Wood waste to take aluminium's place in food packaging

The crucial discovery has been made by Jiaying Li, who is working with the Dutch Advanced Research Center Chemical Building Blocks Consortium (ARC CBBC), in collaboration with the University of Twente, Wageningen University, BASF and AkzoNobel.

The research is focused on a new, recyclable coating to replace the type of “metallised” packaging (which blocks out oxygen) that’s typically used for products such as crisps and coffee.

Currently, this sort of packaging consists of several layers, each with its own function. As well as requiring a lot of energy to produce, it’s also difficult to recycle.

A process has now been devised which involves the smart combination of two water-soluble polymers (polyelectrolytes), resulting in all the functionality being delivered by one recyclable layer.

The next step in the research is to use bio-derived polyelectrolytes. These polyelectrolytes are 100 percent natural, extracted, for example, from shrimp shells or waste from the wood processing industry.

“The use of polyelectrolytes in the coatings industry is not new,” explains Andre van Linden, AkzoNobel’s Director of Coatings Technology.

“But these coatings are normally built up, step-bystep, so industrialisation of this method would be too complex, time consuming, expensive and impractical.

“However, the new onestep approach that’s being developed through the ARC CBBC means the use of polyelectrolytes is much closer to becoming industrialised.”

Li is a PhD student at the University of Twente. “Our initial results show that the coating has great potential for future use in packaging to protect food from oxidation.

“We’re also focusing on improving other properties, such as water resistance and strength.”

No organic solvents are used and the packaging would be easy to recycle.

“With the versatility of natural polyelectrolytes, we’re entering the era of becoming less dependent on synthesized polymers,” continues Li.

“In the end, the polyelectrolyte coating we’re developing might be less shiny, but it will serve the same purpose and make recycling much easier.”

On the cusp of sealing revolution

A future where food packaging no longer contains aluminium has moved a step closer

The white paper on micro-fulfillment centers (MFCs) focuses on how to utilise automation to maximise efficiency and profitability.

Automated MFCs allow companies with or without a brick-and-mortar footprint within a particular area to move fulfillment closer to customers in order to reduce transportation costs and enable shorter delivery times, benefitting both retailer (or Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) producer), and customer.

Companies can build a micro-fulfillment center as a standalone facility, or inside or bolted on to an existing location, to expand fulfillment capacity. MFCs can support customer curb-side pick-up, too, or a hybrid of pick-up and delivery.

Swisslog’s White Paper talks about the rise of MFCs (which are expected to grow sixfold in 2021), how Covid-19 further accelerated MFC growth, as well as challenges to this growth.

The white paper then goes on to discuss how to synergise online and storefront using MFCs, and the future of MFCs.

“MFCs have experienced huge year-on-year growth in the past three years, and they are expected to grow further in 2021, and in the years ahead,” says Sean Ryan, Head of Sales and Consulting, Swisslog Australia.

“The rise of MFCs can be attributed to a range of factors, including the fact that they benefit both the consumer and the retailer.

“Consumers are rewarded with increased choice, shorter delivery times and efficient curb-side pickup options. Grocers and retailers are able to utilise a more efficient order fulfillment method – one that reduces labor and transport costs, avoids clogging retail stores with pickers, and supports higher order demand levels,” says Ryan.

MFCs are a relatively new retailing strategy, so to maximise return on investment, it is important to partner with an experienced automation provider – ideally one that already has extensive experience with other models such as Dark Stores and Central Fulfillment Centres (CFCs).

An automation partner will not only have knowledge from other projects, but they will have existing software with required functionality, and they will know the intricacies of handling delicate products or the requirements of cold storage, for example.

With more than 2,000 warehousing and logistics automation projects completed worldwide, Swisslog has fundamental knowledge in food and beverage, e-commerce and retail, It has the ability to deliver logistics automation for the whole supply chain network within these industries, starting with large CFC and moving through Dark Store, down to MFC.

In addition to experience with automation equipment, it is important to choose an automation partner with experience in software. The software drives the solution, keeps track of data, and analyses that data to further improve processes in the future.

Swisslog’s modular WMS SynQ software provides warehouse management, material flow, automation and 3D visualization all from a single point of control. It has been designed for dynamic, data-driven supply chains, such as those found in retail and e-grocery industries.