No disruption to the manufacturing process, no commercial treatment, and no toxicity or microplastic by-product. Sounds like a dream? It’s not!

So how does Twelve8 Technology bio-convert both virgin and recycled plastic into air, water, and less than 1% biomass AND ABSOLUTELY ZERO WASTE? Let’s find out.

Twelve8’s PaktoEarth provides a pro-degradant built-in additive formula that ensures that plastics decompose naturally and safely under anaerobic conditions. The activation of this process is done either by sunlight or thermal atmospheric heat; no UV is required.

Now, if your plastic waste, treated with PaktoEarth’s RAWs tech, escapes the recycling cycle and ends up in a landfill, you know that in two years, it will be PLASTIC NO MORE!

Currently, the technology can be applied to PP, PE, LDPE, and HDPE without the need for any additional commercial treatment.

The nano-tech solution is available for:

• Rigid Packaging
• Flexible Packaging
• Frozen Food Packaging

Furthermore, PaktoEarth not only provides the additive for existing packaging manufacturers but can also supply:

• Complete end-user products
• Custom-made solutions
• Raw materials such a pellets and films

The technology has also been certified biodegradable by international standards and is also food safe.

Some commonplace plastic packaging products that this technology is ideal for include:

• Stretch film
• Shrink wrap
• Dry cleaning bags
• Food produce bags
• Bread bags
• Toilet wrapping bags
• Straws
• Rigid plastic up to 10mm including milk bottles, caps, food containers, etc.

 Find more details on the following link: Twelve8 Technology | A new era in packaging | Packaging Connections

Food packaging refers to the enclosing of food products to shield them from contamination and tampering from chemical, physical, and biological sources. You may also package food to enhance its shelf life or keep its taste and quality during shipping and handling. Many food products whether fresh or processed, are stored, marketed, and distributed in packaging. 

Because food is a delicate product, it's important for it to be well packaged to avoid coming into contact with contaminants. The materials you use in packaging should guarantee safety during transit.   

Food in transit may need to be transported for thousands of miles before reaching the destination. It's therefore important to ensure that the method you use for packaging food is safe so that the food arrives in the right condition. 

Sometimes you are unaware of how you should package your food products for the different modes of freight. Thus, freight forwarding services come in handy to facilitate the proper packaging for transport using ships, trucks, rail cars, or cargo planes.   

Food Packaging Materials  

What assures safety in transit and shelf life of any food product is the material used and package design. The right choice of your packaging materials is key to preserving the product’s quality and freshness in transit and storage. Take into consideration, too, the packaging's impact on the environment. The traditional materials used for packaging food are:  

1. Glass   

The advantage with glass is that it’s simple to recycle and reuse. Glass is heat- and moisture- resistant and non-reactive. It can be transparent which lets you see the contents.  

On the flip side, glass is relatively heavy which increases transportation costs considerably. Glass is very fragile, which makes it easy to break from internal pressure, thermal shock, and impact.   

2. Metal   

Metal is good for packaging because it offers protection, recyclability, and barrier properties. Familiar ways of packaging food using metal are:  

• Aluminum: for packaging soft drinks and pet food.   
• Aluminum foil: used for food wraps and trays.  
• Tinplate: used to package drinks and processed foods.  
• Tin-free steel: this includes food cans, trays, and bottle caps.   

Aluminum is highly resistant to heat, moisture, corrosion, and gases. It's light and recyclable. There are disadvantages with aluminum. It’s less strong, is expensive, and can’t be welded.   

3. Plastic   

Plastic is the most versatile and is used in packaging many food products. Plastic is cheap and light. It provides you maximum flexibility while designing the package. It can protect your food for a long time.   

The disadvantage with plastic is that it’s penetrable by light, vapors, or gases. It's also bio-hazardous. Despite the negative effects of plastic on the environment, companies still use plastics widely to package food products. You need to choose the right plastic for packaging your food products as discussed below:  

• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE): it's light, highly resistant, and recyclable. You may use PETE for the packaging of beverages, water, oil, jelly or jam, and salad dressing.   
• High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE): this plastic has low risks, making it good for packaging water, cereal, juice, and milk.   
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): is best suited for the manufacture of food wrap, oil, bottles, and OTC drugs. The chlorine contained in PVC makes it chemically and biologically resistant.   
• Low-density polyethylene (LDPE): its major use is in the manufacture of grocery bags, squeezable bottles, food wraps, and bread bags. It's highly resistant to heat and is thinner than many resins. Though it’s safe, it can’t be recycled and is bio-hazardous. You may either reuse or repurpose it.   
• Polypropylene (PP): mostly used by manufacturers of yogurt, ketchup, and medicines. Its heat-resistant property offers safety when microwaving.   
• Polystyrene/Styrofoam: it’s preferred by manufacturers to manufacture disposable cups, plastic cutlery, bowls, and containers for takeaway foods. It's not safe when it comes into contact with heat as it produces a chemical that may be toxic. This type of polystyrene can’t be easily recycled. You may either reuse or repurpose it.   

4. Paper And Paperboard  

Paper isn’t usually preferred in packaging food products because it has limited barrier properties. In situations that it’s used, you’d treat it using lacquer or resin. Compared to paper, paperboard is much thicker. This makes it good for making shipping boxes and takeaway food packaging. Paper and paperboard packaging are steadily growing in popularity.   

Making Food Packaging Safe In Transit  

To curb unwanted eventualities during transportation, which may cause food safety risks, you may have to put in place some planning and control measures. Some measures to consider when packaging food for transportation include the type of product, storage time, hygienic practices, reinforcement to be used when putting the products in pallets, and checking whether your packaging meets all safety requirements. 

You may use current simulation technologies in the transportation field when checking the safety requirements. Simulators are essential tools that ensure optimal packaging.   

Nongfu Spring’s latest additions to its beverage portfolio required a hyper-flexible and safe aseptic solution, able to process high- and low-acid, still and carbonated products in PET, while enabling impactful bottle designs. With four decades of supporting sensitive beverage producers worldwide, Sidel recently engineered and installed a complete aseptic packaging line, integrating the Versatile Aseptic Combi Predis™. The line helped the leading Chinese beverage player launch a breakthrough in the domestic market: sparkling Ready-to-Drink (RTD) products, aseptically bottled in PET.

Founded in 1996 in Hangzhou, Nongfu Spring Co Ltd. (Nongfu Spring) is one of the key players in the soft drinks market in China, maintaining leadership in the packaged water market over the past eight years. The company bottles not only high-quality natural drinking water, but also vegetable and fruit juices, functional beverages, teas, and other high-quality soft drinks, including plant protein yogurt, premium water for elderly people, and vitamin water. Its strong focus on innovation and premium brand positioning are contributing to the steady customer base increase, even within beverage categories.

The popularity of Nongfu Spring’s RTD tea and coffee products reflects a large, overarching trend across Chinese consumers, as they are showing a continuously growing preference for “better-for-you” products that either exclude sugar or include functional ingredients. Through innovative offerings, Nongfu Spring is the first in China introduce sparkling tea, juice, coffee, etc., aseptically packaged in PET and successfully serving these markets, which are offering promising sales opportunities.

Innovation-driven suppliers are key for premium beverage players

Nongfu Spring offers high-end, unique product propositions from bottle design to drink quality and recipe formulation to Chinese consumers and aims to enrich the product portfolio on a yearly basis . Sidel can thus fulfil Nongfu Spring’s mission as one of the strong partners that is able to combine forward-looking technologies with professional support.

The two companies rely on a robust relationship, as they have already been working together for over 10 years. Nongfu Spring renewed its trust in Sidel after looking for a highly flexible solution to handle both still and carbonated beverages, as well as low- and high-acid products on the same line without compromising on safety, simplicity, sustainability, and, especially, versatility. This is why a complete PET line featuring Sidel’s Versatile Aseptic Combi Predis came as a natural choice.

