Super User

Super User

Leading printhead and inkjet technologies manufacturer, Xaar is celebrating a decade of successful collaboration with innovative decorative print machine manufacturer Koenig & Bauer Kammann (Kammann).

Headquartered in Loehne, Germany, Kammann is the specialist within the Koenig & Bauer Group for the high quality decoration of glass, plastic and metal containers, including spirit and soft drink bottles, drinking glasses, cosmetics and hygiene packaging, cans and containers for a variety of other industries worldwide.

The business began looking at developing a digital printing machine back in the early 2010s. Already known for its flexibility, precision and innovation, when searching for a partner in digital inkjet, Xaar’s reliable, durable and high quality printheads made it the obvious choice.

Over the last 10 years Xaar’s printheads have enabled Kammann to deliver the quality and results its customers demand from their decorative digital print applications. This continues today, with Xaar’s latest printheads, including the Xaar Nitrox, meeting the digital print needs for Kammann’s K15 and K20 product family of decorative packaging machines.

2023 10 06 101716

Kammann’s digital printing process allows the application of individual, personalised, and photorealistic print images on a variety of often challenging substrates and product packaging shapes, including round, oval, conical, flat and square. Articles with a diameter of up to 120 mm and a length of up to 450 mm can be decorated with a maximum print height of up to 210 mm. Beyond these standard options, Kammann also offers individual solutions for customers to expand the article size range of printability.

The contactless digital print process enables printing on many different article surfaces, which cannot be decorated with a screen-printing process. Xaar’s printheads deliver high quality results through their precise placement of ink drops, providing the very high-quality print for customers’ premium packaging applications.

Xaar’s printheads’ compatibility with inks from a wide variety of suppliers offer complete versatility to Kammann’s digital print. In addition, Xaar’s High Laydown Technology, is helping drive Kammann’s digital print innovation. This includes its digitally printed relief features, which enable the creation of embossed effects on glass bottles and other packaging at a height of up to 3 mm, all whilst maintaining the fine details of the embossing and sharp contour edges. Digital processes such as this are opening new possibilities for individual designs, which traditional printing methods cannot deliver.

Kammann’s Managing Director, Matthias Graf, said: “Our long-standing relationship with Xaar goes beyond that of customer and supplier. The past decade of innovative collaboration has allowed us to develop our digital printing solutions to achieve outstanding print quality for packaging.

“The combination of Xaar’s printheads with our machines has helped drive the innovative and revolutionary process of digital printed relief that our customers now benefit from, for the exceptional embossing of their premium packaging.”

Graham Tweedale, COO at Xaar added: “Xaar is incredibly proud to have been a trusted partner of Kammann for over 10 years. Our collaboration is pushing the boundaries of digital print technology in packaging.

“We look forward to continuing to develop our relationship, providing our world-class printheads, technologies and support as part of Kammann’s innovative digital decorative packaging solutions.”

About Xaar

Xaar is an inkjet innovator, providing printheads and technologies for OEM and UDI customers worldwide.

By helping customers lay down precise volumes of inks and fluids with absolute pin-point accuracy, time after time, Xaar’s inkjet printheads and technologies meet the needs of numerous markets. Covering graphics, labelling, direct-to-shape, packaging, product decoration, ceramic tile and glass decoration, décor, and outer case coding applications – as well as printing with specialist functional fluids for advanced manufacturing techniques.

Collaboration is at the very core of its business. Xaar works as a trusted partner from sites in Europe, China, and North America, providing expert insights and technical support every step of the way.

With over 30 years’ experience, around 300 patents registered or pending, and major ongoing R&D investment, Xaar’s digital printhead and precision jetting technologies create infinite opportunities for today’s sustainable manufacturing innovation.

www.xaar.com

DS Smith Tecnicarton, an expert provider of industrial packaging solutions and part of the leading global sustainable packaging company DS Smith, launches MAX lamination technology. The new solution increases the resistance of corrugated cardboard packaging and optimizes stacking potential - extending possibilities for reuse as a fully recyclable solution.

DS Smith Tecnicarton expert designers superimposed up to ten layers of corrugated cardboard to create MAX technology. This includes standardized special folding creases to achieve a larger box format with increased resistance, and the design has evolved out of a six-wave laminated packaging solution comprised of up to ten channels.

