ProPack Autumn 2020

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ProPack People Technology Business

www.propack.pro Autumn 2020

A FOCUS ON:

interpack

PROCESSING & PACKAGING

25 FEB – 3 MAR 2021

ProPak Philippines

INTERPACK.DE

A three-day business-tobusiness exhibition that focussed on empowering businesses in packaging

Plastics Summit The Australian National Plastics Summit identified opportunities where industry can take real action

Global Packaging Conference

For further information and assistance with travel and accommodation planning Robert Laing_Messe Reps Tel. + 64 9 5219 200_ robert@messereps.co.nz Tel. + 61 427 353536 _ robert@messereps.com www.messereps.co.nz_www.messereps.com

The WPO Global Packaging Conference addressed packing challenges of today that impact tomorrow ALSO INSIDE...

Heidelberg News

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EDITOR’S NOTE HAFIZAH OSMAN

Sustainability as a core pillar of packaging 2020 has thus far been a year of huge magnitude. We have seen the COVID-19 coronavirus affect not just our industry, but many others as well.

Many large industry events of the year have either been postponed or cancelled because if the pandemic.

And we’re not even halfway through the year.

But there is a silver lining to this pandemic specifically for the packaging industry. Consumers have been panic buying products in supermarkets, opening up a market for packaging companies to pump out products more quicker than ever

before to meet the increasing demands of consumers.

And another key message that has come out of our panic buying is something that is seen as a theme in this issue – sustainability.

Not only is sustainability only about ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, but it’s also now about the full life cycle sustainability of the packaging used and the sustainability of the products it encompasses.

It’s also about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. This issue of ProPack.pro identifies how

sustainability is a hot topic of discussion, and how it has led conversations in industry events in the Philippines and Bali, as well as the recent National Plastics Summit in Australia, hosted by the Federal Government.

Leaders from all over the world are stressing on the importance of the word ‘sustainability’ when it comes to packaging, and it’s not something that is just a buzzword, but rather, a term that we can expect to remain in our industry for the months to come nad be implemented sooner than later.

Hafizah Osman Editor hosman@intermedia.com.au Ph: +61 431 466 140

Stay informed… visit www.propack.pro and subscribe to receive the latest packaging industry news and views

ProPack Industry Supporters

Managing Director & Publisher: James Wells Editor: Hafizah Osman Design: Carrie Tong

Sales Manager: Brian Moore Sales Manager: Carmen Ciappara Production Manager: Jacqui Cooper

Pre-Press Manager: Tony Willson Printed by: Hero Print, Alexandria, NSW 2015 Mailed by: D&D Mailing Services

ProPack.pro is published by Printer Media Group, registered in Australia ABN 47 628 473 334. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, it is a condition of distribution that the publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omission in the publication.

4 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

www.propack.pro

CONTENTS

IN THIS ISSUE...

Heidelberg news Asia Pacific: Heidelberg’s big on packaging P25-28 Packaging producers throughout the world are achieving some of the highest volumes of production with Heidelberg equipment

WPO Global Packaging Conference focus P 30-37 What do the packaging challenges of today hold for tomorrow?

State of single-use plastics in Australia P6-7 Hobart City Council enforces the ban on non-compostable packaging in the city from 2021

National Plastics Summit: An opportunity for real action P8-9

The three-day business-to-business expo addressed ways to empower businesses in packaging across Asia

A 2020 packaging snapshot by industry P14-21

Sustainability an investment for Caspak P43 Caspak Australia builds on sustainability measures to futureproof and grow

The packaging challenges of today and tomorrow, and ways that businesses can alleviate them

Reactions to the Global Packaging Conference Did the conference deliver?

P35

Redesigning the way to package P44-45 Reduce, reuse and recycle should be at the forefront of any business’ mind

WPO hosts Global Packaging Conference dinner P36 A welcome dinner sees attendees share experiences from their respective home countries

COVID-19: Typhoid and opportunities for food innovation P46-47 The coronavirus may have put the strain on many economies, but lessons can be learnt from history

Global Packaging Conference day-trip in Bali

P37 Attendees learn about the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling for areas in and around Bali

How the various verticals have ingrained packaging into their business operations

ISM finds the industry’s sweet spot P22-23

And the finalists of the 2020 PIDA are...

P38-39

The world’s largest trade show for sweets and snacks had packaging as one of its main highlights

AIP recognises companies and individuals in A/NZ that are making significant differences in their fields

Finding a recipe for plastics recycling

Reaching a vision of zero packaging waste in NZ P40

P24

WasteMINZ calls for more sustainability changes in New Zealand www.propack.pro

The IWSR analyses eco-packaging innovation and the role it plays around sustainability

Meeting the global packaging challenges of tomorrow P30-34

Showcasing environmental leadership and initiatives that support the recycling of plastics in Australia

ProPak Philippines: Empowering businesses in packaging

P10-13

When does eco-packaging fail the environment P42

Supporting NZ in its efforts to reach no packaging waste by 2025

EFI Connect 2020 focuses on packaging P48-49 EFI shines the spotlight on packaging at its recent global annual conference in Las Vegas Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 5

UPDATE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS

The state of single-use

1 The Hobart City Council has made a decision to enforce the ban on non-compostable packaging in the city from 2021

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obart is officially the first city in Australia to ban single-use plastics, with the Hobart City Council to soon enforce a ban on noncompostable food packaging from 2021.

The move follows the council voting in favour (8-4) of the by-law in 2019 and a public consultation.

In 2019, Hobart City Council also conducted a city-wide survey, with findings showing that residents (96 per 6 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

1. Single-use plastics will no longer be used in Hobart as the city bans its use 2. A recyclable monopolymer pouch O F Packaging has made for Woolworths in South Africa

cent of respondents) are keen to ban single-use plastic from the city.

According to a report by the ABC, the Environment Protection Authority Tasmania has mentioned that noncompostable food packaging accounts for about 50 per cent of Hobart’s rubbish. The ban of single-use plastics for the city would mean that any business requiring the use of single-use plastics, such as takeaway food businesses or cafes, will have to comply with new by-laws and switch processes towards other options such as compostable packaging or re-usable containers and cutlery.

In the ABC report, councillor Bill Harvey said when disposed of properly, compostable packaging is more environmentally friendly.

“We won’t have bins that take compostables in the streets… because there will still be too much confusion and contamination,” he said, in the ABC report.

But the move also means that alternative packaging options will

be more costly. Harvey was also reported saying that consumers are happy to foot the bill.

“We have data that says the people of Hobart are prepared to pay slightly more to use compostable packaging because they know there’s benefits in using compostable rather than the detriment of using single-use plastics,” he said.

The only exceptions to the implementation are the use of soft plastics such as cling-wrap and prepackaged food sold to a retailer (apart from condiment sachets).

“We recognise that cling-wrap, while problematic, is a valuable material in keeping food fresh,” Harvey was quoted saying in the report.

Businesses that fail to comply with the new ruling will be issued an infringement notice, in addition to a $336 fine.

Australian owned and operated supplier of premium flexible and carton packaging solutions O F Packaging managing director Joe Foster and www.propack.pro

SINGLE-USE PLASTICS UPDATE

plastics in Australia research and innovation engineer Paul Ehrlich said removing problematic plastic products which serve a shortterm purpose and that due to size and food waste contamination cannot be processed within the recycling stream, is an intelligent first-step in what will be a long process of phasing-out unnecessary waste from landfills.

“The main consideration that we must take in these issues, however, is ensuring alternative products brought to the market are going to contribute positively to our environment in comparison to previous alternatives, and that we take into consideration the entire lifecycle of these products moving forward,” they said.

“A major challenge lies within consumer behaviours and waste education, alongside our great infrastructure limitations and the need for a nation-wide, cohesive strategy surrounding waste.

“Compostable and biodegradable products made from various bioalternatives (such as corn starch, bamboo, grass and wood pulp) have been entering the ‘single-use’ market to replace traditional plastics, however the majority of these products are still going straight to landfill rather than appropriate composting facilities where they can actually break-down.

“Even if they do make it to the right location, current composting facilities in Tasmania are in fact open-air.

“Compared to industrial composting facilities that utilise an entirely controlled environment, it is unclear if all compostable products (especially thick, rigid containers and cups) would break down effectively.”

They added that people must be wary that the littering of bio-based products into the landscape and waterways will be as devastating as their plastic counterparts, and also inherently single-use.

“In addition to this, consumers cannot tell the difference between compostable plastics and other types of materials purely by look and feel, and any compostable products deposited into the recycling stream will contaminate these materials and hinder their re-use,” they mentioned.

“A solution may be found not only in standardised labelling, but in a compostable product deposit scheme similar to those that are in place for rigid recyclables in a variety of Australian states.

“When looking at reducing our environmental impact, we need to www.propack.pro

ensure that only the best, supported solutions are mandated by governments and that we invest in the required infrastructure and education to allow the success of these changes.”

Other Australian cities such as South Australia, the ACT and Queensland are also considering similar bans to what Hobart will soon have in place.

In NSW, premier Gladys Berejiklian and environment minister Matt Kean recently released a discussion paper on tackling the use of plastic, especially plastic bags, which could take effect in the coming months following a legislation consultation and community feedback process.

The NSW Plastics Plan discussion paper Cleaning Up Our Act: Redirecting the Future of Plastic in NSW aims to outline a clear pathway to reduce single-use, unnecessary and problematic plastics in NSW and help build a circular economy within NSW. The waste strategy specifically canvasses options to reduce waste and

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increase recycling, in addition to outlining the opportunities and strategic direction for future waste and recycling infrastructure, and for growing sustainable end markets for recycled materials.

If the legislation consultation and community feedback process goes through, NSW will be the last state in Australia to ban single-use plastic bags.

The government officials aim to help drive the comprehensive plan to better manage the state’s resources and improve its environment.

“The community has high expectations and we need to make sure we put in place the best plans for the future.

“We know that we need to do a better job of dealing with our waste and delivering sustainable solutions,” Berejiklian said.

“The NSW Plastics Plan and 20 Year Waste Strategy will be key to ensuring that NSW is a leader when it comes to reducing waste, maximising recycling and protecting our environment.

“We also want to make sure any businesses potentially affected by phase outs have enough time to adjust and source sustainable alternatives.”

Kean said the state’s waste industry needs to be sustainable, reliable and affordable, and hearing from as many parts of the community as possible ensures the strategies put in place are practical and work for the people of NSW. “It sets the stage for the phase-out of priority singleuse plastics, tripling the proportion of plastic recycled by 2030, reducing plastic litter by a quarter and making our state a leader in plastics research and development,” Kean said.

“Lightweight plastic bags are proposed to be phased out six months from the passage of legislation with other timelines to be determined after feedback from the public consultation process.”

The community of NSW will be able to provide their feedback on the discussion paper until 8 May. Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 7

FOCUS NATIONAL PLASTICS SUMMIT

Plastics Summit: An oppo The National Plastics Summit showcased environmental leadership and initiatives that support the recycling of plastics

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he Australian prime minister’s recent National Plastics Summit at the Parliament House showed environmental leadership, in addition to an unprecedented opportunity to reduce Australia’s plastics and greenhouse gas footprint through better recycling, according to the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR). The recent oneday forum in Canberra convened a cross-section of over 200 senior individuals from government, industry and community sectors.

The summit showcased and identified new solutions to the plastic waste challenge and mobilised further action from governments, industry and non-government organisations.

It also identified new opportunities to directly address targets under the National Waste Policy Action Plan.

“For something that does so much good, it does not always do that good,” prime minister Scott Morrison said, at the event. “Plastics, they are remarkable. They keep our food fresh.

Addressing industry challenges Several key announcements were made by industry on how they will help address the plastic challenge: • The Pact Group announced it will invest $500 million in facilities, research and technology to increase the use of sustainable packaging. The result will be that Pact will have 30 per cent recycled content across its product portfolio by 2025 and keep nearly two billion plastic containers out of landfill.

• McDonald’s will phase out plastic cutlery by the end of 2020, preventing 585 tonnes of plastic waste each year. This is in addition to McDonald’s previous commitment to phase out 500 million straws every year and takes their total annual plastic reduction to 860 tonnes.

• Nestlé will partner with waste management company IQ Renew in a trial that will see soft plastics collected and recycled from over 100,000 homes, diverting approximately 750 tonnes of soft plastic otherwise headed for landfill.

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1 “It is vital for our medicines, and our health system.

“It is lightweight, it’s inexpensive and it’s part of our everyday lives but therein lies the problem.

“Plastic that is designed effectively, used correctly, recycled reliably, and remanufactured creatively can stay in the economy almost indefinitely with little environmental impact.

“But too often plastic products are not designed to be re-used or to be recycled. They are not collected carefully, or are difficult to sort and process commercially, or the market doesn’t support remanufacturing into valued products. And that’s what we have to change.”

According to Morrison, the change required is so substantial that the only way forward is in partnership – working with governments, industry and community.

Morrison outlined the three pillars of the Federal Government’s plan in terms of how it aims to address the issue as a government.

1. Taking responsibility for our plastic waste – recognising the problems and keeping faith with the Australian people who recycle 2. Expanding industry capability – invest in the technological innovation that maximises the value of the recycled product and minimises the costs 3. Encouraging demand for recycled products – strengthening the

Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines to make sure every procurement undertaken by a Commonwealth agency considers environmental sustainability and the use of recycled content in determining value for money.

“We all have responsibility. At the heart of what I believe – be it the economy, our defence, our education, the state of our cities, or the health of the environment – is that we have a responsibility to leave our children better than what we inherited,” Morrison said.

“Meaningful change will be multifaceted, and there is much to do.

It will require education and changes in behaviour, but most importantly, a willingness by all of us to step up.

“We are a continent surrounded by the ocean.

“Our waterways are our lifeblood.

This is such a big issue for our part of the world and for our future.”

Minister for Health Greg Hunt mentioned that the summit set the tone for the future of plastic waste management in Australia.

“The Prime Minister has outlined three pillars of action around recycling plastic waste,” Hunt said.

“First and most importantly, we need to take responsibility for our waste.

“We can all do our part… such as encouraging demand for recycled products at home and by purchasing products that are re-usable, as opposed www.propack.pro

NATIONAL PLASTICS SUMMIT FOCUS

portunity for real action to those intended for single use.

And, through Government intervention, we know that banning the export of waste plastics will keep more of the raw stock here for remanufacting, helping to lift industry capacity and our ability to use these materials constructively.

“These are the first of a number of measures the Morrison Government will take to build demand and capacity in the sector.”

The peak body for the $20 billion resource recovery sector ACOR CEO Pete Shmigel said Australia’s prime minister Scott Morrison and his ministerial colleagues have acted with “total clarity and fast pace” to put plastic waste minimisation near the top of their agenda.

“With all the key players there and the community watching, the Summit is the big chance to put the meat of real change on the political bones, and we are optimistic that will happen,” Shmigel said.

“A summit that puts substance before stylistics is what we need to deal with the plastics problem, including our comparatively very low recycling rate of some 12 per cent and our lack of domestic recycling capacity.

“A recent report for the Commonwealth found the need to increase domestic plastic recycling by 400 per cent in the next five years to meet the targets the packaging supply chain has promised in the recently adopted National Waste Policy, as well as the provisions of upcoming bans on international movement of collected plastic for recycling.

“Improving plastic recycling is an affordable and accessible way for all of us Australians to take practical and positive climate action.

“Support for putting recycled content plastic into irrigation pipes, channel lining and rainwater tanks would be a great way to assist droughtproofing while supporting our local Australian manufacturers. From all players involved in plastics

2 1. Addressing the need to reduce plastic waste was the key purpose of the recent National Plastics Summit 2. Australian prime minister Scott Morrison giving his speech at the National Plastics Summit 3. A tractor clearing plastics in Australia 4. The National Plastics Summit was held in Canberra and hosted by the Australian Government

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management, from the Government to brand owners to recyclers to the community, it’s time for real action not rhetoric, and that’s what the summit will be judged by.”

Shmigel added that while banning some types of plastic products are understandable, such as single use imported items, the fact is that not all plastics can be banned as many serve very positive purposes.

“Therefore, we need to get smarter with the plastic we do use, especially ensuring its recyclability and that plastic products are made with loweremissions, domestically sourced recycled resin ASAP,” he said.

“Our sector is stepping up. In the last six months, the council has invested in developing or upgrading some six plastics reprocessing facilities in Australia.