Flexible aseptic bottling thanks to dry preform sterilisation technology

The leading Chinese player was already familiar with aseptic bottle decontamination technology in a standalone configuration. And it also validated Sidel aseptic dry preform sterilisation solution in the past few years. This is efficiently supporting Nongfu Spring in the expansion of its portfolio, while ensuring reliability and product integrity. For further flexibility, the dry preform sterilisation technology solves the challenges presented by different bottle shapes, as the sterilisation takes place at the preform stage.

Additionally, the Nongfu Spring decided to equip the Combi with Sidel’s patented active base mould system, the Base Over Stroke System (BOSS), in order to differentiate some of its bottles and expand its marketing opportunities. In fact, the technology can be selected depending on the container’s shape. BOSS is a piston activated system in the blowing phase that strokes the base, thus raising and lowering it during the bottle-forming process, independently from the opening and closing of the two half-shells of the mould.

Nongfu Spring visited Sidel facilities in France and was impressed by the high-quality services and the long-standing expertise of the packaging team. They appreciated the support throughout project execution, starting from the validation of the new container shapes – with and without the BOSS base. In addition, Sidel’s liquid packaging interaction scientists performed various flavour tests for the new drinks Nongfu Spring were evaluating, thus defining the carbonation level and the sugar residue in the bottle. Then, once the line was installed, food technologists handled the microbiological validation of both high- and low-acid products, which successfully achieved zero contaminated bottles in 30,000 units on the first attempt, as per the protocol specifications. To ensure this success, Sidel experts and project managers made sure to closely support Nongfu Spring’s operators.

“For Nongfu Spring, it was critical to operate a simple and safe solution, while being able to manage the sheer variety of products in the future,” adds Mark Li, Technical Sales Manager Sensitive Products at Sidel. “The cost efficiency and sustainable benefits offered by our dry preform sterilisation technology were also key factors for them: using no water and very few chemicals, while pushing the boundaries of the lightweighting potential, represented a very valid argument with this leading company. Lastly, we were able to secure a very competitive lead time,” concludes Mark. 

The new aseptic complete PET line at Nongfu Spring’s plant in Xin’anjiang (Eastern China) is running at 36,000 bottles per hour (bph). Aside from the Versatile Aseptic Combi Predis, it was also equipped with Capdis™, the dry cap sterilisation technology from Sidel. The line also includes Tetra Pak Processing Systems technologies, an easy-to-handle Sidel RollQUATTRO roll-fed labeller – for wrap-around labels – and Roll Adhesive labeller and a cooler with optimised water consumption. The End-of-Line solution integrates a wrap-around case packer and the modular PalKombi palletiser for medium to high speeds. Thanks to Sidel’s expertise in line design and engineering, deriving from its long-standing heritage in aseptic complete solutions for PET, the team at Sidel were also able to successfully and quickly cope with a very challenging line layout. It took merely three days to install the key pieces of equipment at Nongfu Spring’s plant.

Successful partnership leads to repeat orders

To quickly reach the committed line efficiency and maintain consistent volumes and quality of production, Sidel also ensured that two dedicated shifts of field engineers were working alongside Nongfu Spring’s personnel for 18 months.

Due to this fruitful cooperation, Nongfu Spring quickly decided to turn to Sidel again and invest in two additional Versatile Aseptic Combi Predis, installed in the company’s factories in Hubei and Zhejiang, respectively. Both equipped with BOSS and running even faster at up to 49,500 bph, those pieces of equipment have already been fully validated. Last autumn, Nongfu Spring acquired another Versatile Aseptic Combi Predis Combi from Sidel with speeds up to 54,000 bph.

Editor’s Note: The images within this document are for illustrative purposes only and should not be used for reproduction.  If high resolution copies are not attached with the document, please contact Elina Kresa at F&H Communications for copies – see contact details below.

-----------------------------------

For editorial, advertising and sponsorship enquiries, please contact:

F&H Communications

Elina Kresa, Consultant

Tel: +49 (0) 89 121 75 147

Email: sidel@fundh.de  

The bio-plastic products have been developed in partnership with Treetop Biopak who specialise in providing innovativ

There was a time when product packaging was just that—a packaging. But while its primary function is to wrap and keep products clean and intact, it has evolved into something more. Your product container represents your brand. It's your identity in the middle of the immeasurable sea of commerce and it can spell your business success or failure. 

In addition, just as society evolved, so did packaging design. A good example would be the impact of the growing call for environmental protection and garbage reduction in many parts of the world. This has kick-started a trend where packaging materials are designed to have other uses or benefits. 

The coffee dispensing can, for instance, reduces the steps one needs to perform to make coffee and that's on top of protecting its contents. The dispenser feature makes it easy for users – your customers – to make coffee without opening the canister every time they make a brew. It also prevents the use of a wet spoon which can spoil the coffee powder inside.

In short, designing the packaging for your product is not something that you put on the backburner. On the contrary, it requires creativity and innovation. Here are some tips.

1. Begin and End with Your Product in Mind

When designing the packaging for your goods, always consider the type of product you're selling. Your design choices will be affected largely by the form of your product. Is it solid, liquid, or even gas? Is your product food or a drink or is it not for human consumption? 

Each of these categories will require different packaging requirements. If you're selling shampoos, then you will have a different packaging specification than that of an enterprise selling milk teas.

2. Know Your Market

It may not be that obvious, but your customers play an important role in your product packaging design. The material that you'll use to put your product in will cost money, which in turn will affect your pricing.
There are many types of market segmentation that you need to consider. Chief among these is the income level of your customer demographics. If your target consumers belong to upper-income level households, then you may need to add luxury to your packaging.

3. Be Clear About Your Brand Identity

You know your product and you know your target market. Now, it's time to take a look in the proverbial mirror and get to know your brand identity. How would you want your product to appear in the market?
Your brand philosophy will weigh heavily on your design decisions, from the color to the shape and size of your packaging. Your brand should be consistent with your product container, otherwise, you'll confuse your target customers.  
Remember, your packaging is often the only way for people to get to know you and your product. If you play your cards right, your product will gain brand awareness among your customer base. When that happens, your business will soar. 

4. Design within Your Means

Your packaging is more than just wrapping material to contain your product. It also serves as a protection and marketing tool for your merchandise. With that in mind, you would naturally want the best product packaging for your goods.

But again, product packaging costs money. If you're selling paper clips that are normally sold for cents per box, then you might want to stick to cheap paperboard packaging with simple or even bare graphics. Things would be different if you're selling fine gold-plated pens. For that, you will need to spend more on luxurious packaging to attract more customers.

Always make sure that your budget will not eat up a lot of your profit margin, but do not sacrifice quality and your brand image.

5. Take Your Packaging for a Spin… In the Real World

For the most part, product packaging design happens at the office desk or boardroom. With all the 3D design software available now, conceptualization is fast, easy, even automated in some aspects. Companies like The Packaging People have creative graphic designers who can personalize your product container design. But when all is said and done, a computer-generated design or drawing is not enough when coming up with your product container. 

After conceptualization, it is important to have an actual market test of your goods in their new packaging. Have a limited test run of your product before going all-in for full production. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Does your newly designed packaging meet your expectations? 
• How are your target customers reacting to your new product wrapper? 
• Is your product occupying a lot of shelf space because of the packaging?
• Are merchandisers able to handle your product easily with the new container design?

Since you're only doing a limited test run, you can always go back to the drawing board and tweak your new design. That's still economically cheaper compared to launching in the market with an untested packaging design.

RFID technology has been gaining traction in the healthcare sector, but standardized tools for tracking medications, devices and consumables are lacking. DoseID, a US consortium and the first industry association dedicated to standardizing the use of RFID tags in healthcare, was established for the purpose of introducing an industry-wide standard. Schreiner MediPharm has joined this alliance of leading players in the healthcare sector.

