Weekly Roundup: Heineken opens its largest production facility with KHS technology, paper-based suppliers form 4evergreen alliance

22 Nov 2019 --- This week in packaging news, Heineken teamed up with KHS to create its largest Heineken site worldwide in Mexico. The production facility is one of the biggest breweries in Mexico and, largely thanks to KHS’ latest technologies, what the companies are calling “a shining example of ecological and economic sustainability.” Also this week, Stora Enso and CEPI member companies launched 4evergreen – an alliance to promote fiber-based packaging in a circular economy. While in India, Constantia Flexibles opened “the world’s first” plant designed to produce more sustainable and recyclable flexible packaging only.

In brief: Business
Heineken and KHS collaborated on one of the biggest breweries in Mexico. The project encompasses six lines, four of which were supplied and commissioned by KHS. These comprise two glass lines for 355-milliliter non-returnable bottles, one for 325-milliliter returnable bottles – all with a capacity of up to 40,000 bottles per hour each – and a fourth line for up to 28,000 947-milliliter returnable or non-returnable bottles an hour. The machine program covers practically the entire KHS product range: from bottle washers through fillers, labelers, pasteurizers and packaging machines to palletizers. With a capacity of five million hectoliters a year, the greenfield site has now become the largest production facility in the Heineken Group.GEA's double-chamber valve D/DV.

Stora Enso, along with other members of CEPI, the European association representing the forest fiber and paper industry, joined forces with companies across the value chain to drive the recycling of fiber-based packaging and collaboration in circular design and materials to enable positive change in the circular economy. The goals of the 4evergreen alliance include increasing awareness about innovation in fiber-based packaging materials and recycling, setting guidelines for product design enabling circularity and secondary use of fibers, and supporting the development of optimized collection systems as well as critical recycling infrastructures and technologies adapted to fiber-based packaging. In addition to Stora Enso, members in the alliance include Nestlé, Danone, Huhtamäki, SIG Combibloc, SEDA, Elopak, Tetra Pak, AR Packaging and MARS.Neopac SpringTube, used for Oxyglow.

Constantia Flexibles opened “the world’s first” plant designed to produce more sustainable and recyclable flexible packaging only, in India. Production focus at the plant centers on the more environmentally friendly packaging family known as EcoLam. The official opening of the first of this kind site took place on November 20 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Constantia Flexibles says that the decision to open a plant in India was “relatively straightforward,” in part because the new Plastic Waste Management Rules show that the Indian government can “exert pressure on the recycling economy and that it supports initiatives and companies which advocate for less waste.”

Nestlé strengthened its commitment and leadership in tackling the issue of plastic waste by joining the New Plastics Economy as a core partner. Applying the principles of the circular economy, the initiative - led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation - brings together key stakeholders to rethink and redesign the future of plastics, starting with packaging. 

Oasis paper straw by Lassonde Industries .In brief: Launches
GEA launched the D-tec double-chamber valve D/DV to improve the shelf-life of beverages and dairy products. Completing its D-tec valve range, the new valve is described as a special double-seat valve in which the leakage chamber is designed as a sterile chamber and hermetically separated from the environment by two side valves. The sealing properties of the stem diaphragm make it possible to increase the shelf-life of soft drinks, fruit juices, milk-based and lactic acid fermented products. This week, the technology supplier also unveiled its LEFF technology in GEA VARIVENT Mixproof Valves, which provides up to 90 percent savings in clean-in-place media (CIP) such as expensive cleaning agents, water and wastewater.

ITW Pillar Technologies iFoiler technology.3D Neopac, a global provider of high-quality packaging for a broad array of industries and applications, developed SpringTube, a packaging solution for cosmetics, personal care products and other applications, including art paints. The tube is specially designed to maintain its shape while delivering a host of additional benefits for consumers, brand owners and manufacturers. Featuring a tamper-evident, push-on PE flip-top cap, the printer-friendly SpringTube, can be decorated via digital, flexo or coldfoil processes. For product protection, an ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) barrier preserves oxygen-sensitive formulas and helps extend the shelf-life of beauty and personal care products. 

Lassonde Industries moved forward with the commercialization of a 200-mL Oasis juice carton with a paper straw, in what it is calling a North American-first. The move is past of Lassonde’s market test aimed at introducing a replacement solution for plastic straws. Consumers can test the new paper straw available with 200-mL cartons of Oasis 100% apple juice. This first edition is offered in limited quantities and available exclusively in 14 IGA grocery stores and 10 St-Hubert restaurants in Quebec, Canada.Riedel Appelsiente Biologisch range in SIG's SIGNATURE PACK.

ITW Pillar Technologies, a manufacturer of advanced tamper-evident induction cap sealing and surface treatment systems, announced the global launch of its iFoiler induction cap sealing system, featuring IoT connectivity. The iFoiler technology features touchscreen interface control, built-in web server with accessible onboard web site, LAN Ethernet connection, downloadable project event log, real-time remote data access, multiple languages, multiple coil configurations, a stack light package and IoT machine control code.

Premium Dutch fruit drinks manufacturer Riedel has opted for SIGNATURE PACK Full Barrier from SIG, this time for its Appelsientje Biologisch range of 100 percent pure and unsweetened fruit juices. The aseptic carton pack is made with polymers linked to plant-based renewable materials and continues to help Riedel’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. Riedel is also SIG’s first Dutch customer to choose a carton pack with ASI-certified aluminum.

By Joshua Poole