Packaging Europe Issue 12.6

VOLUME 12.6 – 2017

P&G FIGHTS BACK AGAINST OCEAN PLASTIC Also in this issue:

PERSONALISATION MULTICHANNEL BARRIERS VS LIGHTWEIGHTING SERIALISATION AMBIENT ICE CREAM SUPPLY CHAIN

LAMINATED WITH COSMO FILMS’S VELVET THERMAL LAMINATION FILM

Editor Tim Sykes

Senior Account Managers

News Editor

Kevin Gambrill Jesse Roberts

Elisabeth Skoda

Journalist

Account Managers

Libby White

Dominic Kurkowski Colin Osbaldstone

Art Director

Administration

Gareth Harrey

Amber Dawson

Art Editor

IT Support

Paul Holden-Abbott

Syed Hassan Andrew Wood

Production Manager

VOLUME 12.6 – 2017

Kayleigh Harvey

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3 Editorial Tim Sykes 5 Ocean Plastics Exclusive interview: P&G fights back against waste 11 Personalisation ‘We’re only at the beginning of the revolution’ 15 Barriers vs Lightweighting Searching for the sweet spots 19 Plastique New ISO class 7 cleanroom 21 drinktec Retrospective The key trends and innovations 25 Preview ADF&PCD 2018 27 Multichannel Multi-challenges 30 Pharmapack Challenges, regulations 31 Serialisation Five industry perspectives 35 Tetra Pak Pouch carton turns drink into ice cream 36 GSK Consumer science investments accelerate packaging development 38 Radtech The vibrant world of UV/EB technology 42 Injection compression moulding Pressing ahead in ultra-thin packaging market 44 Converting Efficient solutions for thermoforming sheet extrusion 45 ULMA The new ‘tight bag’ technology 47 The Power of Packaging Sharpen your USP 50 Global Perspectives Manjushree’s packaging trends 51 Adhesives Strengthening bonds 56 Imballaggio® Introducing Hexabag® 57 Kiefel Thermoforming - Solutions from a single source 58 Airopack Time to get serious...

61 SP Group Boost your packaging with a personal touch 62 Novamont Europe needs a plastics system that works

The cover of this edition has been laminated with a BOPP-based velvet lamination film supplied by Cosmo Films Ltd., the world’s largest manufacturer of thermal lamination films. The flagship product of the premium lamination films range, as the name indicates, lends a rich velvet finish to the printed surface. Engineered on a special matte base, this film is ideal for post laminating procedures and gives a premium finish to premium/luxury liquor, perfume, watches and jewellery packs/boxes. The film can also be used for laminating coffee table books, high end magazines, brochures, manuals etc. For further info, write to enquiry@cosmofilms.com

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Tim Sykes

EDITOR

T

he big talking point over the last month in packaging came when the former head of a major supermarket chain gave an interview in which he suggested that retailers should move toward total elimination of plastic.

“Regardless of how much is invested in recycling infrastructure, virtually all plastic packaging will reach landfill or the bottom of the ocean sooner or later,” Andy Clarke, ex-CEO of Asda told the Guardian. “Once there, it will remain on the earth for centuries. It is vital that the packaging industry and supermarkets work together to turn off the tap.”

We published a response to the interview, which in turn attracted a great deal of discussion around the industry. I draw two conclusions from the episode as a whole. The first may be self-evident but it warrants repetition. Namely: simplistic, one-solution answers to the complex sustainability challenge are inadequate and often counter-productive. Sustainability involves numerous metrics - the carbon footprint and the water footprint, as well as the thorny issue of recyclability, returnability and waste, and the respective energy footprints of these end-of-life paths. This means that environmental evaluations need to be holistic, properly accounting for all impacts across the product’s life cycle.

In fact, multiple sustainability objectives are often in tension with one another (as we explore in this edition in an article about trying to improve barriers and downgauge at the same time). Moreover, the carbon footprint of a packaged product usually dwarf that of the packaging itself. Research has found that about 30 per cent of the average European consumer carbon footprint comes from the production and distribution of food. Although packaging is the most visible environmental impact to consumers, it only causes 1.3 per cent of the consumer’s total carbon footprint in a developed economy. An increased shelf life directly results in a lower food waste at retailers. Taking carbon-intensive red meat as an example, a shelf life increase of 10 days brought about by a switch to better performing plastic packaging resulted in a four-fold decrease in sirloin steak waste at Austrian retailers.

As an industry we know this. To us the social and environmental contribution of packaging is self-evident. But – and this brings me to my second conclusion – it’s complacent to assume that these substantive benefits of packaging are a firewall against irresponsible ideas. We are living

in volatile times, in which the ‘information market’ provides people with ideas they want to hear and in which factual rigour and nuance have no higher value than falsehood and bombast. We’re seeing people voting for bad ideas that feel right, and policy makers who are ready to exploit feeling over fact.

All too often, those who stand for science and for reality-based policy have been shy about engaging with noisy detractors. In the UK, for instance, pro-Europeans rarely spoke up about the benefits of the Single Market and EU-wide collaboration with the passion that imbued the ‘Eurosceptic’ campaign to withdraw. This created a dynamic in which the former were kept on the defensive, pushed into a corner in which the best they could say was ‘it’s not as bad as you think’. Look where that got us.

The day after the Guardian interview was published I spoke to a lot of packaging people across the value chain down to brand owners and retailers.

Each of them was appalled. Each was keen for Packaging Europe to publish a response. However, most were reluctant to be quoted. I understand that speaking out unilaterally is risky. But so is collective silence. I’d urge everyone to peruse the readers’ comments underneath the Guardian’s article and see how self-evidently right Andy Clarke’s suggestions feel to a subset of the public…

In this month’s magazine, in fact, we lead with a story about the brand owner P&G getting proactive about the ocean plastics problem. Lisa Jennings gives the inside story on the UN award winning Head & Shoulders bottle made with 25 per cent recycled beach plastic. We also look at the still embryonic personalisation revolution, strategies for finding the sweet spots in sustainability trade-offs, challenges raised by e-commerce, perspectives on serialisation, the big beverage trends and innovations revealed at drinktec, Tetra Pak’s ambient ice cream supply chain concept, GSK’s new consumer science facilities, and lots more. With sustainability and efficiency driving phenomenal innovation across the industry, packaging has never had more to be proud of than it does today.

It’s time for a connected value chain to speak up about this.

Tim Sykes ts@packagingeurope.com @PackEuropeTim

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OCEAN PLASTICS

‘ACKNOWLEDGING WE CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION IS THE FIRST STEP’

THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE SHAMPOO BRAND FIGHTS BACK AGAINST OCEAN WASTE Head & Shoulders has received the UN Momentum for Change award in the Planetary Health category, which shines light on innovative, scalable and practical efforts to improve sustainability in recognition of the launch of a recyclable shampoo bottle made with 25 per cent recycled beach plastic. Tim Sykes spoke exclusively to two of the partners in the project, Lisa Jennings (VP Head & Shoulders and Sustainability Hair Care, at the brand owner Procter & Gamble) and Jean-Marc Boursier (group senior executive VP, in charge of the Recycling & Recovery Europe Division at the waste recovery specialist SUEZ), about the initiative and its wider implications.

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IM SYKES: Can you tell me about the genesis of the beach plastic project and the challenges you faced?

ISA JENNINGS: I am personally very passionate about recycling, whether it’s at home or at work. A few years ago, Race for Water, an NGO, showed me the scale and impact of the issue of plastic pollution. The reality is that businesses can play an important role in driving and inspiring change in the world and this, in turn inspired me to make sustainability a priority for my business unit. My team and I are very passionate about driving responsible consumption amongst our consumers. This process made me realise that the problem of plastic pollution cannot be solved in silos. We all need to be part of the solution, leading by example, both as citizens and as business leaders. To make our sustainability vision a reality, we’ve established a whole ecosystem of external partnerships that bring together committed and determined individuals and businesses.

With regard to the making of the Head & Shoulders Beach Plastic bottle, we faced three key challenges. The first was availability of beach plastic which we could use in our products. Even though ocean and beach plastic pollution is a huge problem impacting the whole world, the quantities of beach plastic that is not degraded beyond the point of repurpose were limited. This is where our

partners, TerraCycle and SUEZ, with help of more than 1000 volunteers, played a key role in collecting, sorting and ultimately delivering high quality pellets made out of available beach plastic waste.

The second challenge was technical. To make a bottle with beach plastic you need to ensure the packaging is strong to prevent it from breaking. We needed to ensure that the shampoo inside the bottle is not compromised. This is where our technical teams and our partner ALPLA played a key role. The bottle has three layers: the first inner layer is virgin resin to ensure the right environment for the shampoo, the second inner layer is beach plastic, and the outer layer is virgin resin.

The third challenge we faced was a marketing/branding challenge. The Head & Shoulders bottle is recognisable because of its iconic white and blue packaging. The Beach Plastic bottle is grey. Beach plastic comes in variety of colours and when mixed, it becomes grey. The decision to go with a grey-coloured bottle was not an easy one, but we felt that it was the right thing. It allowed us to signal the origin of the packaging material and allowed us to talk about its authenticity.

J

EAN-MARC BOURSIER: At SUEZ we consider that waste should not be the end of the story anymore, but the beginning… this is what we call the ‘resource revolution’. We define ourselves as a ‘secondary raw material and energy provider’: Packaging Europe | 5 |

OCEAN PLASTICS

our job is to collect, treat and transform waste into new material and provide our downstream customers, such as P&G, with high-quality material. For example, concerning recycled High Density Poly Ethylene (the plastic used for H&S shampoo bottle), thanks to significant R&D efforts, Suez now reaches a quality very similar to virgin polymers.

Working with P&G and TerraCycle teams on the Head & Shoulders project was amazing, but recycling beach plastic is a tough challenge. The main lesson from this project is that cooperation between stakeholders is key. We overcame this challenge because P&G, TerraCycle and SUEZ worked closely together along the plastic value chain, from collection to treatment and transformation, but also right through to marketing.

TS LJ

This initiative is impressive on its own terms but is it scalable? Is beach plastic economically viable as a secondary raw material (SRM)?

We intend to pursue the initiative at higher volumes. Our ambition is to expand this pilot project into other geographies. There are also signs of wider interest in this sort of effort. Within P&G the dish washing brand Fairy recently launched an Ocean Plastic bottle made completely from post-consumer recycled plastic and ocean plastic. This launch aims to continue driving awareness of the issue of ocean plastic pollution, inspire consumers to physically participate in beach clean-ups and recycle household waste. Meanwhile, we also hope that our project inspires other industries to take action.

We are aware that the dairy industry in France will start commercialising grey milk bottles made with recycled plastic.

JMB

Recycling beach plastic is more expensive than recycling plastic collected and directly sorted in our facilities. Using beach plastic as a SRM is a great way to make people understand what is at stake with plastic pollution and plastic recycling. I would say it is iconic and an amazing initiative from P&G. But plastic pollution is a global problem that needs to be tackled at every stage. Collecting more and more plastic from industries or individuals is essential to improve the recycling rate and prevent plastic pollution. We still have a long way to go: in Europe, only seven per cent of the 50 million annual tonnage used is recycled polymer, meaning that 93 per cent is still virgin materials coming from fossil fuels.

At SUEZ we operate nine specialist facilities in Europe in which every year 400,000 tons of plastic waste are processed and 150,000 tons of new plastic resources are produced. We definitely want to improve these volumes.

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TS

Presumably, we ultimately want to be collecting as close as possible to 100 per cent of used plastic before it ends up in the sea, rather than continuing to extract it from the natural environment. Do you have a view on overall strategies for combatting the ocean plastic problem?

– and can brand owners get involved in promoting the systematic capture of waste, in addition to looking at the content of their packaging materials?

LJ

The overall strategy is to involve all the stakeholders that can be part of the solution. In this case these are consumers, industry leaders as well as governments and NGOs. Consumers have the option to reward products that benefit the environment by purchasing them. As consumers, we should also recycle the plastic we consume and consider going the extra mile by joining beach and river clean-ups. For the launch of the Head & Shoulders Beach Plastic bottle, we invited consumers to join clean-ups through an interactive map available on our website with the dates and contact details of the NGOs that helped us collect the plastic that makes the bottle. As industry leaders, we should lead by example by making sustainability a priority and enabling our organisations to forge cross-industry collaborations.

JMB

Fortunately, even though plastic pollution is a concerning topic, most of the plastic produced does not end up in the environment or in the oceans. We know how to collect plastic waste (and digital technology will be key in the coming years to improving waste collection), but the problem is that little is still recycled.

As an example, in Europe plastic production exploded from one million tons/ year in 1960 to 50 million in 2015: it multiplied by 50 times in 50 years. And of the 50 million tons of plastic waste produced every year in Europe, only 25 per cent is recycled. In Europe, plastics recycling is now a booming market because of the constantly changing regulations – the EU aims to reach a 55 per cent recycling rate in 2025 – and the growing demands of manufacturers.

Concerning oceans, plastic pollution mainly comes from plastic micro particles in waste water that is inadequately filtered rather than terrestrial waste.

These micro particles cannot be seen but they are everywhere in the oceans and eaten by fish. SUEZ is also working on technologies to improve waste water quality: The Group control the nano-filtering technologies that could be implemented in waste water treatment plants. We need more investment to solve the problem.

TS

Is P&G looking at the viability of a range of feedstocks that can improve sustainability – e.g. bioplastics as well as recycled materials?

