Weekly Roundup: SodaStream deploys ocean-cleaning device for plastic waste, Tekni-Films potential for pharma and healthcare

26 Oct 2018 --- This week in packaging, Super barrier coated (SBC) films from Tekni-Films now hold potential for pharma and healthcare applications and RPC PET's jars are being sold as reusable packages by a Polish ice cream producer. As part of a €134 million investment plan, Smurfit Kappa has begun the rebuild of a recovery boiler at its Nettingsdorf Paper Mill. Bemis has reported strong third quarter (Q3) earnings and MonoSol has won the 2018 Indiana Innovation Award for its food grade water-soluble film suitable for sports nutrition applications.

In brief: Product launches and certifications
Super barrier coated films are now being considered for pharma and other healthcare applications. Tekni-Films, a Tekni-Plex business, has introduced SBC 240 as a performance and improved-cost alternative for 4- and 6-mil PCTFE laminations and cold formed foil for blister applications. This thermoformable film has exceptional moisture and oxygen barrier properties and is designed to meet the needs of pharmaceutical and other healthcare applications. The triplex structure is ideal for applications such as pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, probiotics and other related products.

Polish ice cream producer, Bracia Koral, is now taking the initiative in its sector with the introduction of packs that can be reused once the product is consumed. The PET jars from RPC PET Power demonstrate the appropriateness of plastic for ice cream packaging. Their lightweight and strength ensure safe and easy handling while their excellent clarity effectively showcases the ice cream product inside. The practical design of the jars now offers the potential for them to be reused for many different purposes, further increasing their appeal among consumers.

In brief: Expansions, mergers and acquisitions
Smurfit Kappa has begun the rebuild of a recovery boiler to increase the profitability and sustainability of the Nettingsdorf Paper Mill as part of a €134 million (US$152 million) investment plan. The boiler will enable the plant to further boost energy optimization at the mill, which has already seen a 34 percent increase in productivity since becoming part of Smurfit Kappa in 1995. By recovering energy from the biomass contained in black liquor from pulp production, the new boiler is set to cut CO2 emissions by 40,000 tons, which equates to about two-thirds of the current emissions at the site, and 1.5 percent of those from the whole Smurfit Kappa Group.

In brief: Miscellaneous 
Soda Stream has launched a massive ocean-cleaning device coined the Holy Turtle to clean plastic waste from the ocean without harming wildlife. The innovative device will be initially piloted in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Roatán, Honduras, as part of a bold ocean clean-up lead by CEO Daniel Birnbaum. This is the first known attempt of a commercial company to undertake a physical clean-up of trash from open waters. SodaStream's clean-up delegation includes 150 SodaStream executives from 45 countries, international environmental specialists, NGO Plastic Soup Foundation and hundreds of children from 7 different local schools with local Honduran government officials. The Holy Turtle is a 1,000 ft. long floating unit designed to be gently towed by two marine vessels along kilometers of open waters. The contraption is uniquely engineered to capture floating waste while its large vent holes act to protect wildlife. 

Bemis has reported strong third quarter (Q3) earnings, with all segments performing in-line with company expectations despite incremental headwinds from currency and freight costs, the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, William Austen, noted. The earnings through the three quarters of 2018 have seen increased adjusted earnings per share of 18 percent over the prior year.

MonoSol joined nine other organizations winning a 2018 Indiana Innovation Award at a ceremony held last week at Butler University in Indianapolis. MonoSol, a Kuraray Company, won the award for its new food grade water-soluble film which is used to create grab-and-go, pre-measured servings of powdered protein supplements that dissolve and release their contents when added to an athlete’s shaker bottle.

By Laxmi Haigh