DoseID’s goal is to ensure the interoperability, quality and performance of RFID-tagged drug products as they move through the pharmaceutical supply chain. The drugs are tracked across all hardware and software systems—from the manufacturer, through the distributor, to the hospital and eventually to the patient.

Pharmaceuticals can be successfully tracked by serializing medications, containers and devices. In addition, the RFID tags have to deliver reliable performance in all hospital and healthcare IT systems so that products can be tracked at unit level and across their entire lifecycle. RFID-Labels from Schreiner MediPharm are important enablers in this context: They allow frictionless integration and smooth processing on unit-level pharmaceutical packaging lines–improving the automation of processes to increase efficiency, but most importantly to enhance patient and drug safety.

“As a long-term provider of customized RFID labels for the healthcare industry we see the need for interoperability and quality standards as essential to leveraging the full potential of RFID. We look forward to being part of the DoseID consortium to mutually drive RFID-based smart solutions to enhance the pharmaceutical supply chain," says Stefan Wiedemann, Senior Director Strategic Marketing and Business Development at Schreiner MediPharm.

The serialization on unit level enabled by DoseID surpasses the requirements of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), a standard securing the US supply chain of prescription drugs. To ensure adherence to the standards established by the consortium and conformity with the requirements of pharmaceutical manufacturers, compounding pharmacies, pharmacy automation services providers, and manufacturers of RFID inlays and tags, a special RFID tag certification is additionally awarded after third party testing.

About DoseID
Dose ID was established in August 2020. Members include Omnicell Inc., Sandoz, Baxter, Hikma, Leiters, Nephron Pharmaceuticals, Avery Dennison and Kit Check. Some concepts have already been successfully implemented: more than 120 million units have been tagged to date. https://doseid.com

For additional information, contact:
Schreiner MediPharm, a business unit of
Schreiner Group GmbH & Co. KG
Bruckmannring 22
85764 Oberschleissheim
Germany
Phone +49 89 31584-5400
Fax +49 89 31584-5422
info@schreiner-medipharm.com
www.schreiner-medipharm.com

Messe Muenchen India answers the predicament of business networking and visitor engagement amidst the COVID-19 pandemic with a singular, online exhibition and conference platform for the exhibitors and visitors of analytica Anacon India & India Lab Expo, drink technology India, electronica India and productronica India, IFAT India, LASER World Of PHOTONICS INDIA, MatDispens, Pharma Pro&Pack Expo, PackMach Asia Expo, World Tea & Coffee Expo and The Smarter-E.

The unique online expo designed and managed in-house by Messe Muenchen India will offer a streamlined exhibiting experience to global customers while protecting data and providing a real-time dashboard view to exhibitors on their engagement with buyers. The platform will not only enable cross-selling products and services but it will also maximize the audience reach as well as return on investment.
The extensive trade fair portfolio offered by Messe Muenchen India will be accessible globally allowing international engagement by exhibitors and visitors in all time zones.

“The idea is to keep the flow of communication unrestricted while the convenience and speed of b2b engagement remain quick and seamless. The newly developed platform will offer constructive solutions for networking and brand engagement. With the online expo we aim to provide a stage for year-round visitor and exhibitor activities to foster business relationships, to connect, interact and transact”, commented Mr. Bhupinder Singh, CEO, Messe Muenchen India.

Messe Muenchen India’s online expo will be held from 9th to 11th December 2020. It will showcase an extensive range of products and services covering wide segment reach into electronics, laser, pharma, research, packaging, renewable energy, environment solutions, beverage, tea and coffee at the following trade fairs along with engaging webinars, panel discussions as well as the Buyer-Seller Forum.

Messe Muenchen India
Founded in 2007 as wholly owned subsidiary of Messe München, Messe Muenchen India Pvt. Ltd. is one of the leading organizers of trade fairs in India with an extensive portfolio of B2B trade fairs covering various sectors: bauma CONEXPO India, electronica India, productronica India, drink technology India, LASER World of PHOTONICS INDIA, Intersolar India/The Smarter “E” India, IFAT India, analytica Anacon India/India Lab Expo, Pharma Pro Pack, Indian Ceramics, Smart Card Expo, MatDispense, VR-tech India, World Tea & Coffee Expo, Pack Mach Asia Expo and AirCargo India. Messe Muenchen India works closely with industry stakeholders to develop well researched trade fairs encapsulating the latest trends and innovations dominating the industry. Headquartered in Mumbai with offices in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, Messe Muenchen India connects global competence by bringing professionals together for business, learning and networking

Messe München
With more than 50 special trade fairs for capital goods, consumer goods and new technologies, Messe München is one of the world’s leading trade fair organizers. In total, every year more than 50,000 exhibitors and some three million visitors take part in the more than 200 events on the exhibition grounds in Munich, at the ICM – International Congress Center Munich –, at the MOC Veranstaltungscenter Munich, and abroad. Together with its
subsidiaries, Messe München organizes trade fairs in China, India, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, South Africa, Nigeria, Vietnam and Iran. With a network of affiliated companies in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, as well as around 70 foreign representations for more than 100 countries, Messe München is globally present.

Any marketing expert will tell you that regardless of how good your product’s quality is compared to your competitors, it will never sell unless it’s in an equally pleasing packaging. The importance of appealing and convenient packaging solutions can never be underestimated. But for a majority of small-sized products, finding the right kind of packaging isn’t as big of an issue. 

For bulkier products, finding the right package becomes more of a challenge. Brands have the responsibility of keeping the customers happy and making their product stand-out from their competition through their packaging, marketing campaigns, and after-sale services. Delivering a quality product is only a small part of the job. 

The three crucial packaging objectives for brands today

The global market has completely changed the game in recent years. Consumers now have direct access to multiple brands due to lower supply chain costs and the rise of global e-commerce players. Brands now have to deal with both local and international competitors, which has forced them to up their game. 

After the quality and functionality, the most important thing that can impact sales is packaging. There are multiple examples of brands seeing a significant improvement in their market performance through attractive and convenient packaging solutions. When it comes to packaging, brands have to consider a lot of factors to make an effective decision. From the nature of the product to the target market segment, multiple factors can influence your packaging decision.

Brands can have multiple objectives through the packaging solution they adopt. However, the following three are considered as the most important.

 

1 – Marketing and user convenience

The biggest objective for any brand is to ensure the convenience of its consumers through attractive and innovative packaging solutions. This is especially true for products with an awkward design or heavier products, as brands aim to make the purchase decision easier for the customers by making their package easier to carry. 

Brands that focus on the convenience of their consumers generally perform better than their counterparts. Heavier products can especially benefit from convenient packaging. No consumer would mind carrying a light, small package back to their car no matter how awkward its design is. However, they’ll think twice for heavier packages and that’s where your product can take an edge. 

Another important objective that brands have regarding their packaging solutions is to employ effective marketing tactics for their products. The package is the first thing any consumer sees in a departmental store, so it has to be attractive enough to make your product stand out.

2 – Price

Another important consideration for any brand is the overall price of the packaging they are selecting. Brands want to reap all the benefits from their packaging and ensure convenience for their users, but they are restricted due to budget. This forces brands to either increase their prices or absorb the increase in cost by reducing their net profits as a trade-off. 

Both scenarios are unfavorable as many brands don’t have the room to bear a loss in profit, especially in a consumer market. While on the other hand, in a price-sensitive market, increasing the price can give competitors an edge. For bulkier packages, however, whatever packaging you use will cost more as there is a larger surface to cover. Hence, researching new, cost-effective methods for packaging without compromising on the performance becomes crucial to stay competitive. 

3 – Sustainability

In this age, focusing on sustainable materials and processes is crucial for businesses wanting to survive. Modern consumers are more aware of environmental challenges and appreciate businesses trying to bring a change. Moreover, many governments also give tax breaks and other key incentives to businesses that successfully reduce their overall carbon footprint. 