OCEAN PLASTICS

LJ

We are committed to creating products that are loved by our consumers and have a reduced impact on the environment. We know our consumers are looking for sustainable products. That is why we are working towards our long-term vision of using 100 per cent renewable and recycled materials in our products and packaging. Our goal is to create the capability to replace our top petroleum-derived materials with renewable materials. Our research focuses on finding cost effective bio-based resins, cleaning agents and acrylates.

TS LJ

What other activities are you involved with to help reduce waste?

We have initiated a number of waste-reduction pilots in both developed and developing regions. Waste to Worth is an effort to develop an integrated, profitable and replicable waste-management business model that finds value from waste. One key pilot is currently underway in the Philippines. The goal of the pilot is to convert more than 1000 tons of solid waste to value per day.

In addition, P&G continues to partner with the Closed Loop Fund (CLF). This is a social impact investment fund providing U.S. cities access to capital to expand and provide comprehensive recycling programs. By 2020, CLF aims to invest $100 million with the goal to create economic value for U.S. cities by increasing recycling rates. We are also a member of The Recycling Partnership, an industry collaboration that helps to transform recycling programs in towns across the US. The Partnership continues to expand its impact and reached an important milestone of supporting its first 100 cities.

JMB

As newly elected President of FEAD (European Federation of Waste Industry), I recently shared my views with the European Commission about the needs of a new plastic strategy. In a nutshell, I have pushed five propositions: 1. The need to focus more on the very first step in the value chain and intensify the cooperation with designers and manufacturers to ensure that products are designed to prevent waste and to be easily reused, dismantled and recycled. I talked about the idea of “Circular Design”; 2. The need to introduce harmonized eco-labelling rules to incorporate indications of recycled content AND recyclability; 3. The introduction of legislation promoting minimal recycled plastic content in certain packaging; 4. The intensification of Green public procurement and the promotion of the use of recycled content in public tenders; 5. The introduction of fiscal incentives to boost demand, like lower VAT rates on recycled polymers or a CO2 carbon tax.

Sorting more and better is a good point, but it is not enough. We need to create the conditions for better reuse of sorted waste as secondary raw material.

The P&G plastic bottle is iconic as it reveals how an industrial world leader can change its process to take account of the environmental issues. We definitely need more of these initiatives to turn into a circular economy. To date, it’s still the exception. As a concerned citizen, I am upset by this situation, but as a SUEZ manager, I work every day to change it! | 8 | Packaging Europe

TS LJ

You mentioned the importance of collaboration in facing universal problems such as ocean plastics. What is the brand owner’s role in this?

Multi-stakeholder collaboration is critical. Today only two per cent of plastic ends up being recycled, 73 per cent is burned or buried and 25 cent ends up in our marine system: our oceans, rivers, lakes and beaches. This monumental problem cannot be addressed in silos. That is why last year we joined the Trash Free Seas Alliance (TFSA), a multi-stakeholder coalition that brings together thought leaders from industry, conservation and academia to create a forum for pragmatic, real-world collaboration focused on the measurable reduction of ocean trash. The goal is to reduce the amount of land waste entering the ocean. Acknowledging that we can be part of the solution is the first step.

TS LJ

Sustainability in packaging is subject to numerous considerations – energy, weight, space efficiency and preventing product waste, as well as packaging materials at end of life. Can you give an insight into how you prioritise these sometimes clashing requirements?

At P&G, we see protecting the earth as both our responsibility and a business opportunity. We believe that actions speak louder than words, which is why we consistently deliver innovative solutions that demonstrate progress towards our long-term vision of using 100 per cent renewable and recycled materials in our products and packaging.

As the Sustainability Leader for P&G’s Hair Care portfolio, I declared recycled packaging as a core strategy for my business unit and mobilised my team to innovate and create solutions that are commercially viable and sustainable. This led to forging cross-industry collaborations with TerraCycle, SUEZ, a number of NGOs and Carrefour, to launch the world’s first recyclable shampoo bottle made with recycled beach plastic.

I see the launch of the Head & Shoulders Beach Plastic bottle as the beginning of our sustainability journey. As announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2017, by the end of 2018 more than half a billion shampoo bottles sold in Europe will include up to 25 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic. This represents more than 90 per cent of all the P&G hair care bottles sold in Europe across our portfolio of flagship brands like Pantene and Head & Shoulders.

PERSONALISATION

‘WE’RE ONLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERSONALISATION REVOLUTION’ Many consider the Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign in 2013 a watershed moment in branding, bringing the versatility of digital print into the mainstream. Since then, personalisation has become increasingly widespread with more and more brands jumping on the band waggon. Elisabeth Skoda spoke to some of the key players in this unfolding story. Additional reporting by Libby White and Tim Sykes.

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ccording to Douglas Gibson, managing director of Infigo Software, the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign showed the power of personalisation (or, in this case, very clever mass customisation). “Coke saw sales and market share increase significantly after a period of decline, showing how effective personalisation can be at creating brand stand-out and talk-ability,” he said. “Since then, many brands have followed suit and found interesting and unique ways to use personalisation to drive sales and create a PR buzz. What is most evident from some of the high-profile brand examples is that consumers are willing to pay a premium for a personalised product, and adding personalisation keeps the brand in homes for longer, and keeps it front of mind because it has engendered an emotional connection with the consumer.”

There is research that suggests packaging is the most influential medium in terms of consumer buying decisions, even above TV and online advertising.

“It’s essential that packaging and label producers are able to offer solutions that enable brands to create unique and outstanding packaging that is tailored to their end user, whether that’s through customisation, personalisation or localisation,” Mr Gibson continued. “All of these can be enabled simply using the right web-to-print solution.”

Personalisation does not just make products stand out, it also opens up new market and revenue opportunities in the form of gifts. “The personalised gifting market has exploded and shows no sign of slowing down – even the famously divisive brand Marmite jumped on the trend a couple of years ago in time for Christmas!” Mr Gibson remarked. “Gifting opportunities give consumers more reasons to buy brands more frequently and also do the job of a ‘member get member’ strategy as brands reach new customers through gifting.”

A personal touch Consumer expectations are evolving rapidly and the massive growth in personalised product sales shows that to keep pace brands in a variety of industries need to be thinking about how they can add a personal touch to their proposition – and as such print and packaging suppliers need to be able to respond to these demands.

“As a result of this personalisation revolution, we’ve seen the profile of our client base shift in recent years. We’re now servicing more and more B2C brands offering personalised products and gifts on-demand, and we’re also attracting more packaging and label producers who have recognised the need to deliver digital customisation and personalisation options to their clients,” according to Mr Gibson.

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User experience and automation can be key to success for companies introducing personalisation to their products. Online portals need to be easy to implement and manage for the supplier, and offer a self-service, engaging experience for the end user, accessible 24/7 on whatever device they choose to use.

To deliver this, according to Infigo, companies should consider investing in personalisation software such as its own cloud-based MegaEdit design module, which seeks to make personalisation simple for customers, generating a realistic 3D preview of the personalised product for the customer - helping remove a barrier to purchase. “This is essential for companies to win share of wallet in the crowded online market place,” commented Mr Gibson. “Delivering on-demand personalisation for packaging, labels and gifting products requires web-toprint software solution that can integrate easily with key points throughout the production workflow. Reducing manual touchpoints and delivering automated end-to-end processes is the only way for producers to cost-effectively manage customised and personalised short runs, and to meet consumer expectations for super-fast, seamless ordering facilities.”

Unique experiences, personal engagement Across the industry there is a growing consensus that personalisation can do far more than we have seen so far. Richard Askam was one of the key brains behind ‘Share a Coke’, having been brought into the project by Coca-Cola after pioneering personalisation in his own wine business. While many of us may feel we’ve witnessed a revolution in the industry, he suggests that the revolution has yet to get going: “Personalisation isn’t a new phenomenon – people have been personalising products since the Dark Ages,” Mr Askam told Packaging Europe. “What is new is the ability to put it on particular substrates. ‘Share a Coke’ opened the door. But what we’ve seen so far is just the beginning. Sticking someone’s name on a product is only scratching the surface of the possibilities. Personalisation has the capacity to make a real emotional connection – something | 12 | Packaging Europe

like ‘You and I have been friends for 30 years… do you remember this song we used to listen to?’ Personalised products are a device to forge a direct relationship with the consumer, one that the brand owner used to outsource to the retailer. The brands that do the most innovative things today will be the big winners.”

Douglas Gibson shares this view. “As more and more companies deliver customised products, packaging and labels, creating stand out is going to become harder,” he said. “Companies need to find interesting ways to make the experience unique and unexpected. One of the trends we’re seeing in the personalised packaging market is how brands can close the loop between the online/mobile experience and the printed product. Enabling a two-way conversation between the consumer and the brand increases the opportunity for engagement and social sharing, expanding the reach of campaigns.”

More and more brands are turning to QR codes, video embedding technology and virtual reality to deliver that two-way communication, prompting businesses such as Infigo to integrate their solutions with mobile interaction between consumers and printed products and packaging. They expect massive growth in this interactive engagement delivered through packaging in the next few years, as brands seek to stay relevant to the savvy digital generation.

Particular marketing campaigns give us glimpses of ways in which personalisation might go deeper than ‘putting a name on the label’ in the future. For instance, HP helped create over 56,000 personalised Kit Kat packs in a campaign, produced by HP Indigo customer Ultimate Packaging. Using Ultimate’s web-to-print capabilities, winners can personalise the chocolate packages with a photo or phrase on the Kit Kat pack, which they receive in a special presentation box. The flexible packaging packs are printed on the HP Indigo 20000 and HP Indigo WS6600 digital presses.

In another example, Amarula, a South African producer of cream liqueur, released a special edition of 400,000 bottles with individualised elephant icons to raise global awareness for the same remaining number of the endangered African species. In a collaboration with HP and label converter SA Litho of

PERSONALISATION

Cape Town, South Africa, Amarula Cream turned its liqueur bottles into unique pieces as an added dimension to the brand’s “Name Them, Save Them” African elephant conservation project. The production of the one-of-a-kind designed elephant icons and names on labels was made possible by HP SmartStream Mosaic, using two seed patterns in a variable design software algorithm, and the HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press.

Meanwhile, Italian company Melinda Apples used social media and digital print for a campaign to support Italian apple farmers affected by the earthquake in 2016. The apple company launched the ‘Dedicamela’ (‘Pledge an Apple’) campaign, inviting comments on its Facebook page to encourage the afflicted famers. The uplifting messages are integrated into the design of the corrugated boxes, and printed on an HP PageWide T1100 Press by converter Ghelfi Ondaluti.

Imagination must catch up with technology Another increasingly held view is that while the first manifestation of personalised products came on labels, its future may be more diverse.

“The reason labels are so prevalent in the personalisation initiatives we have seen is because they’re the easiest to do,” commented Richard Askam. “Flexo, folding carton and corrugated are the areas I’m keen to see developed in personalisation. These are all too often seen as a commodity rather than a product.

My advice to carton manufacturers is ‘stop being bought from and start selling to! Take brands with you!’”

Speaking at the FEFCO technical seminar, Eviatar Halevi, director of technology and business development for HP Scitex Industrial presses, consider the possibilities and limitations around personalisation on packaging. “Different types of packaging have different opportunities for personalisation,” he told Packaging Europe. “The more it is directly on the goods, the easier it is to become personalised. I would say labels have the highest opportunity to become fully personalised. There will be always be a place for personalisation; it will be the horse that is pulling the waggon, because this is where digital excels. For our customers, it will be a critical tool to attract their customer and creating a unique position for themselves. And even if eventually it is going to be just five or ten per cent of what they do, it is going to be the most important five to ten per cent that they do because of margins and the attractiveness for customer. To us, this is a critical element in providing digital.”

Meanwhile, Xerox presented a vision of much deeper consumer engagement at their Digital Packaging Live! event in October. “The point

is to enlarge communication capabilities and to address the consumer more directly, such as through different substrates,” Hubert Soviche, vice president of the graphic communications solutions group, told Packaging Europe. “One area where this is possible is through labels, an area which is continuously developing, or by printing on different materials such as plastics directly. We have developed another technology that can print 360 degrees for example.”

The consumer and their imagination can be a major driver of personalised creativity, according to marketing manager Alan Clarke. “A great example in terms of personalisation is the car industry,” he said. “When you go onto the website and modify the car you’re buying, you can choose the wheels, the colours, the seats, and then when the brochure arrives it is based on what you chose on that website. There’s no reason why that formula can’t be adapted to packaging. The customer can choose online for example the look and feel of the package for a gift, and the package can then be personalised or customised.”

Technology has been catching up with our creative imagination – perhaps now imagination must catch up with technology. “Once the orders arrive with the printer or the converter something needs to happen to it, e.g. it needs to be imposed or the finishing needs to be set up. Every time you touch something in the production process, even if that means setting up the finishing by changing a few dials, that costs money. The software workflow is taking over now whereby when the job comes in it can assess it, see the stock, set the engine up, set the finishing up. The consumer ultimately creates the job online. Printing technology and capabilities are continuously improving, new inks are being developed, and the software that brings it all together allows a platform for innovation, solutions, and ideas to be brought to the market.”

It’s clear that for all the advances there remain huge technological and imaginative challenges in realising the potential of personalisation. We’ll give the final word to Richard Askam – who today spends his time as the ‘Digital Nomad’ thinking through the implications of digital print: “Most of the campaigns we’ve seen so far have been mass customisation rather than personalisation. However, with individualisation tools such as HP SmartStream Mosaic, the technology is now available for a brand to put out a million unique products. But translating that into fundamentally new types of engagement is a different matter. Then there’s the complex task, requiring more innovation, is marrying this production capability to distribution at high volumes. How do personalised products, generated online, reach the right person in the retail store?”

One thing is clear: this revolution is just starting.

