Weekly Roundup: Braskem teams with Join the Pipe on biobased water bottles, FrieslandCampina signs up to The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment
22 Mar 2019 --- In packaging news this week, Braskem has teamed up with Dutch water company Join the Pipe to distribute bio-based and reusable water bottles in the US and in several African and European countries. In further sustainability news, FrieslandCampina became a new signatory of The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. Also this week, Proseal, a manufacturer of automatic tray sealing machines, conveyor systems and sealing tools, has been recognized as one of the UK’s top 200 fastest growing companies for international sales.
In brief: Sustainability
FrieslandCampina has signed The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. With this commitment to work towards 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025 or earlier, the company notes that it has taken the next step to “realize our ambition to make all new plastic 100 percent recyclable, worldwide.” FrieslandCampina’s move follows that of the Plastic Pact NL on 21 February.
Braskem has teamed up with Join the Pipe to distribute its reuasable plastic bottle, which is made from sugarcane.Braskem has teamed up with Dutch water company Join the Pipe to distribute sustainable and reusable water bottles made with the I'm Green green plastic in the US, Africa and Europe. The distribution started in March, and the income generated from marketing the product will be intended for over 300 social projects in developing countries, most of them in Africa and Asia. Projects include the installation of water pumps in villages, distribution of water in schools and cleanup workshops to address the issue of plastic waste. In addition to being 100 percent recyclable, Braskem’s plastic bottle is made from sugarcane, which contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere by capturing 3.09 metric tons of carbon dioxide during its production process.
The Holmen Group’s paperboard manufacturer, Iggesund Paperboard, has received the highest rating for sustainability in an evaluation done this year by the rating firm EcoVadis. The paperboard is produced at Iggesund Mill (Sweden) and Workington (UK). EcoVadis is a system for assessing and rating the suppliers of global companies and has done more than 45,000 evaluations in 150 countries. Companies using EcoVadis include Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, L’Oréal and Heineken.
In response to the rapidly emerging trend toward circular economy suitable materials, Plastic Packaging Technologies, LLC (PPT) has officially launched its sustainable packaging line – Thrive. Readily available solutions consist of: Thrive-Recyclable and Thrive-Post Consumer Recycled Content (PCR). PPT plans to expand this line with multiple solutions including Thrive- Renewable and Thrive-Compostable.
In brief: Miscellaneous
Proseal, a manufacturer of automatic tray sealing machines, conveyor systems and sealing tools, has been recognized as one of the UK’s top 200 fastest growing companies for international sales. The company has been featured in the 10th annual Sunday Times International Track 200 league table – which ranks Britain’s mid-market private companies according to their international sales growth over the last two years. With operations in the US and Australia and a network of 14 global distributors, Proseal has averaged a 45 percent growth over the last two years. International sales reached £33.7 million in 2018. Marking its 10th anniversary this year, the league table has featured more than 1,000 companies since its launch, including household names such as Aston Martin, Lush and Specsavers.
AUSPACK, a leading industry show for the packaging industry in the Asia-Pacific region, will be held on the 26-29 March at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. AUSPACK 2019 has 15 percent more international exhibitors and a dedicated Italian Pavilion, notes the organizers. Some of Italy’s machinery manufacturers currently supply into Australia, while others are looking for business-growth opportunities in Australia and the APAC region. The opportunity for Australian businesses to engage with growing international businesses right on their doorstep offers enormous opportunities, notes the organizers. Across all four days, a mixture of associations and exhibitors will run workshops on a wide range of topics and industry leaders and innovators will present case studies and interactive Q&A sessions, among other entertainment options.
