Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe (AGP-Europe), an operating business of Ardagh Group, announced today that it has entered a long-term Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with Rezolv Energy’s St. George solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Bulgaria, securing renewable electricity for its glass manufacturing operations across Europe from April 2026. 
Schneider Electric, a leading adviser in corporate renewable energy procurement and carbon management, supported AGP-Europe in the VPPA negotiation.
The VPPA – one of the first to be signed in Bulgaria – is intended to provide 110 GWh per year of renewable electricity to AGP-Europe, over 12 years. It complements AGP-Europe’s renewable energy supply from wind power, secured in Sweden earlier this year. Together, thanks to their different sources, they are designed to provide AGP-Europe with a consistent renewable power supply throughout the year.
In conjunction with other Power Purchase Agreements in its portfolio, this deal is designed to enable AGP-Europe to meet over 80% of its 2030 renewable electricity targets.
Martin Petersson, CEO AGP-Europe said: “We are pleased to have finalised this agreement in just six months, which is largely due to Rezolv’s flexibility, the support and technical know-how of Schneider Electric, and our own experience in this field.
“The Bulgarian solar project perfectly meets our aim to diversify the locations of our renewable energy supply and to support emerging energy markets: AGP-Europe benefits from a supply of renewable electricity, while helping Bulgaria’s transition to low-carbon energy.”
Alastair Hammond, CEO, Rezolv Energy added: “By signing this VPPA, AGP-Europe has become one of the most important corporate investors in Bulgaria’s energy transition. Through it, the company has become the leading enabler of St. George, a 229 MW solar project which, overall, will deliver an average of 313 Gigawatt hours of renewable electricity annually. AGP-Europe is therefore making a direct contribution to reducing Bulgaria’s dependence on fossil fuels and to enhancing its energy security.”
The solar project will comprise nearly 400,000 PV panels and will be one of the largest solar projects in Bulgaria.
 

Ardagh Glass Packaging is a leading supplier of sustainable and infinitely recyclable glass packaging. Ardagh Glass Packaging operates 38 production facilities in North America, Europe and Africa and employs approximately 14,000 people and has recorded revenues of $4.6bn.
Schneider Electric’s purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On.
Our mission is to be the trusted partner in Sustainability and Efficiency.
We are a global industrial technology leader bringing world-leading expertise in electrification, automation and digitization to smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-proof data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Anchored by our deep domain expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end lifecycle AI enabled Industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, delivering digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers. 
We are a people company with an ecosystem of 150,000 colleagues and more than a million partners operating in over 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We embrace diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all. www.se.com
Rezolv Energy
Rezolv is a highly experienced, independent renewable energy producer. We provide subsidy-free clean energy at a long-term, stable price for industrial and commercial users, and other off-takers, operating across Central and South Eastern Europe. 
Built on a heritage of 15 years in clean energy, we take renewable projects – wind, solar and storage – from late-stage development through construction and into long-term operation. 
With long-term investment backing from Actis, one of the world’s foremost energy investors, we are building a multi-GW portfolio that will help companies and countries meet their energy needs today and in the future.
 

Following the successful rebrand of JH Label Solutions to Zeus Labels on 1st June, we are excited to announce the upcoming rebranding of Craigavon Office Supplies and JH Office Supplies, effective 1st September 2024. The new entity will operate under the name Zeus Office – Complete Workplace Solutions, offering an extensive and unified range of workplace products and services.
This strategic rebranding initiative will bring together the strengths of Craigavon Office Supplies and JH Office Supplies under the Zeus banner, providing a seamless and comprehensive service experience for their customers. 
Zeus Office – Complete Workplace Solutions will offer:
•    Office Stationery Supplies: Including files, folders, pens, paper, and display boards.
•    Modern Office Furniture Fitouts: Custom solutions tailored to meet individual client needs.
•    Personalised Promotional Products: Such as pens, umbrellas, cups, bottles, and bags.
•    Office Catering Supplies: Including disposable cups, beverage dispenser consumables, and bulk tea or coffee bags.
•    Office Janitorial Supplies: From cleaning fluids and cloths to mopping systems and signage.
•    Shredding Services: Safe disposal of toners, uniforms, hard drives, branded literature, and media.
The rebrand not only unifies their diverse offerings under one brand but also positions Zeus Office as a leading provider of complete workplace solutions, opening new opportunities for businesses to engage with their broad service portfolio.
“Today marks an exciting new chapter for our company as we bring together Craigavon Office Supplies and JH Office Supplies under the Zeus brand. This rebrand is more than just a name change; it represents our commitment to offering a comprehensive, unified range of workplace solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers. By combining our strengths and expanding our portfolio, Zeus Office will deliver a seamless service experience, ensuring that our customers have everything they need to succeed, all under one roof. We are thrilled to continue this journey of growth and innovation with our valued clients.” – Keith Ockenden, CEO.
Craigavon Office Supplies was established in the 1950s under the James Hamilton Group, a company founded in the 1920s that initially supplied wrapping papers to the local linen industry. Over the decades, the James Hamilton Group diversified into commercial printing and food packaging before launching its office supplies division. JH Office Supplies, established in Ballymoney 1980’s, further expanded our reach and capabilities.
This rebranding effort underscores Zeus’s commitment to staying modern and aligning with market trends, ensuring that Zeus Office continues to provide quality products and exceptional customer service. Zeus Office look forward to serving their valued customers under their new name and to continuing their tradition of excellence; an opportunity for people to consolidate their complete workplace supplies with Zeus Office!

About Zeus Packaging
Zeus Packaging is a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, committed to innovation and excellence in serving a diverse range of industries. With a focus on sustainability and customer satisfaction, Zeus Packaging delivers high-quality, eco-friendly packaging products to clients worldwide. Serving in 38 countries and with 61 locations, Zeus truly is a global packaging solutions provider.
 

Siegwerk is thrilled to announce its participation at Label Expo Americas in Chicago, IL, from September 10-12, 2024. The renowned ink and coatings innovator will be exhibiting in Hall A, booth 845, presenting its extensive portfolio of solutions tailored for the print industry. Siegwerk has established itself as a premier innovator, illuminating the print industry with its cutting-edge technology and bespoke service offerings. With a focus on water-based and UV/LED curable inks and functional coatings, both analogue and digital, Siegwerk's products are designed for diverse printing methods and applications, supported by years of expertise.

During the expo, Siegwerk will showcase its latest industry-leading developments, including SICURA Nutriflex ORBIS DC low migration inks and coatings ideal for UV/LED Flexo printing in various sectors. Additionally, Siegwerk will highlight SICURA APEX for stick-and-shine overprint applications, and SICURA DGT (digital) coatings, primers, and adhesives for digital printing technologies. Attendees can experience live demonstrations of Siegwerk's state-of-the-art technologies, including the revolutionary FastMatch Cloud color management system and APR-Recognized sustainable recycling technologies at Siegwerk’s own booth (845).

As a result of collaborations with other industry partners, you’ll find Siegwerk represented at other booths throughout the expo. In celebrating its 200th year anniversary as a family-owned business, Siegwerk reaffirms its commitment to quality and expertise through its comprehensive range of products and services. The team is excited about the opportunity to network with industry peers, showcase the latest innovations, and explore the limitless possibilities in the world of ink at Label Expo Americas. As part of the event, Siegwerk will host a Happy Hour on September 10 at its booth at 4:00pm, creating a conducive environment for networking and learning the latest industry developments and trends. Join Siegwerk to raise a toast to our legacy and engage in informative conversations with industry leaders. For more information and updates, visit Siegwerk at booth 845 during Label Expo Americas 2024. Let's come together to celebrate our heritage and drive innovation in the world of ink.

Global sustainable packaging leader, Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY) partnered with Abel & Cole, a pioneer in sustainable food delivery, to supply bottles for its Club Zero Refillable Milk delivery service. The new polypropylene (PP) bottles can be refilled up to 16 times before being recycled.
Made with widely recyclable polypropylene (PP), the new bottles produce fewer transport and processing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to heavier glass bottles,* challenging the conventional use of glass bottles for home milk delivery.  
Research conducted by Abel & Cole suggests that reusing the Club Zero Refillable Milk bottles just four times reduces the carbon footprint of their single-use milk bottles by half compared to heavier glass bottles, which would take over 15 returns to reach similar emissions savings. At the same time, the concept saves 450,000 single-use plastic milk bottles from landfills or incineration per year, equivalent to 23 tonnes of plastic.
“When it comes to packaging materials, plastic is often seen as the enemy,” explained Hugo Lynch, Sustainability Lead at Abel & Cole. “But we challenged ourselves to ask if it was better to use glass, which is heavier and more energy-intensive to make, or to go against the grain.”
The bottle design is optimised to support Abel & Cole’s eight-stage cleaning process, which eliminates the drying stage, reducing the risk of bacterial contamination. Bottles undergo an eight-stage washing process when returned, ensuring thorough cleaning before being conveyed to the cleanroom for refilling.
To facilitate superior cleaning with minimal risk, the new bottles were designed without a handle, reducing ‘trap points’ where bacteria might gather and allowing for easy drainage. Bottles were optimised to suit Abel and Cole's existing factory equipment – for example, the bottle was reverse-engineered to fit the existing low density polyethylene (LDPE) cap used for Abel & Cole milk bottles. This helps reduce costs and eliminates the need for new equipment investments. Similarly, the bottle fits into existing single-use milk crates – making the delivery process a modern spin on the traditional milk round.
Berry conducted rigorous chemical tests to ensure PP provided the strength and durability to undergo high processing temperatures and prevent breakage that is common to glass. 
The bottle label contains extensive consumer communication to encourage returns, while the label itself also provides an ‘early warning’ system for each bottle’s end of life. This is because labelled bottles can be washed up to 16 times before the label shows signs of degradation, meaning that Abel & Cole can track bottle life and ‘retire’ each bottle when it is ready for recycling. 
The first samples were 3D printed for migration testing in June 2023, and the first bottles shipped to customers in October. Since launch, the one litre Club Zero Refillable Milk bottle has seen a 20% uplift in sales week-on-week. The current return rate is 64%, with Abel & Cole targeting a minimum of 75%.

