Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and part of Metsä Group, is proud to ha

The boxes maintain inside temperature without electricity at desired levels for

As one of the leading bottled water producers in Iraq, Durrat Al Khaleej aims to provide the best experience to consumers. Sidel’s packaging solutions successfully fulfilled its goal by delivering a complete water line with a lightweighted and simultaneously stable PET bottle design, weighing only 10.5 grams for the 500 ml bottle format, at a time of very high travel restrictions in Iraq.  

Durrat Al Khaleej, established in 2007, has become familiar to consumers as a symbol of good-quality water in Iraq. The company is adapting advanced production technology not only to adhere to national and international regulations and standards, but also to stay at the forefront of innovation and sustainability. Ensuring the highest levels of quality and safety throughout the supply chain, from raw materials to the point of consumption, Durrat Al Khaleej has a laboratory that systematically checks the water produced to ensure it meets stringent standards to achieve its ambition for progress and development in Iraq.

Lightweight and stable PET bottle design and cost-effective line solution

To optimise bottle design as well as line performance, Durrat Al Khaleej chose Sidel for its expertise in packaging solutions. The collaboration between Sidel and the customer was crucial to develop a new PET bottle design and to manage the installation and commissioning of the equipment, as the site for the line was a greenfield project. After the meeting in Dubai, Sidel’s packaging experts met the customer’s expectations by proposing the lightweight solution, while also incorporating the original premium look. The lightweight PET bottle in the 500 ml bottle format, weighing only 10.5 grams, has high stability and has proved to be very successful on the market. In light of its sustainability and low total cost of ownership (TCO), Sidel’s complete water line has become the perfect solution, with a speed of 24,000 bottles per hour (bph) for

500 ml. It has not only helped the customer save water on bottle cleaning, but also no air conveyer is needed.

Great service that exceeds expectations

“Sidel provided extra support well beyond the scope of delivering the equipment to Europe, by choosing trusted shipping companies and recommending approved experts for installation and commissioning of the line in Iraq. The entire logistic flow was thus well planned and smoothly implemented,” comments Mr. Ibraheem Ghudaib, CEO at Durrat Al Khaleej. The installation and commissioning was very successful, achieving 98.1% line efficiency during the customer acceptance validation (CAV). Thanks to Sidel’s great teamwork, the project kick-off was in March 2020, and the first sellable bottle was launched in December 2020

Troisdorf, July 2, 2021 With effect from July 1, the Reifenhäuser Group is merging its blown-film business units Reifenhäuser Blown Film and Reifenhäuser Blown Film Polyrema, which have so far operated independently, in order to cope with ongoing growth in this sector. This move consolidates the Group’s competencies even more than before to form a joint brand, Reifenhäuser Blown Film.

Initially the change is purely organizational and will give the new business unit more leverage in developing new technologies for standard and special machine tool manufacturing. The change will be incorporated in the company’s statutes as of next year on July 1, 2022.

Bernd Reifenhäuser, CEO of the Reifenhäuser Group, says: "We have exciting tasks to solve, especially when it comes to the digitalization of blown-film production and the resource-conserving use of plastics in keeping with the concept of a circular economy. Jointly, we can then speed up developments in this direction without the delay of internal barriers - and this will also bring our customers enormous benefits."

The joint managing directors of the merged business unit Reifenhäuser Blown Film are Dr. Andreas Neuss and Marcel Perrevort. Both have several years of experience in executive positions in the blown-film business segment of the Reifenhäuser Group.

About the Reifenhäuser Group
The Reifenhäuser Group together with its highly specialized business units is the leading provider of innovative technologies and components for plastics extrusion. Founded in 1911, the company is a global supplier of high-tech solutions. With its technologies and the know-how of its 1600 employees, Reifenhäuser has the world's largest network of expertise in plastics extrusion technologies. The CEO of the Group is Bernd Reifenhäuser.

Muri bei Bern/Switzerland, July 1, 2021 – Ulrich Litterscheid is being appointed today by the Administrative Council to the Management Board of the international polymer distributor Meraxis AG as Chief Financial Officer. The financial expert has long-standing management experience in international commerce and the chemicals industry. Litterscheid will be primarily responsible for bolstering Meraxis’ growth trajectory as well as operational excellence within the group.

“Meraxis is a dynamic commercial enterprise that has tremendous growth potential thanks to the combination of its full-service offering and innovative digital solutions,” said Litterscheid. “One focal area that I am particularly looking forward to is the optimization of IT processes and structures. The international environment makes me relish this task all the more.” The Meraxis Group, which emerged as a result of a merger, entered the polymer market two years ago and now operates worldwide with over 25 locations. Unlike conventional material distributors, the company offers end-to-end solutions from a single source as a “one-stop shop”. This includes an extensive portfolio of polymers and compounds for prime and recycled materials which is constantly being expanded. Customers can also purchase tools, machinery and equipment for the polymer processing industry through Meraxis. The offering is rounded off by comprehensive services – for example in the areas of logistics, financing and digitalization.

“With Ulrich Litterscheid’s arrival, we have gained not only an experienced financial manager, but at the same time also an expert in transformation and digitalization projects,” emphasizes Dr. Stefan Girschik, CEO of Meraxis. “His experience in the introduction of standardized digital solutions for financial processes in the company, but also in the implementation of digital interfaces with business partners and end-to-end trading processes is a perfect fit for our corporate strategy.” In addition to Dr. Stefan Girschik and Ulrich Litterscheid, the Management Board consists of Philipp Endres (Deputy CEO) and Katrin Volery (CHRO). Litterscheid replaces the previous CFO Marco Zahnd.

Litterscheid has many years of experience in the management of commercial, agricultural and chemical companies with global operations: most recently, he was Head of Group Financial Reporting & Controls at COFCO International, the trading platform of China’s largest food and agricultural company, COFCO Corporation. Among other things, he managed the post-merger integration of all finance functions at COFCO following the acquisitions of Noble Agri Group and Nidera Group. Litterscheid previously held the position of CFO of the international commercial enterprise VA Intertrading AG, where he was responsible for trading in chemical and pharmaceutical products. He also spent 16 years in management positions with the U.S. agribusiness group Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and A. C. Toepfer International.

About the Meraxis Group

With a sales of over EUR 2 billion, Meraxis is one of the leading international distributors of polymer-related solutions. The Swiss trading group offers their customers tailor-made solutions for each requirement in the polymer value chain thanks to their worldwide logistics network and access to global polymer markets. The full-service provider combines many years of experience in global trading and the development and processing of polymers as well as sound material and product knowledge of the polymer converting industry. Meraxis supplies companies from all industrial sectors – from the automotive and construction industries to packaging companies.