DS Smith heavy-duty packaging, the Magnus-IBC Kraft, has a capacity of 1,000 Litres and a resistance of 10,000 KG and the bulk packages have been designed as a sustainable and 100% recyclable alternative to traditional plastic Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC).

DS Smith production processes and the companies’ unique circular economy design metrics approach has resulted in significant market leading improvements to the technology of large laminate packaging casings.

These include bespoke ergonomic creases that enable packaging to be assembled easily. They are also foldable and have resulted in significant space saving during supply chain cycles as well as successful reuse cycles, and a reduction in CO2 during transportation. For example, in the automotive sector, Tecnipack cardboard has enabled laminated strips to be re-used up to ten times within the supply chain for transportation between Spain and the United States of America (USA).

2023 09 28 102928

In addition, the resistance offered by lamination technology has made it possible to replace wooden packaging with lighter, cheaper, and completely recyclable100% cardboard packaging.

DS Smith Tecnicarton has made 100% of its packaging products recyclable or reusable, and DS Smith is committed to fulfilling the objectives of it’s Now & Next Sustainability Strategy ‘Redefining Packaging for a Changing World’.

Ignacio Montfort, Managing Director, DS Smith Iberia:

"We are constantly looking for ways to innovate and find solutions to the environmental challenges of the day. Our company wide 'Now & Next' sustainability strategy and vision is a benchmark for our product innovations and targets. We are confident that these new packaging product innovations will positively impact on the packaging supply chain and environment for future generations, as well as for our present-day clients and their customers as we accelerate the transition to a low-carbon circular economy”.

MAX lamination technology is an innovation created as a result of the opening of a DS Smith facility dedicated to specializing in laminating corrugated cardboard sheets in Arborç (Tarragona) in 2017, and DS Smith Iberia has twenty-six packaging facilities, six recycling facilities, and three paper-making facilities in operation across the Iberian Peninsula.

DS Smith

DS Smith Plc. is a leading global provider of sustainable fibre-based packaging, supported by recycling and papermaking operations. It plays a significant role in the value chain across sectors including e-Commerce, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), and industrials. Through its purpose of ‘Redefining Packaging for a Changing World’ and its Now and Next sustainability strategy, DS Smith is committed to leading the transition to the circular economy, while delivering more circular solutions for its customers and wider society. Key targets include replacing problem plastics, taking carbon out of supply chains, and providing innovative recycling solutions. The company has also established a bespoke box-to-box in 14 days model, and circular metrics design capabilities for innovation are integral to operations.

DS Smith headquarters are in London, United Kingdom and the company is a member of the FTSE 100. It holds operations in thirty-four countries and employs more than 30,000 people. DS Smith is a Strategic Partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation with a commitment to the circular economy and was originally set up in London in the 1940s as a box-making business by the Smith family.

About DS Smith Tecnicarton, Iberia

DS Smith Tecnicarton specializes in innovative solutions for the industrial packaging sector with a core business focus on creating solutions for single-use and returnable packaging for the transport and logistics of high volume, high weight products, liquid, fluid and bulk products requiring specialist protection.

DS Smith Now & Next Sustainability ‘Redefining Packaging for a Changing World’ Strategy - https://www.dssmith.com/sustainability/sustainability-strategy

Key targets reached:

  • 100% of our packaging is now recyclable or reusable
  • 100% of our energy consumption is ISO50001 Certified
  • We have already launched one hundred biodiversity projects across Europe & North America
  • 100% of our sites in areas of high-water stress now have a water mitigation plan
  • All our forests have forest management certification
  • 100% of manufacturing sites are FSC certified
  • 100% of the papers we use in manufacturing are recycled or chain of custody certified
  • We have conducted a group human rights risk assessment and published our Human Rights Policy 

Now & Next targets currently ahead of schedule:

  • By 2025, remove 1 billion items of problem plastic 
  • By 2025, optimize fibre for individual supply chains in 100% of new packaging solutions
  • By 2030, engage five million people in the circular economy and circular lifestyles

Company website: www.dssmith.com

Graphic Packaging International (GPI), a leading global provider of sustainable consumer packaging, has recently commissioned Voith to supply multiple stock preparation lines, integrated reject handling and the wastewater pre-treatment system for its newest, most advanced coated recycled board (CRB) mill being built in Waco, Texas. With Voith’s tailored process solutions, GPI is expected to improve the efficiency and sustainability of its facility and will ultimately save energy, water and fibers. The installation of the new system and components is targeted for completion in 2025.