“Several have seen State Government support to achieve their environmental and jobs benefits. That is very important and welcome.”

Shmigel said ACOR believes the

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following moves would positively improve plastic recycling: • Co-funding arrangements in plastics collection, sorting, washing, flaking and reprocessing technology; • Publicly available and accountable product stewardship commitments by brand owners to domesticallysourced recycled content products, including cost sharing; • Market development for new generation plastic recycled content products, such as in droughtproofing, construction and roads; • Specific and visible promises by the Commonwealth – as a massive purchaser of goods – to recycled content (as long established elsewhere such as the US); • Improved labelling for consumers about plastic recyclability and recycled content and increased community take-back opportunities for soft plastics, such as via CDS schemes; • Economic incentives to level the playing field with low-cost Asian manufacturers in plastics reprocessing, such as tax or energy credits (which now exist in France and the UK), or extending GST exemption for second hand goods to recyclate.

SUEZ A/NZ CEO Mark Venhoek said addressing plastic waste in Australia will require significant collaboration to drive change at all stages of the value chain.

“Considerable work is required to ensure industry is prepared to meet COAG’s waste export ban, including development support of recycling infrastructure and the growth of pull-through demand for recyclable material,” he said.

“We are pleased to hear the prime minister talking about government encouraging and incentivising the use of recycled products in the market.”

“As industry looks to invest in scalable infrastructure, addressing pull-through demand for these secondary raw materials is essential.

“SUEZ is looking forward to working with industry representatives from across the value chain to develop a common vision of the circular economy for plastics.”

Ideas and solutions generated at the National Plastics Summit will be used to inform the National Plastic Plan, which the Australian Government has committed to delivering by end 2020.

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 9

FOCUS PROPAK PHILIPPINES

ProPak Philippines: Empower

The second annual ProPak Philippines took a step in the direction of empowering businesses in packaging at its threeday business-tobusiness exhibition

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1. The ribbon cutting ceremony at ProPak Philippines with all the key stakeholders

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roPak Philippines recently took place between February 5 to 7 at the World Trade Center Metro in Manila, Pasay City, addressing the needs, challenges and opportunities within packaging.

The three-day event for international manufacturers and suppliers of machinery, technology and materials in the sectors of packaging, filling, processing, quality assurance, test and measurement and their related fields of automation, transportation, storage, refrigeration, ingredients, labeling and pollution control, provided attendees with many insights into packaging.

Themed around empowering businesses in packaging, the event enabled attendees to:  See new products, machines, technologies and solutions  Find total solutions to meet their growing and replacement machinery needs  Learn from industry experts that presented the latest industry hot topics, trends, regulations and solutions  Network with the industry professionals from different countries.

Philippines Valenzuela City congressman and chairperson of www.propack.pro

PROPAK PHILIPPINES FOCUS

ring businesses in packaging 1

the Committee on Trade and Industry Wes Gatchalian delivered a keynote address, speaking about Philippines’ trade industry and how business is conducted in relation to packaging.

“It is an honour and privilege to be at the 2nd Processing and Packaging Exhibition for the Philippines. Seeing you all participate in one of the biggest trade events for the processing and packaging industries in the country gives me great pride because we all see that the Philippines’ trade industry is alive and well,” he said.

“Amid all the chaos and uncertainty that we face today – from the US and Iran conflict, to the eruption of Taal www.propack.pro

Volcano, and now, the coronavirus that has reached global epidemic – investors like you continue to strive and carry on your business as usual to ensure that goods get to where they ought to be. Your contributions, may they be directly or indirectly, is vital for the country’s continued and sustained growth.”

He mentioned that the way business is conducted in the country is very different from the way it was just a couple of years ago, and that the rise of globalisation has been exponential in breaking down trade barriers, ensuring increased income.

“This has been the thrust of your Committee on Trade and Industry for the 18th Congress. Since Congress was convened over six months ago, your Committee on Trade and Industry has been hard at work to pass bills that promote global free trade. Notably, the amendments to the Foreign Investments Act was passed by the lower house and has been transmitted to the Senate for approval,” he said.

“Under our proposed amendments, foreigners may be allowed to own small and medium-sized domestic enterprises with a minimum paid-up capital of less than US$100,000 provided that it complies with either any of the following conditions: a) If the enterprise involves advance technology as determined by the Department of Science and Technology; or b) If the enterprise employs at least 15 direct employees.

“The proposed amendment – which seeks to lower the number of required direct employees from 50 to 15 – is expected to improve FDI inflow... to open up to a stronger diverse market that is coupled with the influx of technical expertise from abroad, benefiting the Philippines with technological transfers, foreign exchange from exports and ultimately higher tax revenues.”

Gatchalian also addressed the amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalisation Act, which was passed on first reading and being deliberated by the plenary body.

“Our amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalisation Act will allow foreign-owned retailers to set up shop in the country by investing a minimum of US$250,000. This will effectively lower the barriers to entry for foreign retailers, increase foreign direct investments, which translates to more competition and ultimately, more goods at lower prices,” he said.

“More than these two bills, we are pushing for more liberalisation reforms in order to build and improve the business environment in the Philippines. It is unfortunate that our country continues to lag behind its ASEAN neighbours in terms of capturing foreign investment due to our relatively restrictive and less competitive economic policies.

“I want to assure our friends who are here today that we are serious in reviewing and updating our laws to encourage the influx of foreign capital through the development of a more investment-friendly climate.

“We want to pass legislative reforms that are responsive to the needs of the domestic economy and, at the same time, accommodate the dynamics of the regional and global environment because we want to build an inclusive, efficient, and competitive business environment in the Philippines.”

Philippines Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) secretary Ramon Lopez, who also spoke at the event, said events like ProPak allow businesses to level up and innovate.

“This is the second Propak Philippines. In 2018, our desire was to empower micro SMEs as one of the aims of the Department of Trade and Industry was to level up the operations of micro SMEs,” Lopez said.

“We don’t want them to remain as micro SMEs forever. We want them to level up and innovate. That’s the reason for having ProPak in the Philippines.

And how do we innovate micro SMEs? These things are driven by packaging.

“Aside from making sure that contents and the quality of the products are perfect, the packaging represents the product because you’re not always there to sell your product.

“The packaging has to represent your products well in shelves.

“So, our micro SMEs have very little or no access to the packaging suppliers.

And it’s the packaging suppliers that are actually bringing innovation to companies – proposing the latest trends, designs and technology.”

He addressed some of the challenges micro SMEs face, such as exhibits that do not present products well.

“To alleviate that challenge, we need to integrate what we do with both packaging and manufacturing.

“Innovation is the key and this is what we’ve been trying to inculcate in our micro SMEs. When technology Continued on page 12 Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 11

FOCUS PROPAK PHILIPPINES Continued from page 11

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gets inputted, innovation gets included,” he said.

“We want to create smarter and innovative micro SMEs. SMEs are the backbones of our industry, making up about 99.6 per cent of companies.

“We are also a fast-growing economy – the second fastest in Asia.

“Despite the challenges last year, we were able to grow 5.9 per cent. If we average growth across the past two quarters, it stands at over six per cent.

It’s a very good performance run.”

According to Lopez, this year’s challenges, including the coronavirus outbreak will not affect the industry in the long-term.

“We will be able to resolve this virus.

We hope that the global economy will start to pick up and manufacturing will grow again at a much faster rate,” he mentioned.

“And because of more people having jobs, we see poverty incidences decreasing from 23 per cent five years ago to 16 per cent now.

“Hopefully, we reach about 12 to 14 per cent by 2022.

“So, ProPak Philippines is a good step in helping micro SMEs level up their businesses and making their businesses contribute more to the economy.”

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AIP commits to training and education in the Philippines

As a part of its commitment to providing training and education to the ASEAN region, the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) ran three packaging workshops during a one-day training course on flexible packaging and a series of ‘Meet the Global Packaging Experts’ sessions alongside ProPak Philippines 2020.

The three packaging workshops were held on 6 February in partnership with the Philippines Institute of Packaging (PIP) and the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), which enabled more than 250 attendees with the opportunity to attain global, Australasian and domestic perspectives of current trends and challenges facing the industry.

During the event, participants were given the chance to discuss problems with packaging design, ask questions on materials, or challenges they are facing in their business, or just to exchange technical expertise with other attendees.

Topics discussed included the journey towards sustainable packaging.

This included global targets, best practices in sustainable packaging design, the future of food packaging, the role that packaging plays in minimising food waste, best practices in save food packaging design, understanding how to move towards a circular economy, in addition to best 12 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

practices used in closed loop and circular programs.

Packaging experts came from all over the world and included the AIP, the Philippines Institute of Packaging, the WPO, Sealed Air, and the Thailand Packaging Federation.

Guest speakers included Professor Pierre Pienaar, president of the WPO, Ralph Moyle, education coordinator of the AIP, Paolo Bunag, president of the Philippines Institute of Packaging, and Nerida Kelton, executive director of the AIP. The AIP also ran the ‘Flexible Packaging: Now and into the Future’ training course with Joe Foster as the lecturer for 60 participants during ProPak Philippines.

The course covered the basic fundamentals of flexible packaging, its benefits, how to chose the specific structures to match the product, its

2. Attendees listening in on one of the training courses that were available during the event 3. Some of the experts that led attendees through their challenges at the event

performance, marketing challenges and how packaging is manufactured.

As an add on, the course looked at the future plans for flexible packaging and available recycling options to meet 2025 International & Domestic Packaging Targets.

The course provided participants an understanding of:  A good broad understanding of the benefits of flexible packaging  The process of manufacturing  Where the future lies with flexible films and the changes ahead  A snapshot of some of the latest packaging trends and some of their driving forces  An understanding of the challenges ahead with sustainable packaging racing forward The AIP looks forward to providing additional educational programs alongside ProPak Philippines in 2021. www.propack.pro

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4. AIP’s Nerida Kelton talks through some sustainable packaging examples 5. The WPO stand at the event was frequented by attendees 6. Attendees listen in and absorb the learnings from the event 7. Attendees got to learn first hand about packaging and its challenges during the brainstorming session 8. WPO’s Pierre Pienaar addresses some of the challenges of packaging 9. WPO’s Pierre Pienaar talks to some of the attendees during one-on-one sessions 10. Providing training and education to the ASEAN attendees 11. Attendees gaining global and local perspectives of the packaging industry

www.propack.pro

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 13

FOCUS INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT

A 2020 packaging sn With growing concerns over how packaging waste impacts the environment and the increasing move towards recyclable and reusable packaging, sustainability is one of the key driving forces of packaging initiatives. Here’s how the various verticals have ingrained it into their operations

Liquor in new packaging forms

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Coopers expand into cans Coopers had a great financial year in 2019, thanks to some of its releases.

Coopers director of marketing and innovation Cam Pearce said a significant expansion into the can format proved vital for both Coopers’ bottom line and interest in the brand.

“The introduction of Coopers Original Pale Ale in cans has played a role in this success, with the new format being positively received.

Importantly, its introduction had minimal impact on bottle sales and reinvigorated interest in our highest volume product,” Pearce said.

“Pale Ale’s introduction in cans in 2018 strongly boosted interest in the product and led the way for the expansion of our can portfolio... Cans now comprise an important component in our sales.”

With such success in a bolstered range of cans, the immediate focus for Coopers in 2020 will be to consolidate its product portfolio and investigate new opportunities.

“Product development will also be a major area of work, given the growing interest in new beer styles and flavours,” Pearce said.

But while everything seems to be positive at Coopers, there’s one major issue that the brewery thinks the industry should be focused on in 2020.

14 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

Brown Family Wine Group sees a future in canned wine

2 “Excise on beer remains a key topic,” Pearce said. “Tax now makes up almost 42 per cent of the cost of an average carton of beer. Australian beer drinkers pay $2.23 in tax per litre of packaged beer, the fourth highest rate globally.”

Compare that to a rate of $0.12 a litre in Germany or even $1.18 in New Zealand, along with the fact the rate is indexed twice yearly with GST added, and it’s easy to see the issue for Australian brewers like Coopers.

Brown Family Wine Group (BFWG) CEO Dean Carroll said a major trend that emerged in 2019 was canned wine, and BFWG is well represented in the category with four products: Innocent Bystander Moscato, Brown Brothers Prosecco Spritz, Brown Brothers Moscato One, and Brown Brothers Moscato Rosé One. “We continue to work with retailers to test execution and availability of ‘Wine in a Can’ in-store with some retailers choosing a dedicated ‘Wine in a Can’ bay and others merchandising the products next to the core 750ml bottle to highlight the choice of pack format options available within the brands/products,” he said.

“We are helping to educate consumers via serving suggestions on back of pack and point of sale.”

In terms of future challenges, Carroll described them as “many and varied”, stretching from declining consumption to changing environmental conditions.

“Slowing overall consumption remains a threat both to us and the industry,” he said.

“The constant increase in costs many associated with resources and the impact of climate change continue to pressure us. For example, our insurance bill has been driven up 233 www.propack.pro

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT FOCUS

napshot by industry 3

4

innovative companies on the Australian Financial Review’s ‘Most Innovative Companies List’, for the packaging and marketing of its popular Rosé Rosé.

“Another highlight was Black Noble One being named one of the world’s top 10 fortified wines in the 2019 Global Fortified Masters blind tasting competition,” De Bortoli added.

De Bortoli credited its success to a constant push for innovation, which he said is a key focus for the company.

“Aiming for ‘fully integrated innovation’ ensures that we look at everything through an innovative lens, from the wine taste and colour to the packaging as achieved in our Rosé Rosé bottle and closure,” he said.

“It is this synergy that connects the consumer with us, our brand and the product. It also drives us to continually develop new and exciting wine styles that inspire our customers.”

In terms of consumer trends that will shape the market in 2020, he said premiumisation and health and wellness are key considerations, in addition to sustainability in the wake of the recent bush fires.

“The effects of this fire season will be reflected in heightened consumer expectations of businesses’ sustainability efforts which will increasingly be considered in their purchasing decisions.”

Campari Australia turns challenges into opportunities

5 per cent in the last two years as regional areas are seen as higher risk in increasingly dry climates and building materials once considered acceptable are now seen as less so.”

Carroll also expressed his concerns about the impact climate change will have on limited resources such as water, and the knock-on effects of this both for his company and the wine industry at large.

De Bortoli’s packaging innovation wins awards

De Bortoli continues to be recognised for its contributions to innovation in winemaking. Darren De Bortoli, the company’s managing director, said a major highlight for the business was being named one of Australia’s most www.propack.pro

1. Brown Family Wine Group works with retailers to test the execution of ‘Wine in a Can’

2. De Bortoli Rosé Rosé 3. Coopers launches its Original Pale Ale in cans 4. Campari focuses on refining its products and packaging to cater to all tastes 5. Carlsberg’s 100 per cent bio-based and fully recyclable solution

Campari Australia managing director Simon Durrant described 2019 as an exciting year for the company, but not one without its own set of challenges.

“The challenge has been keeping up with the phenomenal growth of a highly competitive industry and the introduction of increasingly diverse craft products,” Durrant said.

To maintain a competitive edge, Durrant said Campari Australia will focus on investments in innovation. “[This is] so we can continue refining our products and ensuring we cater to all tastes,” he said.

Campari Australia knows that consumer preferences are changing as drinking trends reflect, and they are angled to capitalise. Both premiumisation and lifestyle factors are strongly influencing consumers, as they opt for a ‘less but better’ approach.

Campari Australia plans to look at how it can minimise its impact on the environment with sustainability.

“All businesses, irrespective of the

industry, have an obligation to be socially responsible, including being environmentally conscious. Beyond this social obligation, consumers, investors and employees are actively supporting and informing themselves about brands which act responsibly and in the best interests of the environment,” he added.

2020 will also see Campari Australia keep its focus on reducing water, gas and electricity consumption, to decrease its environmental footprint.

Carlsberg unveils two paper beer bottle prototypes

In its vision to develop sustainable packaging, the Carlsberg Group has advanced paper bottle technology with its Green Fibre Bottle.

The solution is what the company calls the world’s first ‘paper bottle’ for beer and unveiled two prototypes during the C40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark. Made from sustainably sourced wood fibres, the company said it is both 100 per cent bio-based and fully recyclable.

Both prototypes also have an inner barrier to allow the bottles to contain beer. One prototype uses a thin recycled PET polymer film barrier, and the other a 100 per cent bio-based PEF polymer film barrier.