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BARRIERS VS LIGHTWEIGHTING

BARRIERS VS LIGHTWEIGHTING The objectives of increasing barrier properties and decreasing the amount of packaging material both answer the calls of sustainability and cost efficiency. Better barriers cut food waste; thinner substrates translate to material and energy reductions. However, the two objectives are often in tension. Tim Sykes and Libby White explore the technological strategies and trade-offs involved in balancing them.

“AS

a general rule, the thinner the material, the barrier properties reduce,” remarked Nigel Lawrence, manufacturing director at Aegg Creative Packaging. “For instance, with vacuum forming (as compared to injection moulding) it’s more difficult to control the wall section in the corners which have to stretch further and thereby become thinner whereas with injection moulding the wall sections are more consistent across the complete package. Food manufacturing customers need to understand what shelf life/barrier protection they need and the shelf life required.”

A similar balancing act is played out across a range of packaging substrates and manufacturing processes. “Competing demands and requirements make innovation in film barrier technology complex to achieve,” echoed Erwan Cadoret, business manager, Barrier Films, at LINPAC (Klöckner Pentaplast). “An increasingly global food supply chain means accomplishing extended shelf life is paramount to food manufacturers and retailers. At the same time, the sustainability agenda, which combines the drive to reduce packaging, cut food waste and adopt more planet-friendly recyclable, biodegradable and compostable solutions, is pushing technological advancements in film barriers in a different direction.”

The picture is further complicated by additional demands such as supply chain efficiency, packaging functionalities and recyclability. So how what strategies in R&D or purchasing can help packaging users navigate this problem?

Migration to flexibles A widespread downgauging strategy among brand owners is of course replacing a rigid packaging solution with a flexible alternative, which has driven the remarkable growth in market share by pouches over the last five years.

“Lightweighting is one of the key sustainability benefits deriving from the migration from rigid to flexible packaging,” pointed out Carl Stonley, technical account manager at Mondi’s consumer goods packaging business in the region Benelux UK & Ireland. “It also means getting more product on each pallet and more product per load, and this space efficiency of course translates to a reduction in transportation footprints.”

The immediate challenge for flexible alternatives is often to integrate new functionalities that replicate those of traditional rigid formats or mitigate the limitations of a basic pouch.

“Adding some innovations to deliver the necessary functionality a flexible packaging solution can replace a bag in a carton,” Mr Stonley continued. “For instance, we’ve been working with a cereal brand to create a new flexible primary packaging solution that eliminates the need for secondary packaging.

It’s easy to open thanks to three-contoured laser lines, easy to pour thanks to a pouring feature created in the gusset when the pack is opened, and a zipper provides re-closing functionality.”

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As for downgauging the flexible substrate, composite films offer one path towards the barrier / lightness sweet spot. “Lightweighting by thickness alone can be problematic for moisture and oxygen barriers,” said Mr Stonley. “We’ve been working on this weight/barrier relationship for some time. Our co-extruding facilities enable us to produce films using combinations of PE/PA/EVOH/PA/PE/ PE/PA that are both lighter and provide improved barrier properties.”

Multilayer films LINPAC (Klöckner Pentaplast) also looks to the composite materials as a solution.

“In some cases we have increased the number of layers in our barrier films,” said Erwan Cadoret. “Through clever engineering and downgauging initiatives, along with investment in a state-of-the-art new production line at our manufacturing site in Pontivy, France, we are developing new generation film solutions which are thinner and lighter than ever before. These films have a lower carbon footprint and use less material, yet retain all functionality in terms of shelf life performance and strength.

“A notable new formulation created using our new multi-layer extrusion process, is the ultra-thin LINtop® PE HSF - a 25μm high barrier lidding film for retail-ready modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) formats. The film contains anti-fog properties and a tailor-made shrink performance ensures tight, wrinkle free packs with outstanding clarity to boost consumer appeal.

It is leak proof and the high barrier performance and excellent seal extends shelf life, keeping food fresher for longer and reducing food waste. Furthermore, the film is printable – removing the need for additional packaging around the pack.” | 16 | Packaging Europe

Another breakthrough is a new multi-layer thin-gauge LINtop® PE LSF - a 30μm high barrier lidding film also for retail-ready MAP. It offers the same antifog properties, printable features and shrink performance as the high shrink film but is suitable for inside-cut tray sealers as well as outside cut and is designed for use on high-speed thermoforming lines including multiple dies-lines.

“Innovation in film barriers is constant,” Mr Cadoret continued. “We have been able to transfer our downgauging processes to films for vacuum skin packaging (VSP), which offers even further extended shelf-life compared to MAP, as consumer preferences for this type of format for fresh meat have evolved.

The newly launched LINtop PE HB SKIN film is illustrative of this.

DuPont is a specialist in the multilayer approach. “When we look at lightweighting and providing barrier properties, there are different approaches we can take in order to provide the best of both,” Mauri Azagury, EMEA packaging business development manager told Packaging Europe. “For example, with pouches, barrier functions may be a challenge when downgauging. If a material is downgauged to a minimum for example to reduce cost, this can have an adverse effect in that during production or in the supermarket there may be more rejects. Using a high-performance material instead that allows you to downgauge can provide a win-win. Surlyn allows to downgauge whilst also providing protection for the product, for example sealing against contamination.”

The devil is in the detail when to comes lightweighting using multilayer films, as every product has its own barrier and mechanical requirements. “If you are looking for an improved solution, you cannot just downgauge and expect good barrier properties, unless you are using the right materials,” warns Dr Karlheinz Hausmann, R&D fellow at DuPont. “This is an area we are very active in. If you

BARRIERS / LIGHTWEIGHTING

have a pouch/bag/film and there is a need for reducing packaging, we have developed a software model that tests the bending stiffness of flexible packaging. If you downgauge the structure to the maximum, the softer the material, the more it can change the look and feel of the package, eventually appearing cheaper in the consumer’s eyes.”

If multilayer films have the potential to perform well in handling the barrier/ weight trade-off, challenges remain in the shape of more complicated recyclability and a current lack of collection and recycling across Europe: another trade-off to consider. DuPont has made bold moves in exploring the technology and business model behind reuse of mixed materials. Meanwhile, Erwan Cadoret foresees further areas of innovation in compostable laminates: “The challenge for manufacturers here has been to develop a pack that is able to fulfil its purpose as a barrier laminate on-shelf – shelf-life, product protection etc. – but which will break down easily when organically recycled. It is likely to be only a matter of time before compostable solutions, which tick all the boxes in terms of functionality and presentation, are being innovated for the transparent barrier film market too.”

Material science Another means to downgauge and maintain barrier performance while facing a smaller recycling headache is to explore some of the advanced mono-materials currently on the market, such as Dow’s INNATE™ range of polyethylene packaging resins.

Mondi, at the same time as developing high-performance multilayer films, has been expending efforts to use materials with as little complexity as Packaging Europe | 17 |

BARRIERS / LIGHTWEIGHTING

possible. “We’ll soon be launching a mono-material stand up pouch which will be suitable for mechanical recycling, where there are suitable waste collection, sorting and recycling facilities available,” revealed Carl Stonley. This is a PE based mono material for stand up pouches, using a very stiff PE/PE laminate to replace PET/PE. It also provides some attractive properties to the brand owners – it can be reverse printed for good scuff resistance and is easy opening without laser scribing.

Meanwhile, Sukano works with brand owners and converters, using masterbatches to lightweight while keeping the properties of the goods as designed.

“Our newly innovative voiding agents additives masterbatches address both, lightweighting and barrier, according to the polymer and process of choice,” Michael Kirch, global head of R&D, told Packaging Europe. Voiding agents are additives used to build small, fine and regularly distributed bubbles (or ‘voids’) in oriented applications. The voiding agents create an opaque appearance while reducing the density of the material by getting the bubbles in the film. “Sukano’s latest launch is a range of additives for the BOPET industry, facilitating lighter weight films than possible under the technology on the market today, while providing the same opacity and quality processing at high filtration levels.”

Mr Kirch takes milk bottles as another example. “The little more common PE bottles have poorer gas barrier properties than PET bottles for instance, just considering the material itself,” he said. “Additionally, due to better stiffness, PET bottles can be produced with thinner walls while maintaining same stiffness (processes). Our masterbatches again play a role here enabling both benefits, while still protecting the packed milk against specific wavelength and allowing

| 18 | Packaging Europe

preforms to be re-heated at industrial productivity conditions as needed for effective production costs.”

Finally, a reminder that innovation in barriers isn’t confined to polymers – and paper-based packaging performs strongly in terms of lightness and recyclability. Finland-based Kotkamills Oy has captured widespread attention in its €170 million investment in the BM2 cartonboard machine project, which includes a special on-machine coater to produce water-based dispersion coated barrier boards. “This means we can offer a unique range of barrier materials that provide an easily recyclable alternative to PE-coated board,” revealed David Ingham, global sales director. “Kotkamills is currently running trials in the marketplace ahead of the official launch of these products.”

The new technology provides a homogeneous coating that breaks down during the paper recycling process supporting the easy recycling and reuse of fibres. Kotkamills is developing two ranges of easily recyclable barrier products. AEGLE Barrier Light and Barrier Plus are alternatives to fluorochemically treated GR board and PE coated board respectively, while the ISLA range offers easily recyclable alternatives for disposable paper cups and plates that are usually PE coated.

The barrier products offered are suitable for a wide range of applications, from chilled and frozen food to coffee cups. Converters are able to run these packaging materials on the same lines as current PE-coated substrates.

Packaging development is replete with trade-offs. But thanks to the innovative prowess of this industry, they need not always be resolved with messy compromises.

PLASTIQUE LAUNCHES ISO CLASS 7 CLEANROOM, CERTIFIED TO ISO 13485:2016 Over the last four-decades Plastique has worked with Europe’s leading multinationals to manufacture innovative thermoformed packaging, engineered to maximise revenue, operations and cost reduction. Manufacturing facilities in Nottingham, UK and Poznan, Poland, are certified to ISO9001, ISO 14001, ISO 13485:2016 and BRC/IOP and produce packaging for a wide variety of sectors including cosmetics and toiletries, personal care, pharmaceutical, food and drink, electronics, component handling and retail.

IN

February 2016, Plastique was acquired by ESCO Technologies’ Thermoform Engineered Quality LLC (TEQ) operating subsidiary, headquartered in Huntley, Illinois. TEQ is a market-leader in the development and manufacture of highly technical thermoformed plastic packaging with a significant position in the Medical and Pharmaceutical markets utilising cleanroom technology.

High TEQ To expand their reach in the Medical/Pharma arena, the group have installed a state-of-the-art ISO Class 7 cleanroom at Plastique’s Nottingham facility allowing European customers to benefit from TEQ’s experience in the manufacture of precision made, custom thermoformed medical packaging. This extensive knowledge of the sector combined with Plastique’s highly experienced team undertaking all design, sampling and production tooling in-house, means customers can be assured of the company’s ability to meet medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers’ most rigorous packaging requirements.

The new cleanroom facility is certified to ISO 13485:2016. The latest certification represents a significant step forward from the previous issue of the standard and contains more demanding requirements for the medical packaging sector. In addition, the certification meets and exceeds the requirements of ISO 9001 derivatives, enabling competitive advantage, and offering non-medical device clients much greater product confidence.

Products manufactured include custom thermoformed handling trays, suitable for high-speed production with automated assembly and transit for a range of products including: Handling trays for auto-injectors, dry powder inhalers, injection moulded components, prefilled syringes, pharmaceutical bottles and medical electronics. Other medical packaging solutions available include trays, procedure sets, clamshells, tubs, skin pack sets, covers, lids, sterile barrier blisters and seal blisters. And, being part of TEQ, supply is available to both European and Global customers.

More info: www.plastique.eu

Packaging Europe | 19 |

DRINKTEC REVIEW

DRINKTEC RETROSPECTIVE With over 76,000 visitors from more than 170 countries, drinktec 2017 was the biggest edition in its 66-year history. We take a look at the beverage trends and innovations that brought the crowds flocking to Europe’s essential fair for drink packaging technology.

Beverages 4.0

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his year’s event underscored the degree to which Industry 4.0 solutions have become embedded in the design of new beverage production lines.

How services help to build, maintain and improve beverage producers’ line performance throughout their asset lifecycle was a key highlight for Sidel and Gebo Cermex.

The centrepiece of the exhibit was the new Super Combi from Sidel, designed and engineered as a single smart solution for producers of water and CSD beverages. It does so via integrated data-driven intelligence, making optimum performance easily and continuously achievable across the entire production process.

Sidel Super Combi is the next generation solution integrating five process steps: preform feeder, blower, labeller, filler/capper and cap feeder into an allin-one smart system. To deliver this self-optimising performance and increased long-term value, it combines intelligent automation with innovative technologies of connected machines and data-analytics management, leading to optimised production and maintenance services. Consumer preferences are broadening and overall demand is increasing due to unprecedented population growth, increased consumer spending power and growing demand for personalisation of products in terms of design and taste.

Meanwhile, the KHS Group exhibited the future of filling and packaging systems under the motto ‘Technology 4.0’, presenting new systems for all container segments and all branches of industry, from small craft brewers to large water bottlers. “Technology 4.0 means that innovative strength and future viability continue to characterise our systems and services. The focus of attention here is on the innovative use of digitisation as well as new concepts throughout the entire production process,” explained Matthias Niemeyer, chairman of the Executive

Management Board. This enables KHS to optimise the total cost of ownership (TCO) of its customers and ensure greater sustainability in all processes. The exhibits to be presented in Munich include absolute world innovations in virtually all areas of application.