“Voith’s proven and innovative pulping technology and wastewater pre-treatment solutions are key to reaching our high product quality targets and improving efficiency and sustainability. Our close partnership is based on trust and the very reliable cooperation we have enjoyed in the past,” says Rusty Miller, Senior Vice President Engineering and Technology at Graphic Packaging.

“We are happy to be partnering with GPI again and are eager to support them with our leading technology in stock preparation for efficient recycling of fibers and separation of contaminants. Our state-of-the-art wastewater pre-treatment system enables GPI to minimize freshwater consumption which is one main focus of the project,” adds Michael Hmielewski, Director of Project Sales at Voith.

2023 09 18 110435

To learn more about Voith’s innovative solutions for an effective use of water, please visit: https://voith.com/corp-en/industry-solutions/papermaking/papermaking-for-life/water.html

About Graphic Packaging International
Graphic Packaging International, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. The company, a leading fiber-based consumer packaging provider, serves the world’s most widely recognized food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies and brands. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest producers of folding cartons and fiber-based foodservice products in the United States and Europe, and holds leading market positions in coated recycled paperboard, coated unbleached kraft paperboard and solid bleached sulfate paperboard. Additional information about Graphic Packaging, its business and its products is available at https://www.graphicpkg.com.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 21,000 employees, sales of € 4.9 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from a single source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its leading automation products and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

DS Smith PLC, the leading global sustainable fibre-based packaging company and Coca Cola HBC Austria have collaborated to replace plastic handles for 1.5 litre PET soft drink multi-packs with cardboard based outer packaging. This new plastic replacement solution will be delivered to supermarkets in Austria as of September 2023.

The innovative packaging solution, DS Smith Lift Up, is a 100% recyclable corrugated handle which improves carry functionality for consumers and is designed to contribute together with other partners to the kraft paper and cardboard based solution that reduces around 200 tonnes of plastic each year for Coca-Cola HBC Austria.

2023 09 18 104633

DS Smith and Coca-Cola HBC share a strong vision for innovative packaging solutions designed to be 100% recyclable and to use the least amount of material needed.

DS Smith Lift Up was designed using DS Smith’s unique Circular Design Metrics approach resulting in a significant reduction in carbon footprint for the packaging and manufacturing line of products. The DS Smith Lift Up innovation can be applied to different bottle sizes and is manufactured in partnership with Krones, a leading packaging machine manufacturer. The carrier handle has a soft grip that makes products easy to carry while they remain secure within their sustainable packaging. This has been designed for PET bottles for consumption at home.

Stefano Rossi, CEO Packaging Solutions Division, DS Smith:

We are proud to partner on this innovative packaging solution, driving out unnecessary waste and single use plastic. The DS Smith Lift Up concept was designed using DS Smith’s Circular Design Metrics approach, so it uses the least amount of material possible, reduces impact on the environment and looks fantastic in stores and supermarkets.

Collaboration with our partners Coca-Cola HBC and Krones is key to reducing single use plastics and delivering innovative change at scale. We hold sustainable design at the heart of what we do as a company, and this is a shining example of the opportunity for innovation in packaging to lead the way to a more sustainable future for manufacturers, retailers, and consumers”.

2023 09 18 110027

Marcel Martin, CCHBC’s Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer:

“This is the first-ever packaging solution of its kind for 1.5 litre multipacks of Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite. It’s the result of our entrepreneurial mindset, an absolute belief in collaborating with trusted partners and our focus on reaching net zero emissions by 2040. In 2022, our company was ranked for the sixth time as the world’s most sustainable beverage company 2022 by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, one of the world’s leading global sustainability benchmarks. We are honoured that our score positioned us top among more than 7,000 companies across 61 industries according to the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2023. 2023 continued with the highest sustainability scores from the MSCI ESG Ratings, for the ninth year running. However, we understand the immense size of the task we have in front of us to create a more sustainable business. We’ll continue to innovate, collaborate and invest so we can continue to deliver our drinks in sustainable ways.”

The new packaging solution for 1.5 litre PET multi-packs will be used for Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, and Mezzo mix brands in Austria.

