Sonoco reinvigorates recyclability charge with Can Packaging acquisition
05 Aug 2020 --- Sonoco Europe has acquired Can Packaging, a France-headquartered cardboard packaging company for €41.7 million (US$49.3 million). Can Packaging adds a more recyclable, mono-material packaging solution with barrier properties to Sonoco’s portfolio by way of its Greencan solution. Moreover, the acquisition enables Sonoco to incorporate Can Packaging’s reduced carbon footprint machine technology into its operation and facilitate growth in new markets.
“Can Packaging enhances Sonoco’s strong global paperboard can portfolio and its proprietary manufacturing technology provides us the opportunity to expand into growth markets around the world. Sonoco will utilize its strength in material science to further improve product offerings,” Sean Cairns, Division Vice President and General Manager of Sonoco’s European Consumer Products Division, tells PackagingInsights. 
“Adding Can Packaging’s innovation center, intellectual property and proprietary manufacturing capabilities will allow Sonoco to enhance its strong material science that will have a wide range of food barrier properties for our European customers. We also see using Can Packaging’s unique, low-cost machine technology to expand our consumer products,” says Cairns.
The recyclable Greencan box contains up to 98 percent cardboard and paper.
In financial terms, Can Packaging is projected to generate sales of approximately €23 million (US$27.2 million) in 2020 and currently has approximately 60 associates. Cairns adds that Can Packaging Founder George Sireix will remain as a consultant to Sonoco.
Sireix’s son, Managing Director Guillaume Sireix, will also remain as an innovation leader of the company’s European Consumer Products Division. There will be no changes to operations or customer relationships, Sonoco states.
“Waking up” to environmental impacts
In a recent video interview with PackagingInsights, Cairns highlighted that “environmental sustainability is here forever, we’ve got to wake up to that.”
“With respect to ‘waking up,’ the more we see technological advances that make true sustainability a reality, we would expect a wave of new products being introduced by packaging companies. As the old saying goes, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats.’ We simply see the sense of urgency from an innovation standpoint increasing as consumers and governments demand more solutions to our environmental challenges. We believe it will become a marketing imperative to have more [environmental] sustainable packaging options to offer customers,” Cairns explains.
High paperboard Greencan solution
Can Packaging operates two paper can manufacturing facilities in France along with an R&D center where it designs and builds patented packaging machines and sealing equipment. Its flagship packaging solution is Greencan, a recyclable paperboard package made of 92-98 percent paperboard.
“[Without trays or added films,] your product is placed directly in the box away from air, humidity and light. The rigidity of Greencan packaging eliminates overwrapping; palletizing is direct,” the company states. Likewise, its Greencan boxes are lightweight because they are made of minimum material. The use of cardboard pulp from forests is managed to FSC or PEFC standards.
The basis of the plastic film – making up no more than 10 percent of the total box weight and less than 5 percent in the German market – is used for the box body, the membrane and the bottom. This high-barrier film is composed of PET SIOX or Metallized PET associated with a food-grade PE film in contact with the product.
The Greencan containers are available in round, square, rectangular, oval, oblong or triangular shapes and sizes. These containers are suitable to package snacks, confections, sugar, flour, salts, spices, stacked chips, coffee and other food products.
Sonoco’s progress in the recyclable packaging sector preceded its Can Packaging acquisition. In a notable collaboration, Sonoco Europe partnered with cardboard can specialist Just Spices to empower its packaging with environmentally sustainable and brand-enhancing paper cans in a market dominated by plastic packs. Meanwhile, TEQ, part of Sonoco, recently promoted its thermoformed wet pulp for natural packaging material in response to companies seeking more sustainable packaging solutions.
“What Can Packaging has accomplished is truly remarkable, as evidenced by our strong desire to bring them into the Sonoco family. We are extremely excited about the future of Can Packaging and its packaging technology to enhance our product offerings,” Cairns concludes.
By Anni Schleicher