These prototypes will be used to test the barrier technology as Carlsberg seeks a solution to achieving its ultimate ambition of a 100 per cent biobased bottle without polymers.

Carlsberg Group vice-president of group development Myriam Shingleton said, “We continue to innovate across all our packaging formats, and we are pleased with the progress we’ve made on the Green Fibre Bottle so far.

“While we are not completely there yet, the two prototypes are an important step towards realising our ultimate ambition of bringing this breakthrough to market.

“We will continue to collaborate with experts in order to overcome remaining technical challenges, just as we did with our plastic-reducing Snap Pack.”

Carlsberg started on the project in 2015 alongside EcoXpac, BillerudKorsnäs, and the Technical University of Denmark, supported by Innovation Fund Denmark. The combined efforts resulted in the emergence of Paboco, the paper bottle company – a joint venture between BillerudKorsnäs and ALPLA. Continued on page 16 Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 15

FOCUS INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT Continued from page 15

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Beauty products Simple skincare adopts eco-friendly packaging Taking a step towards becoming environmentally-friendly, Simple skincare has committed to using recycled plastic in all of its packaging.

It said the move follows the launch of its biodegradable makeup wipes.

“It took us five years to deliver a wipe that our Simple consumers would love.

We understand the detrimental impact of single-use plastic products on our planet and we’re mindful the face wipe trend (a core product across many of our brands, including Simple) has contributed to this,” a Simple spokesperson said.

“At the core of the Simple brand is kindness to your skin, people and our planet. Therefore, we knew it was time for us to lead the way and address this incredibly pressing societal issue.”

The move is also a positive step for its parent company Unilever, which recently made several changes to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

“The Simple brand has a focus on Clean Beauty and Kindness. As a part of clean beauty, the Simple brand is trying to be more sustainable (via a pack transformation journey to avoid waste and/or include more recycled plastic), more ethical (PETA accreditation), free-from claims and natural hero ingredients, where appropriate,” the spokesperson said.

“Our pack sustainability journey demonstrates kindness to planet, while kindness to communities will be activated in social channels to “make kindness infectious”.

The new packaging is expected to be made with recycled plastic.

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6. An increasing number of skincare brands are caring about their environmental impact 7. Simple skincare commits to using recycled plastic in all of its packaging 8. Dove has been a market leader when it comes to sustainable packaging

“The bottles will be fully recyclable – we’re working towards 100 per cent recycled content as well,” the spokesperson said.

“Sustainability is at the core of new packaging options. As we introduce new products we are looking for opportunities to use recycled content and designing our packages to be as recyclable as possible.”

Dove abandons plastic

Dove, one of the largest cosmetic brands in the world, will no longer wrap its iconic ‘beauty bar’ in plastic.

The brand has announced plans to reduce its use of virgin plastic by more than 20,500 tonnes per year – “enough to circle the Earth 2.7 times”.

Announcing the plans, Dove Global Skin Cleansing vice president Marcela

Creating sustainable products Artav Australia director Andrew Taverna said the skincare industry is one that is constantly evolving.

“In the past, consumers’ desire for high efficiency skincare was greatly influenced by international brands as Australian products were seen as less tried, tested and proven,” he said.

“However, the Australian Cosmetic industry is now recognised for creating sustainable products that have gained a reputation the world-over for being some of the best skincare brands in the industry. Not only are 16 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

Artav’s Andrew Taverna they made sustainably, using environmentally conscious products and practices but they can also compete with

any leading non-natural beauty brand.

“Consumers have become much more aware of where and how their products are being produced, as natural and organic trends along with the shift in environmental awareness are becoming a driving force behind skincare.

“Homegrown ingredients have become sought after within the cosmetics market and Australia has so much to offer in terms of Natural and Organic ingredients, with our homegrown ingredients now regarded as some of the best on the market worldwide.”

Melero said the brand has opted for long-term initiatives rather than oneoff limited editions for greater impact.

He said plastic waste, one of the biggest global environmental and human health issues, was being driven by “a linear, single-use consumption model”.

“To be part of the solution in creating a circular plastics economy, one where plastics are reused and recycled, Dove is accelerating and expanding its actions with a renewed force following the launch of its NO | BETTER | LESS PLASTIC framework.”

Key features of the new framework that it has introduced include: • No Plastic: Dove eliminating the use of plastics where possible by using alternative materials and new packaging formats.

This year its iconic beauty bar single packs will be plastic-free globally and development is underway to replace the plastic outer-wrap of its beauty bar multipacks with a zeroplastic material.

• Better Plastic: Dove is committed to investing in more sustainable plastic choices to reduce the use of virgin plastic. The company plans to launch new 100 percent recycled plastic (PCR) bottles, where technically feasible, in North America and Europe by the end of this year.

• Less Plastic: Dove will leverage the technology behind its new reusable, reusable, stainless steel format deodorant sticks - minim, which minimises waste by radically reducing the amount of plastic required; to trial in the LOOP platform (a minimal waste, directto-consumer shopping system).

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www.propack.pro

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT FOCUS we were able to help create a first-of-itskind solution for baby food that meets the safety and freshness requirements for our little ones,” he added.

Gerber’s sustainability efforts go beyond packaging, with a focus on reducing energy use, water use and carbon emissions in its factories, in addition to upholding some of the industry’s strongest agricultural standards through its Clean Field Farming practices.

Tuffy Double Length NPD aims for more sustainable growth in 2020

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FMCG Nestlé launches “first of its kind” baby food packaging designed for recycling Nestlé has launched what it calls a first of its kind, single-material pouch for its baby food products.

Developed in partnership with Gualapack, a global manufacturer of pre-made spouted pouches, this latest initiative is by Gerber in its journey to make 100 per cent of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

The Gerber Organic Banana Mango Puree range will come in a 100 per cent recyclable new pouch from May in partnership with TerraCycle in the US. In Finland, the pouch will be available for Piltti’s Apple Pear Blueberry Raspberry range.

Nestlé head of the nutrition strategic business unit Thierry Philardeau said the move is an important milestone in creating a wider market for recycled plastics that are safe for food.

“We are proud to have found a solution for the recyclability of baby food pouches. We began in the US and Finland for two product variants, and we aim to gradually extend the use of single-material pouch to our baby food pouches range around the world,” Philardeau said.

The newly designed pouch is made from polypropylene (PP), a versatile form of plastic available commercially.

Philardeau added that this switch is expected to make more plastics infinitely recyclable and aims to increase the value of the material for the recycling industry.

“This launch is an important milestone on how we execute our ambition to create a wider market for recycled plastics that are safe for food.

We will continue to work with other stakeholders to ensure that the www.propack.pro

infrastructure needed to recycle matches material innovation.”

Gerber associate director of packaging Tony Dzikowicz said designing with a single material creates greater value for the recycling industry, promoting the development of better recycling infrastructure.

“After more than two years of experimenting and innovating,

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9. FMCG is one of the key industries that sees the most amount of packaging used 10. Nestlé unveils single-material pouch for its baby food products 11. Tuffy’s new product is more sustainable

Tuffy Kitchen towel has fresh packaging, products and growth initiatives in 2020. Enabled by commissioning of Cottonsoft Limited’s $10 million factory in Highbrook and expanding Dunedin factory, the range now includes 3Ply and Double Length.

Tuffy brand manager Dianne Paltridge said, “Tuffy 3Ply is extra thick and absorbent for those Tuffer jobs.

Tuffy Double length is absorbent, strong and twice as long, perfect for those bigger jobs.

“Tuffy paper is sustainably sourced from renewable fibre and certified by the Program for endorsement of forest certification (PEFC) and Environmental Choice New Zealand (ECNZ).

“Tuffy is a foundation on brand supporting Soft Plastic Recycling.

Double length also supports reduced packaging waste with more paper in less packaging. All Tuffy towel is food safe plus hygienically disposable as it’s biodegradable and compostable.”

Tuffy is proudly made by Cottonsoft Ltd – a New Zealand manufacturer, marketer and distributor of paper products, providing leading brands for Kiwis since 1988.

Independent Egg Producers Co-operative offers full traceability in egg production

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The Independent Egg Producers Co-operative Ltd (IEP) is now offering full traceability when it comes to its egg production.

IEP is a 100 per cent NZ-owned egg supplier comprising family-owned and operated farms specialising in the production of quality, fresh eggs across provincial New Zealand.

All farms are family-owned, with many of them being second or third generation, resulting in an ongoing passion for both time-honoured tradition and modern farming advances in everything they do.

Coupled with this is an underlying sense of ‘local’, ‘community’ and ‘provenance’, key attributes in strong demand by the NZ consumer.

“Full traceability is now also in place Continued on page 18 Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 17

FOCUS INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT Continued from page 17

with the addition of the ‘Trace My Egg’ compliance stamping programme across all IEP farms,” IEP general manager Susan Bamfield said.

“As the number two egg producer nationally, IEP holds 30 per cent share by volume (Source: IRI MAT 05/1/20).

Ongoing industry changes in supply volumes until Jan 2023 (due to Government legislation), in addition to consumer trends in plastic reduction, will likely see increasing moves towards: • smaller pack sizes • more sustainable packaging “IEP will continue to implement both initiatives in the best interests of both customers and consumers (by regulating volume to provide security of supply to its customers) in addition to acting in the best interests of the wider environment.

“Recently launched product range extensions to the New Day Free Range and Morning Harvest Barn ranges (all in recycled and recyclable paper fibre packaging) are a testament to these recent industry trends.

“Morning Harvest cage and colony eggs are also now available in 18-pack sustainable packaging (replacing the larger plastic shrink-wrap tray formatsthey used to come in).”

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of plastic it uses. Having removed 8,000 tonnes from its own brand packaging since 2018, it recently brought forward commitments to make almost a third of plastic packaging from recycled sources by the end of 2020, and reduce plastic by 15 per cent by February 2021.

It will also make all packaging – of whatever material – 100 per cent recyclable by 2025.

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New Proper Crisps X Trelise Cooper collaboration

UK: Asda’s new ‘test and learn’ sustainability store

Asda has joined forces with some big brands to launch its first ‘test and learn’ sustainability store in Leeds with a mission to find new ways to reduce plastic and encourage customers to reuse and refill.

From May, the new store will become the first Asda in the UK where shoppers can fill up their own containers of products, including Asda’s own-brand coffee, rice and pasta.

The supermarket has also asked well known household brands to work with them on their quest to reduce plastic – meaning shoppers will also be able to use refill points for Kellogg’s cereals such as Coco Pops and Rice Krispies and Unilever’s PG Tips tea.

Customers will be asked to give their feedback on different trials – allowing Asda and its suppliers to understand more about how these innovative new ideas work in practice. Trials will last for at least three months before a decision is made on whether to roll out, retrial or stop.

In addition to the refill stations, the store will include a ‘naked florist’ offering plastic-free flowers and loose produce with items such as cucumbers and mushrooms being taken out of their plastic packaging.

There will also be a range of new recycling facilities, including a reverse vending machine for plastic bottles and 18 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

14 12. Consumer trends in plastic reduction will impact the way eggs are packaged 13. Asda collaborates with big brands to launch its ‘test and learn’ sustainability store 14. A three-way collaboration results in new Proper Crisps range

cans, hanger recycling and a deposit box for unwanted small plastic toys.

Asda CEO Roger Burnley said, “We’re on an ongoing quest to remove and reduce the amount of plastic in our business – and to find new ways that we can help our customers to reuse and refill our products.

“It’s a journey we can’t go on alone, which is why we invited our suppliers to innovate with us and I’m delighted that household names like Kellogg’s and Unilever have joined us in testing new ideas and approaches to sustainability at our Middleton store.”

The move is part of Asda’s commitments to reduce the amount

Nelson Artisan Crisp makers, Proper Crisps, and iconic Kiwi designer Dame Trelise Cooper have teamed up to present a collaboration of Trelise Cooper’s AW/20 collection and Proper Crisps new range of home compostable packaging. The result is a bag so beautiful you’ll want to share it with those you love while showing a little love to the planet.

Dame Trelise Cooper said, “I’m a Proper fan and have been for many years. There is something deliciously decadent about delving into a bag of golden Proper Crisps, and this was such a wonderful opportunity to create something beautiful with crisp innovators Ned and Mina, which could be shared with those you love.”

These bags are the newest addition to Proper Crisps’ growing range of products available in home compostable bags.

The home compostable bags are made from a mix of GMO-Free Corn Sugars and Wood Pulp.

Once devoured, simply pop the bag in your garden compost bin and it will decompose in six to 12 months.

Proper Crisps recommends cutting up your home compostable bag into small pieces for best results.

Proper Crisps head potato and co-owner Ned Smith said, “The support we’ve received so far has made it possible to expand the range and make more home compostable packaged options available.

“New Zealand has spoken, and we listened. We love New Zealand and we love making crisps the proper way, so it’s important we make the move towards packaging them the proper way too.” www.propack.pro

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT FOCUS Hotel management

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Radisson Hotel Group plans for sustainable future Radisson Hotel Group has launched a global roll-out plan of plastic reduction – including the introduction of bulk amenities in all hotels across the group’s portfolio by 2022.

As part of this move, the group will implement bulk amenity dispensers across all brands by the beginning of 2022, replacing small bottles for common bathroom products. This action will remove 57 million miniature amenities from circulation, avoiding the use of almost 500 tons of plastic annually.

In addition, Radisson Hotel Group has a global commitment to #refusethestraw, ensuring plastic straws and plastic stirrers are no longer used in its hotels by 2021 and ecofriendly alternatives are offered to guests upon request.

Radisson Hotel Group global steering committee chairman and hospitality president and CEO Federico González Tejera, said, “Plastic pollution is one of the current major global issues and our Group is proud to play a leading role in driving plastic reduction across the travel and tourism industry.

“We are a signatory to the International Tourism Plastic Pledge – further demonstrating our commitment to sustainability and responsible business, in line with the targets laid out in our five-year strategic plan. Responsible business is a key element in our approach to growth and is vital to our ambition to become one of the leading hotel companies in the world.”

The group is also running a series of pilot projects in various locations including Africa, India and the US, with the aim of finding new ways to drive plastic reduction globally.

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IHG switches EVEN for voco in Auckland

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Single–use plastics are being checked out at Accor

The next major hotel operator has joined the plastics exodus, with Accor committing to remove all single–use items from its entire global hotel estate by the end of 2022.

Aligning with global initiatives from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organisation, Accor has made the move in an e ort to curb plastic pollution entering the world’s oceans as well as reducing its overall environmental impact.

The company initiative builds on efforts made by both the company’s sustainability division – Planet 21 – and individual hotel programs which will continue to be supported. www.propack.pro

By the project’s deadline at the end of 2022, sustainable alternatives will be sourced and implemented.

Already, 94 per cent of Accor’s hotel estate have eliminated single–use straws, cotton buds and stirrers. The remaining six per cent have completed the transition by the end of March.

Further, nearly 90 per cent of the global ibis hotel portfolio have migrated to refillable dispensers for bathroom amenities, with the remaining 10 per cent in Latin America to join by the end of this year.

Accor’s newest brand introduction, ‘Greet’, was designed to be plastic–free from its inception. Ten Greet hotels are in the pipeline to be opened in Europe by the end of 2020.

The move will see more than 200 million single-use plastics removed from production and circulation. Such items include plastic straws, cotton buds, coffee stirrers, cups, plastic bags for laundry or extra pillows, water bottles, all plastic packaging (for food, welcome products, etc), take-away dishes and tableware, gifts and welcome products (toiletries, slippers, pencils, etc) and keycards.

15. Small and large hotels are adopting sustainable packaging 16. Accor is focused on sustainability programs globally 17.Sustainable brand, voco, will debut in Auckland in 2021

Intercontinental Hotels Group will introduce its sustainable lifestyle brand, voco, into New Zealand for the first time via a newbuild hotel to debut in Auckland in 2021.

The deal signed with developer Proinvest will see voco take the place of the previously confirmed Even Hotel, announced in 2017.

Voco Auckland City Centre will offer 200 rooms and will be dualbranded alongside a 294-room Holiday Inn Express in the same building.

All voco brand hallmarks will be present in the newbuild development, including locally-sourced food, paperless reception services, an allday restaurant, bar and fitness centre.

