News bulletin – industrial wpackaging

NEWS BULLETIN

INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING

MAUSER’S ENVIRONMENTAL MOVES

Mauser Packaging Solutions, through its joint venture NCG-Maider, has acquired Global Tank, expanding its packaging portfolio and services in the Italian market. Global Tank operates a reconditioning and washing plant near Milan, handling plastics and steel drums and IBCs and recycling HDPE plastics. Alfonso Albanese and Carmela Cecere, the former owners of Global Tank, will join Mauser’s management team in Italy.

“We are confident that the strengths of both companies are a great benefit for both partners and our customers,” Albanese says. “This unification will maximise our advantage in the market as we share best practices and know how. We are very proud to further expand our presence in the Italian market and for even better servicing of our customers.”

“This acquisition expands on our footprint in Italy and will allow us to better serve our customer base for collections and supply of reconditioned packaging,” adds Michael Steubing, president of International Packaging at Mauser. “The unification of both companies’ strengths and synergies will prove to be a great benefit for our partners and customers.”

Mauser Packaging Solutions is also making moves in terms of sustainability. Its plant in Gebze, Turkey has received a Zero Waste Certificate, recognising its efforts to reduce, prevent and recycle waste. The certificate was awarded by Turkey’s Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning under the Zero Waste regulation, introduced in 2019 with the goal of protecting the environment, human health, and natural resources. The waste management approach focuses on the prevention of waste, efficient usage of resources, establishment of an effective collection system, and recycling of waste.

In order to receive this certificate, the Gebze facility was evaluated by the Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanisation to ensure that all criteria for zero waste were met. The facility provided evidence of waste classification by type, proper waste removal, and implementation of employee environmental trainings, among other items.

Mauser’s plants at Suzano and Taubate in Brazil have meanwhile been similarly recognised through the award of the 2020 ‘Outstanding Environmental Preservation’ certificate and Green Sea from the São Paulo-based Jornal do Meio Ambiente. The award is given to those companies with up-to-date environmental licences, zero environmental infractions and superior achievement in preserving the environment; Mauser says it is the only industrial packaging company to have been recognised in this way. www.mauserpackaging.com

MJ CONSOLIDATES IN DENMARK

MJ Plastics has acquired Dansk Emballage, which reconditions IBCs, drums and jerrycans for the food and chemical industries. MJ already owns Emballage Vaskeriet and this deal makes it the largest supplier of recycled industrial packagings in Denmark. Brian Lind, former owner of Dansk Emballage, will remain with the company as factory manager.

“I am very excited to welcome Brian Lind and Dansk Emballage to our team. We immediately begin the work of jointly implementing our strategy of delivering sustainable packaging solutions to our customers,” says Martin Schack Staffeldt, CEO and co-owner of MJ Plastics (left). “The combination of our strengths will create great value for our customers. We feel obliged to continue to expand our presence in the Danish market and to provide the best customer service and offer the market’s most comprehensive product range.” mjplastics.dk

SMALL STUFF FROM SCHÜTZ

Schütz has expanded its Ecobulk IBC range with the launch of the 560-litre Ecobulk MX 560. The new unit has a lower height than standard IBCs and is aimed at applications where smaller containers are an advantage, while retaining the high levels of quality seen on the rest of the Ecobulk range. The MX 560 combines optimum filling volume with a compact design on Schütz’s proven bottom group, which is the same as the one used on MX IBCs with 820-, 1,000- and 1,250-litre capacities, making them fully compatible.

Schütz says the MX 560 is easy to handle in day-to-day operations, especially in comparison with metal containers or drums. “With its reduced capacity and optimum footprint, the new Schütz IBC offers lower capital tie-up and shorter storage times for products with a slow turnover,” the company adds. www.schuetz.net

GREIF MOVES ONWARDS

Greif has expanded its flexible IBC range with the introduction of the new MAPGuard line, enhanced with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technology. Developed to protect the integrity of the products inside, MAPGuard is a recommended solution for producers, processors and distributors of dried food, ground nuts, bio/organic foods, seeds and chemicals where issues such as mould, insect infestation and rancidity can occur during storage and transport. The MAPGuard FIBCs are designed to operate with a range of special liners and feature a rapid gas flushing and vacuuming system enabling customers to modify the internal atmosphere of the FIBC.

“Typically used in consumer and small-size packaging and due to its technical complexity, the MAP technology was implemented in industrial (FIBC) packaging to a much lesser degree,” explains Juan Bernal, global product manager at Greif. “As a result, Greif initiated an extensive research project followed by rigorous testing using Greif’s technical know-how and expertise, to ultimately create the MAPGuard product line; a simple to use and reliable solution.”

Greif says the MAPGuard FIBC can help extend and control product shelf life, while being able to handle and transport large volumes of product. It is also equipped with a safe and easy-to-use atmospheric test point and is available through Greif’s well established network of representatives.

Meanwhile, Greif has been working on its executive succession plan. Ole Rosgaard, currently senior-vice president of Greif and group president of its Global Industrial Packaging division, has been elected to succeed Pete Watson as president/CEO as from 1 February 2022. Rosgaard will serve as COO until then. Watson is to retire and will take the role of executive chairman, replacing Michael Gasser, who has served as chairman since 1994 but is not standing for re-election.

“I am excited and humbled by this opportunity, and I thank the Board for its confidence in me,” Rosgaard says. “I have worked closely with Pete the last six years and share his enthusiasm about our company’s bright future. I look forward to leading Greif’s incredibly talented and diverse global team toward our vision of becoming the best performing customer service company in the world as we continue to grow and create value for our customers and shareholders.”

Watson has spent six years as president/ CEO of Greif; honouring his record, Gasser says: “Pete exemplifies servant leadership and embodies the values of The Greif Way. He has driven a laser focus on customer service excellence, powered by a team-first approach, throughout the enterprise. Under his leadership, Greif successfully completed an in-depth transformation initiative enhancing the Company’s performance; delivered organic growth through strategic investments in the Global Industrial Packaging and Paper Packaging businesses; successfully acquired and integrated Caraustar Industries; and advanced our sustainability strategy. In summary, Pete has led with humility, authenticity and care for the well-being of our colleagues, our customers and our planet. We thank Pete for his outstanding leadership over his twenty-two year career at Greif and for his tireless contributions and accomplishments the last six years.” www.greif.com