Beyond The Headlines: Mondi releases SolmixBag for construction industry, TNA Solutions creates chip packaging for US market

30 Jun 2023 --- This week in industry news, Mondi created the SolmixBag to transport dry construction materials and TNA Solutions partnered with US company Mister Bee Potato Chips. Meanwhile, Walki Group invested in a Finnish start-up to scale up production volumes.

In brief: Launches and releases
Mondi introduced the SolmixBag, a water-soluble bag for the construction industry. SolmixBag is a one-ply paper bag that stores and transports dry construction materials such as cement and dry mix mortar products. It is designed to dissolve when getting in contact with water during the mixing process – the fiber of the packaging integrates with the product as it is mixed. This eliminates waste, reduces paper waste management costs and minimizes dust on the construction site, as the bag is placed into the mixer without needing to open it upfront. 

TotalEnergies Premium Wood Pellets packaging is made of 50% recycled polymers from the RE:clic range.TotalEnergies announced its Premium Wood Pellets are now packed in high-performance PE bags incorporating 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. The new packaging is composed of a core layer of rPE2206, a low-density PE grade made of 100% PCR content and part of the RE:clic circular polymer range, and high-performance Lumicene and Supertough metallocene virgin resins. It exhibits identical properties and thicknesses as fossil-based alternatives with a reduced environmental footprint. Moreover, the printed area of the packaging has been reduced by 60% to improve recyclability and limit ink usage.

To celebrate Plastic Free July, Cruz Foam began shipping its first curbside recyclable cold chain product providing 48-hour insulation and protection for conventional cold chain e-commerce fulfillment. Real Good Fish is piloting Cruz Cool for the shipping of its high-quality, sustainable seafood boxes and Verve Coffee will use the solution to ship its Nitro Flash Brew Coffee for home delivery. Cruz Foam says the Cruz Cool can replace traditional plastic foam-based coolers and shipping containers, which are rarely recycled and frequently end up in landfills and waterways where they can degrade into microplastics that harm the environment and wildlife. 

In brief: Collaborations
TNA Solutions partnered with US-based company Mister Bee Potato Chips for its snack production. TNA completely redesigned the company’s manufacturing site in Parkersburg, West Virginia, achieving a 400% capacity increase. As the new owners of Mister Bee, the West Virginia Potato Chip Company recognized the need for a comprehensive upgrade to the existing frying and packaging machines, which were outdated and unsuitable for meeting growing market demands. Cruz Foam started to ship its first curbside recyclable cold chain products. 

Walki Group invested in Finnish start-up The Paper Lid Company (TPLC). TPLC’s environmentally sustainable paper lid manufacturing site in Masku, Finland, is ready to scale up production volumes supported by Walki’s material conversion and printing capabilities. According to the companies, end users of hot and cold cup lids are increasingly looking for alternatives to replace plastic lids with more ecological solutions. While plastic lids have not yet been widely banned by regulation, restaurants, coffee chains and retailers are already taking action to transition away from single-use plastic lids.

CJ Logistics, a South Korean supply chain and technology company, announced a partnership with the Korea Ocean Business Corporation to construct large-scale logistics centers in the US through public-private collaboration. With a total investment of approximately US$457 million, these logistics centers will prioritize handling the export cargo of global and South Korean companies, facilitating their overseas expansion and trade activation. Additionally, this initiative aims to strengthen the economic alliance between the US and South Korea by fostering local investment and job creation.

TNA Solutions makes potato chip packaging for the US market. In brief: Business news 
Packaging expert Katie Ireland joined CRB as a senior packaging engineer. For CRB Ireland’s arrival bolsters clients seeking holistic packaging, equipment and line design that maximizes a product’s shelf life, safety, ease of use and marketing appeal. Before CRB, Ireland spent more than ten years at Starbucks, where she led numerous global packaging solution and innovation efforts that streamlined the coffee giant’s packaging lines. 

In brief: Certifications
CPI Card Group, a payment technology company, announced that it earned Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody (CoC) certification for its prepaid product. CPI was third-party certified by SCS Global Services through its Forest Conservation Program. FSC CoC certification ensures that certified wood products are tracked from responsibly managed forests to final paper products to verify that FSC-certified material is identified or kept separate from non-certified material throughout the chain. Through the certification process, SCS conducted an independent review of CPI’s environmental sustainability efforts and verified its use of responsibly sourced products.

By Sabine Waldeck