In the packaging sector, there are a lot of things any brand can do towards making a meaningful change. Plastics and other packaging materials are among the biggest contributors to pollution in many countries and even the smallest innovations to reduce our reliance on them can go a long way. Many studies show that many consumers now think of a company’s sustainability as a metric of quality and are willing to pay more for that. 

Davik’s Carry Handle: The perfect packaging solution

Now that we are somewhat aware of the challenges and objectives of the packaging industry, especially when it comes to bulky products. It’s time to look for a solution. Davik’s carry handle is perhaps the only product that checks all the boxes when it comes to fulfilling all the above objectives of any brand. The carry handle is great for marketing, convenient for the users, costs barely anything, and has the potential to reduce our reliance on plastics by a significant degree. Let’s take a look at how!

The carry handle by Davik is among the few products that are convenient for both the manufacturers and the consumers. Brands can also use it to run promotions, marketing campaigns, and make other combinations to improve their sales and introduce a new product. Generally, the tape has the capability of lifting up to 18 kgs, which allows it to handle a majority of heavy products in the consumer market. However, don’t worry if your product weighs more. Davik will work together with you throughout the process and come up with a unique solution according to your requirements. 

For brands focusing on sustainable packaging, the carry handle works like a charm. It sticks directly to the carton, shrink-wrap, or whatever packaging material you are using. Therefore, customers won’t have to use a plastic bag. Apart from that, the carry handle by Davik requires minimal investments.  It is an add-on that can be applied both manually and automatically. If you choose manual-application for your carry handle, you’ll have the freedom to apply the carry handle tape at any stage and immediately start benefiting from it.

Manually detachable carry handles come in a small convenient roll. It can also be produced in a few variations, depending on your requirements and desires. Davik will offer and recommend you the best solution for your product.

Final thoughts

Consumers anywhere prefer to buy products that use innovation to make the entire experience convenient for them and the carry handle by Davik can achieve that without any significant capital investment. It is an incredible innovation that can make everyday life easier. There are very few packaging options for heavier products and only a few of them focus on the convenience of the customer. By introducing the carry handle, you can stand apart from the competition and expect to see a significant improvement in your overall sales. 

Thinking of trying the carry handle out? Contact a Davik expert today to start the process! 
 

AEROBAL, the International Organisation of Aluminium Aerosol Container Manufacturers, organised its globally acclaimed competition for the best aluminium aerosol cans once again this year. According to AEROBAL’s secretary general, Gregor Spengler, the World Aluminium Aerosol Can Award has long since established itself as a reliable trend barometer for future developments in the international aerosol can market. At the same time, the competition demonstrates impressively the capability and innovative strength of the industry in general and AEROBAL’s member companies in particular. Well-known trade journalists from leading packaging magazines and other specialist media from around the world formed an independent jury once again this year.

The jury awarded the World Aluminium Aerosol Can Award 2020 to cans produced by ARYUM, which the Turkish manufacturer had designed and produced for a client from Tunisia. The client had been playing an important role in the Tunisian perfume market for some time and now wanted to launch its own deodorant brand. ARYUM was asked to develop a distinctive and appealing design for the 200-ml cans for an exclusive deodorant line comprising four different fragrances. The result is truly impressive.

An innovative 360° embossing technique combined with an oriented printing technology is used to create the cans’ unique shape and look and gives them the desired unique character as soon as one sees them. Not only does the special 360° technology produce the impressive all-round shape, it is also possible to achieve 360° printing of the can in an impressive quality. As a result, the cans for the Up deodorant spray for women sometimes appear in vibrant, powerful and almost exploding colours, and sometimes they appear elegant, with finely coordinated shades with filigree patterns and gradations. The design always looks perfect, though. The logo is located in an exposed position on the flatter surface of the can, which shows it off particularly well. There is perfect interaction between the 360° printing and the embossing technique and this creates the desired unmistakable brand image. But the 360° technology goes further than merely positioning the brand in a uniquely visual way: shaping the can around its complete circumference also offers excellent protection against product counterfeiting and brand piracy.

For the first time this year, the international jury also chose a winner in a newly created category: Sustainability. AEROBAL secretary general Spengler explains the reasons behind this move: “Sustainability has long been a convincing argument when it comes to aluminium aerosol cans. We wanted to send out a clear signal to underscore this yet again, though, and we therefore created the new Sustainability category. Our industry is not resting on its laurels. Even in difficult times like these, it is investing considerable resources, creativity, innovative strength and commitment in developing even more sustainable and future-oriented packaging solutions – often in close cooperation with brand owners.”

The first winner in the AEROBAL competition’s new category was the aluminium aerosol can for the Rexona Recycled Refreshed 24-hour antiperspirant from Unilever. It was produced by the German manufacturer Tubex. At first glance, it looks like a conventional aluminium can, but it offers a whole host of innovative and forward-looking solutions to enhance sustainability.

The can is the result of a continuous optimization of alloys. It was produced using a new, patented alloy and contains 25 per cent real post-consumer recyclate (PCR). Thanks to the new alloy and a barely discernible modification of the can’s shape, the can is now 14 per cent lighter than its predecessor. A powder coating is used to protect the inside of the can. In addition, only part of the can’s internal surface is lacquered, namely 50 per cent. The use of powder coating offers ecological benefits: it avoids CO2 when it is applied inside the can, and any overspray is reused.

Reducing the wall thickness, however, made the can more susceptible to denting during packaging and transport. That is why an innovative and fully automatic packaging technology, so-called ‘layer wide packaging’, was specially developed for this new generation of cans. The cans are now placed on pallets instead of being packed in bundles as was previously the case. Besides better protection of the cans, this new process also brings considerable economic and, above all, ecological benefits. A pallet now accommodates 15 per cent more cans and a truck can carry 15 per cent more pallets. The storage space required is also reduced by 15 per cent. All in all, this is a perfectly sustainable concept that has been well thought out from start to finish.

Contact:

Gregor Spengler

Head of Packaging at Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie e. V. (GDA)

AEROBAL Secretary General

The benefits of AdhereIT™ include improved drug management, enriched patient experiences and enhanced patient outcom

Crystal Lake, Illinois and Orlando, Florida, October 5, 2020 - Noble and Aptar Pharma are pleased to announce the launch of AdhereIT™ - a connected, intuitive and user-friendly onboarding solution for the growing number of patients with chronic conditions who use autoinjectors to administer their medications at home. AdhereIT™ is the first fully interchangeable, connected add-on solution that can work across a multitude of autoinjector platforms. This launch is an important advancement for Noble, an Aptar Pharma company, whose mission is to foster healthy outcomes for patients who self-administer their therapies, partnering with pharma and biotech companies to provide robust training devices and onboarding programs.

Adherence to prescribed biologics is a significant challenge. A recent report in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology reported that 45% of studied patients suffering from psoriasis discontinue their treatments. The reasons include insufficient training or time with an instructor, lack of confidence during the self-injection process, and feelings of high anxiety and lack of control. COVID-19 has contributed to the increase utilization of telemedicine and remote healthcare, which has even further complicated this challenge by reducing healthcare professional (HCP) training opportunities with patients.

AdhereIT™ is part of the digital ecosystem that enables patients to gain control and confidence over their at-home drug delivery while easing the anxiety associated with selfinjecting. AdhereIT™ integrates with the existing software applications developed by the Digital Healthcare team at Aptar Pharma by pairing a patient’s autoinjector via Bluetooth technology to their mobile phone. The device – available in two design options to accommodate dexterity for a one-handed or two-handed injection process – precisely detects an injection event and provides real-time visual, audio and haptic feedback about whether the injection was performed correctly. The AdhereIT™ onboarding platform also allows HCPs to monitor their patients’ therapeutic performance via a smart analytical dashboard, providing valuable patient-specific adherence behavior information.