DS Smith PLC

DS Smith is a leading global provider of sustainable fibre-based packaging, which is supported by recycling and papermaking operations. The company plays a central role in the value chain across sectors including e-commerce, fast moving consumer goods, food and beverage, and industrials. Through its purpose of Redefining Packaging for a Changing World and its Now and Next sustainability strategy, DS Smith is committed to leading the transition to a circular economy, while delivering more circular solutions for its customers and wider society inclusive of replacing problem plastics, taking carbon out of supply chains, and providing recycling solutions alongside innovative R&D. A unique approach to service and optimisation of sustainable supply chains, bespoke box-to-box in 14 days model, design capabilities and innovation strategy, sit at the heart of this purpose. Headquartered in London, DS Smith is listed as member of the FTSE100. The business operates in thirty-four countries, and is responsible for circa 30,000 employees, with headquarters in London, United Kingdom. It is a strategic partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation which works with business, academia, policymakers, and institutions, to mobilise global systems solutions at scale and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. DS Smith was started by the London based Smith family as a box-making business in London in the 1940s.

Links: Redefining Packaging for a Changing World - www.dssmith.com/packaging/about/our-sustainability-strategy

Website: www.dssmith.com

Coca-Cola HBC

Coca-Cola HBC is a growth-focused consumer packaged goods business and strategic bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company. We open up moments that refresh us all, by creating value for our stakeholders and supporting the socio-economic development of the communities in which we operate. With a vision to be the leading 24/7 beverage partner, we offer drinks for all occasions around the clock and work together with our customers to serve 740 million consumers across a broad geographic footprint of 29 countries. Our portfolio is one of the strongest, broadest and most flexible in the beverage industry, with consumer-leading beverage brands in the sparkling, adult sparkling, juice, water, sport, energy, ready-to-drink tea, coffee, and premium spirits categories. These include Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes, Kinley, Costa Coffee, Caffè Vergnano, Valser, FuzeTea, Powerade, Cappy, Monster Energy, The Macallan, Jack Daniel’s and Grey Goose. We foster an open and inclusive work environment amongst our 33,000 employees and believe that building a more positive environmental impact is integral to our future growth. We rank among the top sustainability performers in ESG benchmarks such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, CDP, MSCI ESG, FTSE4Good and ISS ESG. Coca-Cola HBC has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: CCH) and is listed on the Athens Exchange (ATHEX: EEE).

Website: https://www.coca-colahellenic.com/

Krones Technology

Krones are a one-stop shop for producers of liquid consumer goods. Top-quality beverages and liquid foods are made of valuable raw materials like water, plant-based proteins and oats, fresh milk or hops, malt and yeast. But before they leave the factory, they go through a host of different processing steps – and the Krones Group has a suitable technical solution for each of these, starting with production itself, then state-of-the-art filling and packaging lines right through to plastics recycling, intralogistics and digitalisation.  The company is headquartered in Neutraubling, Germany.

Website: https://www.krones.com

Stoelzle Glass Group, a leading packaging glass manufacturer is proud to announce the publication of its third Sustainability Report. The report highlights the company's commitment to continuous improvement in sustainability practices focussing on energy, resource efficiency and employees.

2023 09 13 114003Stoelzle’s group-wide science-based decarbonisation targets were submitted to Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), and have now been officially accepted. The company commits to ambitious goals, including a 50% reduction in absolute GHG emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 2030 and a 15% reduction in absolute GHG emissions (scope 3) from a 2019 base year. Georg Feith, CEO of Stoelzle Glass Group, appreciates this great achievement: "We are proud to be one of 4,000+ companies worldwide and one of a few companies within the European glass industry with an official SBTi climate protection target. Stoelzle Glass Group remains committed to continuous improvement and driving sustainable practices in all aspects of our operations."

As a key aspect of Stoelzle's sustainability roadmap, the company is driving decarbonisation efforts, reducing energy demand in glass production and increasing the use of renewable energy sources.

The following milestones have been achieved so far:

Process & Energy Data Management System:

The implementation of the Process & Energy Data Management System at all Stoelzle sites has already led to significant energy savings between 3% and 5%, by improving the energy efficiency at the sites. The system tracks and assesses changes in energy consumption, optimising cooling curve settings in the lehrs, detecting leaks and defective machines, and monitoring water consumption. For example, actions taken during the reconstruction of one furnace resulted in a 50% reduction in the amount of municipal water used at the Austrian plant.

Batch Preheater:

The Company's commitment to energy efficiency is demonstrated by the implementation of a batch preheater at its Austrian production site. This technology utilizes waste heat from the exhaust to preheat and dry the raw material mixture, reducing furnace energy consumption by over 8% and resulting in annual energy savings of 4,000 MWh. The remaining waste heat is fed into the local district heating network, providing heat to approximately 1,800 households.

