Actega is a German company that develops and produces specialty coatings, inks, adhesives and sealing compounds. The company says that it has recently achieved an important breakthrough in the coffee capsule market. Their new ACTEseal heat seal coatings for the internal coating of aluminium coffee capsules are PVC-free (polyvinyl chloride), significantly contributing to improved recyclability. Aluminium coffee capsules covered with coatings containing PVC are difficult to recycle, as combustion of the halogen-containing coating produces substances that can be associated with environmental damage. Complex and costly recycling processes with additional filter systems are therefore required. In addition, legal restrictions on the use of PVC are already on the horizon in Europe. Actega’s ACTEseal coatings are also said to impress with their excellent sealing seam strength, high burst pressure in the stress test, and their flexibility and formability.
It is good to see packaging suppliers aiming to reduce the number of different materials used to improve recycling opportunities. The removal of PVC will make recycling easier to achieve.
This innovation has opportunities for Beverage products.
Singapore-headquartered SP Group have launched a high-barrier packaging film designed for use with cheese. When vacuum packing cheese, a high barrier is required for its conservation. The company says that by using their new RB Q material, product conservation is optimal and the shelf life is extended. RB Q is a thermoformable co-extrusion for vacuum application based on polyamide (nylon) and high-barrier polyethylene (PE). Its formulation gives it robustness and high resistance, but also excellent mechanical performance since it perfectly matches the product’s shape without forming folds during the vacuuming process. RB Q adjusts to the shape of the product, not only increasing the quantity correctly packaged leaving the line but also reducing packaging waste. Although initially designed specifically for cheese, RB Q is also suitable for packaging other foodstuffs, such as meat products, both fresh and processed. See also: Swedish cheese maker moves to recyclable PP pack.
RB Q’s unique formulation, combining polyamide and high-barrier polyethylene, ensures robustness and high resistance, as well as excellent mechanical performance.
This has opportunities for produce for Food products.
Barcelona-based J2 Servid are specialists in the protection of goods during transportation. They have now launched the Niupack solution, a patented range of products to fill the gaps between pallets and prevent the movement of merchandise. Niupack is a piece of corrugated cardboard, manufactured with a folding honeycomb structure, making the product very easy to place, economical, safe, efficient, resistant and takes up little space. Niupack is said to help simplify handling and reduce transportation costs. It is manufactured with recycled, recyclable and reusable material. The product, while protecting the merchandise, also becomes an environmentally sustainable alternative. The pieces of corrugated cardboard are placed between the pallets, acting as separators and thus avoiding the rocking, tilting or falling of goods during transportation.
This innovative approach not only simplifies handling and potentially reduces transportation costs, but also ticks sustainability boxes through its use of recycled, recyclable, and reusable materials.
This has opportunities for products across sectors.
Tennessee-based Eastman Chemicals and cosmetics packaging provider Icons ICS, headquartered in Hong Kong, have formed a partnership to launch a monomaterial cosmetic compact. The solution is made entirely from Eastman Cristal One Renew, a RIC1 resin with 100% certified recycled content (allocated via ISCC-certified mass balance approach). Cristal One Renew is a copolyester designed to be fully compatible with the PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling stream. The elimination of traditional metal hinges and pins greatly improves the recyclability of the compact while its refillable design allows consumers to easily replenish their cosmetic products. A spokesperson for Eastman said that the integration of design and materials expertise allowed the companies to create a game-changing solution that addresses the growing consumer demand for recycled content and recyclability in packaging in a refillable application they can reuse again and again. See also: Beauty brand launches aluminium eco-refillable compact.
The cosmetic industry is leading the way with many new launches of recyclable and refillable containers.
This has applications for products in the Health & Beauty sector.
Brazilian fashion brand Mindse7 C&A has announced that it will start using biodegradable packaging for its e-commerce business. The company says that it hopes that by the end of the year, they will have used 50,000 bags. Unlike regular plastic bags, biodegradable bags are produced from renewable sources and decompose naturally into the environment within months. The project was initiated based on requests from Mindse7 customers, who need sustainable and special packaging for the brand’s products. A spokesperson for C&A said that the initiative reflects their brand values, which is listening, testing and delivering a satisfactory shopping experience with added value for their consumers. Furthermore, its use brings environmental gains that are also a priority for C&A. The use of sustainable packaging is part of C&A’s public commitments to, by 2030 replace the use of single-use plastic by 50% with more sustainable alternatives. See also: Online store to test compostable shipping bags.
This is one of many biodegradable packaging initiatives to be introduced recently. Consumer communication will need to be highly visible to ensure that they know how to deal with the bags post-use.
This has opportunities across sectors utilising e-commerce.