“We are excited to welcome Noble’s AdhereIT™ connected onboarding platform into the suite of Aptar Pharma’s Digital Healthcare solutions. This innovative technology further enhances our ability to improve patients’ lives by creating a seamless integration of injectable products into our disease management offerings,” said Adam Shain, Director of Business Development for Digital Healthcare, Aptar Pharma.

Noble developed AdhereIT™ in partnership with Aptar Pharma, who has made significant investments in digital healthcare over the past three years to actively develop a portfolio of disease management platforms and connected device solutions across dermal, pulmonary, nasal, ophthalmic and injectable routes of administration.

“Connected medical devices represent the future of healthcare for patients, pharmaceutical companies, health insurers and HCPs, playing a vital role in the remote tracking and treatment of chronic illnesses, and delivering a range of benefits that include improved drug management, enriched patient experiences and enhanced patient outcomes,” said Tim McLeroy, Noble’s Executive Director of Marketing & Patient Services. “The connectivity of digital technology solutions like AdhereIT™ also create market differentiation and enable value-based contracting for biopharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers to survive in a competitive and challenging marketplace.”

About Noble

Noble is focused on fostering healthy patient outcomes for those who self-administer drug therapies through the development of robust training devices and onboarding solutions for the world’s top pharma brands and biotech companies. Noble manufactures and commercializes training devices that mimic the exact feel, force and function of drug delivery devices such as autoinjectors, prefilled syringes, onbody, nasal and pulmonary devices in order to increase patient adherence and confidence, and decrease usage errors. Noble was founded in 1994 and is based in Orlando, Florida. Noble is an Aptar Pharma company. For more information, visit www.gonoble.com.

About Aptar Pharma

Aptar Pharma is part of AptarGroup, Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacturing of a broad range of drug delivery, consumer product dispensing and active packaging solutions. Aptar uses insights, design, engineering and science to create dosing, dispensing and protective packaging technologies for the world’s leading brands, in turn making a meaningful difference in the lives, looks, health and homes of millions of people around the world. Aptar’s innovative solutions and services serve a variety of end markets including pharmaceutical, beauty, personal care, home, food and beverage. The company is headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois and has 14,000 dedicated employees in 20 countries. For more information, visit www.aptar.com.

# # # .

Media Contact – Aptar Pharma

Carolyn Penot
Aptar Pharma
+33 6 37 36 76 84
carolyn.penot@aptar.com

Media Contact – Noble Carolyn

Reis APR
+1 407 590 0251
carolyn@ReisCorporatePR.com

Berlin, 9 September 2020 – In response to the new report “Biodegradable and compostable plastics – challenges and opportunities” by the European Environment Agency (EEA), European Bioplastics (EUBP) highlights the need to acknowledge successful precedents in the deployment of these innovative materials in collaboration with a receptive community of consumers. Unfortunately, several media outlets made use of a biased interpretation of the report to draw a distorted picture of biodegradable and compostable plastics.

François de Bie, Chairman of EUBP, stated “In several respects, the EEA report is laudable in its objectives to provide information about the types of biodegradable products available, their labelling and their properties. It also accurately highlights the need to raise awareness about the different packaging solutions to ensure proper sorting and collection of waste”. In terms of additional benefits, the EEA correctly notes that contamination with conventional plastics is an increasing challenge for compost quality and emphasises that substituting conventional plastics with certified compostable plastics can significantly help in reducing this risk. Indeed, compostable plastics are essential in this respect of recovery and recycling, since no other economically viable solutions will be available for food-contaminated plastics in the near future.

The report correctly highlights that using compostable plastic bags increases the capture rate of food waste, since consumers find them convenient and practical to use. Many municipalities and waste collectors are, therefore, already recommending or requiring the use of certified compostable plastic bags for collecting bio-waste. In agriculture, biodegradable mulch films, which help by contributing towards sustainable farming practices, are also identified as a key solution in avoidng long-term plastic accumulation in soil.

However, on the consumer side the report also casts doubt around the potential for understanding how and where bioplastics should be dealt with when it comes to end-of-life options. It neglects to reflect that all biodegradable plastics, with the exception of agricultural mulch films which are recycled in situ, are clearly intended for organic recycling. Whilst opponents of bioplastics often claim that consumers will be unable to differentiate between bioplastics intended for home or industrial composting, the evidence points to the contrary where clear labelling, communication and effective sorting are put in place. 1 Unfortunately, however, media coverage almost exclusively focused on this single aspect. In contrast, EEA’s related assessment, that there is no evidence supporting the fear that consumers might misunderstand biodegradability or compostability claims as a ‘license to litter’, was ignored.

Although mechanical recycling provides solutions for certain applications, it is far from a “one size fits all“ answer to the question of how to ensure that plastics fulfil their potential in a circular economy. In fact, the reality is more complex with multiple solutions needed in order to enable resource efficiency, as outlined in a recent report from Systemiq and the Pew Charitable Trust. 2 In this respect, organic recycling represents unparalleled potential for diverting unavoidable food waste from landfill, facilitating the shift towards a circular economy and bringing benefits for more sustainable agriculture through the generation of high-quality compost for soil enrichment. In order to accelerate the transition towards a greener economy, European Bioplastics calls on all relevant stakeholders to have a constructive dialogue over biodegradable and compostable plastics that is science rather than ideology based.

Additional links: EUBP Discussion Paper, Criteria for switching products to certified compostable plastics, 2019 (https://docs.european-bioplastics.org/publications/EUBP_discussion_pape…)

About European Bioplastics: European Bioplastics (EUBP) is the European association representing the interests of the bioplastics industry along the entire value chain. Its members produce, refine and distribute bioplastics i.e. plastics that are bio-based, biodegradable, or both. More information is available at www.european-bioplastics.org

Press contact:

Oliver Buchholz, Communications Manager,
European Bioplastics,
Marienstr. 19/20, 10117 Berlin,
Tel: +49 (0) 30 28482 353, Fax: +49 (0)30 284 82 359,
press@european-bioplastics.org
2 Pew Charitable Trust,
Systemiq: Breaking the Plastic Wave, 2020
(https://www.systemiq.earth/wpcontent/uploads/2020/07/BreakingThePlastic…).

• - AIM, the European Brands Association, has launched HolyGrail 2.0 with Mondi and other partners across the value chain to prove the viability of digital watermarking for sorting waste at scale.
• - Digital watermarks have the potential to revolutionise the way we sort and recycle waste, increasing the commercial value of waste so that it can be reused again as a resource.
• - Mondi was a founding member of the Pioneer Project HolyGrail and continues to play an active role to validate the technology. This includes running trials with partners across the value chain.

8 September 2020 – Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, has joined forces with AIM, the European Brands Association, and other partners across the value chain to prove the viability of digital watermarking for sorting waste at scale. The HolyGrail 2.0 initiative has the ambitious goal of assessing whether this pioneering digital technology can enable better sorting and higher-quality recycling rates for packaging in the EU, thereby driving a truly circular economy.

Mondi was a founding member of the original Pioneer Project HolyGrail, facilitated by the Ellen MacArthur foundation. Now over 85 partners across the value chain are working together to refine and commercialise this concept, with Mondi continuing its active role in trialling the innovative technology.

Postage stamp sized watermarks on packaging—which are not visible to the naked eye—make it possible to effectively sort the material into specific waste streams. Conventional sensor technologies (e.g. near infrared spectroscopy) are not able to reliably identify multi-material packaging, so they can end up as contaminants when recycling mono-materials. With this new technology, it becomes possible to separate materials more accurately and generate new waste streams, which then can be recycled with enhanced recycling technologies. These digital watermarks also provide other opportunities. For example, consumers can use a smartphone app to find details about the packaging and how to recycle it, and brand owners can add product details as well.