Organic Rankine Cycle:
By the end of 2023, Stoelzle will produce approximately 7% of the Stoelzle Czestochowa plant’s total electricity consumption from waste heat. The waste heat is used for steam production, which is then transformed into electricity by using a turbine and generator (in a so called Organic Rankine Cycle).

Electric Furnace & Feeder:

Stoelzle is actively investing in research to replace gas with electricity in its production processes. It is part of the international research consortium IPGR (International Partners in Glass Research) focused on developing a "glass furnace of the future" that utilises green hydrogen and electricity for maximum energy efficiency. By 2024, Stoelzle plans to have a fully electric feeder in operation at its Austrian amber glass furnace, setting an example for the European glass industry.

Stoelzle Glass Group's Sustainability Report demonstrates its unwavering dedication to sustainability and the implementation of global best practices. By prioritising decarbonisation, resource efficiency, and circularity, the company strives to be an industry leader in sustainable glass manufacturing.

The Stoelzle Glass Group is a family-run company with six European and one US production plants. The Group has been producing high-quality glass packaging for the spirits, pharmaceutical, perfumery & cosmetics, food & beverage sectors for over 200 years. Stoelzle covers all areas from product development, production, decoration to the delivery of closures.

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies’ targets if they support Paris climate protection agreement to reduce global warming.

How working with experienced suppliers can help beverage manufacturers enhance productivity and utilize beverage cans to engage consumer.

Florian Combe, New Product Development & Graphics Manager at Crown Bevcan EMEAFlorian Combe, New Product Development & Graphics Manager at Crown Bevcan EMEAGPI sat down with Florian Combe, New Product Development & Graphics Manager at Crown Bevcan EMEA (Crown) (www.crowncork.com), to discuss current beverage industry challenges and opportunities.  

Q: What beverage industry trends is your company noticing today?

A: Many of the trends we are observing were sparked by changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as pandemic-related restrictions have eased, demand remains strong for at-home beverage consumption, as well as continued interest in new beverage types, wellness-focused products, and sustainability.

Metal packaging is perfectly positioned to deliver against these trends, and aluminum cans remain a strong choice for new beverage launches thanks to the format’s green credentials, convenience and eye-catching design possibilities. Demand for standard can sizes (such as the 330ml format, for example) remains strong, while changes in consumers’ drink preferences and buying behaviors are also driving demand for new package formats, designs, visual appeal and interactive experiences.

Q: What are the key elements that beverage brand owners should consider when launching a product in metal packaging?

A: Launching a beverage brand is not just a marketing assignment. To be successful, a product launch should involve the production, commercial, design and operation departments, as well as key suppliers, from the outset. While beverage cans are rightly valued for their sustainability, convenience and portability, there are several other factors to consider when evaluating packaging options:

  1. Advancing sustainability. Metal is inherently sustainable – it is 100% recyclable and infinitely recyclable, making it a strong packaging choice for environmentally-conscious shoppers. As a packaging partner, we can also provide counsel on enhancing production efficiencies and raising awareness with consumers about the sustainability benefits of cans. A recent example is seen in our partnership with Kristal Kola, the Turkish market’s first canned water brand. In this collaboration, we printed bilingual messaging on the package that highlights the format’s sustainable attributes, including the energy savings to be gained from using recycled material.
  1. Nearly all beverages are compatible with aluminum cans as the internal coating prevents both contact with the product and corrosion. We have successfully matched beverage cans with sparkling water, beer, soda, juice, tea, energy drinks, and other functional beverages. Working with an experienced supplier that has a proven track record across product categories can accelerate time to market and streamline the launch process.
  1. Can format advice. Depending on the beverage application, intended drinking occasion and distribution channels, a brand can opt for a standard or non-standard can size. Size variations include slim and sleek cans, as well as larger sizes to help brands stand out at the point-of-sale. Variation in sizes is driven by consumers reaching for cans as they search for product variety, convenience and more premium, visually pleasing packaging options.
  1. Design options. With increased competition in the retail environment, brands need packaging that will capture consumer attention at the point-of-purchase. Beverage cans have a large, printable surface area that serves as a 360-degree billboard for brands on shelves, which is typically not feasible with other packaging formats. In addition, high-definition printing enables brands to depict intricate designs and strong, bold colors directly onto the aluminum can, boosting consumer interaction with the package while communicating a unique identity. With a broad list of decorative techniques, printing options, ends, can shaping, and colored, embossed and cut-out tabs, close supplier collaboration is critical to achieve the best final output.