The product portfolio of the company, located in Muri bei Bern (CH), includes classic polymers (PE, PP, PET, PVC), engineered and high-temperature thermoplastics, masterbatches, additives plasticizers, coating and printing inks and recycled materials. Trade parts and components (e.g. metail, foils, electrical) as well as machines, systems, and tools for various plastic processing technologies, all accompanied by service and consulting related to the required product properties round up the portfolio.

The polymer distributor is committed to driving the continued development of sustainable and innovative polymer-related solutions. With its unique one-stop-shop approach, Meraxis adds customer value by offering complete solutions for prime materials, recyclates, recycling compounds, and digital supply chain services

By applying its new remote service solution, Siegwerk optimizes its customer service once again. The new assisted reality-based solution allows the company to support its customers over distance with even faster response times and easier accessible expert knowledge.

Siegwerk, one of the leading global providers of printing and coatings for packaging applications and labels, deploys remote service solutions to further increase productivity and ensure its customers precisely fitting sales and services. The new remote service solution referred to as ‘INKonnect’ are proving to be viable solution, not only during the current crisis but also in the everchanging global service landscape. They enable Siegwerk to further enhance its high standards of supporting its customers even over distance.

For more than a year, a cross-functional and transregional project team at Siegwerk has been working intensively to evaluate and implement modern digital support tools for Siegwerkers based on their specific business requirements. The whole project comprises the selection of the suitable software and the gradual implementation of IT-infrastructure, a learning platform, and responsible key users. 

INKonnect is based on assisted reality (aR) technology. A suitable visualization device, for example smart glasses, is connected via a software application, thereby allowing Siegwerk experts to interact remotely with customer or inhouse technicians in real time. The device provides the users with an immediate field of vision and enables the expert to see what the technician is looking at. This way, technicians can use both hands for troubleshooting on site while being advised and instructed by Siegwerk experts. All in all, productivity and efficiency are increased while waiting time, machine downtime, and thus costs are reduced. What is even more important: hands-free solutions lead to higher safety.  

The new remote service allows Siegwerk to support its customers even over distance. Beyond that, the remote services will lead to faster response time for Siegwerk customers and will ensure Siegwerk’s expert Know-how is always and everywhere accessible. 

For Siegwerk's customer service, INKonnect is a great leap forward. “We are very proud that we have managed to make remote service a standard Siegwerk offer and that we will be able to provide customers with our expertise in an even closer and more efficient way”, said Peter Steinmetz, Head of Global Technology Excellence and INKonnect Product Owner at Siegwerk. “With this modern solution, Siegwerk further strengthens its high-quality standards in customer service and has once again positioned itself for the future.” 

The new solution was first tried and tested in pilot projects. From now on, it will be available to targeted groups of Siegwerk employees around the world. Going forward, the work of the INKonnect project team is not finished. The next focus is to encourage the usage and further implementation, support key users, and evaluate the potential future external roll-out directly to Siegwerk customers.

About Siegwerk
Siegwerk, a sixth-generation family-owned company, is one of the leading international manufacturers of printing inks and individual solutions for packaging, labels, and catalogs. With more than 180 years of experience, the company has solid expertise in and knowledge of many printing procedures. A global manufacturing and service network ensures customers consistently high-quality products and services. In keeping with the company’s philosophy “Ink, Heart & Soul,” Siegwerk seeks long-term cooperation with its business partners. Siegwerk employs some 5,000 people worldwide in more than 30 country organizations and is headquartered in Siegburg near Cologne. Further information on Siegwerk can be found at www.siegwerk.com

Company sees India demand soar for Key-Pak child-resistant, eco-conscious paperboard blister card.

Keystone Folding Box Co., a designer and manufacturer of paperboard packaging solutions, has seen a surge in demand for its line of child-resistant, paperboard-based blister cards from pharmaceutical companies in India. The sales spike for its Key-Pak series comes amid two parallel occurrences: new sustainability guidelines in India, and increased demand for child-resistant (CR) pharma packaging in the US, to whom India supplies some 40% of packaged OTC and prescription drugs.

Earlier this year, India’s federal government issued a proposal to phase out single-use plastics from many products by 2022. While the drafted resolution does not impact the pharmaceutical sector directly, a shift toward more eco-friendly pharma packaging is expected as Indian pharma manufacturers and packagers look to get ahead of the sustainability curve.

Against this backdrop – and considering the increased demand for CR packaging – Keystone’s Key-Pak blister card is proving an attractive solution for everything from clinical trials and compliance dosing to physicians’ samples and full-scale retail applications. Comprising up to 75% lass plastic than bottles or amber vials, Key-Pak® has a highest-possible F=1 child-resistance rating while also offering premium senior-friendliness. Its novel, back-side “zipper” design provides clean, simple removal of the rear blister card panel for damage-free product dispensing, while its broad, flat surface gives ample room for usage instructions or drug information.

Crucial for the high-volume, efficiency-minded manufacturing in India’s pharma landscape, Key-Pak also is easy to produce. Its single-component composition means fewer specifications, inspections, assembly, graphics, engineering and tooling are needed, and the package is compatible with industry-standard thermoforming and heat seal equipment, making its adoption exceedingly hassle-free.

Keystone also offers a comprehensive line of blister cards made from 100% recyclable and compostable paperboard. Its Ecoslide Series of blister packs features a push-button safety mechanism that provides exemplary child-resistance while eliminating the need for two-step “peel/push-through foil,” which many consumers find difficult to open. Including Ecoslide-OTC™ for over-the counter medicines as well as several generations of its signature Ecoslide-RXÒ pack for prescription drugs, the solutions contain a mere fraction of disposable plastic compared to peel/push blisters or plastic bottles.

About Keystone Folding Box Co.

While Keystone continues to be a leader in the manufacturing and design of paperboard packaging, they are also a design center and source for non-paperboard packaging components. To learn more about Keystone Folding Box Company, please contact Ward Smith at Keystone Folding Box Company, at (513) 871-4747, ward.smith@keyboxco.com or visit www.keyboxco.com.

Used by the USA’s three leading retailers, HexcelWrap™ cushioning paper ensures product protection and packing simplicity, replacing environmentally-harmful alternatives.

