies, sanitizers, and soap for their customers.

HERMA pushes ahead with the automated ordering of self-adhesive material in cooperation with its customers. The most re-cent example is the link with LariTryck, one of the leading Swedish label printing companies with its headquarters near to Helsingborg. For the first time, HERMA and LariTryck are handling ordering processes completely via EDI-processable messages using the C3 ERP software from theurer.com: from material ordering to the transmission of delivery information. C3 is the leading ERP software for printing and packaging companies and organises all processes – from purchasing and production to sales and invoicing. For example, LariTryck can now order new self-adhesive material from HERMA directly from the ordering screen of the software through the recently developed EDI interface. “The comprehensive integration of all functions through to HERMA, our important self-adhesive material supplier, ensures substantial time savings in our company”, states Johan Ripa, Managing Director of LariTryck. “We can better focus on our core competencies, namely working closely with our customers and developing high-quality labels.” Thanks to the precise real-time information from the software, LariTryck also increases efficiency throughout the entire company because the purchasing, goods inwards, production and accounting departments can handle all self-adhesive material orders using the software environment that they have been familiar with until now. Shipping details including the IDs on rolls of self-adhesive material and exact quantities are sent directly to LariTryck’s ERP system.

10,000 users in around 20 countries

The C3 ERP system from theurer.com, the German market leader in this field, is the basis for this link. For over 20 years, the soft-ware company with its headquarters near to Stuttgart, has been further developing its specialised ERP solution for the label and packaging industry, improving operating processes and imple-menting new interfaces together with customers, partners and other innovators. The software is used by around 200 companies with more than 10,000 users in about 20 countries to automate their business processes. “Our goal is to create new benefits for our customers time and time again. We want to further improve the competitiveness of our customers with modern software, lean business processes as well as automation in administration and production”, states Andreas Bauer, Managing Director of theurer.com. Both LariTryck and HERMA confirm that this goal has been achieved. “Media disruptions repeatedly occurred in the past, which cost both time and money. The new link is much more efficient and also prevents the mistakes caused by the manual processing of data input”, states Johan Ripa, Managing Director of LariTryck. HERMA is also very satisfied with the chosen path. “Our stated goal is to link many other label printing companies that already use the C3 software from theurer in this way”, comments Klaus Keller, responsible for the EDI links in the HERMA Self-adhesive Materials Division. The link to the C3 software from theurer.com is a necessary addition to the EDI integration already completed from other industry-standard IT systems.

“Our experience and the reputation that Koehler brings with it are decisive for sustainable success in the Indian market” says Sunil Bhatia, Sales Manager at Java Paper Group. The company will assume responsibility for sales and marketing of Koehler’s flexible packaging paper in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Koehler is also confident it’s found the right business partner. “Java Paper Group is a family business, just like Koehler”, says Eckhard Kallies, Head of Flexible Packaging Paper at Koehler. “Since the company is one of the first FSC-certified dealers in India, they also fit in perfectly with our sustainability strategy”. Significant growth in the Indian packaging market Java Paper Group was founded in 1980. The 36 employees are focused on customers in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. “Our mission statement is: ‘We support your success with sustainable solutions made of paper and cardboard’,” explains Bhatia. “This is how our customers know and appreciate us”. The market for flexible packaging paper is seeing notable growth in India. Some publications predict growth rates of 10 percent. Even more conservative estimates are very much optimistic. And sustainability is also now being discussed on the subcontinent. Koehler solutions Offer many possibilities Indian legislators are currently scrutinizing single-use plastic. Plastic bags have already been banned and the use of paper bags is increasing. Bhatia sees a large market in India for Koehler’s NexPlus Seal heat-sealable packaging paper. And Kallies is also optimistic. “India is a highly interesting market, of course, and not just because of its large population. We are also seeing a shift in thinking towards sustainability. Here, of course, we offer the right products to support this development”. In addition to the NexPlus line, Koehler also produces uncoated paper in the NexCoat line and uncoated paper in the NexPure line. These are now marketed by the Java Paper Group in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. In addition, Koehler also covers the area of rigid packaging with high-quality cardboard boxes made of virgin fiber and recycled paper and offers its customers a comprehensive portfolio in the packaging paper segment.

A recently updated and extended study by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (ifeu), commissioned by Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE), has underlined the original study’s findings. It shows clearly that flexible packaging is a more effective route to resource efficiency and reducing carbon footprint than using rigid packaging formats or focusing entirely on recycling.

A Kantar survey* involving 5000 people found that 42 per cent of respondents were keen for manufacturers to make packaging recyclable.

Calling on over 70 years of collective industry experience, the Nice-Pak packaging team has worked closely with material suppliers to develop both film and resealable labels which, together, can be recycled through existing facilities for carrier bags.

With factories in Flint, Wigan, Germany and the USA, Nice-Pak offer wipes across four categories including baby, cosmetic, household & personal care. In the first instance, the new packaging will be made available through the company’s Aqualettes® baby wipes brand.

Peter Bushell, Nice-Pak International Packaging Development Manager, said: “We believe that both customers and consumers alike deserve more choice in meeting their environmental aspirations.

The mono-polymer project has been technically challenging but we are proud to have achieved this UK first as part of our on-going efforts to improve the environmental footprint of our products. We have strived to render this product ‘recycle ready’ to support the future development and harmonisation of the recycling infrastructure. “