Rooms will include water-effcient showers with refillable bathroom amenities, energy-saving lighting and user-friendly technology.

Continued on page 20 Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 19

FOCUS INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT Continued from page 19

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Swiss-Belhotel International integrates sustainable tech Swiss-Belhotel International’s properties are undertaking different green initiatives pursuant to each property’s responsibility to the community and the environment.

The company has committed to the development and integration of sustainable technologies in addition to reducing waste and energy usage.

“Swiss-Belhotel International is committed to environmental protection. We understand that we must respect the environment and astutely manage our impact on the environment, for the benefit of the communities where we have a presence,” the company’s chairman and president Gavin Faull said.

“We implement sound environmental practices in the design, development and operation of our hotels, while providing training and resources for the implementation of such procedures.

“At the same time, we encourage the development and integration of sustainable technologies.

“We also endeavour to reduce waste and energy usage. When practical, we reuse and recycle resources consumed by our hotels.”

Swiss-Belhotel International is also introducing a water-based, nonchemical cleaning process that aims have a hugely positive impact on the environment and on its waste management system.

“We encourage our customers, colleagues, business partners, suppliers, contractors and vendors to care for the environment,” Faull said.

“We consistently monitor, record and benchmark the environmental performance of our properties as part of our management system.

“Our green initiatives include the use of non-plastic straws (guests use paper or metal straws); the use of energy-effcient lightbulbs; the use of non-woven laundry bags (to be implemented in 2020); the implementation of soap and shampoo dispensers (to occur in 2020); beach and community clean-up drives; refillable water jugs and water dispensers in room hallways (to eliminate the use of plastic bottles).”

Marriott International increases commitment to social responsibility

In meeting consumers’ demands for hospitality businesses to be socially responsible, Marriott International has included sustainability to its list of goals.

These sustainability goals include reducing water and carbon intensity by 15 per cent and 30 per cent 20 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

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respectively, waste to landfill by 45 per cent and reducing food waste by 50 per cent by the end of 2025.

“Consumers expect the brands they support to be socially responsible, and many brands need to step up and play a bigger role by investing in more sustainable operations,” Marriott International Asia-Pacific Group president Craig Smith said.

“According to the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, tourism contributes about five per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure that is expected to grow to 130 per cent by 2035.

“We recognise our global responsibility to use our size and scale as a force for good and thus have set our ambitious and public 2025 goals to guide our progress and hold ourselves accountable.”

In August 2019, the business announced a global initiative to switch mini, single-use toiletry bottles in guestrooms, which is expected to prevent about 500 million tiny bottles annually from going to landfill – that’s about 1.7 million pounds of plastic – a 30 per cent annual reduction from current plastic use.

“As an industry, we need to collaborate and find more ways to make a positive and sustainable impact, especially as we grow. Building on our strong foundations, we are well-

18. The Swiss-Belhotel integrates technology to improve its sustainability efforts 19. Marriott International includes sustainability into its list of goals 20. Riley was Crystalbrook’s first new Cairns property to open, incorporating sustainable innovation

positioned to embrace the challenges ahead of us,” he added.

Crystalbrook reinvigorates hospitality using innovation

Crystalbrook has committed to innovation and sustainability in its hotels and resorts.

The Australian-based tourism and hospitality company said it will be launching several new environmental and responsible luxury initiatives this year that will further enhance its values and brand credentials.

Crystalbrook Collection interim CEO and group director Geoff York questioned, “How do we make Crystalbrook stand out? By reinvigorating our hospitality.

“We are committed to innovation and sustainability, or what we call responsible luxury.”

The hotel is also implementing other sustainable measures.

“We’ve said no to plastic straws, water bottles and guest room key cards (our keys are made from 100 per cent recycled wood), we use technology such as iPads to reduce in–room paper and run a paperless press office. We have our own bespoke amenities range called IMMERSION which comes in large pump bottles, saving more than 250,000 small plastic bottles from going into landfill each year – and that’s just at Riley!” York added. www.propack.pro

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT FOCUS Non-alcoholic beverages

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Coca-Cola Amatil improves its circular economy efforts In an attempt to boost its circular economy support in Australia, CocaCola Amatil has stood in support of the Victorian Government’s decision to introduce a container deposit and refund scheme.

Coca-Cola Amatil Australia managing director Peter West said, “We welcome Victoria’s decision to use container deposit schemes to improve beverage container recycling rates.

“We are very keen to make this container deposit scheme work. When we sell a bottle, we want it to be a bottle again – and again. Container deposit schemes are the best way to support the recycling industry.

“Coca-Cola Amatil is a major producer of recyclable containers and a major purchaser of recycled materials. In Australia, seven out of 10 of our plastic bottles are already being made from 100 per cent recycled plastic, and this year recycled PET will make up more than half of the PET used in our bottles.

“We’re pro-collection and support a circular economy for packaging materials. We’re a market leader in the use of recycled materials, and always looking to do more.”

Its Mount Franklin brand has also launched a new campaign around its bottles that feature a new label design, which drives awareness of the brand’s increasing commitment towards packaging sustainability.

The campaign, around the theme of taking a ‘Sip in the right direction’ showcases the bottles with a new label design for its 600ml still spring water bottle. The new label makes it clear the bottles are now made from 100 per cent recycled plastic and features a message encouraging consumers to recycle it.

“Today all our Mount Franklin bottles for Still and Lightly Sparkling (1litre and less) are made from 100 per cent recycled plastic and are 100 per cent recyclable,” West said.

“On the 600ml still spring Mount Franklin bottle we have a new message encouraging Australians to recycle in the right way so they can be made into bottles again.”

The campaign supports The CocaCola Company’s vision for a ‘World Without Waste’ – which includes a goal to collect and recycle a bottle or can for everyone it sells by 2030.

PepsiCo partners with Clean Up Australia for recycling

PepsiCo has inked a partnership with Clean Up Australia on a three-year campaign that drives soft plastic www.propack.pro

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recycling. It is investing $650,000 in the program, called Greening the Green, in a bid to educate consumers on soft plastic recovery.

PepsiCo A/NZ CEO Danny Celoni said the move strengthens its commitment to sustainability.

Clean Up Australia Chairman Pip Kiernan said it was a step towards reducing plastic waste.

“Clean Up Australia volunteers consistently tell us that plastics are the most common item they are removing, and it’s disappointing to see that soft plastic counts continue to rise,” Kiernan said.

“Last year, 30 per cent of plastics reported to us were soft plastics – a percentage that has doubled over the past two years.

“There has never been a better time to step up to eradicate soft plastic litter, capture this wasted resource and turn it into attractive outdoor furniture.

Greening the Green is the perfect

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21. Non-alcoholic beverages, like their alcoholic counterparts, make their way into sustainabile packaging

vehicle, bringing together business, community and local government.”

22. Mount Franklin’s feature new label design drives awareness of the brand’s commitment to packaging sustainability

The Collective has launched the first yoghurt bottle in New Zealand that incorporates recycled plastic (rPET) in its packaging. Its kefir probiotic yoghurt is the first of its products to incorporate recycled plastic packaging.

Working together with Pact Group, The Collective’s journey includes reducing its environmental impact.

The Collective marketing director Angela Lewis said, “People want more environmentally friendly options and this bottle change aims to reduce the amount of new plastic created by over 35 tonnes a year.

“This is the next step in our sustainability journey, and we are committed to doing more in this area.”

The Collective has also partnered with conservation charity, Trees That Count, to further reduce its impact.

Trees That Count was launched in 2016 with one goal – to see more native trees planted throughout the country.

Trees That Count head of marketing and partnerships Melanie Seyfort said, “By working together with companies like The Collective we’re able to plant more and more precious natives around the country and further reduce carbon emissions. Every bottle of kefir probiotic yoghurt purchased, goes toward this effort.”

23. Kefir probiotic yoghurt bottles in five flavours are packed in rPET bottles

The Collective launches first rPET yoghurt bottle in NZ

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 21

FOCUS ISM TRADESHOW

ISM finds the indus ISM, the world’s largest trade fair for sweets and snacks, held in Cologne, Germany, lived up to its billing at the 2020 event, with packaging as the highlight of the show.

Simon King reports

D

escribed by organisers Koelnmesse as the most important hub for business and innovations worldwide, ISM 2020 did not disappoint, with 37,000 trade visitors from around the world attending the four-day sweets and snacks fiesta.

Ivan Koric, senior food and drinks analyst at Euromonitor International, said the global snacks market is rapidly evolving and continues to grow overall.

“Key trends such as healthy and ethical living, premiumisation and experience more are all shaping the

1 market and driving snack category growth forward,” Koric said.

“Ingredients, packaging and functionality are increasingly coming to the fore and becoming crucial factors for the success of new and improved product development.”

Walking around the halls, the booth of German company Katjes stuck out as the perimeter of it was constructed out of wooden pallets, emblazoned with its core message ‘The Future is PlantBased’. Following the launch of its Chocjes range in 2019, the vegan

Byron Bay Cookie Company looks to grow European business Melbourne-based Byron Bay Cookie Company was at ISM for the fourth time and the company said it was looking to grow its business in Europe.

Mark Perrin, the company’s senior commercial manager, said: “We’ve got our own pack and pick warehouse where we store stock in the UK, so we’re looking to branch out to new markets in Europe from there; for the Asian market, products are sent from Australia.

“We’ve got a European sales manager, Craig Gillon, and I’ll manage the international business from Australia.”

Perrin said that central to the business is its premium offer.

“Our range is a more premium offer than the general everyday supermarket products that are on display here,” he said, “because you get a lot of supermarket buyers looking at a lot of those guys for own label.

“We do a little bit of premium own label and, of course, we’re open to developing that business, but interested retailers need to be the right size. To me, if you want an individually wrapped single cookie, to 22 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

Byron Bay Cookie Company’s Troy Tran, Mark Perrin and Craig Gillon achieve the economies of scale on packing, you would need to have a chain of at least 80 cafés or stores.”

Perrin said that while distributors from Australia make the trip to Cologne to attend ISM, retailers have largely stopped travelling to the show.

“Since times have got more tough in Australia, there’s not as many retailers coming over,” he said.

“In reality, Australian retailers should be sending confectionery buyers over to ISM. The offer in Australia is so narrow amongst the corporates – there isn’t the range of European chocolate that they could have.”

While Byron Bay Cookie Company has strong business with the supermarket channel in Australia, Perrin said he was keen to build business in the convenience sector, where it already supplies 7-Eleven and Coles Express.

Perrin said that the Byron Bay Cookie Company is making sustainability a big focus, although he conceded that it has been slow to take-off in Australia.

“Sustainability is going to be a major factor, but it’s also Generation Z that are caring about that kind of stuff, while your everyday customers is more concerned about price.”

Looking at packaging, Perrin said that the Byron Bay Cookie Company is looking at biodegradable packaging, while all card packaging is FSA-certified.

“By 2022, we’re going to be fully sustainable on everything,” Perrin said. www.propack.pro

ISM TRADESHOW FOCUS

ustry’s sweet spot 2 chocolate made from oat milk, Katjes added four new flavours to its range, Cookie Lover, Sea Caramel, Into the Dark and Orange County.

Phil Hulme, national accounts controller at Katjes, said: “Chocjes is a vegan and soy-free choc-innovation.

“With Chocjes, Katjes has sustainability guarantee. The chocolate is made not only with organic oat drink, but also with UTZ-cocoa.

“Oat drink is more environmentally friendly and sustainable than any other cow milk alternatives; UTZ certification guarantees consumers that products have been sourced from farm to shop shelf in a sustainable manner, including humane working conditions, fair wages, and in a respectful and environmentallyconscious way.”

Staying with chocolate, business-tobusiness manufacturer Barry

3

1. With the global snacks market rapidly evolving, ISM addressed packaging opportunities 2. ‘The Future is Plant-Based’ with Katjes Chocjes 3. Cavendish & Harvey focuses on the 99 per cent recyclability of its packaging

Callebaut, which produces 25 per cent of the global chocolate and cocoa products annually, used ISM as the platform for the launch of its 100 per cent dairy-free ‘M–ilk Chocolate’, part of its Plant Craft indulgence range.

Deborah Barnfield, commercial director at Barry Callebaut, said the new chocolate satisfies the growing demand for plant-based indulgence, particularly amongst the millennials and centennials.

“Millennials and centennials earnestly want to live a happy, healthy life, in symbiosis with the world around them,” she said.

“They want food and drinks that are tasty and good for them and also good for the planet and its people.

“The launch comes at a time when sustainability-conscious consumers, especially millennials and centennials, are increasingly adopting a ‘flexitarian’

Ampack pushes merchandising display units at ProSweets Melbourne-based packaging business Ampack exhibited its packaging solutions at ProSweets, which ran alongside ISM. Mike Hetrel, a director of Ampack, said the business is based in Melbourne, and its manufacturing partner works from Guangzhou, China.

“We’ve been coming to ProSweets for five years,” he said, “but the secret to any good business on the planet is good networking. So far this year, we’ve picked up a large company from Hungary.

“Our focus at the moment is merchandising display units and we know there is growth in this area for the future. According to our research, merchandising display units increase sales substantially.” www.propack.pro

Ampack director Mike Hetrel

or ‘freegan’ lifestyle – navigating seamlessly between plant-based products one day and animal products the next, or taking part in milestones like ‘Veganuary’ – January as a month of an exclusively vegan diet – to reduce their carbon footprint.”

German confectionery manufacturer Cavendish & Harvey launched a new campaign at ISM, entitled ‘Love Taste, Recycle Waste’ which focuses on the 99 per cent recyclability of the packaging.

Cavendish & Harvey sales director Sören Hehl said, “We are known worldwide for our golden tins and jars; an independent German institute has said that 99 per cent of the metal and glass packaging can be returned to the packaging cycle.

“With the new campaign, we want to highlight the advantages of our packaging, which we have been using for many years.”

In March 2019, start-up chewing gum brand Chewsy was founded and the four owners attended ISM for the first time.

Sunitt Halai, one of the company’s co-founders, said Chewsy ticks a number of boxes.

“Chewsy is a plant-based, plasticfree chewing gum, with natural ingredients that are sugar-free, aspartame-free, gluten-free and vegan; we use a natural plastic-free based, called chicle, which is gained from a tree, so is totally degradable and environmentally-friendly.”

A company spokesman said, “Our philosophy is simple: to offer the best products with the best design for the best price at our best customer service and to be the best on the market.”

Another plant-based company at ISM was Oh Lily! Snacks, the brainchild of sisters Dewi and Gov Cortier.

Dewi Cortier said, “During a trip to India, we rediscovered the power of water lily seeds, which are highly regarded in Ayurveda for their nutritional powers.

“Water lily seeds are the new super food. They are a good source of protein, iron, magnesium and amino acids; the flavours of the product vary from sweet to savoury. Oh Lily! Snacks are also vegan, natural, gluten-free and sustainably packed.”

It doesn’t get much more natural than insect-based products and there were a plethora of companies showing their wares in this area at ISM. Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 23

UPDATE WASTEMINZ

Finding a recipe for plastics recycling

A

world-first research project from WasteMINZ shows that New Zealand households dispose of 1.76 billion plastic containers in their kerbside recycling and rubbish bins each year, and a staggering 39 per cent of them end up in landfill.

The report underlines a terrifying set of statistics that suggest those sustainability goals remain a very distant target for many manufacturers and packagers.

But there is a recipe to turn it around.

Start off with high quality plastic

Containers made from highly recyclable plastics 1 and 2 can be turned back into new plastic containers, over and over again.

With a high market value, they can be recycled both in New Zealand and offshore. Plastic 5, often used for ice cream and chilled foods, can be recycled in New Zealand if councils have the means to separate it out.

Plastics 3,4, 6 and 7 are trickier. If manufacturers switched to plastics 1, 2 and 5, all their packaging could be recycled onshore in Aotearoa.

Add some information

HOW MUCH PLASTIC DO WE USE IN NZ? EACH YEAR,KIWI HOUSEHOLDS GET THROUGH A STAGGERING

Vs

854 MILLION 767

1.76 BILLION

MILLION

87% OF PLASTIC CONTAINERS ARE EASILY RECYCLED THERE ARE

LIMITED MARKETS FOR PLASTICS

3

46%

26

4

6

NO!

7

NO!

%

THAT'S

2678 TONNES

15%

OF NZ'S PLASTIC CONTAINERS THAT DON'T ALWAYS GET A SECOND LIFE YET ONLY

NO!

