September 2022
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French machinery manufacturer, Pagès Group, has built its reputation as a supplier of high-speed robotics systems, specialising in IML (In Mould Labelling) technology for plastic container manufacturers. Realising that the growing popularity of moulded fibre trays could present an opportunity for labelling, they spent two years developing labelling equipment for fibre-based trays. They are now launching patented technology, known as MFL or Molded Fiber Labeling. Traditional labels were discounted as the adhesive used interfered with the recycling or composting of the tray, so they developed what they call ‘pressure’ labels that utilise no glue, in a partnership with Belgian label company MCC Verstraete. As the MFL technology is patented, the two companies are keeping the exact detail of how the paper labels are attached to the fibre-based trays. Pagès Group is able to offer modular systems that allow flexibility, while also allowing for quick size changes.
The development of fibre-based trays as an alternative to plastic continues at a pace, and viable labelling solutions will be a welcome advancement.
This has applications for Food sector products.
September 2022
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Belgian IML (in mould label) specialists MCC Verstraete has announced that its NextCycle IML label has been approved by RecyClass and is fully compatible with the European rigid PP (polypropylene) recycling stream. Independent testing facilities positively assessed both its sorting behaviour and recycling compatibility. The results show that the recycled material produced from packaging containing the NextCycle IML technology can be used back in high-end, or even closed-loop applications. NextCycle IML labels are a new generation of IML that can get separated from the containers first at the grinding and then at the air elutriation stages – where separated label flakes are removed from the container flakes and sent to the flexible plastic streams. Tests demonstrated that more than 98% of the NextCycle IML was removed after grinding and air elutriation stages, enabling the plastic generated by the recycling process to be used back in closed-loop applications.
This is a simple and effective solution to improving recyclability.
This innovation clearly has applications mainly for the Food sector.
April 2022
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MCC Verstraete is a Belgian company specialising in IMLs (in mould labels). They have launched a new product called SealPPeel, designed as a replacement for aluminium lidding. SealPPeel is a PP (polypropylene) heat seal die-cut lidding option designed to optimise the recyclability, consumer convenience and shelf appeal of PP packaging. By using SealPPeel in combination with a PP tub, the packaging becomes a mono-material, ensuring the complete pack is easily sorted and recycled as consumers no longer need to separate the tub and seal to correctly throw the empty packaging away. MCC claim that due to the offset printing technique, the cost of printing and producing multiple SealPPeel SKU’s is much lower compared to aluminium lidding, and can be colour-matched to the container. It is claimed that SealPPeel also easily peels off without tearing nor leaving residues, contrary to aluminium lidding. It is also suitable for microwave use and has high puncture resistance.
This change offers some functional advantages over aluminium lidding as well as a mono-material for easier recycling in some situations.
This clearly has applications in the Food sector.
January 2022
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In a multi-company collaboration known as The Thin Wall Integra Project, the group is able to offer a ‘one-stop shop’ for the production of thin-wall five-litre buckets using recycled materials. The resulting containers are able to contain up to 55% recycled material, while the thin-wall design gives a material saving of 35%. The buckets also use Holy Grail 2.0 labels which use digital watermarking, making it easier to recycle the materials used by type. Injection moulding machinery manufacturer Arburg has collaborated with Collomb, a mould maker specialising in thin-walled containers, Pagès Group, a robotics expert for packaging, Verstraete, an IML label manufacturer, Koch-Technik, a material flow specialist, and Borealis, the raw materials supplier on the Thin Wall Integra project. The concept is based on a fully automated injection moulding cell around a hybrid Allrounder 720 H in packaging version with a 1-cavity mould, with a complete cycle reportedly taking approximately five seconds.
This is a welcome initiative that offers sustainable advantages as well as one-stop convenience.
This has opportunities for Industrial sector products.
December 2020
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Single-use disposable lids for items such as yoghurt and cream generate a lot of plastic waste. Austrian dairy company SalzburgMilch plans to do something about it with the introduction of a 500g yoghurt tub protected with a dishwasher-safe reusable lid. The promotional reusable lids function well and are easy for customers to keep their dairy products fresh at home. The plan is that in the future there will be no need for food tubs to come with its own disposable lid. SalzburgMilch worked with Greiner Packaging who’s brief was to create a reusable lid with a perfect fit, meaning the seal had to be secure to keep the food fresh. It also needed to be easy to clean. Greiner Packaging’s multi-use lids are structurally stable, dishwasher-safe and maintain their integrity wash after wash. The lids are multi-use (so can also be used for other products). They’re made from PP using injection moulding and decorated with an in-mould label (IML) created by Verstraete IML. When they eventually reach the end of their useful life, they’re completely recyclable. SalzburgMilch have reported that feedback has been good with consumers seemingly willing to make the change with many very aware that they need to reduce the amount of plastic used. See also New yoghurt lids can be washed and reused after use.