Futurism Another striking theme of drinktec was the extent to which the market is embracing smart technologies as a means to connect with the beverage consumer. Crown looked to embrace the internet of things with its Connect™ technology and leverage augmented reality to allow consumers to view the contents inside a tin or recording and sharing unique videos, along with offering increased logistical efficiency through improved unique packaging tracking, in cooperation with augmented reality specialist Zappar.

Facilitating unique codes on beverage packaging also embeds digital intelligence into each individual unit, making it trackable and interactive simultaneously.

This enables traceability and authenticity activities to be carried out with ease.

One useful application includes telling the consumer where the nearest recycle bin is. Shelf appeal was also a big topic, with unique decorative and printing techniques such as thermochromic, photochromic and tactile finishes on show.

Retail performance and consumer appeal through a range of decorative possibilities were also a big topic at Ball’s stand. The company pushes boundaries of traditional can sizes with the launch of a new 90-centiliter King can, 25-centiliter Sleek can and the 45-centiliter Super Sleek can, and the launch of a 15-centileter can in the pipeline, with a focus on beverages that aren’t yet typically filled into cans.

Meanwhile, Cambridge Consultants, the global technology fixers, demonstrated their prototype smart recycling point which visually inspects packaging Packaging Europe | 21 |

DRINKTEC REVIEW

Scott White of PragmatIC

before showing the consumer the correct recycling stream by illuminating the correct receptacle. It’s an ingenious idea for possible point-of-sale or high street applications, with the potential to educate the public on recycling behaviour, as well as feeding back data to prompt a natural engagement with the consumer.

Later the same day Scott White of PragmatIC talked through the looming revolution in flexible electronics. Some brands have successfully experimented with near field communications in premium and promotional contexts but the emergence of flexible electronics is set to make it feasible to scale up to mass market volumes. A key point in understanding the return on investment is that NFC can accumulate value across the supply chain by performing more than one function: first by providing trackability down to individual SKUs and later creating opportunities to engage consumers. Expect to see more and more of this in CPG - and thereafter further extensions, with added sensor functionality and increasing processing power.

Ten other things that impressed us at drinktec 1. Ardagh imported chocolate industry technology to create differentiation through high definition glass embossing, adding textures and feature enhancement to a standard never seen before in glass packaging. Unlike regular, two-dimensional embossing, the new process known as Sculptured Embossing allows glass sculpting to be achieved on multiple levels, creating intricate, lifelike detail, depth and dimension, enabling the premiumisation of glass bottles and jars. This technology has recently been used to replicate different texture effects including wooden planking and citrus peel, as well as to enhance the definition of scripted text and other branding icons.

Ardagh also demonstrated a memorable array of glass and aluminium can coatings, including the ‘Reveal Impact’ two-stage thermochromic solution that reveals hidden messages or promotional slogans to consumers. The ‘Matte & Mirror Impact’ innovation, available from 2018, allows matte and shiny contrasts on aluminium cans commercially for the first time, while there were also customer-interactive powder finishes never seen before in the glass industry.

2. Xolution underlined the benefits of resealable cans. Their latest Relock closure not only keeps carbonation in the can longer, but also seals the drink itself – ideal for anyone on the go. Packaging Europe can confirm that the seal works – there was no spillage after a day of carrying the opened can around drinktec in a bag.

3. Husky showcased its HyPET® HPP5 Multi-Layer system at drinktec, producing a 17 gram carbonated soft drink application using a 72-cavity mould and running at an 8.7 second cycle time. The system is running a revolutionary new barrier material, Verian™ High Barrier Polyester (HBP), which was developed in partnership with Solvay Specialty Polymers. Verian™ HBP is a recyclable material that will enable a new generation of sustainable packaging solutions for PET bottles and films. | 22 | Packaging Europe

4. Versatility was key at Graphic Packaging International’s stand, where the company launched its ReShape™ system, a revolutionary technology capable of creating virtually any pack configuration seamlessly with one piece of packaging equipment. With ReShape, beverage manufacturers can reinvent, reimagine, and ReShape their cartons to produce the shapes and configurations they need today, along with unique structures for the future, opening up many possibilities in beverage packaging. The system can both internally and externally nest primary containers to create a variety of shapes and sizes with the potential to use less fiber. Unique handle designs deliver added comfort and strength.

5. Ecolab is on a mission to meet the challenge of the world’s water deficit, which is growing alarmingly fast. Dr Geoff Townsend outlined a holistic approach, starting with rigorous economic assessment of the cost and value of water in the given region, an IIOT approach to collecting and crunching data, and managing what they have measured with a host of innovative filtration and recycling technologies.

6. Aptar are moving the beverage closures market forward with a new generation of non-detachable tamper-evident closures; and with a beautifully rigorous and tactile squeezy closure that makes for easy dispensing from a 5-litre bottle.

7. What’s the next big trend in the packaged beverage market? We think it might be cold brew coffee. Refreshing, subtle notes - and attracting attention of the big brand owners. It’s also going to feature increasingly on draught in the hospitality sector.

8. ...and a reminder that sophisticated innovation and engineering effort often boils down to the evocation of simplicity. An example of CCL’s ‘enlabeling’ solutions:

EVENTS

ADF&PCD 2018 TO FILL UP ON IDEAS Modern packaging conveys emotions and provides real added value. Emerging technologies make packaging ever more attractive, but behind the apparent simplicity of an end product lies a whole world of innovations at work, constantly on the watch, and in a state of perpetual evolution. Paris will once again, in 2018, be the capital of innovation and cosmetics and perfume packaging solutions thanks to ADF&PCD Paris 2018, which takes place on 31 January – 1 February in Porte de Versailles (Pavillon 7).

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ourteen editions of PCD dedicated to cosmetics packaging and 12 editions of ADF dedicated to aerosol innovation and dispensing and spray systems have established ADF&PCD as the major event for the profession, bringing together the leading suppliers and brand professionals. With over 450 exhibitors – suppliers of cosmetics packaging and aerosols – including 86 newcomers compared with last year, ADF&PCD Paris 2018 is a genuine platform for the industry, and the first, and leading, packaging event of the year. In a new, more spacious venue, the 2018 edition has gained in exhibition area, conference programmes and activities.

The event is a unique opportunity – in the heart of Paris – to meet a range of highly professional suppliers from around the world, to source new partners, build or develop a professional network, discover the latest innovations and new trends and talk with the players on the market.

It is also a genuine springboard for numerous innovations launched on the packaging market in the aerosol and dispensing/spray systems industry, highlighted at the two ADF&PCD Awards ceremonies.

Indeed, this year, the categories and jury have been further enhanced thanks to the addition of experts from leading brands and media, who will single out the most outstanding innovations. The new members of the PCD jury include Sylvie Bénard, director for the Environment at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and Philippe Briand, packaging development and launch coordination director, Clarins.

Revamped conferences Following numerous exchanges over the last few months with buyers, brand owners, suppliers to the packaging and aerosols industry, the organisers are offering an even richer content, that ever better matches visitors’ requirements and expectations: presentations on future trends, technical case studies, legislative updates, examples of successes and failures, solutions to meet challenges linked to sectors like beauty care, the automotive industry, or the pharmaceutical industry, in particular in terms of aerosols.

Innovation, transfers of technology, digitisation and sustainable development will remain key topics at the conferences.

The main sessions announced for PCD are: • The latest global packaging trends in the world of beauty • The consumer’s vision of packaging (consumer trends) • Reinventing the consumer relationship by re-enchanting the point-of-sales • Brand-supplier collaboration • Regulations and innovation: using CSR and social networks to protect your brand • Sustainable and Digital Development: is digitisation the right way to become a more sustainable company?

• The packaging challenges in eCommerce • Is design a tool for making more innovative packaging?

And for ADF: • Trends on the global market • Production and aerosol technologies: technical progress and innovations • Eco-design and sustainable development: challenges and prospects • Aerosol and dispensing techniques: state of the art • In addition to the set of talks launched last year: The Metal Can Packaging Forum - Drinks (MCP) dedicated to metal packaging; the theme this year will focus on drinks and beverages.

ADF&PCD PARIS 2018 are a unique concept that groups together two highly synergistic trade fairs. The first, leading packaging event of the year, it is no doubt the European professional reference in aerosol, spray and dispensing systems and cosmetics packaging innovation.

Every year, it brings together all the players in perfumes & cosmetics, in addition to the pharmaceutical, food, automotive and other sectors.

An event not to be missed, ADF&PCD has long been acclaimed by brands and industry. A more spacious, highly functional venue, 450 exhibitors expected to attend, over 6000 visitors representing more than 70 countries, over 70 speakers, two awards ceremonies, and an opportunity to preview any number of innovations.

Packaging Europe | 25 |

MULTICHANNEL

THE MULTICHANNEL MULTI-CHALLENGES E-commerce has disrupted our shopping habits and the supply chains behind them. Tim Sykes reports on some of the challenges this has thrown up and the packaging innovations and strategies being devised to meet them.

CMC’s CartonPack

Complex supply chains

Creating right-size packaging

he e-commerce supply chain is complex to navigate, and according to DS Smith has over fifty touch points in which a package is handled by machine and human hands – each bringing risks to the playing field.

“As e-commerce sees no sign of waning, more must be done to ensure that the fragility of the supply chain is managed properly,” remarks Isabel Rocher, head of e-commerce solutions at DS Smith. “Problems in the supply chain can cost businesses thousands of pounds, decrease productivity and lead to unhappy customers. DS Smith realises that managing these problems comes through technological innovation. For example, our own DISCS™ technology can effectively test whether packages can survive the bumps and scrapes associated with the average supply chain. This kind of technology is vital given the growing connectivity of customers, who expect high quality packaging that is also sustainable.

Consumers and brands alike are sensitive to the issue of packaging waste, and in particular excessive packaging. In the early days of e-commerce, one-sizefits-all packaging handling diverse products often fails the efficiency test.

“A key issue in the e-commerce world is the problem of void space, which equates to a valuable waste in resources,” Ms Rocher comments. “Void spaces have a negative impact on the environment around us, producing excess waste and leading to more greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere – through simply having more vehicles on the road, or using more cargo planes for transport.

“By reducing wasted space, we can limit the amount of packaging used.

If all e-retailers make the switch to right-size packaging they will not only see dramatic cuts in their own costs, but customers will save money too. Our own Made2fit technology specifically tackles the e-commerce challenge of void

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Packaging Europe | 27 |

MULTICHANNEL Isabel Rocher

space, as shipping air is a waste of resources. Creating a right size pack lowers costs for e-retailers by reducing both operational and shipping costs: saving storage space, cutting labour costs and order administration, and significantly cutting assembly and packing times.”

CMC Machinery’s IIOT-powered CartonPack smart case packer represents another approach to space efficiency in e-commerce. At heart of its system is the Vary-Tote, a CMC designed and patented transport tote featuring two inner adjustable guides used to compact the selected items to the minimum possible volume. The Vary-Totes move on a carousel which brings full totes to the machine induct section and, once empty, conveys the totes to the picking area for refilling. The original Vary-Tote design enables an operator to easily and quickly adapt the inner guides to each individual consignment. A 3D Scanner placed in the CMC VaryTote induct area reads the dimensions of the order set by the adjustable guides. Data about the order dimension is sent to the CMC CartonPack, which creates the exact size flat blank for each consignment. The corrugated board required to create the boxes is fed from a dedicated starshaped device that smoothly unwinds the fanfold and keeps the cardboard flat to avoid creasing. Flats are dynamically scored and cut. A dedicated Pick and Place mounted in the picking area then places the VaryTote above the flat cut on demand. The bottom of the VaryTote automatically slides and items are accurately placed on the preformed blank while the box panels erects and wraps the items. The on-demand box is now formed, closed and sealed with hot melt glue.

The entire process is fully controlled by a dedicated PC Carton controller, which guarantees for 100 per cent data integrity and data exchange with client’s WMS. The significance of this innovation reflects the growth of multi-item orders – now up to 60 per cent of online purchases. Collecting, consolidating and packing items of different size and shape it is a challenge and many retailers still rely on manual packing and use packaging materials inefficiently. CMC Cartonpack right size boxes save 30 per cent of the corrugated board, and eliminate the need for the standard void fillers, and in the process reducing the package volume by up to 60 per cent, thus reducing DIM charges. | 28 | Packaging Europe

Ben Mitchell

Performing in multiple channels Of course, many products are being purchased in mass volumes through both digital and traditional retail channels. Is e-commerce influencing the packaging used in supermarkets? Are we seeing an emergence of truly multichannel packaging? “This is something we have been looking out for but it doesn’t yet seem to be appearing on a large scale,” Ben Mitchell, research fellow at The Retail Institute, told Packaging Europe.

“One particular area of interest is how packaging features which are designed to appeal to different senses – touch and sound as well as visual elements. How can this work if people are purchasing online? Some products may have less appeal if the packaging loses some of its sensory advantages.”

Similarly, it could also be difficult to convey the functionality of a pack through a photograph on a website. “One approach is for brands change their packs so that images and logos are larger and less detailed so that the product visually is more appealing on a website,” suggests Mr Mitchell. “Also, with there being different requirements for standing out on a shelf compared with being transported direct to consumers without being damaged, it is likely that rather than using a single pack design to perform across multiple channels, there will be packs designed for different types of journey to the customer. It will be interesting to observe how packaging companies and brand owners respond to these questions.”

PHARMAPACK EUROPE:

KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON CHALLENGES, REGULATIONS, AND NEW DRUG DELIVERY

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harmapack Europe is the industry’s go-to place to kick-off the year. The next edition of the two day exhibition and conference for Pharmaceutical packaging and Drug delivery takes place on 7 & 8 February 2018, at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles, France.

