Reinforcing sustainability

Beauty and the best

Reinforcing sustainability

Surrounded by the beautiful Porovesi lakes and woodland in Iisalmi Finland, Olvi is one of only 3 major beverage manufacturers to have remained Finnish-owned. Founded in 1878, the company is focused on creating a high-quality consumer experience whilst respecting the environment. Which is why Olvi has chosen corrugated cardboard as the material for their Latest beverage multipacks.

Product packaging always forms an essential part of the consumer experience. A distinctive presentation awakens interest, and durable packaging ensures that the products can be transported comfortably and above all, remain undamaged. The user experience of the packaging affects what the consumer thinks about the entire brand. For example, if the handle on the packaging breaks, you can rest assured that it will be remembered during the next shopping trip.

Reliable ergonomics

“For our consumers, Olvi’s packaging is naturally going to be important when considering our products, so the packaging has to be strong and durable,” says Olvi’s Marketing Director Olli Heikkilä.

“Lemtapes’ reinforcement tapes strengthen the beverage multipacks and especially the carrying handles of Olvi’s drink branded packs, which are naturally heavy items. This applies to our top branded beverages that include Sandels, A. Le Coq, Olvi and Sherwood. Thanks to Lemtapes tapes’ unrivalled strength and durability these packages can be relied upon to withstand any kind of transportation from the factory to the store, as well of course, from the checkout to a consumer’s home.”

Multipacks´ integrated handle is reinforced with Lemtapes® reinforcement tape, thereby giving the package invisible strength

Extending print options

For Olvi, packaging isn’t just packaging, it’s also a way to send a clear message to its customers. Multipacks have large printing areas, a useful canvas for brand visibility and consumer communication. In the brewing industry, the print quality for products is always evolving. In the future, these images could be almost photorealistic thanks to the latest digital printing technology. “In terms of advertising, external appearance is also extremely important, because people buy with their eyes. Particularly when thinking in terms of volume, the communication value in the packaging is high,” added Heikkilä.

Lemtapes reinforcement tapes are applied to the inside of the corrugated board during the manufacturing stage so that they don’t reduce the printing area on the surface of the package. This offers more choice to brand owners in terms of design whilst enabling the highest possible print quality. Visual appeal and logistics considerations are also important from a market perspective. Packaging must appeal to consumers without taking up unnecessary space and must also be able to maintain their integrity throughout each logistics journey.

A greener, oil-free future

In the beverage industry, product packaging is the single most significant factor when it comes to burdening the environment. From the outset, environmental considerations such as sustainability and recyclability play a key role from beginning to end in Lemtapes’ manufacturing processes. Reducing the weight of packaging is another way to lessen the environmental load, as this also reduces the amount of material required for production. Lemtapes reinforcement tapes significantly strengthen the packaging, and therefore reduce the amount of material needed. These tapes are also available in even more ecological formats, such as cellulose-based ‘Pure Tape’, also developed by Lemtapes and Eco Tape, which is made entirely from recycled material.

As a result of these innovative developments, Lemtapes won the FEFCO Sustainability Award in 2019 for their replacement of plastic tapes with cellulose tapes. When comparing corrugated versus plastic packaging, sustainability and recyclability of corrugated board easily outperforms that of plastic.

At Olvi, sustainability is integrated into the company’s entire production chain, beginning with their EKOenergy, certified power sources. “We’re striving for an oil-free future, which is why being plastic-free is so important to us. Whether our beverage packaging is made of plastic or corrugated board it has a big effect on the environment, because product volumes are so large,” commented Heikkila.

With such a commitment, SPN always finds it reassuring to know that packaging companies like Lemtapes and beverage produces such as Olvi, are dedicated to achieving their ambitious sustainability targets despite any additional costs the companies may have to bear.

For more information about Lemtapes® and Invisible strength visit: www.lemtapes.fi/packaging