Mondi has played an important role in this project since the beginning. Graeme Smith, Head of Product Sustainability for Flexible Packaging and Engineered Materials, explained: “As members of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy, we were part of the initial team to bring the Pioneer Project, HolyGrail, to life. At Mondi, we believe packaging should be sustainable by design and we see the need to improve the sorting and separation of packaging waste as part of a circular economy. Digital watermarks have the potential to make this a reality. Improved recycling will increase the value of packaging waste, driving higher collection rates and making it a valuable commercial resource for the future.”

As HolyGrail 2.0 progresses, Mondi is well positioned to contribute to its success by validating digital watermarks with partners along the value chain. Mondi will be conducting full-scale industrial trials with key customers in the near future.

About Mondi

Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative, packaging and paper solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is fully integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films, to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy and intrinsic in the way we do business. We lead the industry with our customer- centric approach, EcoSolutions, where we ask the right questions to find the most sustainable solution. In 2019, Mondi had revenues of €7.27 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.66 billion.

Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), and a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP). Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.

About AIM

AIM is the European Brands Association representing brand manufacturers in Europe on key issues which affect their ability to design, distribute and market their brands. AIM’s membership comprises 2500 businesses ranging from SMEs to multinationals, directly or indirectly through its corporate and national association members.

About Digital Watermarks Initiative – HolyGrail 2.0

The Digital Watermarks Initiative HolyGrail 2.0 is a pilot project with the objective to prove the viability of digital watermarking technologies for accurate sorting and consequently higher-quality recycling, as well as the business case at large scale. Digital watermarks are imperceptible codes, the size of a postage stamp, covering the surface of a consumer goods packaging and encoding a wide range of attributes. The aim is that once the packaging has entered into a waste sorting facility, the digital watermark can be detected and encoded by a standard high resolution camera on the sorting line, which then – based on the transferred attributes (e.g. food vs. non-food) – is able to sort the packaging in corresponding streams. This would result in better and more accurate sorting streams, thus consequently in higher-quality recyclates benefiting the complete packaging value chain.

Contact:

Judith Wronn
Senior Communication Manager, Flexible Packaging & Engineered Materials
Tel: +49 151 1771 4692
Email: Judith.Wronn@mondigroup.com

Josina van der Velden
EMG
Tel: +31 164 317 014
Email: jvandervelden@emg-marcom.com

Flexographic printing ink system for flexible sheets receives Material Health Certification GOLD from Cradle to Cradle Certified™

Once again Werner & Mertz, in cooperation with its Reyclate Initiative partners, has pioneered a new printing ink system for applications way beyond its own industry. With the ink manufacturer Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA, the EPEA Switzerland GmbH (Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency), and the global packaging and paper company Mondi, the Mainz cleaning products maker has developed a recyclable printing ink system for flexography which has been awarded Material Health Certification (MHC) GOLD. The use of sustainable printing inks is a significant step in designing packaging according to the Cradle-to-Cradle® principle. "In the spirit of the Open Innovation approach promoted by the Werner & Mertz Recyclate Initiative, the certified ink series with the product name 'NC 270' is not patented. It may be and should be used by other companies," said Torsten Haas, Packaging Developer at Werner & Mertz. 

 

Once again Werner & Mertz, in cooperation with its Reyclate Initiative partners, has pioneered a new printing ink system for applications way beyond its own industry. With the ink manufacturer Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA, the EPEA Switzerland GmbH (Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency), and the global packaging and paper company Mondi, the Mainz cleaning products maker has developed a recyclable printing ink system for flexography which has been awarded Material Health Certification (MHC) GOLD. The use of sustainable printing inks is a significant step in designing packaging according to the Cradle-to-Cradle® principle. "In the spirit of the Open Innovation approach promoted by the Werner & Mertz Recyclate Initiative, the certified ink series with the product name 'NC 270' is not patented. It may be and should be used by other companies," said Torsten Haas, Packaging Developer at Werner & Mertz. 

 Closed cycles down to the smallest detail

 Within the Recyclate Initiative, all packaging is developed in accordance with the Cradle-to-Cradle® principle, that is, designed from the start to go into a closed material cycle and to pose no risk to human health and the environment. Sustainable and healthy raw materials are just as important as packaging's recyclability after its use phase. That's why, in addition to the bottles and caps made of recyclates, sustainable printing inks are critical for a product's recyclability. With the Material Health Certification, the safety of the solvent-based printing ink NC 270 is now confirmed scientifically for biological cycles. Gold certification is awarded exclusively to products that "do not contain carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxicants with plausible exposure routes," according to the MHC.     

 "The New Green Deal of the EU Commission calls for safe and reliable plastic packaging that is sustainable for coming generations and the environment. This project is the guide to that goal. It has been confirmed by an independent third-party with the only certification system for cycles," said Albin Kälin, CEO of EPEA Switzerland, an accredited assessment body for Cradle-to-Cradle Certified™ and MHC Standard.

 Development of a second printing ink system  

 In 2017 Werner & Mertz, Siegwerk and EPEA Switzerland developed a sustainable UV ink for offset printing as many pigments used in the standard process did not comply with the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ requirements for certification. The developed UV offset printing ink series, which also received MHC GOLD status, is used for the labels of the Frosch brand Citrus Shower & Bath cleaner.

 With the ink series NC 270 for flexographic printing, the Werner & Mertz Recyclate Initiative has developed the second important printing process for packaging. The flexographic printing ink system can be used to print polyolefin plastic sheeting such as polethylene and polyproplylene. It also is well suited to the stability and resistance properties required for the stand-up pouch.  

 "We are proud that we could contribute an element to the development in this outstanding groundbreaking project. Now that a solvent-based ink for flexographic printing with MHC Gold certification is available, many 100 percent recyclable packaging solutions based on this single-layer PE stand-up pouch can be realized for the food and non-food sectors," said Dr. Stefan Häp, Brand Owner Collaboration Team at Siegwerk.

 Integrally sustainable stand-up pouch

 The idea for a sustainable flexographic ink came up in the joint development project with Mondi for a completely recyclable stand-up pouch (StripPouch). Honored with the German Packaging Award and the World Star Award, the project yielded the first pouch, which, thanks to the monomaterial and removable printed panels,  can be recycled at a high quality level. The independent Institute Interseroh said in its assessment that the stand-up pouch has "very good recyclability that cannot be optimized any further." Having created optimum conditions for the technical cycle, Werner & Mertz and Mondi wanted to do the same for the biological cycle. Because Mondi uses only flexographic printing for the StripPouch, the cooperation partners from 2017 came together again and drew on their earlier work to develop sustainable printing inks for yet another printing system.    

 "The joint project on the development of the StripPouch was such a success because everyone involved pulled together from the very beginning. With the use of sustainable and certified printing inks, we are taking another big step together toward the circular economy and packaging solutions that are designed with sustainability in mind," said Jens Kösters, Manager of Technical Services at Mondi Halle, Werk Steinfeld.

 By the end of 2020 the new Siegwerk NC 270 printing inks will be used in series production of the first stand-up pouch for creme soap for the Frosch Senses brand.  

 Caption: Awarded the Material Health Certification (MHC) GOLD, the recyclable printing ink system for flexography is used in the recyclable stand-up pouch for the Frosch brand.

Copyright Photo: Werner & Mertz

 

Werner & Mertz: For more than 150 years from its site in Mainz, Werner & Mertz GmbH has become established in the European market as an innovative company with its trusted brands Frosch, emsal and green care Professional. Werner & Mertz adheres to sustainable, environmentally-friendly business principles and regards its pursuit of sustainability as an established company tradition. With the Frosch Initiative and select project partnerships, Werner & Mertz paves the way to groundbreaking sustainable solutions beyond its own industry. www.werner-mertz.de 

Press Contact:
Birgitta Schenz
bschenz@werner-mertz.com
+49 6131 964 2028

 Siegwerk: Siegwerk, a family business in the sixth generation, is one of the leading international manufacturers of printing inks and customized solutions for packaging, labels and catalogs. With more than 180 years of experience, the company has extensive knowlege of many printing processes.  A global production and service network ensures that customers always receive high quality products and services. True to our motto "Ink, Heart & Soul", Siegwerk is committed to long-term cooperation with its business partners. With headquarters in Siegburg near Cologne, Siegwerk employs about 5,000 people from more than 30 countries. You can find additional information about Siegwerk at www.siegwerk.com.