2023 09 12 123343

Q: What are the latest innovations in decorative can designs?
A: We see increased interest in innovations that enhance consumer engagement. Brand owners can achieve that by tapping into a range of decorative techniques or even creating interactive experiences. Variable printing technology, for example, which allows up to 24 different design variations to be printed in a single run, is a great way to create a series of collectible cans and attract consumer attention via its non-uniform visual effect.

Then there are smart packaging innovations, such as unique codes that are laser-etched under the tab, that enable activities such as Augmented Reality (AR). AR allows brands to deliver a wide range of content and experiences and is ideal for competitions, promotions and games. These fun, engaging applications are winning consumer hearts and minds across the industry.

Modern decorative finishes and interactive options allow brands to create standout campaigns, localized for specific markets and demographics. Working with a supplier that can advise on various options can help brand owners deliver highly personalized and impactful products to consumers.

2023 09 12 123256

Q: How can beverage brands stay ahead of market trends?

A: An effective way to stay ahead of market trends is to work with a supplier with a comprehensive R&D approach that can introduce solutions that are efficient and reliable. Also, look for a team with the expertise to help optimize design and manufacturing processes to accommodate a range of packaging and creative options.

At Crown, we collaborate with brands creatively, as well as technically, on designs to reach the finish line with the best possible product. We believe in supporting our customers from concept to commercialization, complementing their intimate knowledge of their brand ethos with the right tools, knowledge and recommendations to achieve the desired visual effect.

We have a continuous learning approach, and this is supported by our Can Academy – a specialist setting designed to educate customers on the canmaking process and where graphic design falls into the production cycle. Marketers and other decision-makers involved in a product launch can experience design capabilities, reprographics, color matching, proofing activities, as well as the can decorating process, first-hand.

About Crown Holdings, Inc.

Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading global supplier of rigid packaging products to consumer marketing companies, as well as transit and protective packaging products, equipment and services to a broad range of end markets. World headquarters are located in Tampa, Florida. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

Leading European wheat adhesive specialist improves service for corrugated board manufacturers in South America

The Crespel & Deiters Group is expanding its activities in the South American corrugated market with its C&D Corrugating & Paper brand. Due to the high demand for environmentally friendly adhesives for the packaging industry, the company is complementing its existing distribution business with a local subsidiary: Crespel & Deiters Latin America, S. de R.L. de C.V., based in Mexico City, now offers corrugated board manufacturers comprehensive technical services and individual advice on product development. The company will be showcasing the capabilities of its new subsidiary for the first time at ACCCSA 2023 – a packaging materials trade fair in Monterrey, Mexico, from 17 to 19 October – at booth 116.

2023 09 07 110007As one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of wheat starches and wheat proteins, family-owned Crespel & Deiters has succeeded in creating a unique value chain by turning raw materials into high quality functional ingredients for both food and non-food industries. Supply to the North and South American markets has been operational for many years now, but with the establishment of its new subsidiary, the company is able to better support product development and technical services closer to the customer.

Gustav Deiters, CEO of the Crespel & Deiters Group, explains: “Our vision is to develop solutions from wheat that make both the production and the corrugated board itself more environmentally friendly, efficient and of higher quality, so that our customers can do more with less. In this way, we can work together to conserve the resources of our planet. However, this endeavour can only be successful if we implement it globally. Our new subsidiary in Mexico is therefore hugely important and a big step towards an even more exciting future.”

Adhesives specialist offers full service

2023 09 07 110022Within the Group, C&D Corrugating & Paper is specialised on solutions for the packaging industry based on environmentally friendly wheat starch. Being a European market leader in the corrugated board segment, the high quality and expertise of C&D is as well requested for international growth markets. Besides product solutions a comprehensive range of technical services and consulting supports manufacturers with efficient processing.

Adrian Beckett, Head of International Sales C&D Corrugating & Paper and responsible for the South American market, explains: “We support manufacturers with integrated system solutions and the appropriate service to set up plants in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way. This is achieved with tailor-made adhesive concepts and the highest quality of raw materials, resulting in improved productivity as well as reduced waste and energy consumption.”