Sedona, Arizona – HexcelPack, a developer of eco-friendly, paper-based protective cushioning solutions to replace bubble wrap and other plastic or foam-based materials, has developed a cost-effective and sustainable wrapping system for a wide array of product shipping needs. Now used by the United States’ top three retailers, the company’s HexcelWrap™ cushioning paper delivers unsurpassed product protection and packing simplicity for e-commerce, retail catalogue, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products, as well as third-party logistics (3PL) and contract packaging applications.

Utilizing groundbreaking slit paper technology, HexcelPack converts extensible paper into a three-dimensional, internationally patented cushioning product by making precise cuts at specific angles. This method makes the paper “flex,” expanding its volume while maximizing the strength and stiffness of its fibers. The result is a superior cushioning product proven to outperform environmentally-harmful product protection alternatives – including plastic-based bubble wraps and pillows.

HexcelPack protective cushioning is easily dispensed through the company’s compact options, including a standalone and completely recyclable tabletop dispensing station. The most popular of these, the Mini Packing Station™, is an easy-to-use, human-powered dispenser requiring no electricity, zero maintenance, and a mere fraction of the tabletop space required for competing solutions.

Available in both white and Kraft paper, benefits of HexcelWrap™ and the Mini Packing Station™ include:

• Unsurpassed Product Protection: Engineered with Ultra Stretch™ technology, HexcelWrap™ delivers superior cushioning and product protection. Users simply stretch, wrap and tear the lightweight, interlocking material to custom lengths without the need for tape or scissors. HexcelWrap™ is ideal for shipping fragile items and reduces product damage by eliminating, among other adverse events, glass-on-glass contact during the supply chain journey.

• Sustainability: Completely paper-based, HexcelWrap™ cushioning paper is made of 100% Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Canadian Paper for exemplary sustainability and little to no impact on the environment – all while delivering protection proven to outperform plastic bubble wraps and pillows. Unlike single-use plastic bubble wrap, the paper used to produce HexcelWrap™ is fully curbside recyclable and biodegradable.

• Return On Investment: Especially considering the fully manual, electricity- and maintenance-free nature of the Mini Packing Station™ dispenser, using HexcelWrap™ is as impactful on the bottom line as it is on the environment. Protective and cost-effective, the system allows retailers to expediently recoup their investment.

“At HexcelPack, we’re passionate about developing simple, cost-effective and sustainable packing solutions that minimize our carbon footprint without sacrificing outstanding product protection performance throughout the supply chain,” said Lorne Herszkowicz, Partner at HexcelPack. “Our paper-based solutions like HexcelWrap™ and the Mini Packing Station™ offer companies an easy way to increase packing efficiency without the need for automation, while also showcasing to end consumers that their production and logistics practices are as green as possible – a key selling point in today’s hyper-competitive e-commerce landscape.”

In addition to HexcelWrap™, HexcelPack also offers void fill products that can be used in conjunction with its wrapping products. For example, the company’s Hex-a-Fil™ is an engineered void fill that expands to 24 times its original volume. The solution is dispensed via the company’s corrugated, manually-operated Fil-in-a-Box™, which prompts the material to spiral as it comes off the roll, creating the bulk required for efficient void fill.

###

About HexcelPack

HexcelPack is the developer of eco-friendly, paper-based cushioning solutions designed to replace bubble-wrap and other plastic or foam-based protective materials. The company's internationally-patented HexcelPack™ portfolio provides sustainable, superior product protection for retail packages, corrugated shippers, envelopes and other containers. Notably, its curbside recyclable HexcelWrap™ cushioning wrap is used by the top three retailers in the United States, as well as several of the world's 10 largest consumer goods companies.

HexcelWrap's UltraStretch™ technology comprises unique paper with inherent characteristics that enhance the company’s slit paper technique, which maximizes paper's volume and strength through precision, angled cuts. The result is a three-dimensional product whose substantial cushion outperforms plastic and other paper-based competitors.

Together with the recently introduced Hex-a-Fil™ void filler, HexcelWrap™ can meet the packaging and shipping protection needs of a wide variety of consumer products. Each is handily dispensed through the company's compact, standalone and completely recyclable tabletop Mini Pack™ stations. For more information, visit www.hexcelpack.com.

Acquisition expands company’s global footprint to include the Balkans and strengthens existing Mediterranean business

MILAN (June 22, 2021) - Berlin Packaging, the world’s largest hybrid packaging supplier, announced today the acquisition of Elias Valavanis S.A., a supplier of glass packaging for the food and beverage industry.
Based in Larissa, Greece, with locations in Bulgaria, Romania, and throughout Greece, Elias Valavanis has been synonymous with glass packaging in the region and is a key supplier of bottles and jars for olive oil, wine, spirits, soft drinks, and water. Elias Valavanis has long-term relationships with its supplier partners and its 1,500+ customers, who benefit from the company’s value-added services, including package structural design, decoration capabilities, and the company’s own glass recycling facility.

“Elias Valavanis is the perfect partner for Berlin Packaging as we expand our operations to the Balkans and continue to augment our Mediterranean glass business,” said Paolo Recrosio, CEO of Berlin Packaging EMEA. “Elias Valavanis shares our passion for glass design and artistry and our commitment to help our customers grow their business by offering industry-leading packaging products and services.”

“We take tremendous pride in all aspects of our business, and we know we’ve found a like-minded partner,” said Elias Valavanis, CEO of Elias Valavanis S.A. “I am excited about combining our company with Berlin Packaging, as I know together, we can accelerate investments in our products, capabilities, and employees like never before.”

“As we enter important new regions like the Balkans, Berlin Packaging looks for industry-leading companies that share our strategic focus, growth mindset, our dedication to customer thrill, and our winning culture,” said Bill Hayes, CEO and President of Berlin Packaging. “Elias Valavanis checks all these boxes and more, and they will help us extend our Mediterranean coverage, while adding an exciting new customer base.”
This is the 15th acquisition that Berlin Packaging has completed in Europe since 2016, and its 5th acquisition in Europe during 2021.

All employees and locations for this acquisition will be retained.

Berlin Packaging

Berlin Packaging is the world’s largest Hybrid Packaging Supplier® of glass, plastic, and metal containers and closures. The company supplies millions of items annually along with package design, financing, consulting, warehousing, and logistics services for customers across all industries. Berlin Packaging brings together the best of manufacturing, distribution, and income-adding service providers. Its mission is to increase the net income of its customers through packaging products and services.

See BerlinPackaging.com for more information.