Media Contact:
Dr. Bettina Horenburg
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel.:         +49 2241 304-732
e-mail:    bettina.horenburg@siegwerk.com

Mondi: Mondi is a leading global packaging and paper company that contributes to a better world with innovative packaging and paper solutions. We are active along the entire supply chain – from forestry management and the production of pulp, paper and plastic sheeting to the development and manufacturing of efficient industrial and consumer goods packaging. Sustainability is the heart of our strategy and an essential element in our business. One of our exemplary services is our customer-centric EcoSolutions in which we pose the right questions in order to find the most sustainable solution. In 2019 Mondi reported revenue of 7.27 billion EUR and an adjusted EBITDA of 1.66 billion EUR. Mondi has a primary listing on the JSE Limited for Mondi Limited under the ticker MNP, and a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange for Mondi plc, under the ticker MNDI. Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.

Press Contact:
Judith Wronn
Senior Communication Manager
Mondi Flexible Packaging & Engineered Materials
Tel: +49 151 17714692
e-mail:  Judith.Wronn@mondigroup.com

 EPEA: EPEA Switzerland GmbH supports companies in different  fields of activity with the development and implementation of the Cradle to Cradle® Design Concept. EPEA Switzerland is an accredited assessment body for the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ and Material Health Certificate Standard. www.epeaswitzerland.com

Press Contact:
Albin Kälin, CEO
EPEA Switzerland GmbH
Tel: +41 76 44 22 66 8
e-mail: kaelin@epeaswitzerland.com

Flexi-Cap and Booklet-Label for Clinical Research

Oberschleissheim, August 12, 2020 – For an international Phase III study of a new immunoglobolin, CSL Behring relies on a novel label combination from Schreiner MediPharm: With a special Flexi-Cap version that completely covers the vial and a Booklet-Label for multilingual product information, the vials containing the drugs to be tested are reliably blinded.

CSL Behring uses transparent containers with a flip-off cap for the clinical trial. Due to the visible differences between the verum and the placebo, the containers with the trial drugs have to be blinded because the trial participants must not be able to detect what they are taking or what is being dispensed to them under any circumstances. In addition, the trial is conducted on an international scale so that the product descriptions have to be available in several languages.

Schreiner MediPharm’s CTS experts developed a special combination of the Flexi-Cap film cap solution and a Booklet-Label. For blinding the vials, two opaque-printed, silver-colored film caps are used. One of the caps wraps around the closure and upper part of the container without covering the flip-off cap. As a result, the vial can be easily opened without impairing the blinding. The second cap covers the lower part and bottom of the container. A multi-page Booklet-Label providing the comprehensive product descriptions in several languages retains both caps on the container. The construction of the caps plus Booklet-Label is manually affixed using special application aids and can be flexibly adapted to diverse vial sizes and shapes.

Compared to other label solutions, which are complex to apply and can be easily peeled off, this combination of Flexi-Cap and a Booklet-Label has special advantages. It offers fast and reliable blinding combined with clear and efficient marking of the vials.

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Picture: SMP_Flexi-Cap_CTS_CSL-Behring.jpg

Caption: The combination of Flexi-Cap and Booklet-Label blinds the vial and offers ample space for product information in several languages.

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For more information, please contact:

Andrea Richter, Product Communications
Phone +49 89 31584-5674, andrea.richter@schreiner-group.com

About Schreiner MediPharm

Schreiner MediPharm, a business unit of Schreiner Group GmbH & Co. KG based in Oberschleissheim near Munich, is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative, multifunctional specialty labels and marking solutions with value-added benefits for the healthcare industry. Thanks to its strong solutions expertise and specialized know-how Schreiner MediPharm is a highly capable development partner and reliable quality supplier to leading pharmaceutical and medical device technology companies worldwide.

Schreiner MediPharm,
a business unit of
Schreiner Group GmbH & Co. KG
Bruckmannring 22
85764 Oberschleissheim
Germany
Phone +49 89 31584-5400
Fax +49 89 31584-5422

info@schreiner-medipharm.com 
www.schreiner-medipharm.com

About CSL Behring

CSL Behring is one of the leading international biotech companies and was established more than 100 years ago. The company is a specialist in plasma-derived products and develops, produces and markets biopharmaceuticals for bleeding disorders, immunoglobulins and intensive-care medicine.

Perhaps you're reading this because you're looking for new, better, and more eco-friendly product packaging options. If you're eager to stop using plastic, it's time for you to make the big switch. These days, businesses around the world are looking towards more eco-friendly practices; this means using reusable materials. When you think about it, spending money sourcing and printing on plastic packaging, only for it to be thrown away shortly after it’s received, is a waste of time and money.

One of the best reusable alternative options for product packaging are calico bags. These are eco-friendly tote bags made of woven fabric from unbleached cotton fibres. The material is typically half processed, resulting in a very coarse and durable textile.

When it comes to using customized calico bags for your business' product packaging, there are so many reasons to give them a try. This article will present you with four:

1. They Can Be Re-used Anytime, Anywhere

Product packaging comes in all sizes—even when made from calico. Most calico tote bags are rectangular, and range from 30–50cm tall, and 30–40cm high, however sizes can vary depending on your business needs. The obvious advantage of using calico bags for your products is their reusable nature.

For example, your customers can reuse the bags they received from you when they go to school, run errands, go shopping, or do groceries. While out and about, your custom printed calico bags serve as walking advertisements for your business. Anyone your customer encounters will see your logo on the bag, consequently spreading brand awareness long after their initial purchase. Due to the wide reach branded bags have, the cost of printing them is more than justified. They’re so much more effective at marketing your brand than a plastic bag that'll end up in the rubbish.

2. They’re Easy To Customise

A major benefit of using calico bags for product packaging is the fact they’re easy to customise. Calico material is easier to print on than other fabrics, so customisation by well-established suppliers such as http://www.calico-bags.com.au/ will yield high-quality results that don’t tend to smear or fade. Plus, they make your products look more polished and innovative. By choosing a natural and customisable packaging option like calico, you’re able to both personalise the packaging and send a message to customers about your brand.

3. They’re More Affordable Than You’d Think

When you compare the cost of manufacturing a calico bag with that of a plastic bag, the latter is the more affordable option. However, if you look at the bigger picture, calico bags are more budget-friendly in the long term, thanks to their reusable nature, and the brand promotion benefits outlined above. Moreover, when you order your product packaging in bulk, you may be able to enjoy cheaper commercial rates per unit. With all aspects considered, packing with calico bags is a more affordable option than you’d think, and a great packaging alternative that doesn't have to break the budget.

4. They’re An Eco-Friendly Choice

Nowadays, many shoppers are embracing an eco-friendly lifestyle—this goes for online orders, too. Some will even avoid businesses that are known for their excessive use of plastic or environmentally harmful manufacturing processes. In their day-to-day lives, they’ll bring tote bags with them rather than collecting a paper or plastic bag for each of their purchases. Rather than your customers carrying around a bag bearing the logo of another brand, capitalise on this change and have them promote yours instead. 

For instance, if you're a brand selling organic beauty products, wouldn't it be very contradictory to package these organic and natural beauty products in plastic bags? Calico packaging would be a smarter choice, both from an environmental perspective, and from a company reputation standpoint. Not only will your customers appreciate the eco-conscious move, but you’ll be seen as a more attractive business for them to patronise, simply because you're implementing environmentally friendly practices. 