Visitors to Expo ACCCSA 2023, 17-19 October in Monterrey, Mexico, will be able to learn more about the customised service offering first-hand at booth 116.

As the demand for sustainable packaging solutions increases worldwide, Swedish innovative packaging company, PulPac, ramps up its US expansion with tooling partner Tek Pak. Earlier this year, the Swedes announced they are setting up their own demonstration site, and they've already partnered with industry leaders in the market.

After its success at the Interpack fair in Düsseldorf last month, Swedish innovative packaging company, PulPac, keeps momentum and ramps up its ongoing US expansion. Tek Pak, based in ST. Charles, Illinois, creates precision thermoforming and prides itself on being one of the fastest tooling suppliers in the North American market. Since 1992, they've provided the medical, electronics, and consumer markets with quick-turn rapid prototyping and short to long-run production thermoforming. Solutions that give their customers competitive advantages in their respective markets. 

"We take our commitment to producing environmental and sustainability packaging seriously at Tek Pak. Having the opportunity to work closely with PulPac to provide tools for dry fiber manufacturing will give our customers a new, exciting, and innovative packaging option," says Tony Beyer, Owner of Tek Pak, Inc. 

PulPac and their patented Dry Molded Fiber technology and machine platform are groundbreaking. The manufacturing process turns renewable pulp into high-performance packaging. The technology uses much less water and energy than traditional wet-forming and has the same output and cost-efficiency as plastic processing. 

2023 06 12 095445

"We are really impressed by Tek Pak. Their dedication to speed, quality, and technology is what we're looking for in a partner, as the demand for sustainable packaging solutions increases worldwide," says PulPac Chief Partnership Officer Viktor Börjesson. When PulPac showcased Dry Molded Fiber at the Interpack fair in Düsseldorf in May, the interest in the novel technology was massive. Viktor Börjesson again: "People are stunned when we present data that shows Dry Molded Fiber manufacturing is on par with plastic in cost-efficiency and output speed." 

"Tek Pak was built for quality and speed; known for meeting and exceeding client expectations," comments Tony Beyer. "We are dedicated to providing the finest thermoforming tools with expedited turnaround times, ISO certified, and committed to the highest industrial manufacturing and safety standards."

"In the industrialized world, time is money," says Viktor, and concludes, "And the clock still ticks. So making the technology accessible, being agile, and developing prototypes are key factors if we want to keep up with market needs. Tek Pak's track record speaks for itself, and we know what they are capable of."

Following on PulPac’s community approach to enable a wide and ever-growing network globally within the Dry Molded Fiber breakthrough technology, this partnership is non-exclusive.

About Tek Pak, Inc.

Tek Pak, Inc. is a global manufacturing company specializing in thermoforming tooling and providing light gauge thermoform, molded fiber, and packaging solutions for electronic, food, healthcare, and industrial industries from design concept through prototype and production. Headquartered in St. Charles, Illinois, Tek Pak remains a closely held private corporation with five facilities in the western suburbs of Chicago. The company provides the most comprehensive, high-quality, and fastest light gauge thermoforming development in the world. For more information, please visit tekpak.com or call (630) 406 0560. 

About PulPac

PulPac is a Swedish Reasearch & Development company specializing in a cutting-edge technology for fiber-based, sustainable packaging. They develop the Dry Molded Fiber technology, and together with specialized partners within a global network, they provide the packaging industry with a cost and energy efficient packaging alternative to replace unnecessary single-use plastic. Learn more at pulpac.com.

About Dry Molded Fiber

PulPac's patented technology turns generic pulp into almost any three-dimensional shape. With added barrier chemistry, Dry Molded Fiber offers a simple yet brilliant solution to manufacture sustainable packaging solutions, that are biodegradable, highly recyclable ones. And process is as fast as plastic processing, only more energy and cost-efficient. Plus, it uses almost no water, which enables a cost-competitive product with a significantly lower climate impact.

PulPac demonstrates efficiency, expands product and barrier portfolio – enabling the network to offer a limited series of production lines with fast-tracked delivery, with production warranties.

Breaking efficiency records on demonstrator line and expanding product portfolio. Swedish innovative packaging company, PulPac, and its partner network are ready to offer production warranties, including a limited batch of ready-to-order production lines with fast-tracked delivery in six months.