About Bruni Glass, a Berlin Packaging Company

Bruni Glass, the largest packaging distributor in Europe, has 40+ years’ experience supplying premium and specialty glass packaging to the wine, spirits, food, and gourmet markets. Headquartered in Italy and with locations across Europe, Bruni offers thousands of custom-designed products along with popular standard items. The company has a world-class design studio, a network of high-quality manufacturing partners, a team dedicated to thrilling service, and is certified by CISQ-IMQ (Italian Institute for the Quality Mark) to ISO 9001 standards.

See BruniGlass.com for more information.

For more information:
Press Office – Omnicom PR Group Italy Barbara Papini, barbara.papini@omnicomprgroup.com, +335 6113555 Ilaria Sala, ilaria.sala@omnicomprgroup.com, +39 335 8112968
Berlin Packaging - Elena Franzetti, Elena.Franzetti@BruniGlass.com, +39 02 48436611, +39 3401204145 Julie Saltzman, Julie.Saltzman@BerlinPackaging.com, +1 312 869 7554 for North America

By launching the new sustainable ink and coating range UniNATURE, Siegwerk builds on its proven track record of innovative inks containing biorenewable carbon, introducing a new generation of inks with renewable content as part of its strategy to develop circular packaging solutions.

Siegburg, Germany, June, 23, 2021. - Siegwerk, one of the leading global providers of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels, is now offering a new generation of sustainable water-based inks for paper and board applications: UniNATURE. The new product range is formulated with renewable and natural components, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional inks without impacting the recyclability of paper, and board packaging taking a step towards reducing the microplastics which can be found in inks.

“UniNATURE is our third generation of sustainable water-based inks and coatings for paper and board applications meeting the requirements of brand owners and packaging converters,” says Hanns Martin Kaiser, Vice President Business Units Paper & Board EMEA and Liquid Food Packaging at Siegwerk. “With its launch we again deliver on our commitment to enabling the development of new packaging innovations in line with a circular economy.” The new water-based ink and coating solutions are formulated with a high Bio Renewable Content (BRC) measured according to the ASTM 6866 method. Products in the UniNATURE range incorporate up to 50% renewable carbon content – often 8 to 9 times more compared to standard water-based inks.

Siegwerk’s new sustainable water-based ink range comes along with excellent ink performance and color strengths offering similar levels of resistance as current water-based technologies. User tests have shown improved dot shape, comparable dot gain, high resolubility, and easy cleaning on press, meaning it can be easily exchanged with current products without the need to change equipment, processes or color matches. Furthermore, high printing speeds runs on both coated and uncoated papers can be achieved with UniNATURE. The new ink and coating series is applicable for many paper & board applications including corrugated board boxes, trays and displays, fast food packaging, sacks and bags, as well as cups and wraps. It supports various printing applications whilst meeting the highest market and regulatory standards.

“Paper is not only already one of the most recycled packaging materials globally, but it also holds great potential to offer a viable substitution for plastic for several packaging uses,” explains Paul Pain, Head of Waterbased Technology at Siegwerk. “And with UniNATURE we concretely support the defossilization of fibre-based packaging by reducing the use of fossil based raw materials in inks.” Together with Siegwerk’s sustainable and functional barrier coatings, UniNATURE forms a solution for the development of innovative and circular fibre-based packaging solutions. With the Finnish paper and paperboard manufacturer Kotkamills, Siegwerk has already been able to prove the high performance of UniNATURE utilized on a fully recyclable paper cup made of Kotkamills’ innovative ISLA® Duo barrier board – to just name one best practice usage of the newly launched product series.

Designed for use with Siegwerk’s Unibase and Uni T colored bases UniNATURE inks can be supplied as ready to use inks directly from Siegwerk. However, UniNATURE extenders and Unibase or Uni T colorbases are more frequently supplied to customers to be mixed on demand at dispense equipment directly at the customer. “We provide our customers with clear formulation guidelines compliant with relevant regulations for the end use of the packaging,” adds Pain. “Training and support provided to customers through our OPS program enables the most efficient use of our products in their operations.”

By providing a combination of best-in-class ink performance, high product safety and extensive sustainability know-how linked with a holistic understanding of packaging, Siegwerk is always supporting its customers to address upcoming trends by meeting their individual needs with cutting-edge solutions and services.

About Siegwerk
Siegwerk, a sixth-generation family-owned company, is one of the leading international manufacturers of printing inks and individual solutions for packaging, labels, and catalogs. With more than 180 years of experience, the company has solid expertise in and knowledge of many printing procedures. A global manufacturing and service network ensures customers consistently high-quality products and services. In keeping with the company’s philosophy “Ink, Heart & Soul,” Siegwerk seeks long-term cooperation with its business partners. Siegwerk employs some 5,000 people worldwide in more than 30 country organizations and is headquartered in Siegburg near Cologne. Further information on Siegwerk can be found at www.siegwerk.com
 

Bologna, Italy. 22 June 2021. V-Shapes, an innovative supplier of vertically integrated products and services for convenient, hygienic and sustainable single-dose packaging, today announced the launch of the V-Shapes AlphaFlex fill and seal packaging/converting machine for on-demand production of its unique single-dose sachets that can be opened with a single gesture using one hand. This compact, professional-grade system features high quality synchronized printing on both sides of the sachets, Powered by Memjet DuraFlex® and ColorGATE Packaging Productionserver. This unique machine now brings vertical integration of high volume production of single-dose sachets on site, speeding time to market and eliminating the need to outsource printing or accomplish it as a separate offline step.

“The introduction of AlphaFlex takes our solution to the next level in a way the market has never seen before,” says Jesper Gustavsson, Business Development & Founding Partner of V-Shapes. “As promised, we have now integrated in-line printing into our six-lane ALPHA machine enabling packaging converters/fillers to accomplish the complete manufacturing process of our unique single-dose sachets under one roof with a compact footprint with full color branding available on both sides of the sachet, in line, on demand and with the industry’s highest quality. We are grateful for the collaborative efforts of both Memjet and ColorGATE in helping us bring this sophisticated and very unique configuration to market.”

AlphaFlex represents the first inline execution of Memjet’s DuraFlex® multicolor A3+ printheads and water-based pigment inks, as well as the first dual integration of the Memjet DuraFlex printing system into a single device. The advanced features and color management capabilities of the ColorGATE Packaging Productionserver, a RIP and color management solution for industrial packaging printing, are also a key element of this breakthrough product.

“The marriage of these technologies into a single, high-performance system is a testament to the skill, knowledge and dedication of the respective R&D teams,” says Russell Boa, Senior Vice President of Sales – North America and EMEA at Memjet. “Memjet DuraFlex was selected because of its compact footprint and 1600 dpi printing, as well as the ability of its inks to dry quickly on inkjet receptive substrates and compliance with food safety regulations. The V-Shapes AlphaFlex is a truly transformational product in this market segment.”

