Beyond The Headlines: Path Water and Mattel launch refillable Barbie bottle, ProAmpac receives flexible packaging awards

11 Aug 2023 --- This week in industry news, Path Water partnered with Mattel for a refillable water bottle in Barbie design, and ProAmpac obtained two awards at the 2023 annual Excellence in Flexography Awards. Meanwhile, Aptar CSP and Porton collaborated to bring Activ-Blister Solutions to Asia.

In brief: Launches and collaborations
Path Water has launched a limited-edition Barbie bottle in partnership with Mattel. The bright pink, refillable water bottle is now available on Path’s website for US$29.99 for a 9-pack (16.9 oz bottles) while supplies last. A percentage of proceeds for each sale on the site will go to Girls, an NGO serving girls at more than 1,500 sites in 350 cities across the US and Canada. 

JBT’s Proseal launched the CP4 case packing machine, the latest in the CP range. The CP4 offers producers across the global food market efficiency, flexibility and profitability in their packaging processes. Proseal’s new CP4 differs from the older models because of its ability to pack trays at higher production. The case packing machinery range can be integrated seamlessly with existing Proseal tray sealing machines.

Clearly Clean Products, a rolled-edge, recyclable food tray packaging company, launched two new 100% recyclable, PET-based, overwrap food trays designed for meatballs and patties. The meatball tray has 12 pockets, and the patty tray has two cells. They can be customized in size, thickness, shape and color. Both trays feature Clearly Clean’s patented smooth edge that is rolled to prevent the overwrap film from tearing. 

Aptar CSP and Porton bring Activ-Blister Solutions to Asia. Aptar CSP Technologies, part of AptarGroup, partnered with Porton Pharmatech, a subsidiary of Porton Pharma Solutions, a leading global end-to-end CDMO headquartered in China, to bring Activ-Blister Solutions to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The move follows the successful commercialization and approval of Activ-Blister technology with two HIV medications currently marketed in North America and the EMEA region. The collaboration with Porton was said to provide pharma developers in the APAC region with access to a local development and manufacturing resource for leveraging Aptar CSP’s Activ-Blister Solutions to protect their sensitive drugs. Bringing the technology’s production closer to patients and consumers will help mitigate supply chain disruptions and expedite time to market.

In brief: Awards 
ProAmpac, a leader in flexible packaging and material science, received two awards at the 2023 annual Excellence in Flexography Awards hosted by the Flexographic Technical Association. The Excellence in Flexography Awards is recognized as the most prestigious program in the flexographic industry and is the recognition flexographers worldwide strive to attain distinguishing top performers within the package printing and converting sector. ProAmpac was presented a Bronze award in the “Mid Web Process / Coated Paper” category for its Hidden Valley Zesty Alfredo Premium Season Mix flexography design. The judges commended the packages’ clean register and tonality, highlighting the small text’s quality.

Syntegon won the German Packaging Prize from the German Packaging Institute for its Direct Handling System (IDH). The handling system highlighted the innovative picker technology, which enables manufacturers to reduce the space required from the infeed belt to the packaging machine. Despite its compact footprint, the system was said to offer a high degree of format, pack style and layout flexibility. The picker technology, based on innovative linear motor technology, is at the center of the IDH. Each of the pickers can be controlled individually by a motor. Its slow and smooth movements minimize mechanical stress. Delicate products such as cookies and crackers are transported gently from the process belt into a feeder or trays. The IDH pickers grip the products with minimal vacuum application. This reduces damage and product breakage – an important step in minimizing food waste while ensuring optimum line efficiency. ProAmpac received awards for its flexible packaging. 

In brief: Acquisitions, financials and closures
TricorBraun acquired CanSource, a leading provider of can packaging and related services. The acquisition expands TricorBraun’s beverage packaging capabilities and was said to strengthen its position in the North American beverage packaging market. Founded in 2011, CanSource is a leading provider of brite, shrink-sleeved, and printed cans to the craft beer, wine, spirits and non-alcoholic beverage markets. The company operates from four locations across the US, including headquarters near Denver.

Danimer Scientific announced financial results for its second quarter, which ended June 30. In a separate release, the next-generation bioplastics company announced the acceptance of its Part II Application by the US Department of Energy  under the Title XVII Loan Guarantee. The company was invited into the confirmatory due diligence and term sheet negotiation process that, upon successful completion, could lead to funding from the US Department of the Treasury’s Federal Financing for construction of its greenfield manufacturing facility in Bainbridge, Georgia.

Cascades announced the closure of its second paper machine at its St. Helens, Oregon tissue plant, resulting in the complete shutdown of the facility. The end of operations will be effective at the beginning of October. The decision follows the company’s previously announced repositioning of its tissue papers production platform to improve business performance, which included the closure of one of the two paper machines at the St. Helens plant. The announcement further simplifies Cascades’ operational platform by concentrating the majority of its tissue product operating activities at core, geographically well-positioned sites that offer opportunities for future development.

By Natalie Schwertheim