Weekly Roundup: PulPac partners with Bio-Lutions for Eurostars project, Aquapak Polymers joins CEFLEX

02 Jun 2023 --- This week in industry news, PulPac and Bio-Lutions completed a joint Eurostars R&D project for standardized machinery and Aquapak Polymers joined The Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging (CEFLEX). Meanwhile, PalletOne created a management service, Pallet Concierge, for dedicated pallet solutions.

In brief: Partnerships
PulPac and Bio-Lutions completed a joint Eurostars R&D project for standardized machinery with newly validated components and tests for natural fiber sources from agricultural residues. The Eurostars project combined PulPac’s fiber-forming technology with new components from the plastic industry, and its potential to operate with fibers sourced from agricultural residues – provided by Bio-Lutions – has been successfully validated and will be introduced into the market during the later part of 2023.

Aquapak’s Hydropol will be promoted by joining CEFLEX.Aquapak Polymers joined the CEFLEX initiative – a collaboration of over 180 European companies, associations and organizations representing the entire flexible packaging value chain. Its mission is to make all flexible packaging in Europe circular by 2025. Membership in CEFLEX will allow Aquapak Polymers to promote the circular economy benefits that Hydropol, a polymer based on polyvinyl alcohol, provides by ensuring that all flexible packaging is effectively and responsibly recycled by developing robust circular economy guidelines so that packaging materials are returned to the economy at the quantity, quality and price for end market applications.

Indorama Ventures Public Company signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form a Joint Venture to construct the world’s first PET biorecycling plant in France. Based on and subject to the comprehensive terms set out in the MOU, Indorama Ventures plans to mobilize about €110 million (US$118 million) for the Joint Venture in equity and non-convertible loan financing, pending final engineering documentation and final economic feasibility studies. Both parties have acknowledged their mutual support for the implementation of the project and their intent to finalize contract documentation before the end of 2023. Subject to the successful performance of this first plant in France, Indorama Ventures confirms its intention to potentially expand the technology to other PET sites for future developments.

Unesda Soft Drinks Europe announced that the Maltese Beverage Producers Association and the Croatian Chamber of Economy had become its new members. This brings the total number of Unesda’s national associations to 25. The Maltese soft drinks sector was 54 million liters in 2021, creating more than 450 direct jobs. The Croatian beverage sector supports over 5,000 jobs, generating a turnover of €111 million (US$120 million) in 2021.

In brief: Business news Truly Hard Seltzer has changed its name and branding to Truly Vodka Soda.
PalletOne launched a management service, Pallet Concierge. This service gives clients a dedicated pallet solutions expert to streamline procurement and resolve supply issues nationwide through the “first” wholly-owned, coast-to-coast pallet supply network. With Pallet Concierge, procurement specialists can now focus on their core business while leaving the management of their pallet supply to the experts. Rather than contacting several vendors to address supply chain needs in different regions, enterprise-level members can work with a designated PalletOne account manager. This service offers pallet buyers a single point of contact to resolve their unique industry needs.

ERS electronic, thermal management solutions for semiconductor manufacturing, developed “first-of-its-kind” equipment for the metrology and analysis of warped wafers. Its advanced optical scanning methodology, Wave3000, can accurately measure wafer deformities in specific handling positions that provide a comprehensive and precise analysis of wafer warpage, which is “crucial” for ensuring the quality of advanced packaging devices. The machine can measure and analyze warped wafers from 200 to 300 mm in less than a minute. The scanner allows the system to measure different wafer surfaces and materials, including silicon and mold compounds.

In brief: Launches and releases
Boston Beer Company’s Truly Hard Seltzer reintroduced its first spirits-based seltzer as Truly Vodka Soda. Rolling out for the summer, Truly Vodka Soda combines six-times-distilled vodka, natural fruit juice, and flavors for a light and refreshing drink. First introduced as Truly Vodka Seltzer in 2022 with Twist of Flavor fruit combinations, Truly’s first spirits-based seltzer has a new look. A vital element of the brand’s portfolio refresh efforts announced in February of this year, MugShot redesigned its packaging to communicate the health benefits of the products. Truly Vodka Soda is renamed from Truly Vodka Seltzer to reflect the classic bar call and stand out on shelves with bright packaging and an expanded range.

Instant hot snack, MugShot launched its new packaging line for the sachets range. The newly refreshed design focuses on communicating taste, health credentials and customer convenience. The packaging retains MugShot’s logo and features eye-catching imagery to enhance the product’s flavor. The new packaging highlights the health benefits of MugShot’s products. The pack is now available in store this month, with the updated packaging emphasizing customer convenience.

In brief: Certifications
Topas received a RecyClass Recyclability Approval for its 8007 plastic packaging technology. The results of standardized testing procedures of the RecyClass Recyclability Evaluation Protocols showed that Topas 8007 technology is fully compatible with Europe’s flexible PE recycling stream. The evaluated technology is a cyclic olefin copolymer which is an ethylene-norbornene copolymer. It is typically used in flexible plastic packaging, like lidding films, pouches or shrink films and labels, as it provides sealing barrier properties and mechanical performance. Proplast carried out independent testing, which led to similar results obtained during the evaluation of Topas 8007 by the Association of Plastics Recyclers.

By Sabine Waldeck

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