“ColorGATE, unlike many other RIP and color management vendors, has focused on industrial markets for the past decade, making this additional collaboration with V-Shapes and Memjet perfectly in line with our strategies and capabilities,” said Oliver Luedtke, Chief Marketing Officer at ColorGATE. “The bespoke Output Management Set we developed for V-Shapes’ Vs dflex nearline printer has been enhanced to accommodate the dual printing technology incorporated into AlphaFlex and brings all of the appropriate ColorGATE capabilities to the system for the utmost in printing productivity and quality.”

In the AlphaFlex configuration, each printing module prints a single side of the single-dose sachets inline, synchronized with each other, and precisely married for die cutting, filling and sealing. Buffers are used to ensure alignment of printing speed with the manufacture of sachets by the Alpha six-lane machine. This is an achievement unique in the marketplace brought about by the talented V-Shapes engineering team, in collaboration with partners Memjet and ColorGATE.

“The prototype AlphaFlex is currently installed in our Bologna factory,” Gustavsson added, “and is performing per our expectations. We are looking forward to placing AlphaFlex systems in customer sites by the end of the summer. There has already been extreme interest in AlphaFlex from both converters and brand owners who see this as a way to diferentiate themselves as well as to achieve faster time to market and faster time to revenue in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving marketplace.”

To learn more about the AlphaFlex vertically integrated end-to-end solution for production and filling of single-dose sachets, and other products and services from V-Shapes, visit www.V-Shapes.com or watch the video below.

With this acquisition Nemera establishes an operational footprint in Brazil and expands its product and services offering to better serve the pharmaceutical industry in Latin America.

Nemera today announced that they have entered into an agreement to acquire Milfra. Milfra, based in Jaguariuna, state of São Paulo, Brazil, specializes in the development and production of both vaginal and rectal applicators, as well as oral dosers for the pharmaceutical industry. A family-owned company founded in 1966. Milfra is known for its expertise in high quality and high volume molding and assembly of devices and applicators.

This strategic acquisition expands Nemera’s global footprint in Latin America, extends its product offering and provides a foundation for future contract manufacturing services; thereby reinforcing its overall commitment to serving local markets. By integrating a key applicator pure player, Nemera will now be able to address specific patient and customer needs in the fields of gynecology and urology in Brazil.

Nemera has appointed Roberto Restivo as the General Manager of the new Nemera manufacturing facility in Brazil. As a seasoned international leader, Roberto brings in a wealth of experience in several industry sectors, including medical, plastics and aerospace. Roberto has held management positions with responsibility for a wide range of fields including sales & business development, finance, industrial operations and strategy & acquisitions. Roberto, supported by the previous family owners, will ensure a smooth transition with Milfra’s existing leadership team, and he will continue to develop and grow the local Nemera team and business in the future.

Marc Hämel, CEO of Nemera said, “This acquisition opens-up new opportunities for Nemera in Brazil and Latin America in general. It will enable us to better understand and serve even more patients with different needs. We feel privileged by the opportunity to integrate a new and unique culture to our already international company. Despite the tough sanitary situation and the restrictions to travel, we have already established a very good relationship with the Milfra leadership team and we have a very good feeling about their strong company culture and expertise.”

“Since we began our first discussions with the Nemera team, I was convinced that becoming part of the Nemera family was the perfect match for Milfra. We fully align with Nemera’s vision of becoming the most patient-centric drug device solutions company in the world. After a long history of manufacturing in Brazil it is fantastic to enable Nemera to operate in Brazil.” added Francisco Pofirio, owner of Milfra.

About Milfra
Founded in 1966, in the city of Santo André, SP, Milfra became one of the leading manufacturers of eletro-mechanical devices for OEM manufacturers for audio and video equipment. With the changes in market dynamics in the 2000s the family decided to leverage Milfra’s advanced manufacturing capabilities – in particular in tool making and injection moulding knowhow – to service the pharmaceutical packaging industry, with a strong focus on vaginal applicators. It has quickly become the leader in the segment.

In 2007 Milfra successfully expanded its product portfolio with a complete line of oral dosers. In 2020 Milfra launched a new line of products, including droppers, even with the challenges brought by the pandemic.
The focus on quality and automation has led Milfra to become a leader in this market, always focused on how to best meet the specific needs of its customers.

About Nemera
As a world-leading drug delivery device solutions company, our purpose of putting patients first enables us to design and manufacture devices that maximize treatment efficacy.
We are a holistic partner and help our customers succeed in the sprint to market of their combination products. From early device strategy to state-of-the-art manufacturing, we’re committed to the highest quality standards.

Agile and open-minded, we work with our customers as colleagues. Together, we go the extra mile to fulfill our mission.
For more information, visit www.nemera.net.

• Mondi’s EcoWicketBag has been recognised in the gold category of this prestigious award, for its overall perform

Produced at company’s USA facility, solution helps safeguard tubes for topical disinfectants, eye ointments & creams, and oral care products.

Oberdiessbach, Switzerland – Hoffmann Neopac, a global provider of high-quality packaging for the pharmaceutical, beauty and oral care industry, has introduced a tamper-evident version of its Nozzle Tube solution. Ideal for topical disinfectant solutions, eye ointments, breams and gels, and certain oral care products, the tubes are available with 1.1mm orifices, and feature a ribbed cap for ease of use.

The tubes’ tamper-evident closure helps guarantee supply chain integrity for end user safety and reassurance. Available in sizes from 13.5-19mm for volumes from 3-8ml, the tubes utilize Neopac’s Polyfoil® technology, comprising a proprietary blend of materials providing advanced barrier properties for products requiring ample protection against moisture, oxygen and other potentially harmful external factors.

The small tubes are manufactured at Neopac’s production plant in Wilson, North Carolina. The 37,000-square-foot plant features a high-speed tube line capable of producing some 80 million tubes annually. The facility allows Neopac to best serve the needs of the North American market in a twofold capacity: in the small tubes niche – especially in the pharma, cosmetics and animal health sectors – and also for emerging applications such as cannabis-based creams and liquids with child-resistant caps.   

“The tamper-evident nozzle tubes help prevent counterfeiting and other illicit actions even in the smallest of tube solutions – a niche for which such safeguarding measures can be difficult to implement given the package’s tiny size,” said Jackie De Rose, who recently joined the company as a new US Sales Manager. “In addition, producing these tubes at our U.S. facility provides brand owners throughout North America with expedited shipping and consistent availability.”