Further, when calico bags eventually reach their usage limit, they're also biodegradable. This makes them a positive packaging choice for the environment.

Conclusion

When many other businesses are avoiding plastic and moving towards calico bags for their product packaging, there's no reason not to follow suit. It's not about copying a trend, but rather, it's about switching to an eco-friendly business approach. Branded calico bags are a great alternative to plastic, as they're more durable and reusable. The benefits enumerated above should be more than sufficient to convince you to switch to calico bags and ditch the plastic once and for all.

Gurugram, India, July 27, 2020 - PackagingConnections has started with a series of webinars during July’2020. After successfully completing the first one on “Introduction to PackagingConnections”, the company is coming up with a new paid webinar on an important topic SUSTAINABILITY. The company has completed the initial research on Sustainability in Packaging and is ready to present its findings to the packaging community. The webinar will cover the current practices, challenges, and ways forward. This webinar would also take its audience through many examples that are already implemented. Details of the webinar are as follows:

Topic:                       Sustainability in Packaging: Current state & Way forward
Presenter(s):              Grania Jain, Technology Lead PackagingConnections
                                 Sandeep Goyal, Founder & CEO Packaging Connections
Venue:                      Digital world through gotowebinar platform
Date:                        05 August 2020
Time:                        4:00pm IST/12:30pm CET/6:30am ET/5:30am CT
Link to join:    https://www.packagingconnections.com/webinar/sustainability/

PackagingConnections team look forward to meet you virtually.

For more information, write to Packaging Connections at info@packagingconnections.com.

About Packaging Connections Founded in 2005, Sanex started with an online platform as “your destination for anything in packaging”. The company progressed with innovative models of bringing new technologies to world through­ support to foreign packaging companies. Sanex is a company of packaging professionals who have worked with multinationals for live packaging projects. This is first packaging consulting company to have ISO 9001:2015 certification. Sanex is Indian partner for top German pharma companies and have a wide network of packaging professionals across the globe. Witnessing fast brand recognition and network growth, company has come up with various verticals in packaging. The company has given niche solutions to packaging industry such as packaging brains (job dedicated portal), online packaging material store and packaging books. The newest service is into Packaging Education and the company has launched “The Big Book of Packaging - Science, Art & Technology”. Please find more details on www.packagingconnections.com/about-us.htm

Sanex Packaging Connections Pvt. Ltd.

What started as an unknown virus is now holding the whole world hostage. Medical scientists are working round-the-clock to crack the puzzle brought by this novel coronavirus. Every industry has been a victim of this predicament, ranging from small to established companies. The only institutions thought to be holding the key out of the current pandemic are the pharmaceutical companies. 

As such, it is no surprise that these companies are currently making more profits than anyone else. Nonetheless, they are also facing challenges in their service delivery. For instance, the reduced importation of APIs has hindered the production of medicine. These firms have also had to change the packaging techniques used on their products to curb the spread of the virus.

This post aims to cover how the pandemic has affected the product packaging tests in the pharma industry. 

Product Packaging Testing For Pharmaceutical Products

A straightforward definition of product packaging testing is the process of checking whether a given packaging material will protect its content during transportation and storage. In other words, it is used to confirm whether the expectations set during the initial stages of product development are met. Of course, this is geared towards ensuring that the end user gets full benefits for what they ordered. 

Since the beginning of the current crisis, food and pharmaceutical firms have remained operational, although not entirely. Packaging of their products, however, has experienced a lot of changes amid the rising numbers of coronavirus infections. The previous packaging testing process that included mechanical, environmental, and chemical tests have had to be expanded. It now includes an additional set of tests aimed at checking the effectiveness of the sterile or antiviral surface. 

What Has Changed?

Well, what pharmaceutical companies are now using in their packaging process is not new. In fact, it has already been used by various institutions, but it could never be more useful than it is today. It all revolves around sterilization, an old packaging perspective. For about 20 years or more, this idea has been evolving, and it is more productive today than ever.

There is a wide range of choices in terms of materials, features, and designs. The most common material employed in the sterile and antiviral packaging technique during this COVID-19 pandemic has been plastic. This new trend is a contradiction to the campaigns held against environmental hazards, such as plastics. However, given the drop in oil prices, the world has seen more plastic packages around. Apart from being cheap, plastic also has high barrier properties against any surface germs. 

As earlier stated, pharmaceutical packaging material usually goes through various testing stages. The mechanical test is done to ensure that the content is safe even when the package is exposed to extreme external forces. These may include falling or pressure exerted during transportation. The environmental test, on the other hand, is to measure the resilience of the material under different environmental conditions. 

The additional test is done to ensure that any contamination of the container by a virus does not survive. The material is reinforced with active drug elements that work against any bacterial or viral contamination. This move is to improve the safety of the medical practitioners, pharmacy attendants, and the end user during this pandemic. 

Keep Safe! 

Although these measures have been put in place, you still hold your safety in your hands. The virus has been found to survive for up to 24 hours without a host. As such, it might be dead by the time you pick that package at your doorstep. Also, sterile and antiviral packaging has made it a lot safer now to handle such containers.

However, that's not to say that you should abandon the other measures. Washing your hands should and will always be your shield against the virus. Also, make sure the package is decontaminated before touching again after cleaning or sanitising your hands. 

Conclusion

Nobody knows what lies ahead of the current pandemic. It is all about speculations on if or when this crisis will end. The changes in the packaging techniques are among some of the main moves by pharmaceutical companies to curb the spread of the virus. The new packaging material is reinforced with antiviral polymers to fight any viral contamination on its surface.

Some of the new strategies adopted by the pharma industry due to COVID-19 may remain effective for many years to come. Every plan is geared towards ensuring the safety of everyone who comes into contact with medical packaging. You should also play your role in curbing the spread of this disease, such as by staying at home.

• Three Mondi plants in Germany (Halle, Steinfeld and Gronau) are set to produce and donate 10,000 protective gowns to workers in local nursing homes and retirement facilities
• The initiative will involve using extruded PE tubes to be assembled into single-use protective garments

15 May 2020 – Mondi, leading global packaging and paper group, has contributed material and processing expertise to produce plastic protective gowns for staff at local nursing homes and retirement facilities in order to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. The first 100 of these disposable, single-use garments have been delivered to the regional district’s Civil Protection Authority in Diepholz, who will oversee the distribution to facilities that need it most. Mondi plans to produce at least 10,000 further gowns in the coming months.

Creating the gowns has required the collaboration of three Mondi plants alongside partnering with local company Borgerding, who will assist in the assembly of the gowns. The process has involved Mondi Halle extruding a 750 mm-diameter polyethylene film tube that forms the body of the slip-over gown. Mondi Gronau is using its R&D Centre to extrude smaller, 250 mm-diameter PE tubes that will form the sleeves on the gown, and Mondi Steinfeld is converting the bodies and the sleeves. Borgerding is manually attaching and sealing the sleeves to the bodies of the larger tube.

Mondi employees worked extra shifts over the Easter holiday weekend to help develop this solution and have already started to produce the first batch of the needed components.

Alfons Kruse, Mondi’s plant manager in Steinfeld, stated: “We’re very pleased that Mondi could respond to this request and quickly devise a solution to help protect front-line staff and health care workers in the region. As a packaging producer, it involved creatively rethinking materials and production processes in order to make protective garments. Mondi's employees rose to this challenge to support our local communities and we are proud of their work.”

About Mondi

Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative, packaging and paper solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is fully integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films, to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy and intrinsic in the way we do business. We lead the industry with our customer- centric approach, EcoSolutions, where we ask the right questions to find the most sustainable solution. In 2019, Mondi had revenues of €7.27 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.66 billion.

Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), and a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP). Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.