COMPANY FOCUS
New packaging plant sets in motion a powerful sustainability strategy As a socially- and environmentally-responsible business, Teqal not only considers the impact of its packaging but also how the company operates as a whole. It has put in place ambitious sustainability targets and is committed to reducing its carbon footprint in various areas, ultimately setting a good example for others in the packaging industry. By Abby Vorster
An exterior view of the new 4 000m2 factory and warehouse located in KZN at the Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone alongside King Shaka International Airport
SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION OF DEAF EMPLOYEES Since December 2020, Teqal has been partnering with eDeaf on the successful placement and integration of deaf employees within its workplace. eDeaf strives to improve the social and economic lives of the deaf community by create employable deaf individuals who are able to contribute to the economy.
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arlier this year, the specialist producer of injection-moulded rigid plastic packaging expanded its factory in KwaZulu-Natal after the IDC awarded Teqal a R50m financing facility for its plant and capacity development project. When Teqal was established five years ago, it operated from a mini factory in the Dube Trade House, located alongside King Shaka International Airport. From within this facility, the company launched its flagship Reflections cosmetic jar, a 70% biodegradable and 100% recyclable option of the Reflections cosmetic jar, and the world’s first 500mℓ in-mould labelled jar for skin and body products. Teqal enjoyed rapid growth during this time, consistently pursuing its innovation pipeline, and within four years it needed a larger factory to call home. The excellent infrastructure and services of the Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone provided the ideal location for Teqal to establish substantially bigger premises.
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"Now fondly known as ‘the jar people’, Teqal’s expanded factory can produce up to 40m jars per annum" The new 4 000m2 factory and warehouse were custom designed according to the company’s requirements. The building is certified for the highest standard of fire safety and is constructed with sustainability in mind. For example, integrated motion-sensor LED lighting is fitted throughout and automatically turns on and off in response to movement. Teqal has also invested in new high-level energy-efficient European servo-driven equipment, which uses less energy during production. This is enhanced by a closed water management system, preventing any water from being consumed during the cooling process. There are also plans to install solar panels on the roof of the building as provisions
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 // WWW.PHARMACOS.CO.ZA
The successful integration of the deaf employees not only required effective communication measures to be put into place at Teqal, but also a workplace where their health, safety and accessibility are guaranteed. Along with learning basic sign language, the Teqal team was trained by eDeaf, and the company made changes to its IT systems to make the transition to an inclusive factory. have been made in the architectural structure to use renewable energy.
PLASTIC-NEUTRAL PARTNERSHIP Teqal’s drive to lower its carbon footprint extends beyond energy and water consumption, with the introduction of light-weighted bestin-class jars produced using less plastic. The company has also established a plastic-neutral partnership with Wildtrust through its Blue Port project, in which it strives to be 100% plastic waste-neutral. I.e., for every kilogram of plastic Teqal converts into packaging, an equal amount of post-consumer plastic waste (PCPW) is collected from the environment and recycled.