Neopac’s tamper-evident Nozzle Tube meets production hygiene standards ISO 9001 & ISO 15378, and its materials comply with FDA 21 CFR USPVI.

About Hoffmann Neopac

Hoffmann Neopac is a privately-owned company, headquartered in Thun, Switzerland. The group produces high-quality metal and plastic packaging in six locations: HOFFMANN tins in Thun and in Holland; Polyfoil® and plastic tubes with NEOPAC in Switzerland, Hungary and the US; and 3D Neopac in India. Its longstanding customers include pharmaceutical, cosmetics and consumer goods manufacturers in the European, North American and Asian markets.

Hoffmann Neopac employs around 1,250 employees and has a capacity of 1.3 billion tubes and 400 million tins. The company is dedicated to sustainability in both its manufacturing processes and corporate culture, including a dedicated eco-conscious packaging portfolio. For more information, visit www.neopac.com

Equipment industry veteran to oversee all customer-facing operations for company’s long-established machine brands.

Leominster, Massachusetts – IMA DAIRY & FOOD USA, whose equipment solutions comprise the long-established brands Gasti, Hamba, Hassia, Fillshape, Corazza and Erca, has hired industry veteran Hayden Turner as VP of Operations.

In his new role, Mr. Turner will lead IMA Dairy & Food's team of professionals spanning all aspects of customer servicing, including departments dedicated to spare parts inventory and fulfillment; new equipment installation and validation; repairs, maintenance and retrofitting projects for existing machines; and technical assistance issues. In doing so, he will lean heavily upon his reputation for mentorship and creating team cohesiveness. 

Mr. Turner’s innovation-minded career has led to his holding more than a dozen patents. Prior to joining IMA Dairy & Food, he enjoyed a lengthy, 15-year tenure with Switzerland-based Sulzer Mixpac USA, where he held several upwardly mobile roles including two years in Europe as Global Head of Technical Services. Most recently, he served as Technical Manager for the company’s US operations.

Mr. Turner earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, and a graduate degree in Innovation and Technical Entrepreneurship from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

About IMA DAIRY & FOOD

IMA Dairy & Food USA serves the dairy and food industries with several brands of the IMA group (Corazza, Erca, Fillshape, Gasti, Hamba and Hassia) and offers a portfolio covering nearly all areas of packaging machine application, including:

Filling and sealing machines (FS) for preformed cups and bottles, forming, filling and sealing machines (FFS) for packaging products in the food, dairy, and beverage segments (filled up to the aseptic level), filling systems for flexible stand-up pouches with and without spout for dairy, food, beverage and personal care sectors as well as wrapping machines for packaging butter, fresh cheese, soup cubes, yeast, margarine, etc.

Aseptic vertical and horizontal form, fill and seal machines for stick packs / pouches (with the corresponding dosing systems) as well as FFS machines for packaging single portions of coffee, honey, jam, etc.

Capable of handling up to 400 pieces per minute, the HC-A-IS Checkweigher efficiently helps eliminate reputation-damaging underfills or costly overfills.

Lawrenceville, GA – WIPOTEC-OCS, a leading manufacturer and supplier of precision in-motion weighing, track and trace/anti-counterfeiting solutions and X-Ray scanning equipment, will offer live demonstrations of a novel revolving, in-motion weighing system at COSMOPROF North America, August 29-31 in Las Vegas. At Booth #5087, the company will showcase its HC-A-IS Checkweigher, designed for the precision weighing of often wobbly cylindrical products such as bottles, jars and vials common to the cosmetics sector.

The HC-A-IS Checkweigher utilizes WIPOTEC’s signature Electro-Magnetic Force Restoration (EMFR) weigh cells, a next-generation technique that guarantees optimal weighing results even at high line speeds. The machine features a revolving weighing system that segregates each product, weighs it independently, and returns it to the line, providing exemplary accuracy even at high speeds. The resulting precision helps eliminate reputation-damaging underfills or costly overfills.

The HC-A-IS Checkweigher has a maximum throughput of 400 pieces per minute, and easily fits into existing packaging lines. It is available in flexible rotating star wheel configurations that can weigh 1, 2, 3, or 4 products at a time. The machine features a unique ergonomic design that allows the HC-A-IS to be placed in virtually any position adjacent to a packaging line; disconnecting the production line is not necessary, further simplifying the checkweigher’s installation.

The checkweigher features a broad selection of sorting devices and product handling options to meet product-specific requirements. Should one be necessary, WIPOTEC also can custom engineer a made-to-order product handling mechanism. The machine features a 15” touchscreen display for easy, menu-driven operations.

“Precision checkweighers like our HC-A-IS meet needs for elevated quality control in the increasingly competitive cosmetics sector, without sacrificing high throughput,” said Elise Gala, Key Account Manager, Cosmetics & Personal Care for WIPOTEC-OCS. “We look forward to showcasing the machine’s differentiating, brand-protecting weighing technology at COSMOPROF North America, with interactive demonstrations at our booth occurring regularly throughout the show.”

About WIPOTEC-OCS, Inc.

WIPOTEC-OCS, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and supplier of precision in-motion product weighing, X-Ray scanning, product inspection, parcel dimensioning, package marking, and serialization and aggregation equipment. The company's weighing, inspection, and track and trace solutions serve applications in a broad array of industries, including pharmaceutical, food, chemical, cosmetics, healthcare, e-commerce and logistics.

Located in the Atlanta, GA suburb of Lawrenceville, WIPOTEC-OCS headquarters includes a demonstration showroom, customer application engineering labs, a spare parts warehouse, and state-of-the-art meeting and training rooms. The company is part of Germany-based WIPOTEC group, which employs more than 1,000 people worldwide and has been pioneering dynamic weighing solutions for more than three decades. For more information, call (678) 344-8300 or visit http://www.wipotec-ocs.com/us/.

At this year’s FINAT Awards presentation, Schreiner Group celebrated an outstanding success: The high-tech company impressed the judging panel in as many as four different categories. A particularly remarkable prize, the prestigious Innovation Award, went to PlasmaPatch from Schreiner ProTech using printed electronics for wound healing.

The first FINAT Awards were presented more than 40 years ago. The European Association of the Self-Adhesive Label Industry (FINAT) Awards bestows the coveted accolades annually in a festive ceremony. Like last year, the prizes in 2021 were presented in the format of an online event due to the coronavirus pandemic, which, however, in no way impaired the ceremonial character of the celebration. For Schreiner Group, the 2021 FINAT Awards were a resounding success. The family-owned business from Oberschleissheim near Munich won first-place awards in four different categories.

