Beyond The Headlines: Sidel supports Chinese coconut brand, Mondi crafts wind turbine packs

13 Oct 2023 --- This week in packaging, Sidel supplied its Aseptic Combi Predis to Hainan Chunguang Foodstaff, enabling the snack producer to enter the beverage market with coconut milk in China. Meanwhile, Mondi Grünburg created a packaging solution for wind power components, and Berry Global produced containers with recycled content for transporting hazardous goods.

In brief: Business news
China’s Hainan Chunguang Foodstaff partnered with Sidel to expand into the beverage market by producing coconut milk using Sidel’s Aseptic Combi Predis technology. The coconut milk production uses environmentally sustainable dry technology, meeting the company’s economic and environmental sustainability goals. The move expands Hainan Chunguang’s product line, offering a locally sourced plant-to-bottle solution. Bottled in Sidel’s premium PET design in a 350 mL format, Hainan Chunguang’s new installation can run 28,000 bottles per hour, reinforcing Sidel’s presence in China with over 100 aseptic line installations. 

OPPO aligned its product quality with environmental consciousness. The company is actively reducing plastic usage in its packaging materials, exemplified by the biodegradable, paper-based packaging for the Find N2 Flip. Furthermore, OPPO has participated in the Eco Rating Labeling Scheme.

In brief: New product developments
Mondi and NKE partnered to develop premium packaging for industrial goods.Mondi Grünburg collaborated with NKE, a wind turbine component manufacturer, to develop premium packaging for industrial goods, offering optimal protection to its content and preventing transport damage to the bearings. The partnership aimed to protect expensive rolling bearings used in wind turbines during transport. They created a packaging design with one-way shock sensors, ensuring real-time feedback on the bearing’s condition upon arrival. The offset-printed box includes flexo print on the inside with clear usage instructions. This innovation received recognition at the Forum Wellpappe Awards and qualified for the WorldStar competition.

Berry Global introduced the first 20- and 25-liter containers containing 35% recycled material with UN Approval for transporting hazardous goods. In addition to existing UN approval for water, the new containers received approval for a wetting solution, acetic acid, white spirit and N-butyl acetate. These containers support sustainability goals, meet consumer demands for eco-friendly packaging and help businesses comply with upcoming regulations on recycled material content. Berry sourced the 35% recycled high-density PE from controlled sources, minimizing material variations, retaining low weight for production efficiency and ensuring the quality and consistent performance of the containers. The new containers are suitable for various applications, including chemicals, hazardous goods, agriculture and automotive care

Packaging and recycling experts Alpla and mineral water company Tönissteiner jointly created a reusable 1-liter PET bottle entirely from PCR material, offering a climate-friendly solution for the German mineral water market. The bottle, produced with low-carbon consumption, is lightweight and can be fully recycled at the end of its life. It fits with Tönissteiner’s existing crates, enabling efficient transport and reducing sorting efforts. Laser markings indicate the number of cycles, ensuring a closed bottle-to-bottle loop. 

Infection prevention and commercial cleaning researcher and innovator UMF PerfectClean announced it is set to introduce fully compostable packaging for its product line by early 2024. Derived from corn, the packaging is employed for select products and is said to be suitable for healthcare, hospitality, education and foodservice industries. The shift aligns with UMF PerfectClean’s dedication to environmental hygiene, aiming to reduce waste, carbon footprint and costs. 

In brief: Acquisitions
CCT, which provides thermal packaging for the life sciences industry, acquired Exeltainer. With manufacturing hubs in Spain and Brazil, Exeltainer has become a preferred supplier for blue-chip pharmaceutical clients in Europe and Latin America. This strategic acquisition enhances CCT’s global presence and product offerings, strengthening its position in sustainable shipping solutions with thermal engineering expertise. This marks CCT’s third add-on acquisition, underscoring its commitment to expansion and innovation in the industry.UMF PerfectClean is set to introduce compostable packaging by early 2024.

ALP Overseas, a subsidiary of the ALP Group, announced the acquisition of SoffSeal, a US-based manufacturer of rubber seals and molded auto parts for leading US automotive brands. The move strengthens ALP Overseas’ presence in the US market and enhances its distribution capabilities. ALP Group, a market leader in weather seals manufacturing in India, sees the acquisition as an opportunity to apply its expertise in manufacturing and distribution to drive rapid growth for SoffSeal. The move is expected to benefit the US auto parts industry and expand ALP Overseas’ export capabilities for SoffSeal products in other regions. SoffSeal is known for its high-quality weatherstripping and rubber detail products, serving various automotive applications.

In brief: Events and awards
At the Fakuma trade show from October 17 to 21 in Germany, Netstal will showcase its expertise in sustainable packaging production using the injection compression molding (ICM) process. The company is presenting a lightweight yogurt cup made of 100% PP with 0.3 mm wall thickness, weighing 5.4 g. Unlike traditional in-mold labels, the label can be easily removed during mechanical recycling, preserving the PP stream’s purity. ICM reduces the cup’s weight by 34% and optimizes packaging volume by 27%. The packaging is produced with energy-efficient Elion 1750 machinery in four cavities at a cycle time of 2.7 seconds. Netstal will also introduce the Axos 9 control system for enhanced machine performance and usability.

Dow’s Packaging Innovation Awards announced it is returning in a biennial format for the 2023/2024 edition. The awards celebrate innovative packaging across industries and geographies, recognizing technological advancements, sustainability and user experience improvements. The new format provides a longer submission period to encourage collaboration and innovation, with the awards ceremony taking place in Tokyo, Japan, in October 2024. The competition is open to packaging designs from all sectors and winners will be selected by an independent jury of industry professionals and sustainability experts. Entries are accepted until March 8, 2024. 

By Radhika Sikaria