IMA September 2016 Packaging Industry

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Injection Moulding Asia Packaging Industry

Packaging evolving with consumer demand P a ckaging influences consumers’ vary i n g p r o duct pe r ce p tion, leading to sa les. R i sing up t o t he competition, converte r s a r e t apping t e c hno lo gies to respond b ette r to cons um e r dema n ds, says An gelica B u an i n t his r e por t . Milacron’s Klear Can is a patented co-injection moulded, PP/EVOH transparent plastic can

Klear Can is a patented co-injection moulded, PP/EVOH plastic can, which the company developed as an alternative to metal cans for fruits, vegetables, soups, meats, and other products. Milacron says that Klear Can is the first truly transformational innovation in the canned food preservation industry’s nearly 200-year history, adding that its unique feature is that its transparency allows brands to demonstrate their products to consumers. Milacron’s first major commercial sale, it says, is for a large brand owner in Asia, after what it says were “extremely successful qualitative testing with consumers in Asia conducted by Nielsen Market Research.” Though Milacron would not comment on the end customer, it is reportedly thought to be tropical fruits packer Del Monte, since Milacron mentions that “the first major commercial sale is for a large brand owner focusing on tropical fruits.” Milacron did say that the customer plans for the Klear Can to be in-market, on retail shelves and available for consumer purchase no later than Q1 2017 and that the license to mould the components is included within the purchase price of the entire system. Based on barrier layer percentage, Klear Can provides more than two years shelf life, and is also cost competitive to metal cans. It uses the same filling; seaming and retorting machinery as metal cans so minimal downstream investment is required. In addition, it allows manufacturers the flexibility to mould cans at the filling site, ie. via “through-the-wall” supply operations, which offers operational efficiencies. Other benefits are: its BPA-free for safe food contact; lightweight, stackable and dent-resistant, designed to withstand standard retort pressures and temperatures of up to 130°C; plus it use a single standard metal can end, and uses the industry standard can end double-seam process.

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ave you ever bought a product because of its packaging? Purchasing decisions based on packaging aesthetics and features are common among consumers. A consumer research by UK-headquartered Pelican Communications finds that four out of 10, or 38.5% of consumers, are persuaded by innovations in packaging, such as longer shelf-life, ease of opening, resealability, and interactive features. The role of packaging has branched out multidimensionally, and has now become a gateway to product perceptions. In fact, packaging now has become a tool for marketing a product, enabling sales and market shares to increase, according to a paper on the effect of packaging on consumer behaviour published by the European Journal of Scientific Research. Processors are following these trails to increase sales and product positioning. Advancements in technologies, including injection moulding, are enabling these soughtafter features in a wider range of plastics packaging. Allied Market Research in its recent injection moulded plastic market report, projects a global growth value of US$162 billion by 2020, posting a CAGR of 4.9% from 2015 to 2020. Packaging will continue to dominate the market, owing to the increasing adoption in consumer goods, healthcare and cosmetics products. Other enduser segments such as automotive, medical and electronics are levelling up the market.

See-through food packs ecause today’s consumers want to see products inside the packaging, a timely innovation is Klear Can by US machinery maker Milacron Holdings Corp.

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www.injectionmouldingasia.com


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