“We are committed to delivering innovative, reusable packaging solutions that help our customers make transformative leaps toward their sustainability goals,” said Sue Springett, Senior Marketing Manager for Berry Agile Solutions. 
“Through circular partnerships like these, we unpack complexities and help our customers understand what’s possible for the plastic substrate.”
*Based on research conducted by Abel & Cole 

About Berry
At Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY), we create innovative packaging solutions that we believe make life better for people and the planet. We do this every day by leveraging our unmatched global capabilities, sustainability leadership, and deep innovation expertise to serve customers of all sizes around the world. Harnessing the strength in our diversity and industry-leading talent of over 40,000 global employees across more than 250 locations, we partner with customers to develop, design, and manufacture innovative products with an eye toward the circular economy. The challenges we solve and the innovations we pioneer benefit our customers at every stage of their journey. For more information, visit our website, or connect with us on LinkedIn or X.
About Abel & Cole
Abel & Cole have trailblazed sustainable shopping since 1988. When it comes to food, they always go the extra mile. Because creating exceptional food that's good for you and the planet isn't easy, but it's worth doing. With their boundary-pushing 'Refuse. Reuse. Recycle.' Packaging Promise and commitment to finding the latest and best organic and sustainable food innovations, Abel & Cole aren't just talking the talk – they're walking the walk, too.
 

~Stands out as the only national lassi brand available in PET packaging priced at Rs. 20~
~Launch supported by a high decibel campaign featuring brand ambassador, Varun Dhawan aptly displaying the ‘Ohhh sooo Smoodh’ energy~ 

Parle Agro, known for driving innovation in the Indian beverage market, launches SMOODH Lassi, a fresh addition to its growing dairy portfolio that is set to redefine the Indian dairy category once again. Building on the success of SMOODH flavoured milk, the new offering reflects Parle Agro's commitment to disrupting market norms with innovative, high-quality, and affordable products that unlock the full potential of its category, leading to extraordinary growth. This exciting launch is backed by an extensive multi-channel campaign, the largest ever in the lassi category, featuring brand ambassador, Varun Dhawan.

With SMOODH Lassi, Parle Agro takes lassi to new heights of delight and indulgence. With 50% dahi content, this lassi is wonderfully thick and creamy, delivering a delicious, smooth, and satisfying drinking experience with every sip. SMOODH Lassi offers the classic lassi taste, gently infused with a delicate hint of rose creating a flavour that is both refreshing and comforting. It’s the perfect beverage for relaxing moments - whether it's a quick snack, a family gathering, serving guests or simply a refreshing pick-me up.

Making SMOODH Lassi even more unique is its packaging. Parle Agro is the sole national player offering lassi in cutting-edge aseptic PET packaging at a competitive price of Rs. 20 for 180 ml. This innovative packaging ensures the lassi is free from trans fats and preservatives, with a remarkable six-month shelf life, perfectly aligning with Parle Agro’s commitment to wholesome, quality, and guilt-free indulgence. Its vibrant, trendy design is eye-catchy and appealing, making it stand out in a crowded market. Additionally, its youthful look and convenient size make it ideal for on-the-go consumption.

Parle Agro kicks off its dynamic 360-degree campaign for SMOODH Lassi with a TVC created by &Walsh. Featuring the charismatic Varun Dhawan in a dual role, the ad seamlessly aligns with the brand's young and vibrant image. Dhawan’s portrayal of both a customer seeking the ultimate lassi experience and a shopkeeper delivering it highlights SMOODH Lassi’s superior quality and irresistible taste. This approach emphasizes SMOODH Lassi’s creamy texture, delightful flavour, and refreshing qualities, positioning it as a charming, wholesome beverage that brings good vibes to any moment. The campaign effectively captures the ‘Ohhh sooo Smoodh’ essence, showcasing SMOODH Lassi as the top choice for creamy indulgence and joyful refreshment.

Commenting on the launch of SMOODH Lassi, Nadia Chauhan, Joint Managing Director, Parle Agro, said, “Lassi is a beverage rooted in the Indian culture, with significant market potential. SMOODH Lassi is our innovative take on this classic beverage, offering a premium, creamier, and richer product that seamlessly blends tradition with modernity. We've carefully crafted SMOODH Lassi to exceed consumer expectations, focusing on quality, taste, and nutritional value. Our campaign with Varun Dhawan, is designed to resonate with consumers, positioning SMOODH Lassi as a standout choice in the crowded lassi market. With this approach, we aim to elevate the product's visibility and strengthen our leadership in beverage innovation."

The introduction of SMOODH Lassi is a strategic move by Parle Agro to capitalize on substantial and largely unorganized INR 3000 crore+ loose lassi market in India, with the goal of elevating industry standards of this beverage segment. While the unpackaged lassi category is vast, the packaged segment lacks a defining national presence.  Parle Agro seeks to leverage its leadership in the industry to shape and lead the development of the "Lassi Category" in India with SMOODH Lassi.

Sharing more details on their corporate strategy, Ms. Chauhan added, “Our strategy has always centered on diversifying our portfolio to anticipate consumer preferences and set market trends. The launch of SMOODH Lassi in innovative packaging reflects our commitment to delivering pioneering products that cater to today’s evolving consumer needs.”

SMOODH Lassi is available nationwide, ensuring easy access for both urban and rural consumers. The launch is supported by an extensive marketing campaign across multiple mediums. The TVC will air on national and regional channels, with additional aggressive activations planned on digital platforms, out-of-home (OOH) advertising, and social media, all aimed at maximizing reach and consumer engagement across the country. SMOODH Lassi’s visibility will be further enhanced through strategic integrations into the storylines of popular GEC shows, viewed and loved by millions.

About Parle Agro:

A pioneer in the beverage industry, Parle Agro Pvt. Ltd. is the largest Indian beverage company with a brand turnover of Rs. 8500 Cr. As a driving force of the Indian beverage market, it offers consumers a variety of products including Fruit Juice based still drinks and Fruit Flavoured sparkling drinks, Packaged Drinking Water, Carbonated Water and Dairy beverages serving a variety of consumer needs. With 84 manufacturing facilities across India and international locations, Parle Agro caters to over 1.9 million outlets in India driven through more than 6000 channels partners. Along with its brands Frooti, Appy, Appy Fizz, B Fizz, SMOODH, Bailley, Bailley Soda Frio, Dhishoom and Bombay 99, the organization has a continued belief in the power of innovation that drives strategy, product development and business practices.  This belief has translated into Parle Agro establishing trends that have changed industry and consumer outlook and approach.

Ahead of the FACHPACK 2024, film manufacturer SÜDPACK unveiled its latest innovation: PET floatable lidding films. Used on mono-APET trays, the low-density, sealable top webs can be separated during recycling from the APET bottom webs, producing cleanly recycled materials for infeed into the differ-ent material flows. This offers a sustainable market alternative for safe pack-aging of sliced meat, ham and cheese in peelable, thermoformed and MAP packagings. The PET floatable lidding films provide equal performance and processing reliability to conventional lidding films.
The product family includes a peelable version as well as a top web featuring Multipeel for excellent opening and reclosing. Consumers appreciate the extra convenience of secure closing and perfect protection for a longer shelf life of the packaged food. Multipeel® PET floatable helps cut the carbon footprint of products in two ways: recyclable packaging and longer food freshness.
Strong product properties 
Peel PET floatable is a premium product in terms of packaging safety and per-formance. The extra-thin lidding film (45 µm) securely seals against PET trays, even when contaminated with fats. It peels easily off the tray and does not tear or roll up. The high oxygen barrier also ensures optimal product protection. Good antifog properties keep the lidding film clear. This ensures an attractive presentation at the POS because consumers consider it a hallmark of quality of both product and packaging.
Another advantage is that Peel PET floatable does not require expensive ad-justments to production machines. The high-performance films can be optimal-ly processed just like conventional lidding films on thermoforming packaging machines and tray sealers. Excellent sealing properties and a large processing window guarantee high versatility as well as maximum packaging and process reliability.
Success factor with added value: recyclability
SÜDPACK customers can combine the new Peel or Multipeel PET floatable solu-tions with mono-APET trays and declare their packaging concept recyclable. This makes a positive contribution to resource conservation and sustainability. “The good separability as well as low weight share of the top web in the overall packaging deliver a recyclability of over 80%. The first customer applications are already being implemented,” emphasizes Valeska Haux, Vice President Strategic Marketing & Sustainability at SÜDPACK.
SÜDPACK will present the new product family at the FACHPACK in Nuremberg from September 24 to 26, 2024 at booth 220 in Hall 4.