Join 411 exhibitors and more than 5,290 attendees to get an update on the latest trends, developments and regulations impacting the industry.

Pharmapack exhibitors encompass the pharma packaging, medical devices, packaging materials and packaging machinery & equipment industries. They come from 35 countries around the world to present their innovative products and services.

The 2018 conference focus is on subjects receiving close review within the industry: 1. Regulatory changes and impacts.

2. Challenges in packaging & devices development: biologics, material, sustainability and quality consistency.

3. How will new drug delivery revolutionize life and improve treatment adherence?

Do not miss out on the opportunity to benefit from other features, such as the Innovation Gallery showcasing the latest industry innovations, Pharmapack Start-up Hub gathering the most innovative start-ups, the International Meetings Programme facilitating pre-planned networking or the Innovation Tours hosted by industry experts. | 30 | Packaging Europe

Did you know?

Each year, the Pharmapack Awards recognize new products that are set to shape the future of the industry in two categories: Exhibitor Innovations and Health Products. The Awards are judged by a panel of independent industry experts and are a yearly returning highlight at Pharmapack Europe.

86 per cent of visitors attended Pharmapack 2017 for the quality of the companies exhibiting. Important companies exhibiting include Aptar Pharma, Biocorp and Cetis.

Check out the 2018 online exhibitor list: https://www.pharmapackeurope.com/exhibitors/grid

Connect and watch the 2017 edition video: https://ubm.pharmapackeurope.com/2018-packaging-europe Register now for free!

SERIALISATION

SERIALISATION PERSPECTIVES The clock is ticking on the EU Falsified Medicines Directive, which comes into force in February 2019. Are the pharma brand owners and CMOs ready? And beyond compliance, what is the industry making of the opportunities presented by serialisation? Five industry insiders share their insights with Packaging Europe.

Jean-Marie Aulnette, VP EMEA Sales, TraceLink

Struggling and outsourcing Erik Haeffler (VP of Manufacturing Services and head of CSR, Recipharm)

Onrushing deadlines Jean-Marie Aulnette (VP EMEA Sales, TraceLink), talking to Packaging Europe at Nexus 17:

Serialisation should now be at the top of everyone’s agenda. Implementing a solution requires a huge amount of time and dedicated resource and companies should not underestimate how time-sensitive the task of complying with the EU FMD has become.

A complex landscape, with multiple market requirements and various software, hardware and data management demands, means that companies without previous experience of track and trace are likely to struggle to meet the February 2019 deadline. With this in mind, we are beginning to see companies turning to contract partners with tried and tested solutions in place and it is likely this outsourcing trend will continue.

While serialisation regulations in Europe are relatively new, companies should be proactive in their approach to the new legislation. The additional benefits beyond compliance, such as improved efficiencies and reduced complexity of in-batch reworks and recalls, will inevitably lead to a more streamlined supply chain and this is something we should all be working towards.

It’s scary! Some CMOs have been preparing for a long time but many have been afraid to open their eyes, due to the costs and complexities involved. But if they don’t start now, they will be in trouble. The process of achieving compliance is longer than you might imagine. Companies need to formulate their approach, then order solutions, then install them across their packaging lines – and then have the new systems validated.

The serialisation challenge is of course not just about a contract manufacturer or packaging line adapting its own equipment. It involves integrating the whole spectrum of suppliers and logistics solutions within a supply chain, each of which may develop their own data protocols, and for exporters satisfying the regulatory environment in each market.

Our proactive task is to connect entities. The purpose of our solutions is to provide access to data to everyone in the supply chain, enabling all of our customers to access their data using the tools they require to make sense of it. Obviously, there are lots of opportunities to leverage data, wherever it can be Packaging Europe | 31 |

SERIALISATION

Ettore Cucchetti, CEO, ACG Inspections

collected. For instance, relating to temperature control across the supply chain.

As we know, this information can also be extended to the end consumers.

This is why we are developing solutions such as the new, integrated Compliance and Digital Information Platform for pharmacies with EU FMD requirements. The mobile and web-based application enables any pharmacy in the EU to easily comply with verification and decommissioning requirements under the FMD while simultaneously delivering a real-time dashboard for business insights on medicine scans, expiry dates, dispensation trends, product inventory and more. The new platform provides a single destination for pharmacies to meet their EU FMD requirements, which take effect in February 2019. Pharmacists who use the application will also benefit from user-friendly dashboard analytics that provide valuable insights from all transaction information that is captured within the application.

FMD brings opportunities as well as challenges Ettore Cucchetti (CEO, ACG Inspections) Along with the varied challenges brought about by the EU FMD it offers great opportunities for the pharmaceutical industries to invest in improved digital architectures.

Serialisation is a process in the pharmaceutical industry, under Track and Trace procedures, where all drugs are bar coded using country specific regulations and GS1 standards. By doing this, the uniqueness of the units are ensured by the data matrix code instead of formerly used barcode. Usually Track and Trace solutions consists of central system with data management which assigns unique codes to products. Line level systems use these unique codes and print them on product package or on labels in the form of machine readable codes and/or human readable codes. Serialisation is not a choice any more, with countries setting compliance deadlines, it becomes mandatory for companies to plan for Track and Trace implementation.

Pharmaceutical companies must be conscientious and meticulous when selecting the right vendor. Careful considerations should be given to long term requirements, balancing the desire for seamless implementation with short term needs of basic compliance. The focus should be on who is going to be their long-term partner to help define production efficiencies and protect values. This process requires a high degree of expertise and experience in pharmaceutical processes. It is also a vital IT project that impacts on future manufacturing requirements. Projects should be carefully thoughtthrough by breaking them down into various areas, covering the acceptance of past weaknesses, understanding present challenges and planning future directions. They must be prudently structured to provide all the data and | 32 | Packaging Europe

analytics needed for supply-chain management, yield optimisation and brand protection.

Manufacturers should embrace a broader scope when planning their serialisation strategies, rather than simply considering deployment as a mere compliance requirement. The ideal supplier delivers guidance for the authentication and transformation of manufacturing processes needed by the pharmaceutical industry of the future. Multiple international organisations like GS1, EPC, etc have defined the structural and semantic features and security methods in determining the codes of products in the market. These standards are a reference for multiple projects for successful implementations and execution.

Serialisation results in numerous benefits including brand protection, improved customer confidence and a robust supply chain. Validation of product authenticity by the pharmacy through barcode on secondary packaging would make easier catching of counterfeits before dispensing to patients.

Maintaining traceability of the product with identification to provide visibility through the supply chain is also a prime factor achieved by serialisation.

Implementation of Track and Trace solution enables distributors to capture information related to shipments for potential recall processing in more efficient and hassle-free way.

Coherent strategies for diverse regulations Carlos Machado (serialisation director US, SEA Vision) With the FMD deadline looming closer, it is time for a sense of urgency around serialisation implementation. Clearly, there are many companies that are behind in their preparations, and this is particularly the case for those small and midsized businesses that have delayed making the necessary investment, in terms of both technology and internal resources.

As we are operating in a global industry, with many companies supplying to multiple markets, one of the greatest challenges is understanding the different track and trace legislation across the world. In order to implement a coherent strategy, the first step must be to clearly map out which of your products, packaging lines and sites will be impacted by new regulations. Recognising that serialisation is far more complex than simply installing new equipment on a packaging line is important for success too. Consider the data challenges and need for connectivity and communication across the supply chain. Take the opportunity to revisit and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) and explore opportunities to improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Taking a holistic view of your operations and thinking through the additional benefits that can be gained will mean you embrace the opportunity to add value beyond compliance.

SERIALISATION

Embrace the Cloud Adam Tetz (director of worldwide marketing, Peli BioThermal) There is an increase in the introduction of information-centric capabilities to assist with the safe shipping of pharmaceuticals around the globe. Packaging companies are increasingly utilising advanced asset management software systems, which are in place specifically to ensure pharmaceuticals are shipped to the right location, at the right time and critically, that they arrive in the right condition.

Companies deploying pharmaceutical shipments worldwide benefit from the introduction of new technological advancements including web-based asset management software solutions, designed to track individual shipments globally.

Integrating these Cloud-based systems offers a range of capabilities benefiting the industry including options to set up automatic scheduled maintenance, next shipments alerts and produce customisable reports.

The industry is also seeing a growing trend to deploy reusable systems coupled with asset management SaaS (software as a service) and reaping the | 34 | Packaging Europe

associated benefits. These systems can automatically collect and analyse data from company data logger outputs. Currently operating in the market is a range of SaaS products providing collection and analysis of brand-agnostic sensor data, as it’s linked to a variety of smart packaging options allowing packaging vendors to track a diversity of data including vibration, light, humidity, temperature and more.

These software platforms capture and monitor information throughout the course of the shipments trip. The data retrieved and shared can help pharmaceutical companies make more informed choices on the most appropriate packaging systems to deploy, depending on the specific shipping lanes and routes their payload will navigate. At Peli BioThermal we utilise our comprehensive asset management software – Crēdo ProEnvision™ – and global service centre solutions to help customers manage the entire life cycle of their shipping inventory of Crēdo™ temperature controlled packaging. These technologies and services help life science industry clients reduce payload risk, distribution costs and their environmental impact ensuring temperature sensitive, critical and high value payloads reach their destination safely.

TETRA PAK

Tetra Pak’s Hemant Krashak

NEW TETRA PAK POUCH TURNS DRINK INTO ICE CREAM Tetra Pak unveiled at Gulfood Manufacturing a packaging innovation that also introduces a totally new product category: the Tetra Fino® Aseptic 100 Ultra MiM carton pouch, which turns dairy and juice drinks into ice creams. Packaging Europe’s Tim Sykes spoke exclusively to Hemant Krashak (product director, Carton Value and Economy) ahead of the launch.

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he new Tetra Fino® Aseptic 100 Ultra MiM, launched today at Gulfood Manufacturing, looks set to off an earthquake in the food industry, redefining the ice cream / ice lolly supply chain and business model, while inviting dairy and juice producers to tap into the $72 billion global ice cream market within their existing production process. The concept is simple: dairy or juice drinks are produced and distributed at ambient temperatures in singleportion carton pouch packages, then transformed into ice creams or lollies when frozen either in the retail environment or in the consumer’s home.

“The idea was originally conceived with the developing world in mind,” revealed Hemant Krashak. “In markets where supply chains are challenging with regard to consistent temperature control this provides a secure solution.

However, we came to realise that there is also a great opportunity in developed markets. The concept eliminates the need for refrigerated storage and distribution, which reduces energy consumption. In addition to the sustainability benefits, the new format can deliver consumer convenience: families can buy a pack of ice creams for the week during their shop without worrying about getting them into the freezer before they melt.”

An extension of the existing Tetra Fino® Aseptic portfolio, the new pouch format required some modifications for its new application. “We needed to work both on the shape and the opening,” Mr Krashak revealed. “The pack needed to be taller and thinner, while the challenge of convenient consumption was met by creating a full-top opening that is pre-applied using Tetra Pak’s Direct Injection Moulding technology. The pack can be opened entirely by pulling the tab, so it’s easy for a child to enjoy the product.”

The Tetra Fino® Aseptic 100 Ultra MiM came about after a leading Chinese brand Want Want approached Tetra Pak seeking a solution to its supply chain challenges. According to Mr Krashak, the R&D project was one of the fastest he has seen turned around, taking just one and a half years to reach fruition – though also facilitated by recent injection moulding innovations that were long in the development.

According to Want Want, sample trials have been warmly received by consumers – parents reassured of the health benefits because the product is literally their trusted brand of flavoured milk without preservatives, while children are happy to enjoy them as ‘frozen treats’. The format will be fully rolled out on the Chinese market at the start of 2018. After that, the pack will be commercially available across the Middle East, Europe and Asia. “We’ve had lots of interest across these regions,” remarked Mr Krashak. “So far there’s particular interest for milk-based ice-creams but also from a couple of fruit-based drink producers.”

Produced on the A1 Tetra Pak filling machine platform, the new format brings new chilled dessert markets into play for dairy and juice beverage manufacturers. This is surely the most significant example we’ve seen so far of Tetra Pak’s value chain collaboration strategy, whereby it leverages its consumer intelligence and resources such as the Customer Innovation Centres to take a lead not just in innovation of packaging but of product categories themselves. Time will tell whether this concept takes off more as a product chilled in the consumer’s freezer for in-home consumption or chilled at point of sale for out-of-home treats. Either way, ambient distribution might just be the biggest disruption in the ice-cream market for a generation.

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GSK’s Sally Loughlin

GSK INVESTS IN CONSUMER SCIENCE TO ACCELERATE PACKAGING DEVELOPMENT Tim Sykes visited GSK Consumer Healthcare’s London research facilities to inspect the newly launched European Consumer Sensory Lab and the co-located Shopping Science Lab in London and find out how research into end-users is delivering valuable packaging insights and competitive advantage.

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SK’s new Consumer Sensory Lab (CSL) aims to understand consumers’ sensory preferences, working alongside the existing Shopping Science Lab (SSL) to understand consumer preferences and behaviours throughout the product development process, all the way to the bathroom cabinet. The location of both labs in one facility is believed to be the first of its kind in Europe and can be seen as a manifestation of the GSK Consumer Healthcare focus, articulated this year by CEO Emma Walmsley, on ‘innovation, performance and trust’. The facilities are certainly packed with impressive technology, including two remarkably realistic retail spaces with eye-tracking to measure impact on shelf, more eye-tracking cameras to analyse the effectiveness of graphics and messages on packaging, and video content on a variety of screen types; there is biometric software that interprets facial expressions, galvanic skin detectors that log the electrical trace of emotional responses, and (“probably”) the largest touch screen in Europe, on which virtual stores can be rearranged and redecorated at the swoosh of a hand. | 36 | Packaging Europe

The upshot is that GSK’s dedicated team of sensory and consumer scientists can assess a range of conscious and subconscious reactions to products during the development process and use this data to quickly translate insights into product improvement and new product development. There are also collaboration spaces, used both internally and for discussion of learning about the shopping environment with partners.