CleanTech & Beyond is a deep-tech university spin-off located at the centre of innovation district in Rayong, Thailand, that specialises in developing advanced materials for environmental sensing applications. The company’s DTI, or “Digital Temperature Indicator,” is an irreversible temperature indicator label that allows temperature-tracking at the item level and displays the status in both visual and digital formats when an item is exposed to temperatures outside of a specific threshold. The DTI’s core technology is based on patented thermoresponsive materials. The DTI is created to broaden the usage of passive RFID/NFC labels from just tracking items to include sensing and ensuring the quality of temperature-sensitive products. The DTI can constantly track the ambient temperature of an attached item without any external power sources – no need for batteries, with the cost of a DTI reported to be comparable to traditional RFID/NFC labels. See also: Scientists develop inexpensive alternative to electronic temperature trackers.
This solution offers a cost-competitive alternative to traditional RFID/NFC labels for monitoring temperature-sensitive products.
This has opportunities for high-value and/or time/temperature-sensitive products across the Food, Consumer Goods and Industrial sectors.
Leeds-based Roberts Mart has announced the opening of its first overseas office in Australia to facilitate the launch of compostable film in the market. The company has invested heavily in a new home compostable packaging monomaterial called Biyo-bag, which can be run on conventional packing lines and has excellent reported heat sealability. Exhibiting a wide operating window, the film requires minimal line adjustments. Designed for foods with short shelf life, the film has good transparency so that the product packed inside is clearly visible. Compostable packaging is made from biodegradable materials such as vegetable starch, replacing traditional fossil-based materials. This then breaks down naturally and decomposes into nutrient-rich compost, aided by fungi, bacteria and enzymes. To be accredited OK Home Compostable, all materials must pass the EN13432 European Standard as well as the Australian Standards. The AS5810-2010 Australian Standard requires the compostable film to be toxin-free for worms, disintegrate after 12 weeks and completely biodegrade after six months. See also: Australian discounter reduces plastic use.
This home compostable monomaterial from Robers Mart is compatible with conventional packing lines and offers excellent heat sealability, aligning with both European and Australian compostability standards.
This has opportunities for Food and Consumer Goods products.
Arjowiggins, a global leader in natural translucent papers, is positioning itself at the forefront of what it calls a new era in paper manufacturing where sustainability is paramount. The company manufactures Sylvicta, a fully recyclable, compostable, and marine-degradable paper produced using only renewable raw materials. It is clean, naturally translucent, totally sustainable and can increase the shelf-life of the packaged product by offering the perfect barrier to oxygen, aroma and grease. It is approved for direct contact with food and has an aesthetic appeal. Arjowiggins says that Sylvicta provides the perfect base for a plastic-free butter wrap, providing excellent barrier properties and superior grease resistance. Unlike most butter wraps, a natural Sylvicta butter wrap is recyclable in the paper stream and is also compostable. It can also be combined with advanced coatings or ultra-thin aluminium coatings. See also: Paper manufacturer develops translucent barrier paper.
The use of Sulvicta for butter wraps demonstrates how versatile the material is.
This has opportunities across the Food sector.
Yoplait is the world’s largest franchise brand of yoghurt and is jointly owned by American food conglomerate General Mills and French dairy cooperative Sodiaal. The group has now revealed plans for a product it hopes will revitalise the white yoghurt section by launching nine products in a 750g board-based carton brick format. Yoplait hopes to cover 15% of the ultra-fresh market in the medium term by rediscovering the carton for packaging yoghurt. Yoplait says that it wants to “reconnect with its pioneering spirit”. To boost the white yoghurt category, the ‘little flower’ brand will launch the new range of stirred yoghurt recipes packaged in bricks starting in January 2024. The company considers the move to the 750g “family” brick format as “disruptive” and hopes that the format will offer a new way of consuming.
This shift to a “family” brick format is viewed as innovative, with the intention of offering a new way of consuming yoghurt and reconnecting with the brand’s pioneering roots.
These cartons have applications in Household, Food, Beverage and Industrial categories.
Swiss metal can manufacturer Hoffmann Neopac recently won two awards in The Canmaker Magazine’s annual competition. The company’s resealable, airtight metal lid received a Gold Award in the “Ends, Caps and Closures” competition category. The lid’s freshness seal is made possible by precisely placing a food-safe sealing ring that presses on the rim of the can container when it is closed. The lids can be embossed for a customised design and are also available in a Green Steel version, with 70% fewer carbon emissions. In addition, the lid is stackable, making it easier to store and transport the cans. In the Prototyping category, Hoffmann received a Bronze Award for its child-resistant (CR) all-metal can with high barrier. The fully recyclable cans are ideal for various products when child safety is a must, such as medical cannabis and certain foods and cosmetics. The all-metal cans are the company’s second generation of CR cans.
The Green Steel nestable design enhances storage and transportation efficiency.
This has applications for Food and Consumer Goods products.