NO!

62% OF PLASTIC CONTAINERS ARE PLACED IN RECYCLING BINS

WHY AREN'T MORE PLASTICS RECYCLED IN NZ? IT'S NOT JUST CONSUMER ERROR

181

258 MILLION

46

MILLION

CONTAINERS ARE MADE FROM

COLOURED PLASTIC

MILLION

ARE COVERED

BY PLASTIC SLEEVES, WHICH PREVENT THEM BEING RECYCLED CORRECTLY

PREVENTING THEM FROM BEING RECYCLED INTO LIKEFOR-LIKE ITEMS. THEY MAY ONLY BECOME BINS OR PALLETS, WHICH MAY NOT BE RECYCLED AGAIN

CONTAINERS IN NZ LACK VISIBLE INFORMATION ON WHETHER THEY ARE RECYCLABLE!

HOW CAN YOU MAKE YOUR PLASTIC PACKAGING MORE RECYCLABLE?

BY MAKING IT:

SLEEVELESS

24 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

THE TRUTH ABOUT RECYCLING PLASTIC CONTAINERS

CLEAR

The WasteMINZ audits show that an estimated 181 million containers don’t have clear labels. In fact, 36 of the 188 single-use plastic bottles the average NZ household throws out each year go straight to landfill, simply because they’re put in the wrong bin.

Plastic identification codes like 1, 2 and 5 help householders determine which plastic bottles and containers they can put in their kerbside recycling.

Or go a step further with evidence-based recycling labels, such as the Australasian

OUR PLASTIC PACKAGING: OUR BUSINESS

ADD

LABELLING

1 +

AVOID

MIXED MATERIALS E.G.

PLASTIC STUCK TO CARDBOARD

+

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO DESIGN FOR RECYCLABILITY GO TO

wasteminz.org.nz

Recycling Label (ARL), which provides information on the recyclability of a material depending on the proportion of a population that can dispose of that material in kerbside recycling. In New Zealand, all councils accept plastic 1 and most take plastic 2. That’s “Recyclable” under the ARL. A plastic 3 container may be labelled as “Conditionally Recyclable”, but consumers need to check whether their council accepts it. As for soft plastic, it’s “Not Recyclable”.

And it sounds obvious – but like the cherry on the cake, put your label somewhere it will be easily spotted, such as the lid.

Mix it all together with some innovative packaging design

It may help to sell soft drinks, but colouring plastic reduces its ability to be recycled into new things. And black plastic is not detected by optical sorters in recycling facilities.

Shrink-wrapped plastic sleeves aren’t a better option, either. They disguise the underlying plastic material so optical and manual sorters struggle to determine its type.

Furthermore, around 25 million bottles go into recycling bins still wearing their shrinkwrapped sleeves. Try taking one off a bottle yourself – you may find it’s not as easy as the zipstrip and instructions imply!

Eat, drink and enjoy – and ensure New Zealand does too

Like all successful long-lasting recipes, there are just a few key ingredients for a solution to this overwhelming problem.

Packagers and manufacturers – choose your plastic carefully.

Keep it clear. Label it carefully and visibly.

It’s simple. Design the problems out. www.propack.pro

Heidelberg News Asia Pacific

Heidelberg’s BIG ON Packaging

Autumn 2020

6_AZ-HD-Nachrichten_drupa_Hauptmotiv_216x292_IsoCV2_300_EN.indd 1

PACKAGING HEIDELBERG NEWS ASIA PACIFIC

Heidelberg’s BIG ON Packaging Packaging producers throughout the world are achieving some of the highest volumes of production with Heidelberg equipment.

WORLD With more than 120 billion Euros of packaging printing produced annually, Heidelberg has a major role in the production of this work with its equipment designed for packaging printing.

Breakdown of producers • Major groups: 10 per cent • Independents: 65 per cent • Commercial: 25 per cent Over the past five years, there has been considerable consolidation within the packaging industry, with a number of major packaging companies scouring the world and buying up independent packaging businesses.

In Australia and New Zealand, we have seen local packaging companies being purchased by companies such as Graphic Packaging and Westrock.

High productivity and efficiency of manufacturing facilities. are essential in meeting the For example, the Mayr-Melnhof demands of the end customer. Group has some 45 plants in 18 countries around the world, It is not unusual to see a duplicating the equipment of printing machine produce up each of the plants. to seven million impressions per month.

The benefits of this for their major customers is the To achieve these impressive production of identical quality numbers, the equipment has standards in each country. to be technologically advanced as well as extremely reliable.

Heidelberg has the range of equipment to deliver these impressive numbers.

The Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 is still the market leader in the field of packaging and is supported by the Speedmaster CX 102 as well as the extremely popular Speedmaster CD 102.

Even the half size Speedmaster XL 75 plays a major part in packaging printing.

Combining the Speedmaster with logistics provides a very powerful, virtually nonstop production tool.

These major groups have the capabilities to invest and equip manufacturing plants with the most modern and highly Mirror imaging plants productive equipment available Key to the success of most in the world. major groups is the replication 26 Heidelberg News Asia Pacific

Asia Pacific

Some of the largest and most sophisticated packaging is produced in Asia, particularly in countries like Japan.

Combining UV with foiling and metallic stocks has enabled the Japanese to create some of the most exquisite packaging in the world.

Asian countries such as China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are seen as opportunities for the larger packaging groups to set up plants.

This is because of lower labor costs in these countires and the need to meet high volumes of production. www.heidelberg.com/au

HEIDELBERG NEWS ASIA PACIFIC PACKAGING

Wide range of products and functions provide high efficiency With 42 per cent market share in packaging machines, Heidelberg leads the way with technology, innovation and productivity to enable and aid the customers of today and tomorrow in achieving their demands.

Speedmaster XL 106/XL 75

The Speedmaster XL 106 at 18,000 sheets per hour is the flagship of the Heidelberg sheetfed offset presses.

Fast makeready features such as Autonomous printing, Inpress register and colour control, colour boost, automatic plate loading, inspection control as well as many other features make life easier for the press operator.

Speedmaster CX 102

The Speedmaster CX 102 at 16,500 sheets per hour has become an extremely popular press for customers who want similar technology and still need high levels of productivity.

Speedmaster CD 102

The Speedmaster CD 102 at 15,000 sheets per hour is still the best-selling press in the world. It is reliable, with an increased level of technology to meet the latest demands of our customers.

Continued on page 28 www.heidelberg.com/au

Heidelberg News Asia Pacific 27

PACKAGING HEIDELBERG NEWS ASIA PACIFIC Continued from page 27

Supported by Prinect workflow Prinect makes smart production possible. As a central platform, Prinect seamlessly integrates all the steps involved in print production into consistent processes. From the customer contact through to production, the finished product, and billing. Whether your company is small or large, whether commercial, packaging or label printing – Prinect is the right solution.

CtP – Suprasetter From the simple hand loaded device, right through to the fully automatic pallet loader, the Heidelberg Suprasetter is the most versatile CtP in the world having sold thousands of units worldwide.

Our laser technology has been developed exclusively for the Suprasetter family.

Suprasetter is leading the way not just in the quality of their imaging, but also their reliability and availability.

Their integration into the Prinect print shop workflow guarantees the correct delivery of all orderrelated data.

28 Heidelberg News Asia Pacific

Die Cutter – Masterwork

High Speed Cutter – Polar

No packaging facility is complete without the ability to die-cut or fold boxes. Heidelberg, in partnership with Masterwork, has developed equipment to meet the onerous demands of the packaging market.

POLAR high-speed cutters meet the highest demands regarding quality, efficiency and durability.

The high-speed cutter can be employed both as an individual machine or as the centre of an automatic cutting system for processing paper, paperboard, cardboard or plastics.

Through continuous development and innovation MK Masterwork has quickly established itself internationally as the second largest supplier of Postpress packaging equipment in the world. Sold and supported by the Heidelberg network, customers can be satisfied that the right equipment is recommended to meet the production demands of our customers.

POLAR-Mohr has linked diverse tasks, such as jogging, buffering, loading, cutting, transporting or unloading to automated and networked systems. The POLAR systems concept provides a tailored solution for any production requirement.

Heidelberg Graphic Equipment Ltd. Unit 4/ 19-23 Geddes Street Mulgrave, Victoria 3170, Australia www.heidelberg.com/au www.heidelberg.com/au

FOCUS WPO GLOBAL PACKAGING CONFERENCE

Meeting global packaging What do the packaging challenges of today hold for tomorrow?

1

T

he World Packaging Organisation (WPO) recently held its Global Packaging Conference in Bali, to identify and educate attendees about the challenges of packaging that today and tomorrow face, and ways to alleviate them.

Over a two-day program and oneday site visit, attendees found parallels in trends that they’re seeing in their respective countries and learnt from each other about ways they can improve key areas of packaging, such as sustainability, smart packaging, and minimising food waste.

With about 200 attendees from all across the world at the venue, the conference enabled the attendees to not only learn from global representatives but also take home some knowledge to share about all things packaging.

Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry representative and head of eco-development for the Bali and Nusa Tenggara region Ni Nyoman Santi said in 2018, the generation of waste in Indonesia was at around 69 million tonnes, of which organic waste accounted for 60 per cent, and plastic waste at 15 per cent.

“And only seven per cent of organic waste gets recycled. In order to reduce waste generation, the Bali Provincial Government has banned the use of disposable plastic such as single use plastics and materials from Styrofoam, bags, and straws,” she said.

“The Government of Indonesia does not tolerate the entry of garbage and hazardous waste. The effort to handle

1. The World Packaging Organisation team from all across the world come together 2. Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry representative Ni Nyoman Santi 3. Indonesian Ministry of Industry director general for small and medium enterprises Gati Wibawaningsih

waste in Indonesia has gained support from communities, with an extensive participation through the emergence of innovation.

“The support of business can also be seen from the co-operation between the private sector in promoting social responsibility to overcome waste.

“We’re aiming to prevent and limit the potential of waste generation as much as possible by implementing design for sustainability such as redesigning packaging for products, phasing out single use plastics, and limiting over-packaged packaging as well as making them more reusable.”

Indonesian Ministry of Industry director general for small and medium enterprises Gati Wibawaningsih, who also delivered a keynote speech at the event, said Industry 4.0 is a buzzword impacting the packaging landscape globally and that the latter needs to move with developments of its time.

2

30 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

“Research has suggested that Asia is one of the largest packaging markets, growing at around 42.1 per cent, followed by North America at 24.3 per cent and Western Europe at 18.4 per cent,” she said.

“There are some paradigm shifts that are affecting packaging industry trends – namely gross growth in online retail sales in Asia, the increasing demand of smart packaging, the increasing consumer awareness of sustainable packaging, and better packaging designs to reduce costs.

“In this regard, Indonesia is committed to grow the innovation of sustainable packaging, which is renewable, recycled, and can reduce waste of used packaging.

“The discussions from this Global Packaging Conference will not only result in greater conversations, but also greater contribution to the advancement of better packaging.”

3

www.propack.pro

WPO GLOBAL PACKAGING CONFERENCE FOCUS

challenges of tomorrow Fuelling needs and greed Mahatma Ghandi once made a statement that the world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.

When it comes to global packaging challenges, WPO president Pierre Pienaar said the statement rings true even after 100 years.

“People place huge demands on the food industry to ensure that they have what they want, whenever they want and wherever they want. And packaging has to fulfil that requirement,” he said.

Currently, efforts are still at a minimum. On a global level, Pienaar said a study from Smithers Pira found that 40 per cent of single-use plastic produced is discarded after being used; 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flows into the oceans every year and only less than a fifth of all plastic is recycled.

“If we continue to go down this path as we are currently doing, by 2050, we will require nearly three earths.

What we’re doing to our environment has to change.

“We don’t only need to be smarter and more technologically advanced in making these significant changes, but each individual person’s efforts can make a difference to our environment.”

According to Pienaar, the first step lies in actually knowing the consumer.

“You can break it down to segments in a supply chain – the client isn’t necessarily always the end consumer.

You need to understand each and every client in the supply chain,” he said.

“And these consumer needs are all changing – they have e-needs in addition to what we know of traditional retail. This is impacting packaging and consumer purchasing decisions.

“So, the way that the packaging industry services those needs need to be different.”

Pienaar said with increasing consumer literacy, human population growth, purchasing power and health consciousness, businesses should make more of a concerted effort to reuse, recycle, and repurpose packaging.

“So, what is the WPO doing about it?

We work in close collaboration with the United Nations, where we put in place global strategies especially in geographical areas that need the focus.

We need to improve production of recycled material, and educate countries on what this means for them and how to do it,” he said.

“But it also involves other things like decreasing food waste, coming up with www.propack.pro

4

4. WPO president Pierre Pienaar addressingt he guests of the WPO Global Packaging Conference

innovative processing technology, and actually changing consumer behaviours on a global scale.

“We need to get to a circular economy where the impact on the environment is minimised drastically.”

New development in smart packaging opportunities

Pienaar said smart packaging solutions, such as active packaging and intelligent packaging, solve the current issue of food waste.

“Active packaging extends the shelf life of the produce, while intelligent packaging communicates information to the consumer about the freshness of the product in the package,” he said.

“Active packaging improves on food

safety, maintains the quality of food, extends shelf life and changes the conditions of packed food.

“Intelligent packaging uses things like sensors, indicators and data carriers to measure and monitor attributes of the product.

“Produce used to have a shelf life of days but packaging has enabled that to be extended into weeks and months.

So, packaging is part of the solution and not the problem.

“The problem lies in us and how we dispose of packaging.”

Pienaar added that new innovations have enabled the shelf life of food to be increased further.

Continued on page 32

A plastic pollution free future Sealed Air Asia Region food care sector director Surendra Soni said there are a few steps that the packaging industry needs to take, after understanding consumer needs, to navigate towards a plastic pollution free future. They involve: Step 1: Having adequate programs in place to educate industry and consumers as perceptions may be different to reality and they may be unaware of the different packaging material options available that aid recyclability.

Step 2: Creating new recyclable packaging designs and innovations taking into account environment and social perspectives, as well as the requirements of a circular economy.

Sealed Air Asia Region food care sector director Surendra Soni

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 31

FOCUS GLOBAL PACKAGING CONFERENCE Continued from page 31

5

“Time-temperature indicators, enzymatic-based TTI, biological TTI, photochemical TTI, odour control, nanosensors, controlled permeability packaging, nanotech, nanoclay, nanoparticles, and nanopack are just some of these innovations,” he said.

“We continue to see more and more of these solutions in the market which further goes to show that developments in packaging can alleviate some of the problems facing the industry today.”

The disruptive role of packaging in today’s world

Tomorrow is the age of smart cities, and with it technological advancements bring disruptive ways that impact traditional packaging ways and all other different ways of life. That was the key messaging behind World Packaging Organisation (WPO) global ambassador Chakravarthi AVPS’s session at the conference.

AVPS said smart cities bring with them innovations that people didn’t think were possible a few years ago and this impacts the way people interact with each other and with the world.

“Take the pharmaceutical space for example,” he said.

“We now have medicine packaging that indicate which tablet should be taken on which day, or which time of the day, as their doses are different at these points in time.

“And this is compared to back in the day where people could not keep track or take the incorrect dosages of medicine. This has been harmful to life, so packaging actually is there to help.”

With the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution, AVPS said more changes and developments can only be welcomed in the near future.

“Innovations are changing the way people consume things and the way they interact between themselves and everyone else. With regards to packaging, this means that packaging professionals are now the change agents,” he said.

“The question to ask ourselves is, if we’re ready for this change.”

According to AVPS, the supply chains of packaging will benefit the most from current disruptive changes.

“Challenges of packaging start from the supply chain. But, there’s a huge flow of information available in today’s world, and what we can do with that information and learn from it is the key going forward,” he said.

“We need to use that data and intelligence to alter processes that benefits both you and the customer.

“This will solve challenges such as counterfeiting, the cost of recall, and brand protection. So, we need to be taking care of the health of the globe by 32 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

5. World Packaging Organisation (WPO) global ambassador Chakravarthi AVPS

Meeting consumer needs Consumer needs are transforming rapidly and as packaging professionals, the industry needs to reach consumers through right medium, according to Optel Group Asia CEO Shaunak Dave.

“But, if we want to be a successful professional in packaging, we need to first understand the ever-changing dynamic consumer behaviour,” he said.

