Weekly Roundup: Sous Vide Tools launches home-compostable vacuum pouches, Baker Perkins manufactures biodegradable fill chips

04 Sep 2020 --- In packaging news this week, Sous Vide Tools unveiled home-compostable food-safe vacuum pouches designed to withstand temperatures up to 85°C and store fresh produce and chilled food. Also, Baker Perkins manufactured biodegradable loose fill chips by adapting twin-screw extrusion technology used extensively for starch-based foods, and CCL Industries signed the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

In brief: New and renewed products
Sous Vide Tools unveiled home-compostable food-safe vacuum pouches, specifically designed to withstand sous vide cooking temperatures. The pouches can store food items like fresh produce, chilled food, meat, and chicken, and withstand temperatures up to 85°C over 12 hours, where other pouches would swell and delaminate. The company describes its Sustainapouch Compostable 80mu Chamber Vacuum Pouches as a versatile, durable and sealable eco-friendly alternative for conventional packaging.

Baker Perkins manufactured biodegradable loose fill chips by adapting twint-screw extrusion technology used extensively for starch-based foods. Baker Perkins' range of twin-screw extruders includes a 19 mm benchtop machine for research labs, a 24 mm unit for pilot plants and production extruders from 30 mm up to 100 mm. Barrel length is chosen to suit the application and both clamshell and solid barrels are available with heating or cooling as necessary. Dies for chips, strips and sheets are available, along with the appropriate cutter, and are easily interchanged to allow a full range of product types to be manufactured.Baker Perkins developed biodegradable loose fill chips (Image credit: Baker Perkins).

Ampacet, a global masterbatch leader, introduced Earthy Mattes for PET bottles, a collection that provides an organic presence through mineralized hues that “speak to our earth’s shared history.” The palette imparts a tactile frosted effect without the added expense of a second process or mold change. This collection of non-gender specific colors can be customized for any color pathway to reflect the targeted brand message accurately.

GEA made a series of important changes to its trusted SANICIP bag filtration system for food and dairy spray dryers in a long-term development project that will provide valuable operational benefits to new equipment users. The new SANICIP II (patent pending) maintains and controls the pressure drop through the filtration bags more effectively by promoting longer production times and reducing CIP intervals. Combined with other advances, such as easier maintenance and better space utilization than its predecessor, bag life is now up to 50 percent longer. These developments add up to more reliable operation, financial savings and a better working environment for operators.

In brief: Sustainability action
Nayuki, a leading Chinese new style tea brand, announced plans to phase out plastic straws by the end of 2020, as part of its corporate social responsibility commitment to minimize single-use plastic waste. Following the personal cup discount campaign launched by Nayuki earlier this year, the movement represents part of the company's commitment to decrease non-biodegradable packaging materials further and remove millions of plastic straws from its 400+ stores operating in China each year.GEA made important changes to its SANICIP bag filtration system (Image credit: GEA).

Braskem took another step in enhancing the technology for the chemical recycling of post-consumer plastics (PCR). The company, which has been working in partnership with the Polymers Engineering Laboratory of the Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Postgraduate Studies and Engineering Research of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and with the training institute SENAI CETIQT, through the SENAI Innovation in Biosynthetics and Fibers Institute, has now signed a cooperation agreement for the next research phases with the same academic institutions, and with the company Fábrica Carioca de Catalisadores.

CCL Industries, a world leader in specialty label, security and packaging solutions for global corporations, government institutions, small businesses and consumers, signed the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Launched in 2010, this charitable organization is dedicated to accelerating the transition to a circular economy: designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. Since its creation, the charity has emerged as a global thought leader on the circular economy, keeping it on decision-makers’ agendas across business, government and academia.

Novolex, an industry leader in packaging and foodservice products, released its second annual Sustainability Report detailing the company’s progress. The comprehensive review focuses on progress that is leading to greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in its supply chain, as well as the creation of more environmentally sustainable products for customers. For its fiber-based products, the percentage of recycled fiber in the company’s supply chain was nearly half the total procured. When using PCR material was not possible, Novolex focused on procuring Chain of Custody (COC) certified prime fiber content traceable to the original source. When combined, 69 percent of fiber volume was either PCR or COC-certified content, an increase of 4 percent over 2018.Braskem signed a cooperation agreement for the next phases of its chemical recycling research (Image credit: Braskem).

In brief: Business news
Ball completed the acquisition of Tubex Industria E Comercio de Embalagens, an impact extruded aluminum aerosol packaging business. The business includes a manufacturing plant in Itupeva, near Sao Paolo, Brazil. The business, now part of Ball's aluminum aerosol packaging division, complements Ball’s global aluminum aerosol and slug business in the Americas, Europe and India. The Itupeva plant includes eight extruded aluminum aerosol can lines, and produces personal care packaging for global and local customers in Brazil.

Mauser Packaging Solutions acquired EuroVeneta Fusti Srl (EVF) through Joint Venture NCG-Maider in Italy. Via this acquisition, Mauser Packaging Solutions will extend the offering of current plastic industrial packaging as well as steel drum packaging and reconditioning IBC services within the Italian market.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, completed installing major new equipment at its corrugated box production plant in Szczecin, Poland, to meet growing e-commerce demand. The new machinery installation also marks further progress in Mondi’s ambition to further digitalize its business by using more advanced analytics and automation to better serve its customers with innovative and sustainable packaging and paper solutions.

By Joshua Poole