About SÜDPACK
SÜDPACK is a leading manufacturer of high-performance films and packaging solutions for the food, non-food and medical goods industries and also of cus-tomer-specific compounds for technically demanding applications. 
The family business, which was founded by Alfred Remmele in 1964, is head-quartered in Ochsenhausen. The production sites in Germany, France, Poland, India, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the USA are equipped with cutting-edge plant technology and manufacture to the highest standards, including the capacity to operate under clean room conditions. The global sales and service network ensures a high degree of proximity to the customer and comprehen-sive application technology support in more than 70 countries.
With its state-of-the-art Development and Application Center at its headquar-ters in Ochsenhausen, the innovation-oriented company offers its customers an optimal platform for developing individual and tailor-made solutions and also for performing application tests.
SÜDPACK is committed to sustainable development and fulfills its responsibility as an employer and towards society, the environment and its customers. For its sustainable product developments and consistent commitment to a func-tioning circular economy in the plastics industry, SÜDPACK has received nu-merous awards. Further information is available at www.suedpack.com 
 

Leading the charge towards sustainable packaging solutions, Siegwerk, Multi-Plastics and Tripack, have united their expertise to unveil a groundbreaking APR approved fully recyclable shrink sleeve water bottle project for the English Mountain Spring Water Company at Label Expo Americas 2024, September 10-12 in Chicago, IL. This collaborative effort underscores a shared commitment to environmental stewardship and innovation in the packaging industry.

Multi-Plastics, a key contributor to the project, provided their Envirocycle 30 percent post-consumer recyclate PET shrink sleeve film essential for the structural integrity of the recyclable English Mountain Spring Water Company water bottle. Siegwerk's cutting-edge CIRKIT de-inking primer technology, combined with SICURA Orbis ink technology, to wash off in combination with deinking primer, was instrumental in ensuring the bottle's recyclability. Tripack's expertise in application technology enabled the seamless integration of PET shrink sleeves onto PET bottles, establishing a sustainable packaging solution that prioritizes efficiency and eco-consciousness.

The use of Multi-Plastics Envirocycle PET shrink sleeve film in this project highlights its role in enhancing the quality of recycling processes, preventing clumping, and significantly reducing the environmental footprint. Furthermore, Siegwerk's CIRKIT deinking primer and SICURA Orbis ink technology sets a new standard for ink removal, ensuring a clean and uncontaminated PET flake with minimal impact on wash water, thereby advancing the cause of sustainability within the packaging sector.

The shrink sleeves were printed using a PET film with 30 percent post-consumer recyclate which enhances the overall commitment toward achieving a higher standard of environmental responsibility.   This collaboration created this shrink sleeve label based on the APR approved design guidelines.  This included shrink sleeve material and inks that meet the APR standards for preferred design recognition.  This strategic approach not only highlights our technical prowess but also underscores the collaboration’s dedication to fully aligning with the APR’s PET recycling requirements for all aspects of the shrink sleeve label.

This collaborative effort between Tripack, Siegwerk, and Multi-Plastics exemplifies a shared vision for a more sustainable future, where technical ingenuity meets environmental consciousness to drive positive change in the packaging industry. For more information about our sustainable initiatives, please visit our website: https://www.innovation-through-collaboration.com.

About Siegwerk

Siegwerk is a leading manufacturer of inks and coatings for the printing industry. Siegwerk provides world-class inks and coatings technology accompanied with specialized service solutions. Siegwerk’s ink and coatings products include water-based, solvent-based, UV/ LED curable, and specialty inks and coatings for the gamut of printing processes including ­flexographic, rotary screen, rotogravure, and offset printing. Inks and coatings are used on pressure-sensitive papers and films, unsupported film applications including shrink and in-mold labels. Our experts will guide you to the ink of the best performances.

About Multi-Plastics

Multi-Plastics, Inc. is a leading innovator in the plastics manufacturing industry, specializing in the production of high-quality, custom plastic solutions. Established with a commitment to excellence, Multi-Plastics, Inc. offers a diverse range of products serving the Envelope, Folding Carton, Thermoforming, Label, and Flexible Packaging markets. Leveraging advanced technology and a highly skilled team, the company is dedicated to delivering superior products that meet the evolving needs of its global clientele. With a focus on sustainability and customer satisfaction, Multi-Plastics, Inc. continues to drive progress and set industry standards through its cutting-edge solutions and exceptional service.

About Tripack

Tripack is your go-to partner for innovative packaging solutions. With over 20 years of expertise in shrink-sleeve packaging technology, we offer a range of services including the design, manufacturing, and installation of sleeving systems. Our contract packaging services complement your needs, providing flexibility and guidance until you're ready to bring the process in-house. Whether it's variety packing, carton packaging, or print registered club store bundles for promotions, Tripack delivers quality and reliability every time. We're your single-source provider that can supply materials as well as the specialty packaging services you need.

The German plant manufacturer WELTEC BIOPOWER is supporting Yarra Valley Water for the refurbishment of its 1-megawatt biogas plant in the north of Melbourne. Yarra Valley Water, is one of Australia‘s largest water and wastewater companies. Since the completion of the waste and food waste plant by WELTEC BIOPOWER and its project partner in 2017, Yarra Valley Water’s Aurora Treatment Plant has been energy self-sufficient. In order to be able to operate the plant profitably into the future, it has been undergoing a technical modernization including biological service planned for August 2024. The work of the local team is being supported by WELTEC on site

The output of the plant, which has two 530-kilowatt CHP units, covers the energy requirements of the biogas plant. The electricity generated is able to power both the facility itself and the sewage treatment plant, with excess energy is exported to the electricity grid. The plant has a processing capacity of 33,000 tons of organic waste from food processors and restaurants to generate around 7,500,000 kilowatt hours of energy per year. Accepted waste includes fats, oils, brewery and dairy residues, fruit and vegetables which are fed into the stainless steel containers. The plant has already won prestigious awards for its technology: These include the Premier‘s Sustainability Award for leading innovation and practice in Victoria and the Banksia Award for Leading in Circular Economy.

At the start of the maintenance work, the tanks will first be completely emptied. In addition, the roofs of the two 3,573 cubic meter stainless steel fermenters and internal plant components such as the agitator technology will be replaced. The plant will then be commissioned and operational management will be secured. The digester contents will be temporarily stored in the storage tank and material can be filled back into the tanks after the refurbishment so the plant can be up and running quickly. This saves resources and costs. In addition, it is easier to restart the biological process when the fermented material is immediately available. Last but not least, the processes also comply with occupational safety requirements, which are a high priority in Australia – especially when emptying and filling the tanks. WELTEC will also provide on-site staff training.

“WELTEC BIOPOWER has been a valued partner in our successful journey with our Wollert Facility. We value their commitment to safety and quality and have leveraged their expertise in mechanical and biological consulting over the lifespan of our facility,” emphasizes Stephanie Salinas, Manager Waste to Energy Services at YVW. “WELTEC can look back on extensive experience with such complex refurbishment projects. We are delighted that we have been able to enjoy the trust of our customers over such a long period of time,” says Vladimir Bogatov, Area Sales Manager Asia Pacific at WELTEC BIOPOWER. With more than 400 biogas plants planned and built worldwide and a strong service department, WELTEC has the necessary level of expertise for such modernizations. This experience is also valued Down Under to ensure that the plant operation remains flexible and continues to live up to its reputation as one of Australia‘s most innovative biogas projects in the future

Company Portrait

Since its foundation in 2001, the WELTEC Group from Vechta in Lower Saxony, Germany, has been contributing to the success of the energy transition. The specialist has developed into one of the world‘s leading providers for the construction and operation of biogas and biomethane plants. The group covers the entire biogas value chain, including the design, planning and setup of energy plants, 24/7 service, sustainable utilization concepts for the output flows and ongoing or temporary plant operation – an area in which it has more than 15 years of experience

The establishment of individual, technically mature solutions with custom-tailored processes is one of the strengths of WELTEC BIOPOWER. Moreover, the use of stainless-steel technologies ensures flexible substrate input, quick and inexpensive assembly and a consistently high quality standard, regardless of the location. Following the go-live, WELTEC can take care of the mechanical and biological service in order to ensure efficiency of the plants.

The company also boasts a wealth of experience in the field of biogas generation and utilization. In Germany, the annual output of the 11 group-owned plants amounts to about 280 million standard m³ of raw biogas a year. Part of the renewable raw material is processed into biomethane and distributed to energy suppliers and petrol stations. Additionally, the biogas is used to supply heat to municipalities and businesses – e.g. in the field of horticulture, housing construction and healthcare – at a total of 16 locations within the scope of WELTEC energy contracting.

