Weekly Roundup: Loliware launches seaweed-based utensil set, Ardagh begins energy-efficient glass furnace construction

19 May 2023 --- This week in packaging, Loliware released a new seaweed resin for injection molding at the Rethinking Materials Summit in London, UK. TotalEnergies Corbion partnered with Coexpan on a recycled PLA biobased cup and Ardagh announced the construction of a new energy-efficient glass furnace.

In brief: Launches and releases 
At the 2023 Rethinking Materials Innovation and Investment Summit, Loliware – North America’s “fastest-growing” seaweed materials company – announced the launch of its newest seaweed resin for injection molding. This biomaterial will power the company’s first-ever Seaweed Utensil Set and be manufactured on standard plastics injection-molding equipment. 

The seaweed-based utensil set by Loliware.TotalEnergies Corbion and Coexpan launched a polylactic acid (PLA) biobased cup using recycled PLA, available in both white and high transparency. Coexpan has many years of experience with PLA and the PLA cups can achieve line speeds output comparable to other plastic materials, using form-fill seal technology. 

Ardagh announced it is building an ’Efficient Furnace’ that will minimize GHG emissions from its production processes. The furnace will be installed at its Doncaster, UK facility and will use the latest industrial technology to create a more efficient melter with reduced gas consumption and carbon emissions. The melter also contains an additional gas filtration process, using filter technology to combat other emissions elements and reduce them to levels below current industrial standards. 

In brief: Collaborations 
Unilever’s Rexona brand began working with Echo and the Royal College of Art’s Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design to create the “Inclusive Design Manual,” an open-source resource to facilitate inclusive business practices in the personal care sector. This collaboration uses the lived experiences of consumers with sight, dexterity, mobility and neurodegenerative disabilities to create an all-encompassing guide. 

Aldi joined Unpackaged’s Refill Coalition, where members seek to co-design a refill solution to reduce single-use plastic packaging in retail. The coalition claims that 56.5 billion units of single-use plastic packaging are sold annually in the UK, and 99% of packaging is made from fossil fuels. Current members of the coalition include Ocado, Waitrose and CHEP.  

In brief: Awards and research 
German start-up traceless received €5 million (US$5.4 million) in funding from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment under the country’s Environment Innovation Programme. The start-up has developed a compostable alternative to plastic based on plant residues of industrial grain processing. To implement the technology for the first time on an industrial scale, the company plans to build a demonstration plant in Hamburg. The aim is to substitute several thousand metric tons of conventional plastic each year, saving CO2 emissions, fossil resources, water and agricultural land.

Dymo, a leading manufacturer of label makers and label printers and part of the Newell Brands portfolio of brands, surveyed small business office managers across three markets, including the US, UK and Germany, to gauge the top priorities and concerns for operations The findings reveal that small business office managers are most looking forward to opportunities for growth (58%), followed closely by enhancement in efficiency and processes (57%). However, despite existing challenges, over half (52%) of respondents reported mislabeling orders, products or documents at least occasionally to frequently. 

Edited by Louis Gore-Langton