Together, the facilities have the capability to substantially accelerate the packaging development process. “We can bring in our business teams to the SSL, run through some new designs, and then test their effectiveness with shoppers the following day,” Crispin Haywood, shopper science lab director, told Packaging Europe. “But we can also invite retail partners to engage and collaborate. It’s a space in which we can have a two-way dialogue: retailers can talk to us about their challenges and we can share the discoveries coming out of our research, leading to more effective signage, shelf arrangement, etc.”

Much of the new Consumer Sensory Lab’s activity (including work with consumer panels selected for their elite sensory perception in benchmarking taste,

GSK Tim Sykes in colour neutral testing booth

texture, smell, etc.) focuses on product formulation. However, here too packaging development plays a significant role – and it’s one of the areas in which the colocation of shopper science and consumer sensory laboratories deliver valuable synergies. “Where shopping science delivers intelligence on the shelf impact of cartons and other packaging formats, the CSL is there to provide feedback on consumer’s interaction with primary packaging,” commented Sally Loughlin, senior director, consumer and sensory innovation, at GSK Consumer Healthcare.

“We do a lot of testing around packaging functionality, including areas such as actuation and ergonomics. While it’s too soon to speak of concrete innovations that have benefited from these labs, we can say for sure that the development of new formats such as the no-mess cap recently launched in Germany would have been significantly accelerated had these facilities existed earlier.”

The foundation of a European facility in Brentford, London, reflects the success of GSK in New Jersey, USA, where an analogous facility with consumer and

sensory research capabilities has prompted changes across a range of product lines and led to breakthrough innovations. Along with the combined Consumer Sensory, Shopper Science and R&D Lab in New Jersey, there is also a Shopper Science Lab in the GSK Asia House in Singapore. The company now hopes that the new UK-based combined laboratory will be key to understanding consumers in this region.

“We are delighted to launch our Consumer Sensory Lab which will help us understand the needs of consumers in Europe more widely in a way that simply wasn’t possible before when using household products,” said Sally Loughlin. “An immense amount of product testing goes on behind the scenes here each day and the CSL, working in tandem with our SSL, allows us to understand the needs of consumers all the way from the lab bench to first use. Operating for the first time on the same site, these facilities will provide substantial consumer insight, which will allow us to refine the items we offer for many years to come.”

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EXPLORING THE VIBRANT WORLD OF UV/EB TECHNOLOGY The end-use markets for UV/EB curing have grown dramatically in the two years since RadTech Europe held its last conference. With its headline topic ‘UV/EB: best in class!’, the RTE Conference and Exhibition 2017 was a large and lively event, with an in-depth formal agenda complemented by an extensive on-site supplier exhibition and strong networking opportunities.

A detailed update: technologies, markets, legislation

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oday radiation curing is used in a wide variety of applications, ranging from industrial coatings and packaging to electronics, automotive components and 3D printing/additive manufacturing. The event’s agenda was structured to provide a detailed update on innovations and developments for major materials and equipment suppliers at all levels, as well as for the end users whose needs they serve.

Radtech Europe works hard to promote the UV/EB curing industry. “Next to the biennial conference – the biggest of its kind in Europe – we organise seminars focused on particular end-uses, such as food packaging or metal coating.

In addition, we engage in discussions with other stakeholders and demonstrate the possibilities of our technology at external events,” RadTech Europe general secretary Marc Macaré explains.

Over the three days, Conference chairman Dawn Skinner, process development manager for Heraeus Noblelight Ltd, assembled more than 60 speakers, covering wide-ranging topics of current interest and relevance, centred | 38 | Packaging Europe

around new UV/EB and UV-LED technology developments and applications. The programme broadly featured developments in photochemistry, photoinitiators, formulations, coatings, equipment, and printing; innovations in materials and applications, including 3D printing; and legislative issues.

The inclusion of parallel conference sessions in the programme enabled participants to choose their own special-interest topics, and to gain particular value from the in-depth coverage of particular subject areas.

The exhibition included a Business Information Market, featuring product and equipment introductions by RadTech Europe members, and offered a presentation platform for students -- tomorrow’s industry leaders.

“RadTech Europe has always had a strong connection with universities, and that was clearly on show this year by the quality of the programme.

Another strength is the fact that a significant part of UV and EB community is at the show, making it a great place not only to hear about the latest technological advances, but also to expand your network,” Mr Macaré points out.

RADTECH EUROPE

Networking The event also hosted a lively social programme in the evenings: at an onsite ‘after-work party’ with live music in the hotel, and at a special dinner in the Knights’ Hall restaurant at Prague’s ancient U Fleků brewery, which has been brewing beer continuously for the last 500 years.

Mr Macaré was enthusiastic. “In an arena where there is so much innovation, and so much market development, this was certainly an exciting event,’ he commented. “We attracted 415 delegates from across the radiation curing value chain – both from Europe and further afield. Our agenda was very wideranging and inclusive, and reflects the vibrant nature of the current market for this very well established and well-proven technology. I was delighted to see many newcomers to the industry find their way to the event. This has been one of our key areas of focus, for example by offering a presentation platform for students, and we are glad to see it pay off.”

The RadTech Europe Conference & Exhibition was sponsored by a number of leading companies working within the discipline, including Gold Sponsors Allnex, BASF SE, Rahn AG, IGM Resins, Arkema France – BU Sartomer, Siltech Europe, and BCH Bruehl – Chemikalien Handel GmbH.

RadTech Europe As an active industry association, RadTech Europe aims to promote the benefits and use of UV/EB curing technology by providing an organised, collaborative platform on which to interact and share information and documentation; increase the profile of radiation curing; organise and participate in educational, informative, networking events, committees, and working groups on relevant industry topics; and achieve effective representation in public affairs initiatives.

Visit: www.radtech2017.com

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| 40 | Packaging Europe

POLYMER CONVERTING

INJECTION COMPRESSION MOULDING PRESSES AHEAD IN ULTRA-THIN PACKAGING MARKET Given the dominant role that materials play in packaging production costs, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag customers are starting to use injection compression moulding to reduce the wall thickness of low cost, mass-produced disposable food packaging containers by 25 per cent.

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applying injection compression techniques, packaging moulders can reduce the wall thickness of containers and lids from 0.45mm to 0.35mm. This saves around 25 per cent in raw polypropylene materials compared to the standard injection moulding process, while maintaining comparable mechanical properties. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s UK packaging expert Kevin Heap outlines the commercial and ecological benefits of injection compression moulding, how the technique compares to traditional thin wall moulding and the future outlook for ultra-thin plastic packaging.

The method of pressing material in a mould is quite a common industrial process, typically using rubber and resin and a combination of heat and pressure to mould products, claims Kevin. But until recently hasn’t been applied in the mass-production of polypropylene packaging applications. “Compression moulding has generally been used to produce thicker sectioned parts on slower cycle times, for example, optical lens or thermoset applications,” he explains.

One of the biggest developments in the thin-wall packaging market over the last few years is applying injection compression technology to stack moulds. At Fakuma 2017, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag exhibited its high performance El-Exis SP 200/920 machine, collaborating with specialist injection compression mould manufacturer Rouxel to produce decorative IML lids on a two cavity mould. The company also demonstrated the production of microwaveable ready meal trays in a 2+2 stack mould at K-Show 2016 and are currently building a 4+4 stack IML container mould system. “Thin-wall packaging producers are always looking for ways to reduce part costs,” says Kevin.

“Lightweighting is the largest opportunity to achieve cost savings because resin is typically the biggest expense in packaging.”

So what makes injection compression moulding different to conventional injection moulding? It’s all linked to the closure mechanism and the consequent clamping pressure applied.

Reduced shrinkage, even distribution Kevin explains: “During injection compression moulding, plasticised material is introduced into the cavity prior to complete locking of the mould. The machine closing movement aids distribution of plasticised material in the cavity.

This injection compression reduces the injection pressure and the required clamping force, and this consequently removes the internal stresses from the product, resulting in less warping due to shrinkage.” Fill time when operating at | 42 | Packaging Europe

maximum speed is 0.2 seconds, with a total cycle time of around 3.3 seconds, depending on the application.

In conventional thin wall injection moulding, faster filling and higher pressures are required to drive molten plastic material into thinner cavities to prevent it freezing off between shots. It would be extremely challenging to repeatedly accomplish a 0.35mm wall thickness using this method.

Another key benefit of injection compression moulding is the clamp force pressure is significantly lower. Switching to this method delivers savings on energy consumption. What’s more, because less clamp force is required, thin wall packaging manufacturers can opt for a smaller machine with reduced tonnage and a smaller footprint.

Being a hybrid machine means that speed and precision are not compromised on the El-Exis SP range. This is all due to the servo-driven hydraulic clamp unit, engineered to execute precise movements. For high-volume thin wall packaging manufacturers, these enhancements aid company profitability and deliver both the capacity and flexibility to meet future growth demands.

Due to speed of production, most systems integrate robotics. These usually perform a dual purpose, automating the placement of labels into the mould and taking packaging components out of the mould and stacking them.

As packaging converters strive to enhance their green credentials, the trend to lightweighting in packaging continues to accelerate, exclaims Kevin. “By combining the efficiencies and speed of injection moulding with 25 per cent less raw material and the energy savings gained from compression moulding, packaging manufacturers are clearly excited by this latest development.”

Global forecasts for rigid plastics, which is the category thin walled containers sits in, is predicted to reach $226.4 billion by 2020, with a growth rate of 4.4 per cent annually for the next five years. PE is projected to be the largestgrowing segment during this forecast period. Light-weighting and consumer convenience are important factors in this expansion.

Most companies operating in the competitive arena produce millions of packaging containers every year. Volume, raw material waste and precision are fundamental to each company’s financial viability, with many facilities operating 20+ machines to meet supplier demand, notes Kevin.

“We are anticipating strong and steady growth in the ultra thin wall food packaging sector, with the combination of environmental pressures and high polymer prices placing increasing pressures on packaging manufacturers,” he ends.

EFFICIENT SOLUTIONS FOR THERMOFORMING SHEET EXTRUSION “We have proven that we are optimally prepared for the growth market packaging sheet with our highspeed extruders and the Multi-Touch roll stack which is unique in the indus-try,” says Dr Henning Stieglitz, CTO battenfeld-cincinnati.

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ast year Dongjin Co., Ltd., the largest producer of thermoformed packaging in Korea ordered its second complete 3-layer line with Multi-Touch roll stack. “With the first Multi-Touch high-performance line we can produce 40 per cent of the sheet needed and at lower ener-gy cost”, says President & CEO Song Seok Hwan.

The main driver of the enormous energy savings is the high-speed extruder that reaches outputs of up to 2,000 kg/h, depending on the material processed.

Thanks to the opti-mized design of screw and barrel, the extruder ensures excellent melt quality even at high screw speeds of up to 1,200 rev/min.

High-speed extruders fulfill the requirements for continuously increasing outputs and ex-cellent product quality. They offer energy savings between 15-25 per cent compared to conven-tional systems, as well as reduced changeover times thanks to less volume in the ma-chine. This increases production time and reduces material consumption. The high-speed extruder series consists of machines with sizes of 75 mm and co-extruders with 35 and 45 mm. The machines reach outputs from 30 – 1,500 kg/h for PP, from 35 – 1,750 kg/h for PS and from 30 – 1,200 kg/h for pre-dried PET. The high-speed extruder series also offers considerably reduced residence times, special solutions for wear protections when using abrasive materials and are compact and easy to handle.

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Multi-Touch roll stacks are designed for high performance extrusion and work with a com-bination of a roll stack with two rolls for pre-calibration and three, five or seven rolls in post-calibration. This ensures even cooling of the top and bottom sides of the sheet, which results in flat sheet, reduced shrinkage and more consistent thermoforming results. The innovative multi-nip process ensures optimal heat transmission and thus reduced thickness tolerances (+/- 1 per cent), higher transparency and a perfect surface quality. Thin-walled rolls enable better cooling properties as well as being easier to handle thanks to their smaller roll diameter.

At K2016, battenfeld-cincinnati showed the “XXL version” of the Multi-Touch roll stack. This version is ideally suited for sheet production at high speeds of more than 60 m/min and with enormous outputs of up to 3,300 kg/h (PET) and 2,700 kg/h (PP), depending on the width and thickness of the sheet.

An absolute novelty in the battenfeld-cincinnati product portfolio is a special 3-layer feed-block for thermoforming sheet production, which is completely manufactured in-house in Bad Oeynhausen (Germany). The concept of using a pin with a milled distributor curve to achieve an optimal layer thickness distribution so impressed customers that eight orders have already been placed. This is an added incentive for the machine manufacturer to offer this type of technology for 5-, 7- and 9-layer feedblocks in future as well.

POLYMER CONVERTING

ULMA’S NEW ‘TIGHT BAG’ TECHNOLOGY ULMA Packaging Ltd has the solution to overcome many of the issues that have hampered the food industry caused by excess air in the bag.

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he company has developed a revolutionary VFFS Air Extraction System (Tight Bag) to tackle excess air in the bag which often leads to bigger boxes resulting in fewer packs per pallet. To get over this challenge many manufacturers will make a hole or micro perforations in the bag, but when the product is stored for long periods this can result in the food becoming tainted.