Apart from the entire biogas value chain, the portfolio also covers agricultural trade including transport, farm services and manure utilization. For WELTEC, proximity to customers and investors is very important. These include businesses from industries such as agriculture, food, waste and wastewater. With its global sales and service network and a team of 170 employees, the company has already installed more than 400 energy plants in 26 countries on five continents

•    New BOPP line to have a capacity of 60,000 TPA
•    Expected to be commissioned in the second half (H2) of FY 25-26

New Delhi, 21st August 2024: JPFL Films Private Limited, a subsidiary of flexible packaging giant Jindal Poly Films Ltd, has announced a capacity expansion with a new BOPP line in Nashik, Maharashtra. The new line, expected to be commissioned in H2 FY 25-26 will see a capex commitment of INR 250 cr.

The capacity expansion is part of the company’s strategic play in the BOPP segment and is in line with the company’s aim to increase market share amidst challenging demand-supply imbalances leading to ongoing pricing pressures in the sector. The expansion comes in the backdrop of impressive top-line growth accompanied by a 142% rise in EBITDA in Quarter 1 of FY’25 and to maintain its market leadership despite business headwinds.

The new line is expected to be the most advanced in the market, boasting superior width and output capabilities, along with exceptional reliability, equipment quality, and process efficiency. It can produce high-OD rolls up to 1,700 mm, optimizing efficiency for downstream processes such as metallizing.

Sharing his views on the strategic expansion, Mr. Vinod Kumar Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, JPFL Films put it in perspective, “Building on the momentum of our strong Q1 performance, this investment is a strategic step to further strengthen our market position and drive sustainable growth. The packaging industry is fundamentally a cyclical business, and the industry is witnessing a market correction at this point of time. Going forward the new BOPP line positions us to deliver exceptional value to our customers. With this expansion, we are enhancing our ability to meet and exceed customer expectations with a diverse range of high-performance films. Moreover, this move aligns perfectly with our goals of improving operational efficiency and sets us up well to leverage business upturns as we continue to maintain market leadership.”

The commissioning of the new line will bolster Jindal Poly Films Ltd.’s growth story. It highlights the company’s commitment to technological advancement, quality enhancement, cost optimization and innovation, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction. As the flexible packaging market continues to evolve, Jindal Poly Films Ltd through its subsidiary JPFL Films, is better equipped to meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, reinforcing its status as an industry pioneer and reliable flexible packaging partner for businesses worldwide.  

About Jindal Poly Films Ltd-
Since its entry into Flexible Film Manufacturing business in 1996, Jindal Poly Films Ltd. (JPFL), it has turned into an over USD 500 million turnover company with 2500+ workforce focusing on trust, value for customers, quality innovation and customer satisfaction. The company stands out in the flexible packaging industry in India as a one-stop-shop film solution provider across all segments. JPFL commands the highest market share in the Country and its Nasik Plant, owned by one of its subsidiary JPFL Films Private Limited is the world’s largest single location facility for the manufacturing of flexible packaging films. 

About BC Jindal Group-
The US$ 2.5 billion B. C. Jindal Group is among India's leading business houses. The Group, with a culturally diverse workforce across India, USA, and Europe, employs more than 10000 people and has been offering a wide range of products and solutions since 1952. The Group by way of its innovative and sustainable presence in flexible packaging films, energy generation and downstream steel products play an important role in driving India’s economic growth. The Group strives for excellence by leveraging its strengths & capabilities including a successful track-record of executing capital-intensive & technically complex projects, including multiple acquisitions globally. Also, The Group has a strong social development focus aimed at empowering local communities residing around its plant locations.
 

Antares Vision Group – a technological partner in the digitalization of products and supply chains for companies and institutions, and leader in traceability and inspection for quality control – has launched its new Food Safety Solution, a cloud-based platform designed to ensure regulatory compliance, precision traceability and supply chain transparency for food & beverage brand owners. The solution will be showcased for the first time at Pack Expo International 2024 (Chicago, November 3-6 2024). where it has been selected as a Technology Excellence Awards finalist in the Food/Beverage category. 
The sophisticated system was developed by ACSIS technology, part of Antares Vision Group. The comprehensive solution allows manufacturers and distributors to track raw materials, manage purchase orders, and obtain status updates on subcontractor deliveries, while also providing a labeling solution with all required attributes to meet regulatory compliance – particularly those involving the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). 
The Food Safety Solution addresses several hurdles to complying with regulations without impacting overall efficiency. For starters, the system offers full, turnkey traceability for raw materials and ingredients, allowing brand owners to fully vouch for their authenticity and origin. Further downstream, the platform addresses stringent FSMA mandates with comprehensive, situation-specific labeling capabilities.
The solution’s supply chain management elements help streamline procurement, production and delivery processes in a manner that simplifies protocols and satisfies regulatory reporting requirements. Simultaneously, data collected from various metrics-producing elements permits informed intraorganizational decision-making and, in a landscape where customers are increasingly keen on ironclad verification, elevated overall transparency.
“Antares Vision Group’s Food Safety Solution offers a versatile platform ensuring full traceability across the food supply chain, in compliance with FSMA 204,” said John DiPalo, Chief Strategy Officer at ACSIS Tech. “By enhancing collaboration and visibility through seamless partner connections, leveraging diverse connectivity options, and integrating advanced data collection technologies (barcode, RFID, IoT), it sets a new standard in operational excellence. Our recent nomination for the prestigious Technology Excellence Award at this fall’s Pack Expo underscores the significant impact and innovation of our solution, highlighting our commitment to advancing food safety and supply chain integrity.”

ABOUT ANTARES VISION GROUP 
Antares Vision Group is an Italian multinational, listed on the STAR segment of Euronext and included in the Tech Leaders index, dedicated to companies with high growth potential. It enables the digitalization of products and supply chains through traceability, inspection for quality control and integrated data management. Through DIAMIND, the integrated ecosystem of solutions, the Group supports companies and institutions in ensuring safety, quality, efficiency and sustainability of products and end-to-end traceability across the supply chain, with integrated data management, boosted by artificial intelligence and blockchains. It operates in the Life Science and in FMCG sectors. It is the world leader in T&T systems for pharma products, supplying major global manufacturers and numerous government authorities. It recorded a turnover of €214M in 2023, operates in 60 countries, employs over 1,300 people, and boasts a network of over 40 international partners. www.antaresvisiongroup.com.

ABOUT ACSIS 
For over 25 years, ACSIS has delivered innovative supply chain execution solutions with actionable results to valued customers such as The Coca-Cola Company, DuPont, The Hershey Company, AmerisourceBergen, Cintas, Ashland, and more. ACSIS traceability solutions for the extended supply chain provide a real-time view of supply chain execution – connecting legacy systems, partner networks, and assets for better insight and smarter forecasting.

 AEROBAL, the International Organisation of Aluminium Aerosol Container Manufacturers, once again held its prestigious World Aluminium Aerosol Can Award competition. The winners were selected by an international jury of trade journalists from leading can and packaging magazines in the categories ‘Aluminium aerosol cans already on the market’, ‘Prototypes’ and ‘Sustainability’. Thanks to the high quality of the competition and the expertise of its judges, the AEROBAL Award has established itself worldwide as a reliable indicator of the excellent performance level of aluminium aerosol can manufacturers.

There were two winners this year in the category ‘Aluminium aerosol cans already on the market’: Trivium Packaging USA and the Turkish manufacturer Aryum.

Aryum has produced the winning can for a premium men's non-gas perfume from J. Company. J. is Pakistan’s premium fashion and fragrance brand designed by J. Junaid Jamshed Pvt Ltd. for the deceased musician and fashion designer of the same name. Looking for an innovative aluminium can solution to their new non-gas perfume projects, the company opted for Aryum’s innovative can technology „360° Embossed Shaping with Oriented Printing“. Thus, the brand “J.“ has been highlighted by a square embossed shape. This alone gives the can a unique characteristic, and the tactile experience of the all-round shaping does the rest. As the artworks of the men‘s perfume range have been designed with attractive colours and designs, the brand has been differentiated from the main looks and highlighted by the embossing shape. The result is amazing. The successful design concept gives the entire range, as well as each individual fragrance note, an individual and impressive appearance. In addition to the strong colours, this is ensured by the strikingly designed names of the different fragrance variants, which almost develop their own logo character with a high recognition value. 

The second winning can was produced by Trivium Packaging USA for Grand Tongo from Newport Beach in California. With its cutting-edge approach to insect repellent, Grand Tongo has redefined the category, offering consumers an effective and environmentally conscious product. The 50x165 mm aluminium aerosol can with a flat shoulder is a great example of technical innovation reflecting the brand’s commitment to excellence and sustainability. The can’s design is a result of meticulous research and development, focusing on user-friendliness and environmental impact. One of the most notable features is the use of aluminium. The can’s technical aspects are equally impressive. Grand Tongo has incorporated a bag-on-valve system that allows a fine mist spray, delivering the repellent effectively and efficiently. This system minimizes waste and ensures that each application is consistent, enhancing the user experience. The design of the can also includes a twist-lock cap that prevents accidental discharge, making it safe for transport and storage. The clear design of the cans perfectly conveys the philosophy of the product and brand through their almost purist and natural look. In addition, the decent use of colour accents visualises the different fragrance variants and facilitates intuitive orientation for consumers.