Dave said this can be achieved by understanding the conscious customer pentagon, which includes:  Safety  Value for money  Information at convenience  Sustainability impact  Customer experience and satisfaction

Optel Group Asia CEO Shaunak Dave

New materials in sustainability The materials used in packaging affect the shelf life and other factors of packaged foods, such as their flavours and textures, according to Kuraray Asia Pacific technical manager Yoshio Yamamoto. As such, he stressed on the importance of using new sustainable materials that reduce food deterioration.

Yamamoto suggested the use of some materials that are improved barrier packaging options to monolayer polyethylene:  Polyolefin / EVOH – It has a built-in moisture locking property to improve the quality of food  EVAL – Its barrier properties give more performance per thickness than conventional polymers, and the barrier function works in both directions  PVDC films replacement – it provides a barrier to both oxygen and water vapour but ends up in landfill  Industrial (in plant) recycling – It preserves earth’s natural resources by decreasing

Kuraray Asia Pacific technical manager Yoshio Yamamoto

the demand for new materials, while also conserving energy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy intensive manufacturing  Eco-Friendly material – The use of materials such as Plantic, which is made from naturally high amylose starch www.propack.pro

GLOBAL PACKAGING CONFERENCE FOCUS providing innovative packaging solutions. This will improve our quality of life, so don’t be afraid to leverage it!”

Packaging that needs to be used to minimise food waste

The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) executive director Nerida Kelton explained that in Australia, 7.3 million tonnes of food is wasted every year.

With Australia’s population at only 25 million people, this means that we have one of the smallest populations in the world. This also means we are one of the biggest food wasters in the world.

“We waste 2.5 million tonnes just in production and processing in Australia.

So, we have to look at the role packaging plays in minimising food waste. We have two sides of the value chain that we need to be

communicating to – households and businesses,” Kelton said.

“Australia established the National Food Waste Strategy 18 months ago and it was to half food waste that goes into landfill by 2030. We have a huge project ahead, across the entire value chain, and packaging is just one small part of it.

“We have our brands, manufacturers, packaging designers and technologists, teaching industry and households that packaging has an important role to play in minimising and preventing food waste, and that we also have a responsibility to communicate to consumers and change their perception of packaging and why it is significantly important in minimising food waste.”

According to Kelton, $3800 is what every household of four people wastes

Personalising with print Theia sales and marketing director Danny Lim said labels and package printing is a growing industry, offering printers and those in the packaging industry to offer customers personalised solutions to meet their individual needs.

“Conventional printing is still here to stay but brands need to take that one extra step to use it to their full advantage,” he said.

“Let’s take Coca-Cola as an example. The content of Coke in these bottles or cans remain the same but what the company did was give people the opportunity to have their names printed on it, bringing them closer to the brand.

“And the possibilities of it now, is endless.

This is more achievable on digital printing – it allows for smaller, more unique production runs whereas conventional printing is more suited towards mass production. However, digital printing won’t take over conventional

Theia sales and marketing director Danny Lim

printing but instead, support it. And from a marketing perspective, personalised printing has allowed brands to grow their customer base by connecting and interacting with them on social media. This in turn, creates sales growth for them. This is now part of the new-age branding evolution.”

Making inks, coatings and adhesives sustainable Packaging’s role within sustainability was heavily stressed upon at the Global Packaging Conference, but another aspect that requires focus as well is the inks, coatings and adhesives that are a part of packaging, according to DIC Asia Pacific regional sales and marketing director Andrew Brown.

Brown said there are six key areas to focus on moving forward: 1. The reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – ensuring ink solvency and water-based flexo and gravure is used 2. Recyclability – enabling de-inkable inks and recycled PET, as well as recyclable coatings to be used inside solutions like paper cups and straws 3. Biodegradability – ensuring that inks are biodegradable on biodegradable films 4. Carbon neutrality – using as much biodegradable inks, coatings and

DIC Asia Pacific regional sales and marketing director Andrew Brown

adhesives as possible 5. Light weight – the lighter the weight the better, so using a minimum number of coatings 6. Extended shelf life – adding an oxygen barrier coating or adhesive to existing structures to improve shelf life

in food every year. This is 298kg of food per person.

“So, what can we do to minimise this, as an industry?” she questioned.

“We need to push the value of the waste that’s going into landfill back up – this means taking the food that’s going into landfill and giving it to charities, putting it back into repurposing, finding different values for food, for example.

“When it comes to packaging, we need to look into things like design to protect, design to preserve, extension of shelf life, portion controls, consumer convenience models, as well as tear and resealability functions for safe food packaging.

“The fundamentals of packaging design needs to be redesigned to create a whole new value chain for food that is being wasted.”

Kelton also addressed three areas of opportunity for Australia:  Reducing waste, transforming industries and engaging with consumers  Creating and sharing packaging guidelines with the rest of the world  Improving design processes right at the start to ensure recyclability at the end WPO general secretary Johannes Bergmair said the functionality of packaging has to change to cater to food waste issues that most countries are facing across the world.

“In countries like Indonesia, Philippines and China, we talk a lot about plastic waste. This is also an issue in Europe. We have to work on this collectively,” he said.

“A third of the food produced worldwide is wasted or lost. This is tremendous and reason enough to take action. But with 90 billion people expected on the planet by 2050, we need to make accommodations to utilise it well.

“Food waste is also a huge environmental issue because we need energy, input, biodiversity, water, etc. to produce it, and all of this goes to waste as well.”

Bergmair said packaging solves part of this problem as it reduces food losses.

“Many people see packaging as a waste problem and are trying to decrease packaging. Removing packaging entirely will only increase food losses,” he said.

“Packaging has valuable function – it has a function to protect what’s inside of it. But many people, even politicians, don’t get the importance of it.”

He also spoke about the importance of packaging when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions.

“If you make the right amount of packaging material and invest some energy into packaging, it’s a good investment as you can reduce CO2 Continued on page 34

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Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 33

FOCUS GLOBAL PACKAGING CONFERENCE Continued from page 33

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emissions tremendously in protecting the food,” he said.

“We should not forget the protective function of packaging. But you need the right type of packaging to enable that so that these can be recycled and not thrown into landfill. This needs to be the thinking for our tomorrow.”

Sustainable design needs to be thought about

Sustainability is defining which companies and brand owners will exist in the future, said WPO vice-president of marketing Luciana Pellegrino. She outlined the four moments in the packaging process, which include: 1. Production – the creation of products with packaging 2. Distribution – packaging being able to withstand distribution 3. Consumption – being able to be functional when it reaches the end consumer 4. Discardment – packaging being able to be discarded in a sustainable fashion Pellegrino said packaging companies have a responsibility to include the sustainability message in the first three moments, which impact the fourth.

“We as an industry have control over the first three moments. We can make it sustainable and promote a more positive impact.

“There is a very negative impact in today’s society and industry needs to do more to take ownership and lead in creating better and more sustainable solutions,” she said.

“It’s a challenging change but the move from a linear model to a circular economy needs to happen.”

6. WPO vice-president of marketing Luciana Pellegrino

Pellegrino also outlined the needs of a circular economy model in packaging, which includes durability of the packaging, the reusability of the solution, and delivering sustainable solutions at the same cost.

“We need to commit and work towards a 100 per cent recycled material goal,” she mentioned.

“One way in which we can do this is to partner with other companies. There are so many start-ups that are born in the world of sustainability – larger companies can tap into this resource.

Otherwise, companies can collaborate for recycling or research efforts. She also highlighted three of her key

recommendations in promoting a circular economy: 1. Support for brand owners in their circular economy efforts 2. Support for consumers in their correct recycling efforts 3. Support for municipalities that collaborate to reverse linear logistic systems and promote recycling.

“Sustainable design in packaging is about building positive impact throughout the entire production and consumption system.

“So, let’s think wider and work together to make sure we bring the contribution to the future of society,” she added.

Supply loops for packaging There needs to be a transformation from supply chains to open supply loops, which are much needed for innovation, flexibility, and down/upscaling, said Dalarna University Sweden industrial engineering and management associate professor Carl Olsmats.

“The circular economy should not only be looked at from a waste management perspective, but also from a supply chain perspective. It’s an entire economy, it should be the initiative of the entire supply chain,” he said.

“Moving towards an open supply loop reduces echelons and intermediaries that exist in supply chains. It should be looked upon as a business opportunity.

“It’s easier to establish a supply loop in packaging as compared to other sectors as the needs of packaging is more immediate. So, we need different open loops, which are all interlinked, for processes to flow and to innovate.”

34 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

Dalarna University Sweden industrial engineering and management associate professor Carl Olsmats

But this process is easier when working with suppliers than recyclers.

“You can manage your suppliers to deliver on time but with recyclers, that’s not a possibility. The solution will be,

although we don’t like inventories, to create some buffers and design our systems intelligently with the right levels of processing,” he said.

“As for who takes the lead, we’re in the good position in the packaging industry to help brand owners as we have the knowledge and can show the opportunities available. But there needs to be a good dialogue and everyone within the loop needs to be involved.”

Olsmats also suggested the process for businesses to transform their supply chains to open supply loops:  Modify supply chain strategies to include supply loop strategies as a first step  Design open loops for various materials  Adopt modelling structures after putting in place strategies and policies to optimise loops  Coordinate, collaborate and integrate across loops www.propack.pro

GLOBAL PACKAGING CONFERENCE FOCUS

The importance of running the Global Packaging Conference in Indonesia

JIIPE desk representative (China representative) Meinny Luciana Kurniawan

Sealed Air Indonesia business director Dinesh Budhwani (l) and Asia Region food care sector director Surendra Soni (r)

DIC Graphics printing inks COO and director Riana Husen

“We are an integrated estate development, bringing together industry, logistics, utilities and energy. We aim to build JIIPE as the most strategic industrial hub in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific. Sustainability and other environmental conversations are now becoming of upmost importance in the country. One of the four planned industrial clusters within this region is the ‘clean cluster’, dedicated towards food, pharmaceutical and FMCG industries. So being at this Global Packaging Conference allows us to target packaging and warehousing businesses, in addition to the above, that are interested in expanding their presence in Indonesia – this is one of the most strategic projects in the country and for our business.”

Surendra: “We have been in Indonesia for more than 20 years, but being at the World Packaging Conference allows us to tap into the knowledge of influencers and decision makers in the industry, particularly packaging association members from abroad. Volumes of packaging are much bigger in other more developed countries like A/NZ. Asia is still on a growth trajectory in comparison to that.

So, Indonesia was not on the radar for our business initially from a growth perspective.

But now, with the increasing packaging scope in this region, it’s becoming of importance for us. We’re trying to augment our capabilities locally through expansion and possibly some acquisitions here. We’re doing this to get closer to customers and react faster to their needs.”

“We have been in the Indonesian market for a number of years and want to extend our business coverage in the region. DIC itself is an international company, with its head office in Japan. For the South East Asian region, Indonesia is one of our more important markets. The message of sustainability is growing in Indonesia and being at this show allows us as a company to learn more about what’s happening here and in the world. This way, we can implement our learnings into the business and boost Indonesia’s packaging landscape. Indonesia has traditional ways of making packaging environmentally friendly and we want to implement that to real world practices. We also want to ensure that inks and adhesives used are environmentally friendly.”

Theia sales and marketing director Danny Lim (l) with HP Indigo Graphic Solutions Business Indonesia sales manager of labels and packaging Arman Mampuk (r)

Kuraray sales and marketing consultant Herwin Yanuar Riyawan

Mitsui Chemicals Group Asia Pacific sales and marketing senior manager Atsushi Yoshida

“We produce resin for high barrier packaging.

We don’t have a physical office here in Indonesia, but we have an office in Singapore for the Indonesian region. Being at this conference has not only allowed us to meet some thought leaders within this country but also learn about challenges that are happening on a global level. We’re actively taking on what the industry sees as challenges and trying to find the right solutions that would address market needs. Going off the key topics of the conference, we can say that sustainability is one of the most pressing trends that packaging is facing. The uptake of these sustainable solutions is increasing, but Indonesia isn’t as developed and its regulations aren’t as strict, so it has a lot more catching up to do.”

“Mitsui Chemicals Group’s main focuses is on sustainability and as part of that, we are looking into recyclability as a short-term goal.

We’re looking into chemical recycling and focusing on the PE+PP base (polyethylene and polypropylene) combination, which has recently had much uptake in Japan. However, in other countries, we need to encourage change and uptake of this combination as it has more resistance. Being at this conference, we are able to educate the Indonesian and other global businesses about the benefits of this combination and make them understand what kind of applications these polymers can be used for. But, cost still remains a concern for this country, so further education and industry involvement is needed.”

“Theia is an Indonesian printing company that uses HP technology, especially its Indigo solutions. We previously specialised in conventional printing, but now, with market changes, have moved towards digital printing.

This is because of changing trends, shorter lifecycles and more seasonal products.

Sustainability is a huge message for us now and a lot of our customers are asking us how green our labels and packaging is now. There’s no right or wrong answer to that but as a printer, we have to deliver on what the customer’s needs are. We need to tailor our offerings to each customer’s needs, so being at this conference has allowed us to learn about trends happening on a global scale.” www.propack.pro

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 35

FOCUS WPO GLOBAL PACKAGING CONFERENCE

WPO hosts Global Packaging Conference dinner The World Packaging Organisation hosted a welcome dinner for attendees of the Global Packaging Conference on the first night of the event. Guests mingled over drinks and food as they shared experiences from their home countries.

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7 1. (l-r) Jawed Butt Jimmy (Printer Port), Saad Habib (Pakistan WPO), and Pierre Pienaar (WPO) 2. (l-r) Dr. Johannes Bergmair (Austria WPO) with one of the Indonesian WPO members 3. (l-r) Liliam Benzi (Brazil WPO), Mark Kelton (AIP), Nirupa and Kishan Singh (IPSA), and Deanna Pienaar 4. (l-r) Liliam Benzi (Brazil WPO), Nerida Kelton (AIP) and Surendra Soni (Sealed Air Thailand) 5. Some of the attendees let their hair down and join the musicians in making merry 6. (l-r) Nerida Kelton (AIP), Hiroko Akieda (JPI), Betty Tan (Singapore Manufacturing Federation), and Takehiro Kaneko (JPI) 7. Members of the Indonesian WPO team

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WPO GLOBAL PACKAGING CONFERENCE FOCUS

Global Packaging Conference day-trip in Bali The attendees of the WPO Global Packaging Conference took a day trip to some key locations in Bali, such as Penglipuran, known to be the cleanest city in the region. They engaged in cultural activities and learnt about the importance of reducing waste as well as reusing and recycling materials in the country.

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1. All the attendees and partners that went on the day trip with WPO 2. AIP and WPO’s Pierre Pienaar with Printer Port’s Jawed Butt Jimmy 3. Some visitors get confused and put litter into the wrong bins 4. Some attendees trying their hand at batik painting 5. Attendees watch over as a paper boat is fitted into recycled bottles 6. Ayman Sbeih (Palestine WPO) and a staff member from the village 7. Mark Kelton (AIP) and Carl Olsmats (Dalarna University Sweden) 8. Mark Kelton (AIP), Chakravarthi AVPS (WPO), Rachel Baywater (UK), Iyvone Aryanti (IPF), and Dewi Triyani (IPF) www.propack.pro

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Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 37

FOCUS PIDA

And the finalists of 1

AIP recognises companies and individuals in A/NZ that are making significant differences in their fields

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he Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) has announced the finalists for the 2020 Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards (PIDA), designed to recognise companies and individuals in A/NZ that are making a difference in their fields.

Finalists for the Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award – Food Category include: • Arnott’s Cracker Chips unique split case innovation • BioBag World Australia for compostable cucumber wrap • Disruptive Packaging for Uniqcor for cold chain environments • OF Packaging for Local Legends novelty shaped pouches • Planet Protector Packaging for the Lobster Protector • Platypus Print Packaging for the Youfoodz Meal Kit • Primo Foods for the Red Range Slice Pack Finalists for the Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award – Beverage Category include: • Brownes Dairy for Australia’s first renewable gable top milk carton • Coca-Cola Amatil for 100 per cent

recyclable rPET bottles • Ecolean for the Bannister Downs Dairy WA chilled pasteurised range • JUST Water plant-based reusable water bottle • O-I Glass ANZ for the Millie fruit juice range Finalists for the Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award – Health, Beauty and Wellness Category include: • Pact Group for the New Zealand Earthwise Glow Labs brand of PCR 100 per cent rPET bottle range

• Kahuku Natural’s refillable stainless-steel range of cleansers and liquid soaps Finalists for the Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award – Domestic and Household Category include: • Birdstone Collective and NCI Packaging for the DuluxGroup Cabot’s Ready Bucket • Birdstone Collective and Orora Cartons for the recyclable Telstra Sleeve • Daisy Pool Covers, Sealed Air and

Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award finalists As for the Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award, it is designed to provide incentive and recognition to young professionals who are both currently working in and wish to continue their career path within the Packaging industry.

