Weekly Roundup: Ball’s aluminum cups for Super Bowl, Arla and SIG’s aseptic cartons for MENA

11 Feb 2022 --- In packaging news this week, Ball partnered with US brewer Anheuser-Busch to supply the Super Bowl with reusable aluminum beverage cups. Meanwhile, Arla Foods Saudi Arabia partnered with SIG to bring aseptic carton packs to the MENA region for the first time, and Plastipak invested in its Luxembourg-based PET recycling facility.

In brief: Business news 
Ball and Anheuser-Busch announced a partnership to bring the infinitely recyclable Ball Aluminum Cup to guests at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, US, for the Super Bowl. The aluminum cups, which are also available to fans at major events and venues across the country and for purchase online and at mass retailers, demonstrate the partners’ commitment to advancing environmental sustainability, they say. 

Arla Foods Saudi Arabia adopted SIG’s state-of-the-art CFA 812 filling machine for its long-life products in the Middle East. The installation of the food filling technology will be the first time the company has produced and filled its food portfolio in aseptic carton packs locally. “Our flexible aseptic food filling technology will help Arla Foods to adapt to any sudden market changes and react to future consumer needs and preferences,” said Abdelghany Eladib, president and general manager Middle East and Africa region at SIG.

The Liquipure bag-in-box made with ultra mono-material flexible packaging.Plastipak completed an investment to significantly expand its PET recycling capacity at its manufacturing site in Bascharage, Luxembourg, expected to increase annual production capacity by 136%. The installation and commissioning of the expansion took 12 months and has officially opened. The recycling facility is co-located with Plastipak’s flagship preform, and container manufacturing facility and converts washed recycled PET flakes originating from post-consumer bottles into food-grade recycled pellets.

NatureWorks announced it would open a new headquarters and advanced biopolymer research facility in Plymouth, US. Expanded laboratory capabilities will support research into the full circular life cycle of the company’s Ingeo biopolymers. The expanded R&D capabilities will also support NatureWorks’ new fully integrated Ingeo PLA manufacturing complex located in Thailand. With an expected opening in 2024, the facility will have an annual capacity of 75,000 metric tons of Ingeo biopolymer and produce the full portfolio of Ingeo grades.

Pact Group, Cleanaway, Asahi Beverages and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners formed a joint venture to build and operate a new PET plastic recycling facility. The plant, a cross-industry solution, will be built in an industrial precinct in the US, and construction will finish in 2023. It’s expected to create more than 100 local jobs during the construction phase and 45 permanent roles once it’s complete. The capital expenditure for the project will be around US$50 million.The new NatureWorks HQ in Plymouth, US.

United States Steel Corporation launched a “next-generation” advanced steel mill. The US$3 billion steelmaking facility will be the “most advanced” in North America and the largest private project in the history of Arkansas, US. The new plant is expected to bring 900 plant jobs to the area, along with thousands of construction jobs.

In brief: Launches and releases
Liquipure ultra mono-material flexible packaging became available to customers across the globe after being introduced in the US last year. The bag-in-box solution is also being produced at Liquibox bag manufacturing sites in the EMEA and APAC regions to meet the global demand for sustainable packaging for all liquid products.

Macfarlane Packaging launched the Packaging Optimiser – an interactive tool designed to help businesses identify their packaging operation's total cost and environmental impact. The “first of its kind” software enables the Macfarlane team to work collaboratively with its customers to investigate potential opportunities for savings, from packaging materials, storage, and productivity, through to reducing damages and returns.

The Sirane Stable pallet wrap.Sirane Group added Stable pallet wrap to its range of Earth Packaging. Earthcling Pallet Wrap is both home and industrially compostable and suitable for manual and machine wrapping processes.

Southgate Global unveiled PET Tape made with 85% recycled plastic. According to the company, the PET Tape has a high mechanical tear resistance and is suited to closing standard and recycled cardboard boxes. In addition, its reduced thickness reportedly allows a saving of over 20% of plastics.

Paccor launched a new range of molded fiber products, packaging made of wood fibers, in response to growing market demand. The “pioneering” molded fiber technology is based on cellulose. The products are renewable, recyclable and biodegradable, or the compostable raw material is readily available globally and absorbs CO2 as it grows.

In brief: Certifications
Crown Holdings received certification from the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) for its Mexican beverage can operations. Through the ASI Performance Standard, which assesses and confirms the ethicality of metal packaging production activities, Crown Mexico is verified for responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminum.

By Louis Gore-Langton

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