Nussbaum from Switzerland took first place in the ‘prototypes‘ category. The 15 bar aerosol cans with a diameter of 40mm, which are equipped with an innovative segment thread and matching screw caps, set new standards in terms of safety, user-friendliness and sustainability. The cans with standardized 1-inch opening are perfectly compatible with established accessories such as spray nozzles and valves. The clever segment thread facilitates the simple and secure attachment of a screw cap that prevents unintentional spread of the contents – neither during transportation nor in daily use. Even if hit by a strong force during transport, the resistant screw cap reliably protects the contents and at the same time prevents the nozzle from being unintentionally triggered. The excellent seal also protects against moisture and dust, which is ideal for special applications. Thanks to the special segment thread, the aerosol cans can be easily used with dispensers and special adapters. Flexible and versatile, they adjust to individual requirements in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, personal care, household, and industrial sectors. The screw caps are recyclable and thus comply with the high standards of the company in every aspect of the design.

In the ‘Sustainability’ category, an aluminium can for the ‘Best of the Best’ deodorant from Adidas was the winner, which was produced by Trivium Packaging Brazil. This deodorant project was a partnership between Adidas and the Champions League, licensed by Coty Global, to bring Adidas consumers closer to the biggest football competition in Europe. The artwork was created with the global team in partnership with Adidas and replicated in all world markets. Produced by Trivium Packaging Brazil, the can’s technical challenges and sustainability credits are noteworthy. The can design highlights fine detailed „fingerprints“ on the front of the can, in pink, with the fusion of the background blue. Trivium developed two special blues, so that when one was superimposed over the other, there is no visual marking, but rather a smooth passage. To ensure the elements stood out against the background, special inks were used, bringing more shine and prominence to the elements. The 45x148 mm can with flat shoulder was developed using PivotAL™, a proprietary advanced aluminium alloy containing up to 25% recycled content and produced through an innovative process where the aluminium is used in the liquid phase. This removed the need to melt ingots as in the traditional process. The alloy was produced utilizing renewable energy, thus ensuring lower carbon emission rates. Additionally, the internal varnish used was reduced by almost 50%, which also contributed to the packaging’s smaller footprint in greenhouse gas emissions. 
 

Each year, WirtschaftsWoche magazine has a total of 4,000 German medium-sized companies independently analyzed for its annual innovation ranking. This year’s result is now in: For the third time in a row, SÜDPACK ranks under the top 10. The family-owned film manufacturer sees its excellent position at number 5 in the ranking above all as an endorsement of its innovation and sustainability-focused corporate strategy. The company has always invested in futureproof technologies, disrupted the market with groundbreaking innova-tions, and consistently broken into new markets and developed new business models. However, as the respected economic magazine stresses, a crucial fac-tor is the inspiration that radiates from the top Innovations Champions. SÜD-PACK is actively helping shape the future of the plastics and packaging industry – making it a powerful driver of innovation in the industry. 
For the current ranking, Munich-based consultancy Munich Strategy first eval-uated the annual financial statements and presentations of 4,000 German me-dium-sized companies. Then the experts intensively examined the 400 best companies and determined their innovation scores. One third of the score is based on sales and profit growth and two thirds on the innovative strength of the company. Key criteria include product developments as well as the amount spent annually on R&D. The innovation classification of each medium-sized enterprise on the market was also an important factor in the analysis. With an innovation score of 392.1, SÜDPACK occupies fifth place in this year’s innova-tion ranking.
Distinctive product developments
SÜDPACK draws on technological progress and its vast expertise in R&D to de-velop groundbreaking product innovations. These are designed to support customers in their sustainability efforts and to drive transformation in the in-dustry. Through intensive collaboration with scientific institutes, technology partners, raw materials suppliers, and customers, solutions are developed that are perfectly tailored to individual requirements. “Innovation and sustainability form the basis for our success,” says Carolin Grimbacher, Managing Partner of SÜDPACK. 
For example, the film producer continually launches new PP and PE-based packaging concepts on the market in the form of single-material solutions, which are classified as recyclable. PharmaGuard®, a recyclable blister concept for solid applications, was developed specifically for the pharmaceutical indus-try. The single-material PP structure as well as the material efficiency improve the eco-balance of the packed products. Among the latest innovations is Peel PET floatable. Thanks to the low density of the film, the floatable top webs can be separated during recycling from the PET trays, producing a clean recycled material flow.
In product development, the company uses a powerful LCA tool to assess the entire life cycle of products along the process chain. Another highlight is the state-of-the-art multiXtrusion pilot plant which makes it possible to implement new developments profitably, under realistic production conditions, and on an industrial scale. 
New technologies, new business models
To ensure that initial ideas turn into successful innovations and lucrative busi-ness models, SÜDPACK continually invests in futureproof technologies and expertise. The best example of this is carboliq, a groundbreaking process for converting various plastic fractions into oil. SÜDPACK has been the majority shareholder in Carboliq GmbH since 2024. “We believe chemical recycling is a vital component in a circular plastics industry. It also provides a new business model for our company group. carboliq demonstrates impressively that inno-vation for us goes beyond products and also includes business processes,” emphasizes Carolin Grimbacher. 
With its own mechanical material management, SÜDPACK also operates a divi-sion for regranulation and compounding. This makes the company the only film manufacturer with access to both recycling methods, so it can offer each customer the best recycling option for its specific plastic fractions. 

About SÜDPACK
SÜDPACK is a leading manufacturer of high-performance films and packaging solutions for the food, non-food and medical goods industries and also of cus-tomer-specific compounds for technically demanding applications. 
The family business, which was founded by Alfred Remmele in 1964, is head-quartered in Ochsenhausen. The production sites in Germany, France, Poland, India, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the USA are equipped with cutting-edge plant technology and manufacture to the highest standards, including the capacity to operate under clean room conditions. The global sales and service network ensures a high degree of proximity to the customer and comprehen-sive application technology support in more than 70 countries.
With its state-of-the-art Development and Application Center at its headquar-ters in Ochsenhausen, the innovation-oriented company offers its customers an optimal platform for developing individual and tailor-made solutions and also for performing application tests.
SÜDPACK is committed to sustainable development and fulfills its responsibility as an employer and towards society, the environment and its customers. For its sustainable product developments and consistent commitment to a func-tioning circular economy in the plastics industry, SÜDPACK has received nu-merous awards.
 

The future belongs to sustainable packaging solutions. Reflecting this fact, film manufacturer SÜDPACK will present its product and service portfolio in this area at the FACHPACK 2024 in Hall 4 at Booth 220. Visitors can find out among other things about the innovative concepts of Pure-Line products, which com-bine high recyclability and material efficiency with optimal product quality and safety. Pure-Line offers high-performance films for thermoformed packagings, trays and pouches suitable for packaging a wide range of foods. With this and other solutions, SÜDPACK provides its customers with genuine added value for future-oriented packaging design.
The company’s stand in Nuremberg will demonstrate its clear commitment to increased sustainability. But above all it will be a must-see presentation for all companies who want to design greener, more profitable, and therefore mod-ern packaging processes and concepts.
New products from SÜDPACK
As at earlier trade shows, SÜDPACK expects keen visitor interest in its recycla-ble, single-material solutions based on PP and PE. Features that characterize the recyclable high-performance films in the Pure-Line range include a much smaller carbon footprint than conventional concepts, and high versatility. 
Apart from packaging solutions for fresh foods, the company offers a PP-based concept for packaging coffee in stand-up pouches as a substitute for the usual PET/aluminum composites. “According to our internal LCA calculations, that reduces the carbon footprint of a coffee package by more than 30%,” said Valeska Haux, Vice President Strategic Marketing & Sustainability at SÜDPACK. Further advantages are the high material efficiency due to reduced density, optimal barrier properties thanks to the excellent water vapor barrier provided by PP, and outstanding ease of processing, which is down to the thermal re-sistance. 
The innovations at the booth also include the (Multi-)Peel PET floatable solu-tion. Thanks to its low density, the floatable top web can be separated during recycling from PET trays, producing a clean recycled material flow. 
The Multifol Extreme stands out for a low material input. The high-performance flexible film from SÜDPACK is up to 30% thinner than other, con-ventional PA/PE structures. Thanks to exceptional sealing performance even when contaminated with oil or fat as well as high puncture resistance, Multifol Extreme films are ideal for securely packaging greasy, protein-rich products and frozen food in MAP and vacuum packagings. 
For producers of nuts, sweet and savory snacks, as well as spices, coffee, and tea, SÜDPACK also offers a sustainable solution: PP and PE-based, recyclable monomaterials for manufacturing stand-up pouches with or without reclose systems are a sustainable alternative to conventional film structures. For pro-ducers and packagers of liquid or pasty foods such as fruit purees, pouches can also be fitted with spouts. Together with the cooperation partners SN Maschi-nenbau and MENSHEN, SÜDPACK offers an overall concept for easy and relia-ble in-house production of spouted pouches. 
New services from SÜDPACK
Introduced in late 2023, the new LCA tool EcoTrace has become an essential component in assessing the eco-balance of packaging solutions. Using this tool, SÜDPACK analyzes the environmental impact over the entire life cycle of its own products as well as customer concepts. This enables fact-based decisions that take into account not only greenhouse gases (CO2e), but also other factors such as fossil resource consumption and environmental and human toxicity. 
For certain product groups, SÜDPACK also achieves ISO 14040/44 certifications for its LCAs, e.g. for its Flow Pack PurePP films. Part of the SÜDPACK Pure-Line portfolio, these films are flexible composites used for manufacturing flow packs for multiple applications. The films consist of PP with a small share of barrier polymer. Due to their single-material structure, the cyclos-HTP institute assesses their recyclability rate as 92%. For the certification, the testers took into account various scenarios, e.g. the recyclate share in material use, and different end-of-life options.
New business models from SÜDPACK
The management at the company headquarters in Ochsenhausen see the transformation in the plastics and packaging industry as an opportunity rather than a challenge. With its expertise, bold vision, top technology, and high in-vestment power, the film manufacturer has the drive to achieve its goal “Lead-ership in Sustainability” – which was defined in the Corporate Strategy 2030. And SÜDPACK is also actively driving the transformation process. Apart from the early development of sustainable production lines, the company is also currently the only supplier in the industry that has succeeded in opening up new prospects in chemical recycling with a novel process. The company’s goal is to future-proof its own operations with circular business models and to offer stakeholders real added value. 
What’s more, the acquisition of a majority share in carboliq ensures access to a key technology that SÜDPACK is further developing as a priority. Therefore, a major focus at the FACHPACK will be on gaining new partners for joint projects. Already, after successful pilot projects in recent months, inquiries from cus-tomers are noticeably increasing. Valeska Haux: “I’m confident that in Nurem-berg we’ll be able to discuss various options for cooperation with many poten-tial partners. With carboliq, we can transform plastic waste by direct liquida-tion in a single-stage process into a mineral oil substitute. That saves fossil re-sources.” The liquid resource gained is suitable for the production of new, high-performance films for packaging sensitive products that require exacting standards of quality and hygiene. This is a major milestone on the way to a packaging that is fully recyclable in a circular economy.
The trade show in Nuremberg is the perfect opportunity for anybody who wants to find out more about the sustainable packaging solutions from SÜD-PACK. Visitors can expect expert consulting, fascinating insights, and inspiring ideas for sustainable packaging.
 

