Weekly Roundup: Berry Superfos and Celebration Packaging launch bio-based cutlery ahead of EU Single-Use Plastics Directive

30 Apr 2021 --- In packaging news this week, Berry Superfos launched a bamboo spoon for on-the-go food, and Celebration Packaging released a recyclable paper cutlery range ahead of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, taking effect in July. Meanwhile, Ampacet unveiled two new scratch and abrasion-resistant masterbatches for plastic products. Sainsbury’s supermarket revealed it is working with Prevented Ocean Plastic to convert ocean plastic into strawberry and fresh fish packaging.

In brief: Bio-based solutions
Berry Superfos launched a spoon made of bamboo to replace single-use PP spoons for on-the-go food packaging. The new spoon comes in two pieces to fit into the lid. “As a result of a pioneering process, we are delighted to introduce a two-piece bamboo spoon as a replacement for our PP foldable spoon in the lid,” said Søren Marcussen, regional director for Region Nordic. “The new spoon combines an inventive use of materials with a user-friendly design, perfectly. Also, the spoon is compliant with the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, which comes into force in July 2021.”

Celebration Packaging launched a disposable and recyclable paper cutlery range in retail packs of 20 knives, forks or spoons. The UK company’s EnviroWare cutlery is made from paper produced from sustainable forestry and has full FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) chain of custody accreditations. “We’ve been supplying our award-winning disposable paper cutlery to the foodservice and takeaway sectors for quite some time, but we are now making the products available to the general public through retail channels,” says managing director Nick Burton. “Packs of paper knives, forks and spoons are already on-shelf with a leading retailer in Norway and will soon be available here in the UK.”Celebration Packaging’s recyclable paper cutlery range.

PulPac received further patent approvals in Japan and Ukraine, expanding its IP portfolio and fortifying its novel proprietary technology, Dry Molded Fiber, which it says is up to 10 times more efficient than conventional fiber molding and saves huge volumes of water. Including these approvals, PulPac now has a portfolio of 38 national grants and hundreds of pending approvals within over 17 patent families, covering multiple aspects of the Dry Molded Fiber technology for sustainable fiber-based packaging and single-use products.

Sappi found a new partner for its Folding Box Board 1 in Turkish packaging specialist PrintPark. Sappi’s solution combines a luxury look and feel with strong paperboard rigidity. The paperboard also offers high brightness for a suitable base for precise imagery and color reproduction. Women’s fragrance Paradise by Flormar worked with PrintPark, using Sappi’s high-bright Folding Box Board 1 for a “playful, yet stylish packaging that promises an exclusive product experience.”Sappi’s Folding Box Board 1. 

In brief: Rigid plastics
Ampacet, a global masterbatch leader, added two products to its ScratchShield line of additives for protecting plastic products against scratch and abrasion without impacting resin’s gloss or mechanical properties. The new additives minimize the appearance of scuffs and scratches in preforms, bottles and a range of PET packaging without the need to apply a surface coating. These additives also improve the demolding of preforms while offering protection from guiderails and conveyor systems during manufacturing.

Sainsbury’s supermarket revealed it is working with Prevented Ocean Plastic to convert plastic collected from the coast into packaging for its strawberry and fresh fish range, removing over 297 tons of plastic. Thirty-four percent of Sainsbury’s fish and 80 percent of Berry Garden punnets of strawberries will be sold in packaging rescued from coastal areas. The announcement is the latest step by the retailer to remove, reduce, recycle and reuse plastic since pledging to halve its use of plastic packaging by 2025.

Resilux, a PET bottle and preform producer, invested in a new technology to double its bottle-to-bottle PET recycling capacity. Using state-of-the-art equipment from Erema, the new Vacunite bottle-to-bottle system enables Resilux to ramp up its production of food-grade recycled PET. The investment was made in response to increased customer demand, the company indicates. The equipment will be installed at Resilux’s Bilten location in Switzerland.Resilux’s state-of-the-art recycling equipment from Erema. 

Berry PET Power launched an initiative enabling its smaller customers to have easier purchasing access to packs incorporating recycled material. Berry PET Power indicates there is increased demand for packs containing recycled plastic, but until now, it has not been possible for all customers to obtain these packs due to existing minimum order quantities. To meet smaller requirements, Berry PET Power is now making eight of its standard products containing 50 percent post-consumer recycled plastic available to purchase by the pallet. The eight containers – Sharp Cylindrical (150 ml and 200 ml), Tall Boston Round (250 ml and 500 ml), Boston Round (250 ml and 500 ml) and Straight Cylindrical (100 ml) and 200 ml) – have been selected to provide a choice of styles and sizes.

In brief: Flexible plastics
Constantia Copenhagen, part of flexible packaging producer Constantia Flexibles, opened a new production, tripling the company’s capacity to support growth in the Scandinavian market. The new site in Ishøj, Denmark, enables a fully automated production process, improving flexibility, while the warehouse is now fully integrated within the site to facilitate growth. The new location uses robotics technologies and new hygiene measures to produce Ecolutions and other flexible packaging.Berry PET Power’s recycled bottles for smaller customers. 

Hatzopoulos partnered with the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) and Recoup for the recyclability certification of its X-Cycle PE films. Exclusively available to its members, the OPRL “Certified as Recyclable” scheme provides a robust analysis of a pack’s design, materials and special features to give a clear statement on its recyclability in the UK. Two main X-Cycle PE versions were selected and submitted for assessment: a duplex and a triplex film formulation.

In brief: Acquisition
Brook and Whittle, a North American pressure-sensitive and shrink sleeve prime labels manufacturer, acquired Digital Label Solutions. Based in Yorba Linda, California, DLS specializes in the production of short-run digital printing of custom and complex pressure-sensitive and shrink sleeve labels across various growth-oriented end markets. The acquisition furthers Brook and Whittle’s presence on the West Coast following its acquisitions of Label Impressions in June 2020 and Tri Print in October 2020.

By Joshua Poole

Ampacet added two products to its ScratchShield line of additives for protecting plastic against scratch and abrasion without impacting gloss or mechanical properties.