Group victory in the “Innovation” category this year went to PlasmaPatch. Schreiner ProTech developed this EIF (electronics in film) product for Coldplasmatech GmbH’s plasma therapy for the treatment of chronic wounds using cold plasma. In addition, Schreiner ProTech won a prize for its display protection film that was recognized in the “Industrial” category. Schreiner MediPharm was the winner in the “Pharmaceutical” category with Patch-Safe, a product for safe storage of used transdermal patches. Schreiner PrinTrust was the first-place award winner in the “Automotive” category for its self-adhesive moped plate enabling easy application of license plates.

“For me, the FINAT Awards always represent an especially valuable form of recognition because they show that a wide variety of products from Schreiner Group are outstanding not only in terms of quality but also in terms of innovation. My thanks go to all employees whose capabilities and commitment have made this success possible,” says Roland Schreiner, CEO of Schreiner Group.

Picture: SGR_Finat_2021_Mosaik_Presse1

Caption: PlasmaPatch from Schreiner ProTech was the winner of the prestigious Innovation Award at this year’s FINAT Awards presentation. The prize was “accepted” digitally by Dr. Joseph Adelsberger from Schreiner Group’s Research and Development (R+D).

Picture: SGR_Finat_2021_Mosaik_Presse2

Caption: In addition to PlasmaPatch, Patch-Safe (above right), the display protection film (below right) and the adhesive moped plate (below left) won recognition in the FINAT Awards competition.

For more information, please contact:

Susanne Höppner, Corporate Communications
Phone +49 89 31584-5852, susanne.hoeppner@schreiner-group.com

About Schreiner Group

Schreiner Group GmbH & Co. KG is an internationally active German family-owned company and regarded as a preferred partner in the Healthcare and Mobility markets. Its core business is focused on top-quality functional labels enhanced by complementary system solutions and services. Schreiner Group’s innovative high-tech labels and functional parts create new dimensions for smart solutions and help make life healthier and safer, and enhance human mobility.

More than 1,100 employees generate total annual sales of about 190 million euros. The high-tech company has four locations: In addition to the headquarters in Oberschleissheim and another production site in the Munich metropolitan region (Dorfen), they include the two international manufacturing facilities in the United States (Blauvelt, New York) and in China (Fengpu, Shanghai).

Collaboration and exchange are shaped by the core values of Innovation, Quality, Performance and Enthusiasm. Schreiner Group defines itself as a company committed to acting sustainably and therefore deliberately assumes responsibility for people, the environment and society.

On June 9 and 10, 2021, plastic packaging producer Greiner Packaging hosted its first interactive trade show experience in its virtual Packworld. At a press conference opening the two-day event, CEO Manfred Stanek and Global Marketing & Innovation Director, Jörg Sabo, introduced some of the 19 live sessions and speakers who would share their knowledge and ideas on the twin themes of innovation and sustainability. They also focused on Greiner Packaging’s aim to become a fully circular company, and looked at some recent achievements and innovations.

Highlights

• Development of a PET HTS cup that is heat resistant up to temperatures of 120°C

• K3 innovation: Improved cardboard-plastic separating to enable improved recyclablity

• Digital watermarks facilitating higher-quality packaging recycling

• First cup prototypes made of BornewablesTM

• Expanded partnership with Plastic Bank

Kremsmünster, Austria, June 2021. Greiner Packaging responded to the restrictions caused by the global pandemic with its virtual solution – the Greiner Packaging Innovation Days in the “Virtual Packworld” – enabling it to reach more people from around the world.

Over two days, there were 19 live sessions, featuring 31 speakers, covering subjects such as Design for Recycling, Connected Packaging, and the Legal Environment for Packaging. In addition, there were workshops about Life Cycle Assessment, plus several material sessions. Visitors had the opportunity to book one-on-one meetings with Greiner Packaging experts from all over the world, and the event platform (which is still accessible for registered users after the event) also features an inspiring product innovation area.

A challenging year

In his opening speech, Greiner Packaging CEO Manfred Stanek looked back at 2020, which was a challenging year, but said that in contrast to other industries, as a packaging company, Greiner Packaging could be very satisfied with the annual results.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on working practices, with many employees working from home and international business being conducted on a virtual basis. However, with strict safety and hygienic processes in place, production continued throughout the whole pandemic, with no failures of delivery and all customers received their requested quantities.

At the start of 2021, there was a drastic increase in raw material prices, coupled with a decrease in raw material availability, and prices for plastic granules also increased dramatically, even doubled in some cases. Due to good partnerships with its suppliers, the company came through this crisis quite well.

Developing a circular economy Manfred Stanek then moved on to focus on the future, and the importance of developing a circular economy: Greiner Packaging is a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and in 2018 signed the Ellen MacArthur New Plastics Economy Global Commitment – to eliminate problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging, make all its packaging 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable, and use as much recycled content in packaging as possible by 2025. Manfred Stanek said: “We believe these goals are ambitious, but realistic if we work together as an industry. That is another reason why I really value this two-day event as we experience a great opportunity here for exchange along the value chain.”

He explained how Greiner Packaging will achieve these goals through its circular economy strategy, which focuses very strongly on "reduce, recycle and reuse". Here, above all, the company’s own Design for Recycling guidelines play an important role. But the importance of the company's broad materials portfolio was also underlined. Stanek sees this as a prerequisite for meeting the company’s sustainability targets – and above all the ambitious share of recycled materials. Greiner Packaging relies on PP, PS, PET, but also on bio-circular materials.

Innovation highlights Jörg Sabo, Global Marketing & Innovation Director, then introduced some highlight projects; starting with recycled PET (r-PET).

PET, r-PET and solving HTS At the moment, r-PET is the only mechanically recycled material which is food-approved and readily available in significant volumes through existing bottle recycling streams. PET is also easy to recycle, so Greiner Packaging is paying great attention to advancing this material for even more applications.

Until now, PET has had to face the challenge of heat resistance, and has therefore not been used for dairy packaging, as the dairy industry applies high temperature steam sterilization to disinfect cups before filling. Greiner Packaging has succeeded in developing a PET HTS cup that is heat resistant up to temperatures of 120°C. The company has already run several tests for printed cups, and is also running tests with K3 cups which look very promising. Beyond dairy products, this also creates new opportunities for soups and ready meals.