Global packaging leader, Berry Global Group, Inc., partnered with Norwegian brand, Aquafigure, to deliver a new line of reusable water bottles with a unique design for interchangeable, 3D bottle cards to encourage young people to drink more water.
Intended to provide a ‘bottle for life,’ the 330-millilitre container is made from BPA-free Tritan™, a widely recyclable, food-approved co-polyester that can endure hundreds of dishwasher cycles. The cap is manufactured from widely recyclable, mono-material Polypropylene (PP).
The bespoke bottle design allows Aquafigure’s proprietary range of patented PET bottle cards to be easily inserted and swapped as consumer tastes and trends change. Precise internal measurements ensure the bottle cards are self-supporting and remain in place regardless of angle. The cards are currently available in over 50 different designs including elite football clubs, The Smurfs, and a limited-edition set featuring superstar striker (and Aquafigure ambassador), Erling Haaland.
“Through our innovation expertise and technical resources, we are delivering cutting-edge solutions that help our customers bring exciting, sustainable concepts to market,” said Joe Horton, Sales and Marketing Director for Berry Agile Solutions. “Aquafigure’s commitment to a reusable bottle highlights the endless possibilities to optimize the consumer experience while advancing a circular economy.”
The bottles and caps are manufactured at Berry’s plants in Etten Leur and Market Rasen. Team members at the facilities worked together to ensure the bottle and cap provided a tight seal while still being easy to open for children.
“It has been amazingly helpful to have a single supplier like Berry to partner with us in the development of the bottle and the cap,” said Ørjan Asbjørnsen, Founder and Managing Director of Aquafigure. “Berry Agile Solutions provided us with full-service, expert support from day one.  And with the knowledge, expertise, and reach of a global market leader, we can be reassured of the capability to scale up as Aquafigure enters new territories.”
Launched in Norway in 2023, Aquafigure quickly became the fastest selling brand for refillable drink containers, outselling leading brands in stores where there was direct competition.  Aquafigure has since diversified its range to include pre-filled bottles.
 

About Berry
At Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY), we create innovative packaging solutions that we believe make life better for people and the planet. We do this every day by leveraging our unmatched global capabilities, sustainability leadership, and deep innovation expertise to serve customers of all sizes around the world. Harnessing the strength in our diversity and industry-leading talent of over 40,000 global employees across more than 250 locations, we partner with customers to develop, design, and manufacture innovative products with an eye toward the circular economy. The challenges we solve and the innovations we pioneer benefit our customers at every stage of their journey. For more information visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn or X.

About Aquafigure
The inspiration for Aquafigure came on a round-the-world trip, where Ørjan Asbjørnsen was struggling to persuade his children to drink water. Realising that the issue wasn’t the drink, but the bottle packaging. Together with his children he conceived the idea of a reusable bottle that would make water more fun and encourage children to drink healthier.
The result is a ‘bottle for life,’ with consumers able to buy new bottle cards as their tastes and fashions change, always keeping the bottle fresh and current.  At the same time, this inspires people to make healthier choices by choosing water over less healthy hydration alternatives.
The patented solution is manufactured from PET, containing 30% post-consumer recycled content. The ingenious manufacturing method bond layers together into a continuous block of PET, with the food safe ink encapsulated.  This means no adhesives or chemicals are required.
As the bottle cards are digitally printed, they can be updated with very short production runs to cover seasonal events (back to school, Halloween, Christmas) as well as sports events or concert tours.
Aquafigure retails either as a single bottle, or in bundles that include a multipack of bottle cards.  Recently, the company has also trialed pre-filled bottles – believed to be the first instance of a reusable bottle that offers a pre-filled option to cater to consumers who need a drink but are also looking for a sustainable bottle option.
 

UFlex Limited (BSE: 500148, NSE: UFLEX), India's largest multinational flexible packaging and solutions company, announced its unaudited consolidated net revenue for Q1 FY25 at INR 36,825 million. This represents a 12.3% increase YoY and a 5.3% increase QoQ. The operational EBITDA for the quarter was INR 4652 million, reflecting a significant 45% increase YoY and a 2.2% increase QoQ. The operational EBITDA margin stands at 12.6% in the quarter versus 13% in Q4 FY24 and 9.8% in Q1 FY24. 
At a meeting on August 12, 2024, the Board of Directors approved and recorded the unaudited consolidated financial results of UFlex Limited and its subsidiaries for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

Growth momentum in Q1 fuelled by an increase in demand for flexible packaging and healthy growth in the global packaging films market

•    Q1 FY25 consolidated sales volume at 158,022 MT; up by 10.4% YoY; up by 0.1% QoQ
•    Packaging films sales volume up by 13% YoY; up by 0.9% QoQ 
•    Highest-ever sales volume in aseptic packaging in a quarter; up by 3.2% YoY; and up by 6.8% QoQ
•    Total production volume at 167,853 MT; up by 15.6% YoY; up by 3.3% QoQ
•    Packaging sales volume up by 2.5% YoY; down by 2.4% QoQ 

Business update: 

Commencement of a CPP packaging film line in Russia: UFlex commissioned a 6.5-meter-wide Cast Polypropylene (CPP) film line with an installed capacity of 18,000 metric tons per annum (MTPA) in Russia through its subsidiary Flex Films Rus LLC, Russia in the quarter. This film line will complement the existing capacity of one 8.7-meter-wide Biaxially Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate (BOPET) film line with a capacity of 30,000 TPA and one 2.85-meter-wide plasma-enhanced avant-garde metallizer with a capacity of 8,000 TPA.

Commenting on the results, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman and Managing Director, UFlex Limited, said, “We had a strong quarter, especially in the packaging films and solutions segment where we have seen both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter growth in volumes coupled with growth in margins. The PET chips plant in Panipat, India, which was commissioned in March 2024 has achieved 65% capacity in the first quarter of its operations. We have seen a revival in the demand for packaging films across global markets. Our aseptic business continues on the growth path, we continue to see good traction for our holography products and solutions, and we are driving good growth across all our business segments.”

"In FY25, we will be commissioning several key projects, including a 216,000 MTPA virgin PET chips plant in Egypt, an 18,000 MTPA CPP line in Mexico, and capacity debottlenecking at our Sanand plant in India, to increase its annual output to 12 billion packs. These strategic projects are pivotal for creating enduring value for all UFlex stakeholders. These investments shall foster operational excellence and propel substantial growth in our top line and EBITDA while yielding considerable free cash flow”.

“Reinforcing our strategic focus on sustainability, our attention toward PCR flexible packaging is on top of our agenda and we are constantly working toward developing more sustainable solutions. We are the only company that is working within India and globally on innovative solutions in flexible MLP and PCR and its applications”.      