Cereal manufacturers have for many years experienced a problem on mixed products where the heavier ingredient falls to the bottom of the box (bag in box) during transport. ULMA’s new ‘tight bag’ jaws make the pack tighter by removing air via a patented jaw design that will not damage product as per conventional options such as bag deflators. A tighter bag means mixed products are held in place during transportation.

To meet the market needs to remove as much air as possible from the packs of frozen products, without affecting the integrity of the packaging, ULMA’s patented new system creates a controlled vacuum before sealing the bag – an innovative method which does not compromise packaging speeds but does reduce logistics costs.

The ‘Tight Bag’ system is incorporated in the horizontal cross seal area allowing the machine to reach pack speeds of up to 90 per minute, whilst controlling

how much air is withdrawn from the bag. Smaller boxes mean an increase in the number of packs that can be stored on pallets, saving fuel miles, while preventing the risk of external contamination of the product due to punched holes or perforations. On some products this can mean up to an extra 20 per cent more product per pallet/ boxes.

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BIO PLASTICS

THE POWER OF PACKAGING – SHARPEN YOUR USP In comparison to previous years, the ecological and environmental awareness of consumers has increased which makes them think even more carefully before they decide to buy a product. Ingredients, sustainability, waste reduction and separation are considered more often. Consumers are looking at the composition and prefer e.g. shampoos without silicone or skin care products without mineral oils or micro plastics. Natural cosmetics are a life style statement and express the customer´s personality and individuality. Packaging made from renewable resources not only help to implement a holistic sustainable approach, which distinguishes respective brands from cosmetics wrapped in traditional plastics, but also increase the perception of value – according to Annette Schuster and Patrick Zimmermann.

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raditionally, a huge range of polymers are used for cosmetic packaging. Bottles are mainly made from HDPE, sometimes from PP while high transparent materials such as Polyesters or Polyamides are suitable for jars. As the packaging is the figurehead of each brand and product, surface finishing, haptics and visual appearance are key factors aside from mechanical or barrier properties.

In some cosmetic packaging, several different plastics are combined in order to meet respective requirements. In terms of cosmetic bottles for instance, PE is used for the hollow part, PP for the cap and even the label is made from a different material or material combination. In order to increase the recyclability of such a product while being in accordance with a circular economy, more mono materials should be used. The product solution of Speick´s Natural Cosmetics follows this logic trend in a smart way by using Green PE for all three parts of the packaging and therefore enables ease of recycling.

Of course, raw material costs can be higher compared to existing fossil based polymers being used. But, is a cheap price really a unique selling proposition (USP)? Usually such products are easily replaced by a competitor who is able to produce at an even lower cost. To stay ahead of competition respective marketing and sales strategies are needed which are increasingly more independent from the price driven argumentations. A USP needs to be evaluated and communicated clearly to end consumers. In order to help consumers identify truly sustainable products and avoid greenwashing it is possible to verify and confirm the bio-based content of packaging by external institutions. The packaging is then clearly labelled with appropriate certificates or seals. A clear and logical message with high transparency for the end user is the key for success. This message can be clearly communicated with biopolymers.

Speick Natural Cosmetics recently chose Braskem´s I´m green™ PE for their packaging: “Environmental and social criteria play a key role in the selection of our raw materials and packaging. Our products shall be thoroughly sustainable.

It is not easy to substitute plastic wrapping but we were consequently looking for a possibility to act more environmental friendly in this case. This is why we are using bottles made of sugar cane based bioplastics for our Speick Organic 3.0

product range and we are very pleased with it. The numerous awards for our product confirm that we are on the right track.” says Anke Boy, responsible for Marketing and Product Management of Speick Natural Cosmetics.

As a distribution partner for Braskem S.A. FKuR is able to offer their ‘I’m green™’ polyethylene. Its properties are identical to conventional PE which makes it very easy for packaging manufacturers to shift from conventional to bio-based PE because it is not necessary to change any tool or machine settings. The same also applies for recycling. Green PE can be recycled with regular PE without affecting the recycling chain.

The broad portfolio of FKuR offers solutions for bottles, tubes, films and jars that can be produced using either renewable or biodegradable plastics. Biobased and biodegradable materials such as Bio-Flex® and Biograde® are very versatile in their technical performance and processing methods. Such materials are suitable for cast film extrusion with subsequent thermoforming and injection moulding applications. Because of their different haptics, end consumers will immediately notice the difference compared to existing oil based materials.

Additionally Green PE, Terralene PP (a partly bio-based PP blend) or Terraprene (a bio-based TPE) can replace their existing oil based counterparts easily.

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Packaging Europe | 49 |

GLOBAL TRENDS

MANJUSHREE’S PACKAGING TRENDS Manjushree Technopack, South Asia’s largest PET and preform manufacturing company, is committed to innovation that puts it on a par with the global players. In this article Manjushree exclusively shares its insights on the trends driving packaging innovation across its core regional markets.

Lightweighting in pharma

In-mould labelling

anjushree has taken upon lightweighting as one of its key procedures for all PET bottles including pharma bottles. For example, there is a slow shift from the standard 25mm ROPP neck finish to 22mm ROPP finish.

This gives saving in PET material for both bottle and cap.

The process of lightweighting involves a complex design process which focuses on the ideal material distribution that results in considerable weight reduction without compromising on strength, appearance or performance features of the PET bottle.

Manjushree decided to take a step ahead when it comes to light weighting, they opted to change the neck finish from the traditional 1810 to 188 (popularly known as short neck) of the PET performs. This move helped in reducing the distance between the neck rings and knurling, it also reduced the turnings on the neck from three to two. This change not only resulted in reducing the weight of the preforms from 5.1 grams to 3.8 grams but also the weight of the caps from 2.8 grams to 2.5 grams. The Company has lightweighted the pharma bottles of 100 and 60 ml by seven to ten per cent by using the above principle.

IML is growing in popularity, especially in the FMCG industry for products like premium ice-creams, yogurt, cheese and butter. The new Cadbury Lickables product packaging is an example of the effectiveness of IML, where sticking a label conventionally would be challenging for the uniquely shaped container. The labels do not peel off and are water resistant. Dabur’s Sanifresh bottle is another example of the use of IML. It is incidentally created by Manjushree Technopack and has a look of finesse owing to IML The key growth factor of IML is the automated nature of the process. IML has an advantage over post-moulding, adhesive printed labels in terms of quality, production cost and versatility making the packaging attractive with sharper graphics and photorealistic images. The label is typically made of a plastic polymer, making the whole container, including the label, recyclable. An added advantage of IML technology is that it increases the speed of packaging by 10-20 per cent and reduces the cost of production by 3 per cent since labelling is combined with the manufacturing process of packaging. Manjushree receives 15 per cent of its revenue share from packaging decorations like screen printing, shrink sleeves and in-mould labelling.

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Barrier films Packaging needs to protect contents from oxygen, water vapour, dust or anything that may degrade the quality of the product in any way. Some packages contain desiccants that absorb oxygen to help extend shelf life. Keeping the contents sterile, safe for extended shelf life is a key function of this technology.

Manjushree was the first company to bring oxygen barrier retortable multilayer and stretch blow moulded bottles to India and introduced Multilayer Barrier and Hot Fillable PET Technology in 2003. The company has since seen a surge in the demand for these bottles over the decade.

CRC One of the most popular trends in pharma packaging currently is the Child Resistant Closures or CRC caps. Manjushree has increased its production capacity for tablet bottles with CRC caps, keeping in mind the increase in demand for the PET bottles in the pharma sector. Manjushree has recently worked with Glaxo Smith Kline to help them move from their previous neck finish to a child resistant and squeeze lock enabled finish. | 50 | Packaging Europe

Edible oil Manjushree observes that observes that one litre edible oil PET bottles are hugely popular among Indian consumers, followed by five litre and 500ml PET bottles. Leading edible oil brands like Sundrop, Sunrise, Fortune and Dara are aggressively marketing their edible oil in one litre, two litre and 20 litre PET bottles, specifically targeting super market customers. Presently, PET packaging of edible oil stands at seven lac metric tons. With more brands shifting to PET, Manjushree expects to grow at 30-40 per cent from their current growth rate of 25 per cent in the edible oil segment. Currently, the segment contributes up to 10 per cent of Manjushree’s total revenue.

Manjushree works with some of the biggest names in the edible oil segment including Adani, Rithika, Emami, Cargill, Karnataka Oil Federation, and Gemini among others. Recently, Manjushree has developed special patented short neck preform and cap that makes bottles 15 per cent lighter and ensures cost optimisation for its clients. Manjushree is also the only player to produce two litre edible oil bottles in India, which come with an external handle for easy pouring.

ADHESIVES

STRENGTHENING BONDS In order to deliver to the demands of the packaging marketplace both adhesive solutions and applicator technologies are constantly evolving. The adhesive products develop to meet more exact requirements, functionalities and performance, while also keeping in mind environmental impact. Alongside this, the applicator technologies are becoming smarter and more efficient to keep up with the fast-paced requirements of the production process. Libby White caught up with DowDupont at this year’s Labelexpo to hear about their newest developments. We also explore Avery Dennison’s and H.B. Fuller’s wide-ranging solutions, and learn about the recent technologies introduced by Robatech to touch on the surface of adhesive application.

Combating vulnerability

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very Dennison is a company at the forefront when exploring adhesive solutions, and of particular note has developed a solution for the challenging demands of enclosing wet products. Consumers who buy wet-wipes are mainly focused on easy-open/easy-close convenience. For manufacturers and brand owners, the priority is finding cost-efficient alternatives to rigid plastic lids and other reclosure solutions.

Avery Dennison has created a step change for wet-wipes with its High Solvent Resistance Adhesives, MR980R and UVR155, from the Select Solutions™ portfolio. These adhesives address the main problem with wet-wipe closures: the vulnerability of the adhesive closure to the solvents in the wet wipes themselves.

MR980R provides excellent functionality on glossy PET-packaging. It is designed to withstand the chemicals used in household wet wipes, and provides

a high strength of adhesion on flexible packaging. UVR155 is the preferred choice for matte packaging, often used in baby, facial and toilet wipes. Both adhesives have been developed specifically for challenging wipe applications (like household wipes), offering high to medium initial tack and a smooth peel.

Maintaining integrity A second focus area conducive to development is pressure sensitive adhesives.

H.B.Fuller’s extensive pressure sensitive adhesive portfolio contains water-based, hot melt and solvented acrylic or rubber compounded PS formulations, for production of a wide variety of labels, graphics and tape products. Its capabilities include the creation of unique compounded adhesives using in-house polymerisation, which deliver enhanced performance for specific applications.

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Water-based Fulltak™ SE 8301, for example, connects ideal coating, drying and conversion performance for the label stock producer with optimum ice water resistance (IWR) and excellent alkali wash-off performance for the beverage producer. Another level of versatility is brought by hot melt Lunamelt™ PHC 7194 ZP, which enables effective peel and reseal label functionality, for consumer satisfaction time and time again. The choice of product depends on requirements, such as base type, substrate, ageing resistance, ease of removal and the balance between tack, adhesion, versatility and cohesion.

“At H.B. Fuller, we recognise the importance of a label’s integrity in maintaining a brand’s value and reputation,” Judith Liddle, marketing manager, converting solutions, EIMEA explains, “so we’re determined to help protect our customers brands by designing specialty adhesives that keep labels firmly in place throughout the product journey – however long or challenging this might be.”

In the hot melt PSA category, Swift®melt 1911 delivers superb performance on demanding surfaces and conditions, such as glass, metals, wet conditions and rough surfaces, making it ideal for glass bottle, holographic or tyre labels. For speciality and premium labels or tapes, Lunamelt™ HL 2838 has a wide performance spectrum and delivers superb pressure sensitive adhesive performance on difficult surfaces, such as virgin and recycled corrugated boxes in both low and high temperature conditions.

H.B. Fuller’s solvent-based PSAs, in turn, include a number of Swift®col products, which can be used for clear-on-clear labels, giving a fashionable and permanent ‘no-label’ impression. | 52 | Packaging Europe

Sticking together Dow’s collaborative approach is focused also on driving meaningful innovations for the pressure sensitive industry. This year’s Labelexpo highlighted the unification of the Dow Performance Silicones and Dow adhesives complementary units of DowDupont Materials Science Division, commenting: “This is really the first time we have exhibited together as a team. With the typical development of a label, the silicones and adhesives are considered at separate stages of the process. Today, the two materials are considered together, like us a team, which is really our strength.”

Advanced solventless technologies, such as the Dow Corning® 2013 Adhesive for specialty pressure sensitive applications is a solvent-free silicone pressure sensitive adhesive that, when used with Syl-Off® 4000 catalyst, offers the ability to prepare pressure sensitive constructions at low curing temperatures.

Of particular note, Dow Adhesives announced the latest innovation in its acrylic adhesives portfolio: ROBOND™ INVISU™ PS-7910 which is specifically designed for self-adhesive labelstock producers targeting the growing market of film-based labels.

This water-based acrylic adhesive provides a highly efficient and multipurpose solution addressing some of the most critical challenges of a broad range of filmic label end-uses, from food to beverage, home and personal care products, and durable goods.

For label producers, ROBOND™ INVISU™ PS-7910 represents a highly versatile adhesive with proven runnability on state-of-the-art curtain coating machines and suitable to formulations for alternative coating technologies.

Dow’s new adhesive for filmic labels is in compliance with food contact regula-

ADHESIVES

tion EU 10/2011 with reduction factor 2 for certain types of food. Furthermore, it offers an effective conversion to narrow web sizes, granted by remarkable and stable cohesion, independent of storage conditions.