K3 – new innovation advancing separation Recyclable cardboard-plastic combinations, such as Greiner Packaging’s K3 , play an important part in the company’s circular economy strategy. Due to the cardboard, less plastic material is used, which reduces CO2 emissions. The plastic cup is unprinted which makes it perfect recycling material. In autumn 2019, a new tear-tab solution was introduced which makes separation of the cardboard wrap even easier.

The recyclability of K3 packaging can be seen as excellent when the plastic and cardboard are separated. Currently the consumer plays an important role in this process. Unfortunately, separation does not always take place. This impacts the recyclability of the packaging. “As we very much believe in the benefits of K3 cups in terms of sustainability and a circular economy, we have devoted great attention to their improvement,” says Jörg Sabo. “I can tell you exclusively today that we found a solution that allows separation of the cardboard before the cups enter sorting facilities. This new solution ensures that the cardboard will separate itself from the plastic cup before it enters the sorting facility, significantly increasing recycling rates. We will bring this breakthrough onto the market as soon as possible.”

Digital watermarks In an exciting development, Greiner Packaging is a member of the HolyGrail 2.0 initiative where companies over the whole value chain are seeking to advance digital watermarking to revolutionize the way packaging is sorted – facilitating higher-quality packaging recycling. The codes – which are the size of a postage stamp – are unnoticeable on the packaging surface at first glance but provide information about the attributes of the packaging, such as the types of plastic contained, and also have potential to promote consumer engagement, demonstrate transparency in supply chains, or run retail promotions. Greiner Packaging is participating in semi-industrial sorting tests and has already produced promo cups for all its decoration technologies which will be put to the test within the HolyGrail 2.0 initiative. Moreover, the company has developed an augmented reality app with “Talkin Things” which is intended to involve consumers in the recycling process of K3 cups, Sabo announced.

First cup prototypes made of Bornewables

Greiner Packaging has for the first time been incorporating renewable resources in the production of food cups made of polypropylene (PP) with in-mold labeling (IML) as the decoration technology. BornewablesTM, the new premium polyolefins designed for circularity by Borealis are manufactured using second-generation feedstocks. Using BornewablesTM for packaging can lead to a carbon footprint reduction of up to 120% (including all steps from the sourcing of raw materials to products leaving Borealis production site).

Cooperation with Plastic Bank to continue

Some time ago, Greiner Packaging signed a cooperation with Plastic Bank, which creates ethical, ecorecycling systems. Greiner Packaging’s and Plastic Bank’s shared goal is to prevent plastic from flowing into the oceans while lifting people out of poverty. Gatherers pick up plastic waste from the beaches for instance, and bring it to collection points, where it is sorted and subsequently processed into granulate. The collected material is reborn as Social Plastic . This material is then sold to manufacturing companies, which employ recyclate for their products or packaging. Greiner Packaging has supported Plastic Bank with the start-up of five collection centers in Manila.

Closing the press conference, Manfred Stanek said: “We have decided to expand our partnership with Plastic Bank. To be precise, we will finance another 165,000 kg of plastic waste collected. By that we can contribute further to supporting local gatherers financially, while at the same time keeping beaches clean and securing new material streams.”

All the content from the Innovation Days is still accessible, register here: www.packworldgpi.com/registration

About Greiner Packaging Greiner Packaging is a leading European manufacturer of plastic packaging in the food and nonfood sectors. The company has enjoyed a reputation for outstanding solutions expertise in the fields of development, design, production, and decoration for more than 60 years. Greiner Packaging responds to the challenges of the market with two business units: Packaging and Assistec. While the Packaging unit focuses on innovative packaging solutions, the Assistec unit is dedicated to producing custom-made technical parts. Greiner Packaging employs a workforce of nearly 4,900 at more than 30 locations in 19 countries around the world. In 2020, the company generated annual sales revenues of EUR 692 million (including joint ventures), which represents approximately 35 percent of Greiner’s total sales.

Düsseldorf, June 9, 2021 - Packaging is a constant companion of consumers in everyday life. They make an important but often neglected contribution to our society. Many consumers are unaware that aluminum packaging only accounts for around one percent of the packaging marketed in Germany, although the high-performance all-rounders are apparently omnipresent.

Reason enough to take a closer look at aluminum packaging on June 10, 2021, Packaging Day in Germany. Whether as a beverage or aerosol can, tube, meal tray or as a foil that is sometimes visible, but often also appears as a hidden champion in composite packaging, aluminum packaging provides convincing answers to the requirements of brand manufacturers and consumers in a modern, sustainable society.

Product protection and recyclability are high on the agenda

With a view to the best possible resource efficiency for the benefit of current and future generations, aspects such as optimal product protection and recyclability play a decisive role in the design of packaging. And this is exactly where sustainable aluminum packaging can score in comparison to other packaging materials. Even with a material thickness of only 6 micrometers, aluminum represents a functional barrier that efficiently protects food and other products from external influences such as light, oxygen and hydrogen. In this way, food and product spoilage and waste, which in our consumer society must be avoided from a moral and ecological point of view, can be effectively combated.

Recycling without loss of quality and high material value as decisive assets

From an ecological point of view, lightweight aluminum packaging enables energy savings during transport, and even at the end of its life, aluminum packaging, which can be recycled almost infinitely without any loss of quality, delivers a convincing performance in terms of resource efficiency. “With a current recycling rate of 93.2 percent for aluminum packaging marketed in Germany, the material cycle is almost complete. The continuous expansion of the sorting and recycling infrastructure in Germany and, last but not least, the high value of aluminum, which is by far the highest of all packaging materials, have also contributed to this achievement. Legal initiatives such as the Green Deal or the Circular Economy Action Program of the EU Commission will continue to promote the design for recycling, from which so-called permanent materials such as aluminum will benefit”, says GDA Managing Director Marius Baader.

Courageously tackling the challenges of a changing society

The picture is rounded off by the great consumer friendliness of aluminum packaging in an increasingly aging and at the same time more mobile on-demand society. Easily manageable packaging formats in a wide variety of sizes offer tailor-made solutions for senior citizens, single and family households. And even with the rapidly increasing online trade, aluminum packaging cuts a fine figure thanks to its robustness and attractive appearance.

“Even if aluminum packaging still accounts for by far the smallest proportion of all packaging marketed in Germany on Packaging Day in 2021, the slogan “Small, but powerful!” rightly applies due to its outstanding performance. And it impressively shows the growth opportunities that arise for the manufacturers of aluminum packaging if they courageously take up the current challenges of a society in transition in a demanding competitive environment”, concludes Gregor Spengler, Head of Packaging - Sustainability - Recycling at GDA.

Creation, which partners with printers and converters to deliver high quality reprographic services, has used its ins