 “We have entered into a long-term Power Purchase Agreement with Onevolt Energy Private Limited to secure renewable power for our manufacturing facilities in Noida-NCR. This agreement is in addition to a PPA with Amplus Phoenix Private Limited to supply solar power to our packaging films plant in Dharwad, Karnataka, which will help reduce the company’s carbon emissions by 19,000 tCO2e”. 

Mr. Rajesh Bhatia, Group CFO, UFlex Limited, said, “We had a good first quarter, and are on track for a strong recovery in the global packaging films business both in volumes and margins. The aseptic packaging business recorded the highest-ever quarterly production and sales volumes and with the debottlenecking getting completed later in the year, we will witness strong volume growth from Q4 FY25 onward. The backward integration strategy with the commissioning of the first PET chips plant in Panipat, India, has been a huge success, and with the planned commissioning of the PET chips plant in Egypt later in FY25, UFlex will become even more self-sufficient in its raw material requirements. We are at the cusp of witnessing stupendous optimisation in recycled content across various segments of the packaging industry and are on the road to becoming a market leader in this segment in the immediate future”.       

About UFlex:
UFlex is India’s largest multinational flexible packaging and solutions company. Since its inception in 1985, UFlex has grown from strength to strength and has built a strong presence across all verticals of the packaging value chain - packaging films, chemicals, aseptic liquid packaging, flexible packaging, holography, engineering, and printing cylinders. 

With a 10,000+ strong multicultural workforce across global regions that work toward developing innovative, value-added, and sustainable packaging solutions, the company has earned an irreproachable reputation for defining the contours of the ‘Packaging Industry’ in India and overseas. It provides end-to-end solutions to numerous Fortune 500 clients across various sectors such as FMCG, consumer product goods, pharmaceuticals, building materials, automobiles, and more, in more than 150 countries. 

Headquartered in Noida, the National Capital Region, India, UFlex enjoys a global reach with advanced manufacturing facilities in India, UAE, Mexico, Egypt, USA, Poland, Russia, Nigeria, and Hungary. 

A winner of various marquee global awards for product excellence, innovation, and sustainability, UFlex is the first company in the world to earn recognition at the Davos Recycle Forum in 1995 for conceptualizing the recycling of mixed plastic waste. For more details, please visit: www.uflexltd.com

SeaWell™ technology helps maintain seafood quality, freshness and aesthetics during direct-to-consumer delivery.

Aptar– Food Protection, part of AptarGroup, Inc. and a leader in active material science food safety solutions, has expanded its SeaWell™ active packaging system into the e-commerce category. Already utilized by major retailers across the U.S., the novel active packaging solution – designed to help maintain seafood freshness, quality and aesthetics – has now been adopted for direct-to-consumer shipping of various seafood items including filets, whole fish and shellfish like crab legs, scallops and shrimp.

In response to customer feedback, two leading home delivery companies have now adopted SeaWell™ technology for their seafood-based meal kits to improve consumer experiences with case-to-cook convenience and cleaner handling in the kitchen. In addition to allowing frozen-to-thaw distribution, the SeaWell™ active packaging system’s integrated technology absorbs excess liquids that would otherwise accumulate around seafood, causing potential product breakdown and negatively impacting both freshness and appearance. 

SeaWell™ active packaging utilizes food contact-safe absorbent materials embedded into its proprietary Drip-Lock™ technology to trap excess fluids inside patented pockets or wells. This separation reduces the rate of seafood microbial growth, chemical degradation and odor accumulation.

“The home delivery companies we work with are always listening to the voice of the consumer and making packaging changes to improve user experiences to promote customer loyalty,” said Michael Stephens, CEO, Bama Sea Products. “In particular, shrimp tends to be a prominent cause of customer complaints in the home delivery sector due to leaking, messy handling, and cross-contamination with other proteins. We were delighted to be able to work with Aptar to develop an appropriate SeaWell™ packaging solution for this market and bring it to commercialization.”

“The SeaWell™ active packaging system addresses many of the challenges the seafood home delivery market faces, particularly related to keeping products fresh and avoiding messy leaks and spills during transit,” said Neal Watson, VP and General Manager for Aptar – Food Protection. “This innovative technology can deliver as much as an extra day of in-home shelf life, improving consumer experiences, driving customer loyalty and securing repeat business.”
Aptar– Food Protection is part of AptarGroup, Inc., a global leader in the drug and consumer product dosing, dispensing and protection technologies. Aptar – Food Protection provides food safety solutions, applying unique active packaging science along with equipment and processing expertise to develop advanced systems that help extend freshness and enhance safety of fresh-cut produce, seafood, and more. The company offers custom active packaging solutions that protect against foodborne pathogens, reduce food waste, and deliver improved consumer experiences. In addition to their active packaging solutions, the company’s portfolio includes a range of packing trays, pouches, retail and mini containers, slicing equipment, lidding film, and tray-sealing technology. For more information, visit www.aptarfoodprotection.com and www.aptar.com.   

The oil and gas market can change at any moment. Unfortunately, infrastructure development takes so long that a good market outlook at the beginning of a greenfield projec t may have completely changed by the time offshore installation is done. It is therefore important for oil and gas companies to have adaptable, low maintenance corrosion solutions to preserve topside and subsea piping and pipelines in case of delayed commissioning from unexpected market drops.

Topside and Subsea Preservation Needs
Internal corrosion threatens the longevity and integrity of piping and pipelines, which are indispensable to offshore production. On the topside are water injection systems, gas piping systems, and crude oil lines that need protection. Subsea gas lift lines and pipelines carrying crude oil from platform to platform or from platform to land also need to be preserved. Even when other systems are commissioned, water injection and gas lift lines may need extended preservation until a drop in well pressure demands their use.

The Practical Beauty of Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors
Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors increase the ease and flexibility of preserving tubular voids. The beauty of these inhibitors is that they vaporize and disperse themselves throughout an enclosure, adsorbing on metal surfaces to create a self-replenishing protective molecular layer. As long as the space stays closed, there is no need to maintain constant pressure or continue frequent monitoring as for nitrogen blanketing. Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors can be added to fluids or oils or simply fogged as a vapor into enclosures. Typically, little to no removal and/or cleaning is required before commissioning.

Multiple Scenarios for Offshore Protection    
There are many ways to apply Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors to offshore piping and pipeline systems. A creative option for short-term protection of subsea pipelines is to place Cortec® EcoPouches—breathable bags containing Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors—into a plenum and to blow the vapors through the system until they are detected at the other end. The system should then be closed to trap the vapors inside.

Another option is to apply Cortec® VpCI®-649 BD, a water-based liquid concentrate that can be flushed through the system to provide up to two years of preservation, depending on dosage. As VpCI®-649 BD circulates, it forms a thin protective film on the walls of the piping. This film inhibits corrosion on the metal it is directly touching but also emits vapors to protect surfaces in harder to reach areas that may have been missed during application.

A final example is long-term preservation of subsea pipelines. This task is often performed by using nitrogen to purge all oxygen out of the system. Constant pressure must be maintained to ensure effectiveness. Since it is difficult and costly to monitor this on unmanned offshore platforms, it is better to have a complete replacement for nitrogen or a backup system that will continue to work even if nitrogen pressure fails. A good answer is to fog an oil-soluble Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitor through the subsea pipelines, either alone or in conjunction with nitrogen. Once the corrosion inhibitors are detected at the other end of the pipeline, the openings can be closed and (if nitrogen is used) the system pressurized. In the event of lost pressure and nitrogen, protection will continue thanks to Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors.

Stay Adaptable to Changing Market Demands
Whatever the market holds, it is important to have effective and efficient preservation methods that make it easier for oil and gas companies to respond to market demands. Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors meet this definition and can help greenfield project owners stay adaptable in uncertain times. Contact Cortec® to learn more about the many ways this technology can be used to preserve topside piping and subsea pipelines when offshore commissioning is delayed.
 

Zeus Packaging, leader of sustainable packaging solutions, are thrilled to announce its nomination within a huge nine categories at The Packaging Awards 2024, underscoring the company's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in the packaging industry.  Last year they took home the title of ‘Entrepreneurial Company of the Year’ at the same awards. The awards ceremony, which celebrates the best in packaging design and technology, will take place on the 10th October in London.
The Packaging Awards is a highly respected event that honours outstanding achievements across the packaging sector, recognising companies and individuals who have made significant contributions through creativity, technological advancements, and sustainability efforts. This year, Zeus Packaging's nominations span across multiple categories, reflecting the company's diverse expertise and industry leadership.
Zeus Packaging's Shortlisted Awards:
•    Packaging Company of the Year: Zeus Packaging
•    Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year: Apollo
•    Label of the Year: Jester Rum Label
•    Branding Project of the Year: Sustainable Exhibition Stands
•    Rising Star Award: Jade Gurr
•    Woman of the Year: Pip Gorringe
•    Corrugated: Online Retail and Consumer Goods: Thornbridge Brewery Refillable Advent Calendar (Boxmart, Part of The Zeus Group)
•    Corrugated: Retail Ready and Point of Sale: Dipping Sauce Dispenser CDU for Chopstix (Boxmart, Part of The Zeus Group)
•    Limited Edition of the Year: Mother's Day Advent Calendar for Lush (Boxmart, Part of The Zeus Group)

"We are incredibly proud and honoured to be shortlisted for nine awards at The Packaging Awards 2024," said Keith Ockenden, CEO of Zeus Packaging. "These nominations reflect our team's hard work, dedication, and passion for driving innovation and sustainability in the packaging industry. We look forward to the awards ceremony and celebrating the achievements of all the nominees and projects."
From humble beginnings to a global supply chain solutions provider, the Zeus journey is nothing short of inspiring. Watch the transformation from one man, one product, and one van into a $600 million industry leader with over 1350 dedicated employees worldwide on the Zeus Growth Story. Led by visionary Brian O'Sullivan, the 2021 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, Zeus has cultivated a passionate and resilient team that continues to drive the company forward. With a strong focus on innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric solutions, Zeus is building a brand that customers trust and depend upon. Join Zeus on this remarkable journey and see why Zeus is set to become the first single-shareholder Irish company with revenue exceeding $1 billion!
 

