Weekly Roundup: Huhtamaki to fully acquire Laminor, Bubble Wrap launches 90 percent recycled variety

24 Jan 2020 --- This week in packaging, Finland-based Huhtamaki will acquire full ownership of its joint venture company Laminor S.A. in Brazil, while the Bubble Wrap brand launched a new version including 90 percent recycled content. Stora Enso received the Nordic Swan Ecolabel approval for its fully renewable brown liquid packaging board. Meanwhile, Smurfit Kappa won eight 2020 WorldStar Awards, affirming its efforts in sustainable and innovative packaging solutions.

In brief: Business news
Finland-based Huhtamaki is set to acquire full ownership of its joint venture company Laminor in Brazil. Laminor is specialized in high-quality tube laminates, particularly for oral care applications, and was set up in 2002 as a 50/50 joint venture together with Bemis Company, which is now part of Amcor. The acquisition enables Huhtamaki to expand its tube laminate business, an important part of the Group’s flexible packaging offering. Following the acquisition, Laminor will be consolidated as a subsidiary in the Group’s financial reporting and reported as part of the Flexible Packaging business segment. The additional shares are acquired at a price of approximately €30 million (US$33 million). The transaction is subject to the approval of competition authorities in Brazil and it is expected to be closed during the first quarter in 2020.

Sealed Air Corporation, the inventor of Bubble Wrap, has launched a new version of the brand packaging material that is made with at least 90 percent recycled content. The company’s proprietary technology revolutionized the small parcel shipping industry and today allows for the safe delivery of billions of items worldwide each year. The recycled content used to make the newest version of Bubble Wrap brand packaging is sourced from post-industrial materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. Aligned with its sustainability pledge, Sealed Air’s future product developments will also incorporate post-consumer recycled content.

Waste-optimization specialist Avangard Innovative (AI) is set to supply post-consumer resin (PCR) plastic film pellets to Dow.In an exclusive agreement, Houston-based waste-optimization specialist Avangard Innovative (AI) is set to supply post-consumer resin (PCR) plastic film pellets to Dow. This marks a significant addition to Dow’s plastic circularity portfolio that is aligned with the company’s goal to advance the circular economy for plastics and minimize waste in the environment. The companies expect to begin offering Dow’s first-ever PCR-based innovations later this year to North American customers who are demanding stronger sustainability profiles in targeted applications such as liners, shrink wrap and protective packaging, among others. Dow will initially use the PCR from AI to create linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) products. 

In brief: Sustainability 
Stora Enso has received the Nordic Swan Ecolabel approval for its fully renewable brown liquid packaging board. The ecolabel, which is widely used in the Nordic countries, gives customers an opportunity to communicate that their packaging is ecological and sustainably produced. Customers benefit from the ecolabel since it provides third-party verified proof for environmental performance throughout the lifecycle of the product, and the label is today widely recognized by Nordic consumers. According to the Nordic Swan criteria, the board approved is Natura Life by Stora Enso with a plant-based barrier coating. Stora Enso also produces a Nordic Swan qualified, fully renewable board for paper cups, Cupforma Natura PE Green by Stora Enso.

GEA  scored its best result to date in the climate assessment of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), with an overall score of A-.UK-based Innovia Films worked with Interseroh, an independent German recycling and consulting company, to have its high barrier BOPP Propafilm Strata SL film evaluated in August 2019. The film has been awarded a “very good” rating and has been awarded the “Made for recycling” logo. This product has been already used by a German snack manufacturer Wildcorn to package its organic popcorn range. Following the successful recycling certification, the company decided to extend the testing program across all its uncoated, acrylic coated and EVOH barrier range of films. 

Smurfit Kappa has won eight 2020 WorldStar Awards, affirming its efforts in sustainable and innovative packaging solutions. Smurfit Kappa won in the Beverage Category with a “deceptively simple” Litovel beer multipack that facilitates considerable logistics savings. Also within the Beverage category, the company was recognized for its pack designed for Chivas Scotch whiskey with a reduced carbon footprint and which can be repackaged while retaining the outer case.

Agropur is to reduce plastic by close to 30 percent in 200 ml containers of its iÖGO nanö drinkable yogurt and iÖGO smoothies. The new bottles will hit store shelves in March ?. The company’s Strategic Sourcing team spent more than nine months developing the new container, in collaboration with its Operations and Category team and Agropur’s suppliers. “Our new containers are designed to reduce the use of plastic, while also reducing the weight of the bottle to make it more portable and user-friendly while retaining its rigidity,” the company notes.

German company GEA has scored its best result to date in the climate assessment of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). With an overall score of “A-,” the Group now meets the criteria for the leadership level and thus ranks among the leading group in the sectoral and regional benchmark. The leadership level is awarded to companies that excel in terms of factors such as the completeness and transparency of their reporting. Furthermore, they demonstrate approaches to managing the opportunities and risks associated with climate change and highlight progress in reducing emissions.

By Kristiana Lalou