The shift from paper to recycled plastic increases durability, product shelf life and reduces waste.
Boral Limited (“Boral”) is transitioning its bagged dry mix products manufactured at its Maldon, NSW facility to packaging made from recycled plastic which is 100 per cent recyclable at end of life.
The shift from the existing paper packaging will provide customers a more durable, weather-resistant product that better reflects how products are stored, handled and used across construction sites and retail environments.
The new packaging will be rolled out incrementally from mid-July across a range of bagged products, including concrete, mortar, sand and cement, grout and sand-based mixes.
Employing Form, Fill and Seal (FSS) technology, the airtight recycled plastic bag gives product longer shelf life and minimises damage and waste. It enables outdoor storage without the need for additional undercover weather protection, providing greater flexibility for resellers and construction sites.
Boral has also enhanced accessibility in the design of the packaging, using industry recognised iconography to clearly outline application of the product to increase consumer awareness and understanding of product use, particularly for end-customers from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Rajeev Ramankutty, Executive General Manager, Cement at Boral, says: “Boral is always looking at ways to enhance and innovate how we do things and deliver for clients, and the transition to recycled plastic packaging responds directly to how our customers operate. Paper bags have served the industry for decades, but they come with limitations in durability, storage and product loss. By moving to packaging made from recycled plastic that is fully recyclable at end of life, we are improving product integrity, reducing waste across the value chain and supporting more circular outcomes in building materials.
“We’re aligning our packaging with real-world site conditions. We are giving resellers greater flexibility to store product outdoors, reducing damage and waste, and making our range easier to use and understand from an end-customer perspective. Our business has a proud 80-year history of innovating and providing solutions that have helped to build modern Australia. This is a practical step forward that strengthens both performance and sustainability across our bagged dry mix portfolio, while meeting the needs of our resellers and customers.”
Boral plans to progressively expand the use of recycled plastic packaging across its broader bagged product range as part of a phased roll out.