Weekly Roundup: Coca-Cola’s Valser introduces label-free water bottles, Innovia launches clear BOPP film for shrink labels

01 Jul 2022 --- This week in industry news, Coca-Cola’s Valser brand introduced label-free water bottles. Also, Innovia Films launched RayoWrap CMS, a clear BOPP film for shrink wraparound label applications, and Smurfit Kappa completed a large-scale sustainability project at its Zülpich paper mill in Germany.

In brief: Label-free bottles
Valser introduced label-free bottles for its Valser Sparkling, Valser Still and Valser Still Calcium & Magnesium products, becoming the first Swiss mineral water brand to dispense with labels. The product information and logo are instead embossed into the bottle, while the barcode required for retail sale is now printed on the top of the lid. Dispensing with labels enables a further reduction in the amount of packaging material used, resulting in less waste and a reduction in CO2 emissions. The bottles are now available and being tested on the market.

In brief: Plastic packaging
Innovia Films launched RayoWrap CMS, a clear BOPP film for shrink wraparound label applications. Produced at the company’s UK production facility, CMS30 provides high shrinkage, but only in the machine direction, making it suitable for labeling contoured drinkable dairy and beverage containers. CMS30 is highly printable and designed to give 360° graphics around the whole label. The film can be used on small PP or PE bottles, as it can be easily removed to aid recycling of the bottle, or the whole labeled container can be recycled in a polyolefin stream. This helps the final pack be fully recyclable.Innovia Films launched RayoWrap CMS, a clear BOPP film for shrink wraparound labels.

SunDance offered clients virtually unlimited creativity and flexibility in designing pouch packaging for various products. SunDance is a leading producer of printed packaging in the Southeastern US. Its newest capability follows the industry’s growing shift to flexible packaging – a versatile alternative to boxes, clamshells, and other rigid packaging. The company’s latest addition, the Hudson Sharp Ares 400, is advanced pouch packaging equipment that accepts recycle-ready PE, laminated films, bio-films, and paper-like films. The ability to choose from an array of packaging film types and thicknesses enables SunDance clients to design an unprecedented variety of pouches to meet virtually any product need.

C&T Matrix created new plastic pallets designed with the specific demands of the packaging industry in mind. The new pallets are easy for manual handling, with a lightweight construction that will not splinter or cause damage within a working environment. Additionally, they are easy to keep clean – by wiping away dust or spray powder. Furthermore, C&T’s pallets can be used throughout the whole production process. Printing and die cutting can benefit from “non-stop” feeding of the board/paper/corrugated using swords on the feeder. A variety of pallet sizes are available to suit different customers’ production formats.The Hudson Sharp Ares 400, is advanced pouch packaging equipment.

In brief: Sustainability initiatives
Smurfit Kappa completed a large-scale sustainability project at its Zülpich paper mill in Germany, significantly reducing the plant’s CO2 emissions. The €11.5 million (approximately US$12 million) investment included a major redesign of the plant’s multi-fuel boiler to provide a more environmentally sustainable fuel source for the generation of steam and electricity. The mill, which produces approximately 500,000 metric tons of paper annually, is now powered by a combination of its own biogas, which is a by-product of its circular water treatment plant, natural gas, and the residual materials or so-called “rejects” which occur in the paper recycling process that would otherwise be considered waste. The project reduces CO2 emissions at the Zülpich paper mill by more than 25% and saves 55,000 metric tons of CO2 annually, which represents a 2% reduction in Smurfit Kappa’s global CO2 emissions. 

Amcor announced the next phase of its inaugural Amcor Lift-Off initiative. Announced in April, Amcor Lift-Off is part of the organization’s global innovation strategy to invest in start-ups with differentiated solutions and business models that are focused on new packaging concepts and related technologies, with particular emphasis on environmental sustainability. The selected companies will pitch their innovative ideas and business models to a panel of Amcor executives. The companies have been divided into key areas of strategic interest, such as bio-based packaging materials, recycling and new business models within consumer goods packaging.

In brief: Recycling projects
RecyClass extended its scope with the first European-wide audit scheme for plastic recyclers based on EN 15343, fulfilling the requirements for conformity assessment described in ISO 17065. This certification will support the industry in complying with upcoming market and legal requirements in a harmonized, transparent and reliable manner. “The new RecyClass Recycling Process Certification is the first step of ensuring the origin of recycled plastics,” said Paolo Glerean, RecyClass Chairman. Smurfit Kappa completed a large-scale sustainability project at its Zülpich paper mill in Germany. 

Researchers at Wageningen University & Research and Radboud University in the Netherlands began developing a digital tool to help municipalities determine the best collection strategy for plastic packaging. The tool is a digital twin: a virtual copy of the entire collection chain, from sorting to recycling. This allows the researchers to compare the economic and social value of different waste collection and separation methods and predict the potential effects of new measures.

In brief: Acquisitions
Red Arts Capital announced the acquisition of Coregistics. Red Arts Capital said the deal comes on the heels of its most recent deal, the sale of the 104-year-old trucking company MME to trucking industry titan Knight-Swift, for US$150million. Coregistics is a leading national provider of packing-centric supply chain solutions including package and process design, materials sourcing and procurement, contract packaging, and distribution. The company is based in Acworth, Georgia, and operates out of 17 facilities across the US. 

By Natalie Schwertheim