Weekly Roundup: Greiner launches folded cardboard spoon, Ellen MacArthur Foundation reveals circular economy goals

29 Jan 2021 --- In packaging news this week, Greiner Packaging and Cardbox Packaging released a smart folding cardboard spoon as the EU transitions from single-use plastic cutlery. Meanwhile, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation introduced five policy goals to help governments, cities and businesses decouple growth from finite resource consumption and environmental degradation. Also, Linx Printing Technologies launched a fast-drying ink for high contrast code on dark-colored bottles.

In brief: Fiber-based alternatives
Greiner Packaging and its joint venture partner Cardbox Packaging unveiled a fully recyclable cardboard spoon. Folded just once, the sturdy cardboard spoon has a length of 10 cm, giving it the shape and size to conveniently consume dairy products, desserts, fruit, or salad on-the-go. The spoon’s usability is enhanced with a smart folding style and innovative shape that resembles a bank card. The cardboard derives from virgin fibers and is therefore approved for contact with food, while a water-based coating ensures the spoon can be safely used while eating. The partners see their solution as an ideal replacement for disposable plastic cutlery, banned in the EU from mid-2021.

Unilever’s Ben & Jerry’s subsidiary announced plans to package the on-stick version of its Cookie Dough product in a recyclable paper-based wrapper. “We’re happy that each Cookie Dough Peace Pop is on a wooden stick and with an all-new, recyclable wrapper made with 88 percent paper. This means that our fans can dispose of all packaging responsibly,” commented Madeleine Boulton, Ben & Jerry’s UK brand manager. The move comes as part of Unilever’s commitment to halve its global virgin plastic and ensure all packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.Ben & Jerry’s new recyclable paper-based wrapper.

Graphic Packaging International (GPI) revealed its PaperSeal tray solution will be used on a new premium steak range for the Irish market. Liffey Meats and Lidl Ireland will partner on the range. Working with Liffey Meats, GPI will supply two million PaperSeal tray units annually. This includes supplying a fully lined, cut and glued PaperSeal tray – a barrier-lined paperboard alternative to Vacuum Skin Packaging (VSP) – exclusively to the Irish market. As such, Lidl’s new range will feature top-tier steaks, including Angus and Dry-Aged Angus, with full farm-to-fork traceability from Liffey Meats.

MM Graphia developed a paper package for pasta for Alb-Gold, a German family business, who became the first manufacturer using this type of packaging for pasta. As an alternative to the classic plastic bag, Alb-Gold’s paper packages are printed by the German MMP plant Graphia Innovaprint using the flexo printing process and special, solvent-free and water-based inks that do not migrate into the contents. The white paper reels are printed and finished with a special hot seal medium.

In brief: Environmental sustainability goals
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation set out five universal circular economy policy goals providing a framework for national governments, cities and businesses to create a transition that fosters innovation and decouples growth from finite resource consumption and environmental degradation. The goals are to stimulate design for the circular economy, manage resource to preserve value, make the economics work, invest in innovation, infrastructure and skills, and collaborate for system change.SIG and Framptons installed the first UK combidome carton bottle filler.

Canpack announced a range of environmental commitments. By 2025, the company aims to reduce its electricity consumption by 7 percent, thermal energy consumption by 6 percent, water consumption by 13 percent and waste generation consumption by 5 percent, against a 2019 baseline. Meanwhile, Canpack also aims to recycle 94 percent of its waste by the same timeframe.

The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and The Recycling Partnership announced requests for proposals for aluminum beverage can capture grants, sponsored by can manufacturers Ardagh and Crown, that will fund eddy currents, robots and other equipment or process improvement activities to capture used beverage cans at Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs). The Recycling Partnership joins as a strategic partner by fulfilling several critical roles in the grant program, including evaluating and assessing the proposals submitted, as well as executing the grant program overall.

In brief: Bio-based developments
Wipak partnered with Arla Foods, Paulig and VTT to test Thermocell – a plastic film made of cellulose and fatty acids – in food packaging production. The bio-based material is made from renewable components and is an alternative to oil or fossil-based plastic. Sharing its innovative development expertise in durable materials, and testing and verifying the suitability of Thermocell for food applications, Wipak is helping to accelerate the material's entry to the market.

SIG partnered with Framptons to install the first combidome carton bottle filler in the UK. With the carton bottle combidome, contract packing solutions specialist Framptons will bring a unique packaging offer for a range of beverages, including plant-based drinks, smoothies, juices and dairy drinks in early 2021. The project makes Framptons the first SIG customer in Europe to fill plant-based beverages in combidome.Airnov Healthcare’s Oxynov high barrier bottles.

In brief: Healthcare designs
Berry Global Healthcare launched what the company claims is the lightest dual-port blow fill seal closure currently available for large volume parenteral applications – up to 6 percent lighter than some competitor products. The new lightweight Cyrano provides an important sustainability benefit by reducing overall plastic usage while offering a safe and easy-to-use solution for all types of intravenous and infusion systems in hospitals and other clinical environments.

Airnov Healthcare Packaging introduced Oxynov for high protective barrier bottles. Oxynov offers protection for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and probiotic products. The Oxynov barrier bottles utilize extrusion-blow-molding (EBM) technology creating a 6-layer bottle with ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), offering the highest barrier to oxygen and moisture available on the market for this packaging category. The Oxynov bottles are rigid containers used on automated filling lines for a fast, reliable output and do not shrink when bottles are used in conjunction with oxygen absorbers.

In brief: Ink innovation
Linx Printing Technologies launched its Linx Yellow bottling ink 1088 to meet customer demands for a high contrast code on dark-colored bottles. These bottles are usually returned from the marketplace and cleaned in a caustic wash process, typically used for returnable bottles, before refilling and coding. The new fast-drying ink is specially formulated to provide enhanced adhesion on glass and withstand the manufacturing process, packaging and condensation. The ink delivers clear, legible codes onto glass and keeps adhesion in cold-room condensation conditions.Linx Printing Technologies launched a fast-drying ink for high contrast code on dark-colored bottles.

In brief: Business and investment
ProMach acquired the assets of KHS Bartelt, a leading provider of packaging systems for the food and confectionery, beverage, home and personal care and pharmaceutical industries. The addition of Florida, US-based Bartelt expands ProMach’s business with an additional North American base for flexible packaging solutions and further strengthens ProMach’s pouch packaging solutions portfolio. Additionally, the acquisition includes KHS Kayat and KHS Scandia’s assets, expanding ProMach’s offerings with cartoning, shrink wrapping, shrink bundling, case packing and tray packing systems.

Huhtamaki invested in a new manufacturing site in Malaysia to better serve its customers and respond to future growth of the sector in Southeast Asia. The company is transferring its Malaysian manufacturing base from Penang to Port Klang, Selangor State, Malaysia’s capital region. The new site is expected to be fully operational by the end of the second quarter of 2021. The total investment, including improvements in infrastructure, and machinery investments and installations, is approximately €10 million (US$12 million). The majority of the investment will take place in the first half of 2021.

Tekni-Plex entered into a distributor agreement with PackPlus Embalagens, Ibipora, Paraná, Brazil for its coated DuPont Tyvek and coated paper rollstock offerings. Breathable sterilizable substrates produced by Tekni-Plex will be converted by PackPlus, Brazil, into printed slit rolls, die-cut lids, chevron pouches and tubing. The materials will be used to package various medical devices manufactured in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

By Joshua Poole