For converters, the new ROBOND™ INVISUTM PS-7910 provides an efficient die cutting, thanks to the polymer cohesive strength, as well a consistent release and effective dispensing. With excellent and stable storage characteristics, it is able to handle a wide range of environmental conditions. As to end users, they will benefit from very good appearance on clear labels, with a transparent and non-yellowing adhesive film.

Optimising the process Some of the latest adhesives on the market have been explored, and innovation is also ever present in the technology that supports its application.

Robatech AG’s product range is always growing to include new products, features, and options. One innovation is EasyFix, a mount for heated hoses that also extends the hose’s service life.

The ILS (intelligent level sensor) provides a real-time fill level visualisation for just the right dose. And last but not least, the RobaFeed 3, an automatic filling system for adhesive in granular form to maximise safety while ensuring the tank is always filled to the right level.

Until now, no professional hose mount has existed for adhesive application.

One of the most compact hose mounts on the market, the EasyFix from Robatech has put an end to this. The heated hose, cable, and tubes are guided together, kept away from the floor. This also protects them from being squeezed or bent.

The EasyFix ideally adapts to the customer requirements, is suitable for practically any application and environment, and is quick to retrofit. Protection against overheating for bundled hoses minimises the risk of adhesive carbonisation and nozzle clogging. The EasyFix insert ensures optimal control of the constant hose temperature as well as high-quality adhesive application. Available in two different sizes, the EasyFix guarantees an extended service life, operator safety, and a constant hose temperature.

The demands on automatic melter filling increase continuously. The focus is on efficiency, safety, and functionality. With the fully integrated, automatic

RobaFeed 3 filling system, Robatech offers the ideal solution for safe and reliable filling of melting tanks with adhesive in granular form. It draws the exact amount of adhesive needed and also monitors the adhesive level within the tank.

With this self-monitoring system, classic operator errors, such as overfilling of the tank, are avoided. Production downtimes due to empty melting tanks are omitted as well. Continuous filling ensures a constant amount of adhesive.

Gentle, needs-based adhesives preparation also reduces the risk of burns in the tank as well as nozzle clogging. With less effort required for filling and increased process reliability, the RobaFeed 3 ensures continuous production, saves on adhesive, and even reduces the energy needed for operation.

Intelligent sensors have long played a key role including in the realisation of Industry 4.0 concepts. With the ILS, Robatech has developed a solution for realtime fill level visualisation. The new sensor can be installed in the entire Concept series, not only monitoring the fill level, but also preventing the adhesive tank from running empty with its unique run empty protection. The adhesive level is continually adapted to the process. The adhesive type is automatically detected, preventing production errors thanks to a warning in the event of an excessive deviation from the reference adhesive.

The display unit is an efficient solution for many individual applications, meeting all requirements in terms of precision. Analyses also help streamline processes. This increase in adhesive application efficiency cuts costs while optimising processes.

“This is just the type of possibilities our customers are looking for to boost their own added value and quality,” states Kevin Ahlers, Manager Marketing and Communication at Robatech AG. “We offer them complete solutions and never stop thinking about how we can further optimise the adhesive process. Developments such as the EasyFix, ILS, and RobaFeed 3 are all part of this. With the new ILS, for example, our customers are capable of collecting and processing data sets from measurement data. Platforms such as these can help them cut costs while streamlining processes. With our innovative solutions, we want to make our customers faster, more efficient, and more flexible, preparing them for the future of production.”

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INTRODUCING HEXABAG® Hexabag®, an Imballaggio® product, represents a new concept in the paper bag industry.

D

eveloped to meet the clean room concept, Hexabag® has two layers: an external one of laminated paper with aluminium providing a high barrier of up to two years against smell and moisture; and an internal one of plastic, both with valves. The Pulled! Opened!® strip system allows for the full separation of the layers and their further disposal. Hexabag’s composition combines productivity and practicality with all the safety requirements for clean room usage.

This industrial valve bag was developed in partnership with Ingredion® Brazil to meet the requirements of its customers in the Food, Baby Food, Chemical and Pharmaceutical industries.

“The Ingredion® Brazil project, in partnership with Imballaggio®, sought the development of an industrial bag for food and pharmaceutical packaging, in order to meet the concept of ‘Clean Room’ quality. The implementation of Hexabag® has ensured total product safety, allowing for safe handling within

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controlled areas without the need for further packaging,” says José Judice, Packaging Engineering Manager at Ingredion® Brazil.

In addition to being recognised at the WPO WorldStar Packaging Organisation Awards 2017, HexaBag® has also been awarded by ABRE – the Brazilian Packaging Association – in 2016.

One of the most important paper sack manufacturers in Brazil, Imballaggio® has maintained a tradition of constant innovation since 1893. Accredited by the certifications ISO-9001:2008, Sedexglobal®, HACCP and GMP, Imballaggio® only uses raw materials certified by the FSC. Visit: www.imballaggio.com.br

Solution from a single source. Cup Forming Machine THERMORUNNER KTR 6.1 SPEED with Mould & Matic Pick-up Stacker and Bosch Sprang tooling

Trays, hinged boxes, bowls, lids show the highest flexibility of the KMD Speedformer series.

The Kiefel Technology Center brings customers a step ahead.

THERMOFORMING - SOLUTIONS FROM A SINGLE SOURCE: KIEFEL - BOSCH SPRANG - MOULD & MATIC Kiefel, a pioneer in the field of thermoforming, drives the performance of its customers. In recent years, the company has become a leading solution provider in the thin-walled packaging sector.

T

he customers are supported in every aspect concerning packaging solutions from a single source: from material and product development, sample production to the installation of complete production lines with thermoforming machines, tools and automation equipment.

Steel rule cutting machines Fast for high volumes, economic for smaller jobs. The KMD Speedformer pressure forming machines are flexible in the production of food or non-food articles, versatile with all common thermoforming materials - regardless of whether handling PS, OPS, EPS, PP, PE, PVC, APET or CPET. Male, female and combined products like trays, containers, hinged boxes, blisters, bowls, lids, inserts show the highest flexibility of the KMD series.

Thermoformed products protect, preserve and display food and have to meet functions such as: rim for sealing, rims for tightly fitting lids, etc. Kiefel was the forerunner in integrated plug-assist drive and BFS system in KMD type machine addressing increasing product challenges. The machines have a modular design and are configurable for customer’s requirements.

Pressure forming for cup production Capsules for coffee, yogurt cups, drinking cups, cups for use with snap-on lids or plant-pots - The KTR Thermorunner pressure forming machines for cup-production offer more robustness and availability combined with high

performance and precision. Users get advantage from more options in tooling with tools from Bosch Sprang or Mould & Matic or their preferred toolmaker.

Innovative solutions are also available for downstream automation and T-IML. No matter how thin, whether the product’s tendency to become oval-shaped, or the requirement for automation, the Pick-up Stacker concept from Mould & Matic is the leading technology for the production of disposable cups, tubs and capsules. It allows any type of highly productive further processing, such as hole-punching, camera inspection and the automatic packing of stacks of cups into weld-sealed plastic sleeves.

The Kiefel Technology Center brings customers a step ahead Innovative and proven engineering: The Kiefel Technology Center is equipped with standard KMD and KTR production machines as well as numerous other lab-thermoform- and test equipment.

With Bosch Sprang and Mould & Matic, Kiefel has access to further capabilities and devices within one group. Support is provided from basic material testing as well as product development and for tuning up the thermoforming production. Dedicated training for operators and maintenance staff and thermoforming courses are offered.

Visit: www.kiefel.com Packaging Europe | 57 |

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BOOST YOUR PACKAGING WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH Packaging is now seen as advertising space that can be used to draw customers in with a variety of customisable elements.

SP

Group has more than 30 years experience making flexible packaging. Today, the company consists of four factories strategically located in different European countries offering the widest range of flexible packaging solutions available on the market.

You probably already have a good marketing and communicating strategy in place, but it is important to remember that the first thing that influences a consumer’s decision to buy a product at the point of sale is the packaging, which means good design and printing are essential.

Digital printing provides the most options, as it permits a combination of designs and personalisation for short runs, launch tests, market tests, promotions, seasonal campaigns (Halloween and Christmas are just around the corner, for example) or products with less volume of production.

SP Group also has a range of materials and finishes with sensory effects: The Natur range comprises paper with various natural-look finishes, Paper Touch Plus, has a varnish that gives the look and feel of paper, and printed Aromas are fragrances added to the inside or outside of the material and which is 100 per cent fit for food use.

The company’s most recent additions include SP Emboss, an attractive and elegant thermoformed relief, and specific perforations to give preformed pouches and bags their shape.

SP Group is also flexible when it comes to personalisation. Use one type of personalisation or combine different ones to achieve the desired effect.

The only limit is your imagination.

Contact our sales team for more information: Sales Manager for the UK and Ireland – Victor Barrera vbarrera@spg-pack.com +34 610 106212 Sales Manager for Northen Europe – Johnny Andersson jandersson@spg-pack.com +46 70 7556521 Sales Manager for Germany – Antonio Palacio apalacio@spg-pack.com +49 5451998238 Sales Manager for Poland – Javier Rufián jrufian@spg-pack.com +48 668 22 19 19 Sales Manager for France – Guillaume Medjake guillaume.medjake@spg-pack.com +33 677747809

Check out our new website! www.spg-pack.com

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EUROPE NEEDS A PLASTICS SYSTEM THAT WORKS

by Anders Wijkman* (Chairman Climate-KIC, former MEP) and Catia Bastioli** (CEO of Novamont).

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he President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, recently addressed the European Parliament on the EU’s circular economy package. And the Commission held in September a highlevel conference on plastic waste. That is, indeed, welcome. But the snail pace so far in terms of implementation has been embarrassing.

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The Commission wants all plastic packaging on the EU market to be recyclable by 2030. In 2015, packaging represented almost 40 per cent of the more than 20 million tonnes of plastics in the EU. Less than 26 per cent of all plastics are currently recycled. The question is: what to do about it? Is conventional recycling a good solution?

Plastics composition and properties are diverse, which makes a comprehensive recycling of their residues basically impossible. The best we can hope for is that enhanced recycling of everything from plastic water bottles to yoghurt pots will be downcycled into other low-value products.

It is time we ask ourselves if the goal of making all plastic packaging recyclable is feasible or desirable.

Most of the plastics will still end up in incineration or landfill, shifting the environmental burden to the atmosphere or to the soil. What we need instead are standards – to limit the number of different plastic qualities – and separate collection systems for the main types of plastics. In essence, this means we have to rethink the whole system.

Improving the eco-design for certified plastics in priority applications, increasing demand and thereby collection of certified recycled plastics, and mandating the separate collection of bio waste are all necessary steps.

Biodegradable plastics should preferably be used in food packaging, making it easy to collect as bio waste.

The imperative to “recycle more” will be effective only if industry, governments and advocacy groups join forces to build a “plastics system

that works”. By implication, this means changing an economic model that thrives on wasteful products and packaging, and developing a portfolio of products, preferably based on locally available resources, that aims to close the loops.

This is the business model that European companies like Novamont are striving for, as pioneers in the sector of bioplastics and biochemicals – produced by integrating chemistry and agriculture in the local areas – involving local communities.

More than two thirds of the 96 million tonnes of bio waste generated in the EU still end up in landfill. It is estimated that a EU policy aiming at zero bio waste in landfill or incineration would generate about 50 million tonnes of CO2 savings, €10 billions of investment in territorial development and tens of thousands of jobs.

There is a range of new integrated technologies ready for scale-up if only the EU promoted such models by developing relevant standards, advocating for proper green public procurement implementation by member states, and provided a regulatory environment that boosts bioplastics applications.

Visit: www.novamont.com

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*Mr. Anders Wijkman is an opinion maker and author. He is co-president of the Club of Rome and Chairman of the Swedish Association of Recycling Industries. Anders has served as a Member of the European Parliament (19992009), Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Policy Director of UNDP and Secretary General of the Swedish Red Cross. Anders is a member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, the World Future Council and the International Resource Panel. With Professor Johan Rockström, Anders co-authored “Bankrupting Nature” (2011) which describes the deep denial surrounding the global environmental challenges.

Novamont is a world-leading group in the development and production of bio-based and biodegradable bioplastics through the integration of chemistry, agriculture and the environment. The company’s key applications include packaging, organic waste collection, retail carrier and produce bags, disposable tableware and agricultural mulch film. Cutlery, plates and cups used for the 2012 London Olympics were made of Novamont’s Mater-Bi®, a bioplastic fully compostable according to EU standard EN 13432. The company partners with a network of cities comprising Geneva, Milan, New York, Paris, San Francisco and Vienna engaged in the separate collection of bio-waste. Novamont has a portfolio of over 1,000 patents, 600 staff and a global turnover of €170M (2015). It has its headquarters in Italy, foreign seats in Germany, France and the United States and operates through its own distributors in Benelux, Scandinavia, UK, China, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The company is a Core Partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative designed to solve the plastic packaging problem globally.

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**Ms. Catia Bastioli serves as CEO at Novamont, a world leading group in the development and production of bioplastics through the integration of chemistry, agriculture and the environment, and is Chairwoman at TERNA, Italy’s electricity transmission grid operator. Catia is also Chairwoman of the Kyoto Club Association, a Director of the Cariplo Foundation, a Full Member of The Club of Rome and sits in important Advisory Boards at European level, namely the High Level Group on Key Enabling Technologies and the Bioeconomy Panel. In 2013, she received the “Eureka Prize” for technological innovation and in 2007 the “European Inventor of the Year” award for her inventions related to bioplastics and for managing to translate her research results into industrial products.