This might be an effective way to reduce the amount of single-use plastic in circulation. The initiative relies on consumers to play their part and ensure that the lids are reused and not just recycled at the first opportunity.
This has opportunities for Food sector products.
October 2018
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The Happy Cup Company makes reusable cups and has benefited in recent months with increased demand as part of a wider movement away from single-use plastic. The company has increased the visual decoration of their product offering with a reverse in-mould label. The Happy Cup Company’s reusable cups are used for concerts, festivals or sporting events and are returned after use to be used again. Working with world leading Verstraete IML, The Happy Cup Company has used reverse in-mould labeling, printed on the back of transparent film, to make its cups dishwasher-safe as well as scratch-resistant. The cups can be reused up to 200 times when are then fully recyclable being made of one material. Production and decoration of the IML process is cost effectively done in a single step. The colours do not fade, even after repeated washing. There are several print options available such as soft touch, frosted and ultra gloss.
Technavio’s analysts forecast the global beverage packaging market to grow at a CAGR of 5.15% during the period 2017-2021. Analysts Visiongain assessed that the beverage packaging market generated revenues of $112.4 billion in 2016.
This visual decoration will add appeal for the growing reusable cup industry.
This has applications for Beverage products used for concerts, festivals or sporting events.
July 2018
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Alicante, Spain based injection moulder ITC Packaging and Verstraete IML have combined to help Spanish food producer Dulcesol achieve an extended shelf life for their soup brand. Dulcesol’s ready-to-eat, single-serve Naturcream soup brand is using an IML label with an oxygen barrier. Dulcesol worked with ITC Packaging to develop an IML oxygen-barrier label from Verstraete, which helps to extend the product’s shelf life without requiring refrigeration. The oxygen barrier ensures that Naturcrem soups have a shelf life of up to one year without refrigeration.The pentagonal base and round top makes the pack an innovative format within the ready-to-eat soups segment in Spain.
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This solution significantly improves the shelf life of soup products extending it to a full year, which will have a positive impact on supply chain efficiencies.
This has applications for numerous Food products.
November 2017
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Nestle’s Froneri brand of ice cream allows consumers to enjoy their ice cream on-the-go. Nestlé Brasil Ice Cream has launched a 140-ml single-serve pack with a peelable injection moulded lid (IML) that includes a useful embedded spoon. Plastic packaging producer Plasticos Regina and IML label producer Verstraete IML have worked together on the development. Brazilian consumers can now eat their ice cream wherever and whenever they want as they will always have an available spoon. This user-friendly spoon-in-the-lid design gives Froneri an in-market competitive edge. The spoon remains intact when filling, stacking, and transporting the ice-cream. The label is integrated into the lid so it does not need to be adhered afterwards. The spoon is easy to remove from inside the lid and the system is both safe and hygienic. Froneri have repurposed 26% of the lid weight to be formed into the spoon instead of adding another film layer or using additional materials.
Analysts from research company Technavio forecast the global on-the-go packaging market to grow at a CAGR of 4.67% during the period to 2020. We continue to track a variety of innovations in this area.
Demand for on-the-go products continues to increase and so do packaging solutions that make consumption easier. This is not the first time we have tracked an integrated spoon in pack but this is still a novelty for the Brazil market. The innovation really increases consumption opportunities.
This has specific opportunities for Food sector on-the-go products requiring a utensil for consumption.
October 2017
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Maldegem, Belgium based designer and printer of in-mould labels Verstraete IML have helped an ice-cream brand create a talkable point of difference as well as improve the consumer experience. The first of a kind packaging innovation has been ‘carefully made to be broken’. Magnum Pints from Unilever has been designed to create an experiential consumer situation where they are invited to ‘crack’ the chocolate around the ice cream by squeezing both sides of the pack. Unilever and Oud-Turnhout, Belgium based injection moulder MikoPac worked with Verstraete to develop the solution. IML technology was seen as the best way to ensue that the cracking of the chocolate shell through the packaging was best achieved.
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This is a clever use of IML technology to help create something experiential for consumers. The consumption of ice-cream can be quite ritualistic so the added element will help improve the overall experience.
This has immediate opportunities for tactile, squeezable products in the Food sector with ice-cream being a perfect application.