The finalists are: • Alison Appleby, member resource and program coordinator of APCO • Christopher Moffatt, quality control coordinator and product developer at Caspak Products • Kelly Wade, scientist at Scion (New Zealand).

Alison Appleby from APCO 38 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

Chris Moffatt from Caspak Products

Kelly Wade from Scion www.propack.pro

PIDA FOCUS

the 2020 PIDA are…

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Gaprie Ltd for P.C. Nets, a re-usable, alternative for pallet containment • Outside the Box Caskets for an ecological solution to the traditional timber and MDF casket • Pact Group for New Zealand’s Earthwise brand of PCR 75 per cent rHDPE household cleaning range • Sealed Air Brand Protective Packaging for the Korrvu uncompromised product protection Finalists for the Packaging Innovation and Design of the Year Award – Labelling and Decoration Category are: • NCI Packaging and DuluxGroup for the Porter’s Paints superior crafted paint can range • UPM Raflatac and Kiwi Labels for the CUSTOM-PAK rPET Cherry Punnet with self-adhesive label, permanent adhesive that is also washable at the PET recycling plant Finalists for the Accessible Packaging Design Special Award, which is designed to recognise packaging that is accessible, intuitive, easy-to-open and innovative are: • Ecolean for the Bannister Downs Dairy WA chilled pasteurised range • Reckitt Benckiser for Gaviscon Dual Action Sachets www.propack.pro

1. Product finalists for the 2020 Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award, Food Category 2. Product finalists for the 2020 Sustainable Packaging Design Special Award

As for the Sustainable Packaging Design Special Award designed to recognise companies that have developed innovative packaging or processing solutions that incorporates sustainability considerations, finalists include: • Birdstone Collective and Orora Cartons for their recyclable Telstra Sleeve • Brownes Dairy for Australia’s first renewable gable top milk carton • Coca-Cola Amatil for the 100 per cent recyclable post-consumer recycled rPET bottles • ecostore Ltd for New Zealand’s first 100 per cent Ocean Waste Plastic (OWP) limited edition hand wash • Nestlé Australia Ltd for the KITKAT Chocolatory recyclable e-commerce solution • Omni Group for the PerformX 100 per cent recyclable stretch wrap • ORORA Fibre Packaging Ltd for the recyclable moulded paper inserts • Pact Group for New Zealand’s Earthwise brand of PCR 75 per cent rHDPE household cleaning range • Planet Protector Packaging for the Lobster Protector • Planet Protector Packaging for the home compostable mailer pouch

• Sealed Air Brand Protective Packaging for the TempGuard kerbside recyclable packaging for pre-packaged, temperature sensitive goods • UPM Raflatac & Kiwi Labels for the CUSTOM-PAK rPET Cherry Punnet with self-adhesive label, permanent adhesive that is also washable at the PET recycling plant AIP executive director Nerida Kelton said the 2020 Australasian PIDA winners will be announced virtually in April 2020.

The 2020 PIDA winners will automatically be eligible for entry into the upcoming 2021 WorldStar Packaging Awards competition.

“AIP was very encouraged to once again see such a high amount of submissions for the Australasian Packaging Innovation and Design Awards and the judges had a difficult time narrowing down the list of finalists for each category,” she said.

“In particular, the three categories that had stand-out submissions were food, domestic and household and sustainable packaging design. As you will see from the finalist list, Australian and New Zealand packaging innovations are truly remarkable.”

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 39

FOCUS THE PACKAGING FORUM

Reaching a vision of zero packaging waste in NZ Forum aims to support New Zealand in its efforts to reach no packaging waste going to landfill by 2025

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t’s a bit cliché, but change really is the only constant.

And there are few industries in New Zealand where change is being demanded as quickly as in packaging.

The unprecedented focus on the waste produced by packaging undoubtedly presents challenges, but also opportunities such as design innovation, greater efficiency, and increased social licence to operate.

In 2018, the Packaging Forum – the country’s foremost member-based packaging organisation – presented its vision that by 2025 there will be no packaging waste going to landfill in New Zealand, with it all being recyclable, reusable or compostable.

We are heavily focused on solutions to help our members achieve this pledge. Our product stewardship programmes for glass bottles and jars, soft plastics and public place recycling play a key role, aiming to reduce litter and improve recovery rates.

We help members to achieve all the benefits of packaging for society while minimising any potential harm. We do this by supporting evidence-based policies which deliver the highest value sustainability outcomes, promoting circular solutions in NZ which maximise quality and quantity, collaborating with stakeholders, offering industry-led solutions, and focusing on the full packaging lifecycle.

This is even more relevant following associate minister Eugenie Sage’s announcement in August 2019 that packaging, along with five other products, will be considered as a ‘priority product’ under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008.

If packaging is declared a priority product, regulated product stewardship schemes will have to be established and all manufacturers, importers and retailers join a scheme. Current schemes would need to be adjusted to follow any new regulatory guidelines.

40 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

Adele Rose

Reaching zero waste in packaging is a goal for The Packaging Forum in New Zealand

Effective stewardship requires the build of collection infrastructure and onshore processing. With restrictions following China’s National Sword policy hitting recycling exports hard, onshore processing is becoming ever more critical.

Our Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme is a great example of the importance of onshore capacity.

This scheme was impacted by offshore capacity restraints forcing a temporary halt in collections but began again mid-2019 after onshore processing was secured.

We are now recycling in NZ with Future Post and Second Life Plastics, which make fence posts, garden edging and cable cover.

Kiwis have since dropped off around 10 million individual bags or wrappers at participating stores in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington.

This year, we plan to further expand collection points around the North Island. One of the factors deciding which areas will get collection points is whether they are buying the products made from the recycled plastic – thus helping create a local circular economy.

Member levies pay for all collection and processing costs, a clear example of product stewardship at work.

We encourage all FMCG readers that use soft plastics to become part of the

solution by reducing what they use and supporting our recycling scheme to steward the remainder. We also need to increase demand for the products made from the soft plastic.

Packaging Forum members who produce, import, fill and retail consumer goods in glass are also part of an effective onshore solution. Our voluntary product stewardship scheme, run under the Glass Packaging Forum (GPF) banner, uses member levies to fund glass recycling projects which result in more quality glass available to make new bottles at O-I New Zealand in Auckland.

To date the GPF has funded more than $3.4 million in grants for recycling projects and is on track for an 82 per cent recovery rate by 2024.

It’s a great example of the industry achieving a circular solution. Now, more than ever, the industry needs to work collaboratively to ensure the best commercial and sustainable solutions are found and ensure they understand regulatory changes afoot. We all have our part to play. Will you join us? www.packagingforum.org.nz www.glassforum.org.nz www.recycling.kiwi.nz Adele Rose is the programme manager at The Packaging Forum www.propack.pro

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FOCUS ECO-PACKAGING

When does eco-packaging fail the environment?

As ethical consumption continues to rise, the IWSR analyses ecopackaging innovation and the role it plays in the larger conversation around environmental sustainability

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wareness of the environment continues to be top of mind for many consumers, and there is an increased demand for brands to share consumers’ approach to ethical and sustainable living.

Both drinks producers and governments around the world have launched initiatives to help respond to growing environmental concerns.

Beverage brands are increasingly reviewing their entire product cycles in consideration of their environmental impact – everything from ingredients sourcing and production processes to packaging and delivery methods.

Government sanctions can change an entire industry – in Germany, refillable packaging solutions are favoured by the legislator; Scotland 42 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

Sustainability has become the key conversation behind packaging innovation, according to IWSR

introduced a bottle deposit scheme for all beverages, for which the industry will need to prepare.

Packaging is one of the key areas for consideration when reviewing a product’s environmental impact.

IWSR director Thorsten Hartmann said, “Eco-packaging is a very broad topic but we are expecting to see ongoing innovation as drinks producers continue to explore ways of reducing packaging and looking at paper formats, recyclable materials or even forgoing packaging altogether.

“Premium beverage packaging is also a key area needing innovation as a lot of this type of packaging contains gold and metals that cannot be recycled.”

Packaging innovations that have the potential to disrupt current product design include solutions such as developing lightweight glass, shipping liquids in bulk and bottling locally, or eschewing plastic multipack rings in favour of options like plantbased biodegradable rings or duplex carton multipacks.

Some examples of these have already been introduced to the market, such as Carlsberg’s adhesive can-binding dots, Corona’s plant-based rings, or Diageo’s sustainably-sourced cardboard packaging for its Guinness brand.

As brands continue to invest in recyclable or reduced packaging, it is important to note that the best

environmental initiatives are ones that are all-encompassing throughout a product’s lifecycle.

“There is a big difference between what can be recycled and what actually is recycled. There needs to be a level of investment and infrastructure set up to allow for recycling to take place on a large scale, once the product is discarded,” Hartmann advised.

Governments around the world have rolled out different types of programmes to encourage wide-scale recycling, such as offering monetary incentives for depositing recyclable containers or launching returnable schemes where product vessels are encouraged to be reused or to at least be re-introduced into the product cycle.

What is still often lacking, though, is a functioning recycling infrastructure that is economically viable – if no money can be made from recycling, ultimately recyclable products may still end up in a landfill.

As investment in collecting and recycling discarded product containers remains key, infusing the product cycle with environmentally-friendly innovation is the first step in the process, and brands can play a critical role in further bolstering transparency and awareness of the overall end-to-end recycling process.

This article was sourced from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis www.propack.pro

CASPAK FEATURE

Sustainability an investment for Caspak Caspak Australia builds on sustainability measures to futureproof and grow

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lexible packaging company Caspak Australia is a local example of how taking sustainability and innovation measures can help a business grow through increased visibility and green benefits to customers.

In December 2019, the company took possession of a new Series 3 Tesla to add to its fleet of cars.

And this is just the latest in a series of sustainability measures that the Braeside-based organisation has implemented in recent times.

“We’ve had a serious focus on sustainability in our vision from the beginning,” Caspak Australia CEO Bryce Hickmott said.

“As a packaging company, we’re very conscious of our impact on the environment and have been keen to implement business practices that help us and help the planet.”

The purchase of the Tesla was very deliberately the start of an all-electric car fleet. With an upgrade to a dual battery version, the driving range is 550 to 600 km on a full charge, depending on the type of driving being done, making it a practical choice for business.

Currently, the Caspak premises is fully powered by on-roof solar panels that provide the organisation with trackable power needs and are helping the organisation to reach carbon neutrality.

With new premises under construction, the company expects to increase its solar capacity to be able to power a whole fleet of electric cars in the future.

“These measures mean that we’re essentially future-proofing the business against fluctuations in power and fuel prices, and providing consistent, trackable costs within the organisation,” Hickmott said.

With environmental and sustainability concerns being high on the agenda of many organisations now, large companies are looking for ways to reduce their own carbon footprint.

Hickmott mentioned that working with suppliers that have clear, measurable carbon and environmental initiatives is an attractive way for them to meet their sustainability goals.

www.propack.pro

Caspak has a serious focus on sustainability with its new fleet of Series 3 Tesla cars

Seeking as many ways possible to reduce their impact, Caspak team members have also been working closely with Kingston Council and the ASPIRE program to look at ways that they can reduce their commercial waste levels.

“The ASPIRE program offers companies unique ways to reduce waste to landfill by connecting organisations that have a waste product that can be used in the manufacture of a new product,” Caspak Australia quality Control coordinator and product developer Chris Moffat said.

As a packaging company, we’re very conscious of our impact on the environment and have been keen to implement business practices that help us and help the planet.

Caspak Australia CEO Bryce Hickmott

“In our case, it’s given us a chance to connect with the University of Swinburne, which is conducting research on how to repurpose, or reuse, trim waste from our product ranges.”

ASPIRE is an online material resource matchmaking tool originally

developed in a partnership between Kingston Council and CSIRO, that helps businesses reduce their waste management costs and cut the volume of waste going to landfill.

“Kingston is proud to sponsor local businesses like Caspak to take part in the ASPIRE program and promote a circular economy within our local community,” Kingston mayor Georgina Oxley said.

“We all have a role to play in reducing the amount of waste that we produce – and local businesses are helping lead the way by finding useful, cost-effective ways that we can reduce and reuse waste products.”

The ASPIRE online tool links businesses that have waste products that could be of use as production inputs for other industries.

“As the old saying goes – one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” Oxley mentioned.

“The online tool also tracks material flows and allows businesses to meet regulatory compliance requirements associated with new State Government Circular Economy policy.

“Caspak has been an early adopter of ASPIRE and has seen the benefits of partnering with Kingston’s business team and the Sustainable Business Network to deliver on opportunities.”

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 43

UPDATE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PACKAGING

Redesigning the Reduce, reuse, and recycle should be at the forefront of any company and individual’s minds as mindsets shift towards sustainability

Nerida Kelton, AIP

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indsets have shifted over the last few years and globally, consumers are now actively driving brands and their packaging departments to align their sustainable packaging designs to incorporate the 5R’s and to redesign with environmental impacts in mind.

Packaging technologists are being asked to reconsider the outcomes of their packaging design all the way across the supply chain – from manufacturing to recycling, as well as considering a closed loop and more circular approach. Packaging design can no longer be linear.

As a consumer, you most probably would have read about the waste hierarchy and the 5Rs. From a consumer perspective, they are: 1. Refuse: Refrain from purchasing unwanted items 2. Reduce: Eliminate single use packaging wherever possible, for example, decline coffee cups, shopping bags, straws and purchase products that are sustainable 3. Reuse: Use products more than once. For example, purchase re-usable water bottles, keep-a-cups, as well as reusable and recyclable shopping bags 4. Recycle: Ensure that you place your products in the recycling bins and purchase products that are recyclable. Look for products that are using the new Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) to better understand the true recyclability of the materials 5. Repurpose: Purchase products that are made from recycled materials.

For example, consciously purchase bags, shoes, furniture, or jewellery that you know is made from recycled content.

44 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

When discussing the waste hierarchy from a packaging design perspective reduce, reuse and recycle are the three most important areas for significant and long-term changes as they are the preventative measures with the highest level of impact.

Achievable steps for packaging technologists can include redesigning the shape and size of a product, reducing the thickness and weight of materials, shifting to recyclable materials and even developing a closed loop system for products.

Any adaptations to the packaging design, structure and form however must not compromise the ultimate purpose of packaging which is to maintain the ability to protect, preserve, contain, communicate and

transport a product to the consumer.

Packaging must remain fit-for-purpose first and foremost before any structural changes are made to a pack.

The AIP encourages all packaging teams to undertake a lifecycle assessment where possible before any pack is altered.

Consumers are also driving the focus to what is really happening with packaging at the end of life. Designers can no longer incorporate a mobius loop on pack without asking themselves whether it is actually being recycled or landfilled in the country it is sold in.

The answer may then determine a full redesign of their packaging and use of materials. The availability of the APCO Packaging Recycling Evaluation Portal (PREP) enables this decision www.propack.pro

AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PACKAGING UPDATE

way to package

1 making for all packaging technologists and designers, as it reflects the true state-of-play in the recyclability of all packaging materials in this country.

If the material is capable of being recycled in the country in which it is sold, then consumer waste and GHG emissions will be significantly reduced across the lifespan of the product.

Adding 30 per cent recycled content into all of your packaging also ensures that we are moving towards a circular economy and taking responsibility for our own packaging waste. These steps in turn all go towards achieving the 2025 National Packaging Targets that brands are diligently working towards.

An effective redesign feature of packaging that consumers are slowly embracing is ‘reuse’ whereby a www.propack.pro

1. A waste hierarchy involves 5Rs - refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose 2. Cif Ecofill considers the product all the way through the supply chain

customer can ‘refill’ their products using the same packaging. It is important to note that reusable containers have a greater environmental impact than one that is single use, if not used correctly.