Berry Global Group, Inc.’s (NYSE: BERY) B Circular packaging range of beauty and personal care products is now available with Berry’s CleanStream® recycled plastic for many of the products manufactured with polypropylene (PP).

With the capacity to recycle nearly 40%* of all polypropylene waste collected from domestic recycling bins in the United Kingdom, Berry’s innovative CleanStream® technology offers the UK’s first domestically recovered, mechanically recycled, contact-sensitive, recycled plastic at scale. According to an in-depth life-cycle analysis by Quantis**, packaging made with CleanStream® recycled material from Berry’s Leamington Spa facility has around 35% lower carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions than virgin plastic – a reduction of about 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually.

CleanStream® recycled plastic can be used in the manufacture of a wide range of B Circular products, including closures, atmospheric and airless dispensers, jars, and applicators. The material has been extensively tested across a range of products and processes to ensure it satisfies the rigorous standards for contact-sensitive personal care and beauty applications.

“Sustainability is a major requirement for beauty packaging, but any recycled plastic for packs has to meet the highest levels of performance in terms of protecting and preserving the product and maintaining its quality and effectiveness,” said Elodie Roger, Berry Global CPI’s VP Sustainability.

“CleanStream® recycled plastic meets these requirements and is already being used by several leading personal care brands who are incorporating up to 100% of the recycled plastic in their packaging. By making it available in our B Circular range, we are anticipating the forthcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and offering more companies the opportunity to demonstrate their sustainability commitments with a wide choice of aesthetically pleasing and consumer friendly packs.”

In addition to the inclusion of CleanStream® and other high-quality post-consumer recycled plastics in the packs, other initiatives to meet these objectives include the development of reusable and refillable packs; packs designed to RecyClass and Association of Plastic Recyclers guidelines to improve recyclability; the lightweighting of packs; and the use of renewable resources, such as forestry residue and used cooking oils, to replace fossil fuel feedstocks. 
 

At Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY), we create innovative packaging solutions that we believe make life better for people and the planet. We do this every day by leveraging our unmatched global capabilities, sustainability leadership, and deep innovation expertise to serve customers of all sizes around the world. Harnessing the strength in our diversity and industry-leading talent of over 40,000 global employees across more than 250 locations, we partner with customers to develop, design, and manufacture innovative products with an eye toward the circular economy. The challenges we solve and the innovations we pioneer benefit our customers at every stage of their journey.

The food and packaging market is facing major challenges: longer transport routes and growing demands on products today require better shelf life. In addition, there are increased demands in terms of environmental compatibility, legal requirements and consumer wishes. In order to fulfil these criteria, it is necessary to carry out leak tests on packaging during production to prevent leaks and damage. These tests ultimately serve to ensure product safety and consumer protection – such as in the case of vacuum-sealed coffee capsules and packaging. Here, manufacturers attach particular importance to brand-relevant quality features such as freshness, color, creaminess and aroma and flavor intensity.

Expertise in the food and packaging industr

Established suppliers of leak testing systems have proven to be reliable partners for coffee producers. With its extensive expertise in the food and packaging industry, INFICON, for example, has tried-and-tested products for this application in its portfolio. The easy-to-use systems are used where quality requirements are particularly high: for coffee packaging. "This is not least due to the special properties of the popular hot beverage," argues Arman Khazali, Operations Manager at Italian coffee manufacturer and INFICON customer Bialetti from Coccaglio, in the province of Brescia. According to Khazali, coffee is a luxury foodstuff that, like wine, is based on a raw material. Due to natural influences, such as the climate or soil conditions, the fruit is not identical for every harvest.

Test tolerances ensure product quality

"To ensure our product quality, it is therefore important that we have established valid test tolerances in production", explains Arman Khazali. These include, for example, the quality of the roasting, i.e., the uniformity of the beans, color and integrity. "Another criterion concerns a uniform degree of grinding with a certain proportion of powder, which we ensure," emphasizes Arman Khazali. "Last but not least, we focus on the efficiency of our production machines during assembly and packaging", adds Khazali.

Added value through non-destructive leak testing

Plant manager Arman Khazali puts Bialetti's annual output at 180 million coffee capsules and 2.9 million soft packs. And because these products are exposed to high water pressure during the brewing process in the coffee machine, a leak would impair the delivery into the cup and therefore the quality of the coffee. According to Khazali, the main focus of an intelligent leak test must therefore be on accuracy and the ability to provide a numerical quantification for each test in order to carry out a statistical analysis. "In addition, nondestructive testing offers added value compared to a destructive test," reports Arman Khazali. "Other advantages are the significant reduction in testing time and the fact that we are autonomous in terms of personnel and can therefore produce 24/7."

Fast, reliable and non-destructive

Bialetti has only recently switched from destructive water bath testing to the non-destructive method. This is why Bialetti has been testing its product quality with leak testers from INFICON's Contura S400 series. With the help of the applied pressure increase method (see below) in the flexible test chamber, both the smallest and largest leaks are detected quickly, reliably and without test gases. "The INFICON system therefore makes a significant contribution to the consistent quality of our capsules and packs," says Arman Khazali. At Bialetti, the process extends to three automated lines for the assembly of capsules and one line for the assembly of soft packs. A total of 60 employees works in Coccaglio. The production includes roasting machines, automated lines for capsules and soft-pack assembling, automated machines for coffee makers assembling and die-casting press.

Longer minimum shelf life for food

The testing process with the mobile Contura S can be easily integrated into production: During evacuation of the test chamber, two flexible membranes enclose the test objects so that they remain intact. If there is a leak, gas from the packaging penetrates into the evacuated test chamber – causing a measurable increase in pressure in the vacuum of the chamber. Gross leaks and micro leaks of less than 10 μm are detected in seconds. Thanks to the Pressure Increase Method, the minimum shelf life can be increased.

User-friendly color display

The user-friendly touch display of the Contura S is a major benefit for Bialetti: "It shows the relevant test results and information in color at a glance - and an acoustic signal can also be heard," reports Arman Khazali. The display also shows the exact leakage rates for the set time interval, giving users a quick overview of the quality of the coffee packaging.

Full support from INFICON

"All in all, INFICON not only gave us full support with the Contura S, but also with its sales and technical team," says Arman Khazali, pleased with the well-coordinated cooperation. INFICON has also demonstrated its technical expertise and reliability with tests, results reports and analyses. "Building on this, we can very well imagine further joint project work between INFICON and Bialetti in the future. And why shouldn't we expand our production capacity on this basis one day?" says plant manager Arman Khazali, looking confidently to the future.

Excursus: Non-Destructive Pressure Increase Method

To detect leaks in packaging, various methods can be employed, such as bubble bath or CO2 testing. The common principle among these methods is the creation of a pressure difference between the test object and the surrounding environment. This pressure difference forces any contained gas to escape through leaks. The higher the pressure difference, the smaller the detectable leaks. However, high pressure can damage the seals and packaging, which may lead to misinterpretation of results, as intact packaging might rupture and be mistakenly identified as leaking (picture attached).

Additionally, traditional testing systems like bubble baths are highly dependent on the user and must be adjusted differently for each volume and type of packaging. The results are recorded manually, and all tested samples, whether they are found to be intact or leaking, must be disposed of after testing. This practice harms manufacturers due to high write-offs and impacts the environment by causing food waste and additional avoidable waste.

n contrast, the Contura system measures leaks using a pressure increase system within a flexible film chamber. It is very easy and quick to operate: simply place a test item in the chamber, close it, and the system automatically evacuates to 30 mbar while the membrane protects the packaging from expansion and seal stress. The system then uses highly precise, self-developed and produced pressure sensors to detect potential leaks, providing you with a non-destructive and reproducible result in less than 15 seconds. the reliable Contura system calculates a quantifiable and reproducible leak rate in mbar*l/s from the pressure increase and the time. No other provider has mastered this process. The device therefore not only shows whether something is leaking or not, but exactly how tight it is. This happens regardless of the type of leak or the number of leaks.

A major advantage: the measurement is non-destructive, which means that packs that have tested negative for leaks can be sold or leaking packs can be repackaged and the pressure difference between packaging and chamber Is the by far highest on the market.