Whenever possible, packaging technologists should try and design packaging for continued use and the

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ability to have multiple uses for the consumer over an extended period of time. Just like a reusable drink containers, the more a refillable pack can be used over a longer period of time, the less impact the packaging will have on the environment.

A recent example of an innovative reuse, refill and recycle concept that has considered the product all the way through to the supply chain is Cif ecorefill.

Unilever announced on its global website the launch of Cif ecorefill, the new at-home technology that allows consumers to refill and reuse their Cif spray bottles for life. Cif has worked to create a powerful no-mess solution, becoming the first household cleaning brand to do so with this pioneering twist and click refill design.

Made with 75 per cent less plastic, Cif ecorefill simply attaches to the current Cif Power & Shine bottles.

Through its innovative technology, it seamlessly releases the superconcentrated product into the bottle, which is filled with water at home.

The ecorefills are 100 per cent recyclable once the plastic sleeves are removed and, by the end of 2020, the ambition is for all Cif ecorefills and spray bottles to be made from 100 per cent recycled plastic.

Going smaller is certainly better – the ecorefills are lightweight and save on storage space. Diluting the product at home means 97 per cent less water is being transported, fewer trucks on the road and less greenhouse gas emissions.

Every day, more and more companies are announcing refillable packaging solutions including cosmetics and beauty, toiletries like shampoo and soaps, cleaning products and even nonalcoholic beverages.

The journey to truly sustainable packaging is exciting and we encourage packaging technologists to take this opportunity to reimagine their packaging and actively work to designing better packaging that addresses ‘reduce, reuse, refill and recycle’. The AIP is here to help guide any business with expert-led internationally approved training and education programs and courses available across Australasia.

Nerida Kelton is the executive director of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) and A/NZ board member of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO).

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 45

UPDATE OPPORTUNITIES FROM COVID-19

COVID-19: Typhoid and oppor The coronavirus may have put the strain on many economies but lessons can be learnt from history

Dr Anneline Padayachee

T

he COVID-19 virus (aka the coronavirus) is leaving the world reeling, but it’s nothing we’ve never seen before (well, not us personally, but generations before).

History is riddled with examples of viruses or bacteria gone AWOL, causing widespead fear and suffering.

Preventing food poisoning by controlling pathological bacteria and/ or cross-contamination is the basis of food safety systems globally.

As an industry, we have systems, procedures, regulations in place to keep consumers safe. So safe, that for the majority of the general public the safety of our food supply is a given.

Consumers have no idea what is needed to produce safe food.

However, history shows us that a major health outbreak of uncontrollable proportions has quite often been a defining moment for innovation in the food industry (and has produced a greater appreciation for what food producers do).

In today’s world, drinking tap water and dairy milk are considered to be the safest food and drinks available (apart from those who are lactose intolerant or activistic in nature). Neither are associated with plague or considered a pandemic killer.

But at the start of the 19th Century, typhoid was spreading like, well COVID-19. Considered a plague by some, a pandemic by others, typhoid instilled fear worldwide. Flu like symptoms led to death. Sound familiar?

It is, even though it isn’t.

The differences: typhoid is a bacterial infection; COVID-19 is viral. Apart from respiratory issues characteristic of COVID-19, both have flu-like symptoms including fever, weakness, abdominal pain, headaches and vomiting. However, typhoid was found to be spreading via poor sanitation, leading to faecal contamination of water and food.

In today’s world, typhoid is almost unheard of except in third world countries during monsoonal seasons.

46 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

However, it is easily treated with a vaccine.

For COVID-19, we’re still yet to understand the source and the full impact globally. But we do know that it is spreading like wild fire, from one country to another. Hopefully a vaccine is on the way.

But like typhoid, COVID-19 is going to need more than just a vaccine to keep it at bay. While global authorities work out how it started in a food market in China, there are other strategies that the food industry can step up to as well.

The discovery of typhoid and its transmission route via faecally contaminated water and foods was the precursor to chlorination of water and pasteurisation of milk in the 1800s.

While vaccinations and public health campaigns focusing on sanitation and hygiene had led to a decrease in typhoid

spread (similar to COVID-19’s home quarantine, hand sanitiser and elbowbumping strategy), localised outbreaks in the late 1800s affecting whole towns led to water chlorination as a way to disinfect drinking water starting in Germany, then England and the US. Today we still chlorinate water, as a mode to disinfect it, rendering water safe. Louis Pasteur discovered bacterial fermentation and is credited with developing the process of pasteurisation for sterilising microbes in wine in the mid 1800s.

However it was not until the late 1800s, when typhoid and tuberculosis (TB) were spreading at pandemic proportions, that pasteurisation was applied to milk.

Pasteurisation of milk became the biggest innovation in milk processing since milk stored in sheep stomachs was converted to cheese 6000 odd www.propack.pro

OPPORTUNITIES FROM COVID-19 UPDATE

rtunities for food innovation

years ago by accident in the Middle East by bedouins.

Infants unable to drink breast milk were most a risk. Deaths of children was being attributed to ‘dirty milk’ on their tombstones. Milk and dairy products were known to be teeming with bacteria, worms, manure and the industry was well-known for flies, filth and poor hygiene and sanitation.

Pasteurisation, a technology designed for wine, was applied to milk as a way to clean up the industry and kill pathological bacteria, making a nutrient dense, albeit pus-filled, disease swarming food, safe.

Pasteurisation was applied to milk with the aim saving lives, particularly the vulnerable of society. Today, we still pasteurise milk, as a mode to disinfect it, rendering milk safe.

In today’s world, typhoid, TB and other pandemic diseases are largely www.propack.pro

COVID-19 may be a detriment to society but people and the food industry have much to learn about what we can do to gain opportunities from the situation

preventable due to hygiene practices, sanitation treatment plants, sterilisation technologies and vaccines created as a response to these societal game-changers. Over time, our food supply has become more operationally efficient with a focus on food safety and hygiene. Enter COVID-19, just to show us that we are human.

A virus is throwing the whole world into chaos. There is a race to create a vaccine, a race to detect the virus.

Countries are banned from travel.

Schools are shut down. Flights are cancelled. Industries and sectors are being affected. Prisoners are being used to manufacture and package hand sanitiser gel in New York. Chaos and fear abound. And people are dying.

Like typhoid and TB. It’s a modern-day take on the 1800s all over again.

So what does this mean for the food industry, considering how good we’ve

become at preventing crosscontamination of everything? What can we do in terms of innovation opportunities relating to a healthy immune system?

Consumer fear and awareness of health is at an all-time high due to COVID-19. Consumers over the age of 60 are at a higher risk, due to underlying health risks of being older.

But that doesn’t mean other age groups are not at risk either. And we’re all at risk of being a carrier, spreading the virus. Hand sanitiser only goes so far.

We also need to be able to arm our bodies with fighting potential. Products that boost immunity, formulated for immunity, and/or processed to maintain nutritional composition that improves immunity provide opportunities for food innovation.

It doesn’t have to be as revolutionary as chlorination of water or a new pasteurisation-style technology (although it could). It needs to address the issue at hand, in this case our immune system. Is this taking advantage of a dire situation? No. History shows us that when humans feel under attack, we develop and address accordingly.

And right now, COVID-19 is attacking our immune system. So, develop and address accordingly.

Boosting our immune system, as well as strengthening and supporting it beyond hand sanitisers and Berocca actually provides a great opportunity for evidence-based food innovations.

The impact of COVID-19 has entirely eclipsed climate change searches, according to Google analytics.

Sometimes you have to look outside of your current product range, and look at what is happening societally.

If climate change is a major driver for the rise in plant-alternatives and flexitarianism, COVID-19 is a major driver in toilet paper sales. It does present a more impactful opportunity, especially if the food industry and nutritional research can marry for immune function.

Dr Anneline Padayachee is an award-winning scientist and published author named as one of Australia’s leading science communicators. Dr Padayachee is an independent consultant in Australia and overseas, and is also an adjunct senior lecturer with the University of Queensland and Associate Academic with the University of Melbourne.

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 47

FOCUS EFI CONNECT 2020

EFI Connect 2020 focu EFI shines the spotlight on packaging at its recent global annual conference in Las Vegas

E

FI recently hosted its annual EFI Connect Conference in Las Vegas, with the company highlighting some of its key movements within the packaging space.

EFI vice-president of worldwide marketing Ken Hanulec gave away some clues at the event about the company’s direction in industrial and display graphics.

“As we move with Single Pass across all of our portfolio, the one printer you don’t see Single Pass in right now is display graphics. So if you connect the dots, maybe you can see where we’re going with the technology,” he said.

EFI Inkjet Single Pass Technology has been a major rollout for the company across industrial building materials, industrial packaging and industrial textile.

“We believe that we have the broadest inkjet product range. We have got a robust display graphics line. We’re just getting started with Single Pass and you’ll probably soon see Single Pass extend to display graphics,” he said.

“I foresee Single Pass to be the dominant technology that wins.

Anybody in the production environment will see value in Single Pass and we have a leadership in this position, which is why it’s critical that we talk about it.

“Single Pass only works if you have a world class printer and world class ink.

The only way to make Single Pass work is if you also have the workflow and digital front end tools available to keep up with those production speeds.”

Hanulec also spoke about digital thermoforming, which he said is a high-

1 1. Packaging was one of the key focuses for EFI at its annual Connect conference in Las Vegas 2. EFI vice-president of worldwide marketing Ken Hanulec 3. EFI productivity software portfolio product management vice-president Nick Benkovich 4. Updates for its productivity software was one of the main highlights for packaging

value application for EFI. “Industrial application opportunities in digital thermoforming include leather printing, luxury vinyl tile printing, industrial applications, and membrane switch printing. These are a couple of applications that are enabling us to expand beyond graphics-based applications,” he said.

Hanulec also provided an industrial packaging update for its new Nozomi C18000 and D18000 printers.

The units measure 1.8m wide, have CMYK capacities with optional white, optional orange and optional lilac.

“The D18000 has a top feeder and an over print varnish application station.

What’s critical about the latter is that you can print on both porous and nonporous substrates,” he said.

“They are derivative printers. The specs aren’t perfect for display graphics yet but we know where the gaps are and can value add. In the next year or so, we will be able to talk about another

product that we’re intending to add on to this printer list.”

Hanulec also hinted at three big trends that he expects to see soon, including automation in both the digital and physical sense, advances in inkjet, and developments in the packaging space.

“In order to have all these hyper efficient printing presses, all these Single Pass technologies that I have been talking about, the way you make that all work is with sophisticated automated digital workflows,” he said.

“You can’t make any money if you throw people at it. You need sophistication on the back end to make it a reality. That’s a big theme that you will see from EFI and other companies as well.”

Hanulec also expects advances in inkjet to happen soon.

“You’ll probably see some new inkjet head technologies that will be launched, along with some new ink

The full update to the EFI Productivity Suite 8 is as follows: Packaging: Digital Print workflow enhancements and enhancements in end-to-end workflow for flexible packaging

Corrugated: Business Intelligence for Corrugated Print Suite and improved efficiency in MES

Midmarket: Display Graphic production roll optimisation and management, simplified estimating workflow to reduce clicks and improve win rate, business intelligence for MM Suite

Web-to-Print and Marketing Solutions: MarketDirect PackCentral packaging procurement and eCommerce solution, as well as AutoEngage – integrated customer retargeting solution for MarketDirect StoreFront

Enterprise Commercial: Increased efficiency with Import RFQ Spreadsheet for large campaigns and investment in end-to-end mailing workflow 48 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

Auto-Count: Packaging expansion, especially for flexibles as well as resin. www.propack.pro

EFI CONNECT 2020 FOCUS

cuses on packaging technology specific to inkjet around water-based. And then, there’s packaging – you can’t have a market in the year 2020 without the praise of digital in this space,” he added.

EFI productivity software portfolio product management vice-president Nick Benkovich pointed out the new enhancements to its software portfolio at EFI Connect, which affects the packaging space as well.

MarketDirect expansion – PackCentral enhancements

In the packaging space, EFI has expanded its MarketDirect suite with PackCentral enhancements that include a fulfilment solution (a solution that transitions from spreadsheet based to cloud based), a new module called AutoEngage, and a new integrated shipping model named ShipExpress for orders to be shipped out easily.

“It’s going to be a game changer for us, especially in the folding cartons and corrugated space,” Benkovich said.

“Print buyers are becoming less sophisticated. Once upon a time, there was a whole external design team behind a design, but today a lot of the design work is done in-house and some of them don’t understand how design and manufacturing work together.

The enhancements help with that.”

Benkovich added that the solution is mainly targeted at small batch manufacturers, although still beneficial for larger packaging customers as well.

“In the US, there are over 10,000 small batch manufacturers that produce about US$100 million in revenue and they’re all looking for boxes for their products. These people don’t know much about design as they are typically familyowned businesses,” he said.

“So, this is a very simple e-commerce solution for them.

For some of our larger packaging customers, they’re getting more of their customers as the solution introduces them to boutique markets for their specialty products or a special run for an event.”

PackCentral currently has early adopter customers in the field and will be made globally available in Q2 this year. www.propack.pro

Vertical Applications Vertical Applications has been available in the market if a customer buys one of EFI’s MIS but the enhancements now enable customers to leverage the technology with one of EFI’s MIS or with a generic ERP system.

According to Benkovich, Vertical Applications takes EFI’s software technology and allows it to be connected to any generic ERP system available.

“Historically, we’ve been an MIS company and sold MIS systems and then, things attached to MIS systems. This past year, we’ve been working on a strategy where we will allow customers to integrate many of our components directly into a generic ERP system,” he said.

“So if you have a Microsoft Dynamics or an SAP system, you can take advantage of our iQuote estimating and planning platform, print flow scheduling application or AutoCount data collection, all attached to a generic ERP system.”

Benkovich also said EFI has seen a big demand for its Vertical Applications solutions as many of its customers aren’t print customers or packaging customers.

“They’re diversified like in industrial manufacturing where they need the sophistication of estimated planning systems for print, and they need the scheduling and data capturing from EFI,” he mentioned at the event.

“Some customers need sophisticated inventory management and rich accounting so this removes the complexity of print for them. All these programs talk to each other and there is a single API connecting the system.”

He also mentioned that the printing industry has been late to adopt big data, but that is what is now resulting in a massive drive to find efficiencies.

“It’s the hidden information in the data that now gives them greater insight into not only their business, but also their customers’ businesses as well to use data to make relevant decisions,” he stated.

“Big data is important and that business intelligence is what is guiding customers to make analytical decisions. There has been a lot of ‘gut decision making’ in the printing industry where

2

3

4 printers go out and spend millions in new presses to print faster.

“But what is the point of that when it’s actually your bindery or shipping, for example, that’s causing all your bottlenecks? It then wouldn’t matter if you had faster presses.

“So, it’s about looking at the weak points in the business.”

The company used the event to announce enhancements to its Mailing workflow (iQuote), Workbench expansion/adoption and eFlow Automator live solutions.

Autumn 2020 ProPack.pro 49

PACK DIARY

UPCOMING EVENTS

2020 Australasian Packaging Conference

Scheduled for April 1-2 2020 Postponed, with new dates coming soon Melbourne, Australia aipack.com.au/ ProPak Asia 2020

Scheduled for June 17-20 2020 Postponed, with new dates coming soon Bangkok, Thailand propakasia.com/ ProPak China 2020

June 22-24 2020 Shanghai, China propakchina.com/

Label. Code. Print. Ink. Foil.

INDOPLAS, indopack and indoprint 2020

Sep 2-5 2020 Jakarta, Indonesia indoprintpackplas.com ProPak Vietnam

Sep 9-11 2020 Saigon, Vietnam propakvietnam.com/ Labelexpo Southeast Asia 2020

Sep 10-12 2020 Bangkok, Thailand labelexpo-seasia.com ProPak Myanmar

Sep 17-19 2020 Yangon, Myanmar propakmyanmar.com/ ProPak India 2020

Oct 8-10 2020 New Delhi, India propakindia.com/ interpack

Feb 25-Mar 3 2021 DĂźsseldorf, Germany drupa.com drupa

Apr 20-30 2021 DĂźsseldorf, Germany drupa.com Got an event? Send an email to hosman@intermedia.com.au with all the details and we will put your event on the page.

50 ProPack.pro Autumn 2020

www.aldustronics.com.au www.propack.pro

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