PulPac reports multiple breakthroughs from within its partner network and across its Dry Molded Fiber technology platform. In a recent multi-shift production run for one of its licensees, PulPac reached an 85% equipment efficiency with its first-generation pilot Modula line at its technology center in Sweden.

"We know the Modula well and know of its capabilities, but numbers like these prove that the Dry Molded Fiber manufacturing process is reliable and scalable," says Kristian Ward, Operations Manager at PulPac. "The team here at the tech center, TechTribe, and everyone else involved has worked hard to achieve extraordinary results like these. I'm certain we'll improve the efficiency even more as the Modula platform already has ordered second-generation production lines that are entering production worldwide with our licensees."

Together with recommended EU turnkey partner, TechTribe, PulPac has secured fast-track delivery for a limited batch of validated production lines. These production lines are ready for order in May and can be shipped within six months, enabling customers to expand their sustainable packaging journey quickly and with warranties.

2023 05 10 105203

PulPac's patented Dry Molded Fiber technology is a groundbreaking manufacturing process for turning renewable pulp into high-performance packaging materials with a lower climate impact than wet-molding and plastic processing. The products are fully biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable, which is what packaging producers need to tackle the sustainability challenges they face.

At the same time, the team responsible for PulPac's Highway program confirms an expanded portfolio of validated, ready-to-produce, Dry Molded Fiber products. The Highway program now includes complete cutlery sets with multiple barrier solutions for hot and cold foods and complementing trays with new tableware designs, including a ≥45 mm deep salad bowl. The added groundbreaking coffee-lid solution with another barrier complements the portfolio with a cost-effective and scalable alternative to traditional single-use plastic lids, reducing the environmental impact of the beverages industry, with more than a hundred billion lids being consumed each year. These achievements collectively allow PulPac and its partner network to now offer production warranties within the highway program.

Sanna Fager elaborates: "Offering our customers a wider range of sustainable packaging solutions is a fantastic accomplishment. But to us, the expanded product portfolio with more barrier solutions shows PulPac's commitment to innovation and efficiency and the continued development of the technology and production line." And in conclusion, states, "We are confident that the products' performance, scalability, and environmental benefits will be game changers for our licensees and the packaging industry. Because this is what consumers want and what the planet needs.

Between May 4th–10th, PulPac showcases its technology at Interpack 2023 in Düsseldorf and invites customers to visit the home of Dry Molded Fiber at Stand 11D12 to learn more about packaging solutions available for licensing. Proven production lines with warranties are available from partners to fuel licensees' sustainability journey.

About PulPac
PulPac provides the packaging industry with groundbreaking manufacturing technology for making economical, high-performance fiber-based packaging and single-use products. By pioneering the technology of cellulose molding, PulPac enables its customers to replace single-use plastics with sustainable and cost-competitive natural fiber alternatives globally. For additional information about PulPac, please visit www.pulpac.com or follow us on social media.

Dry Molded Fiber
The Dry Molded Fiber process, invented and internationally patented by PulPac, is a manufacturing technology designed for the emerging circular economy.  By leveraging globally available, affordable, and renewable commodity cellulose fiber, Dry Molded Fiber technology allows for producing high-performance fiber-based packaging with highly competitive unit economics. Dry Molded Fiber also saves significant amounts of valuable water resources and energy, resulting in up to 80% lower CO2 footprint than alternatives.  Dry Molded Fiber processing is up to ten times as efficient as conventional fiber molding processing, first used over 100 years ago.

Sustainability is also a major challenge in the food and packaging industry. Plastic packaging is being replaced by organic-based and biodegradable materials, but it must still fulfill high functional requirements. For example, both the product and the packaging must be safely protected from the migration of gas and moisture.

A team of researchers at the University of Hohenheim has developed a new coating system that is both water-impermeable, heat-resistant, and mechanically durable as well as being suitable for consumption, and biodegradable at the same time.

This innovative and universally versatile protective layer was originally developed for use in foodstuffs as a heat-resistant barrier to moisture. So-called “crumbsticks” were created as part of a product development competition.  These are chicken drumsticks with an edible bone made from crispy baked bread sticks. A softening of the two components, which both have a different moisture content, was prevented using the described coating system, which was developed especially for this application.

In the further course of the research, however, additional application possibilities became apparent, especially in fields such as sustainable, organic-based packaging systems. In this case, the coating system is sprayed on and, together with an organic-based carrier material, produces a water-resistant and gas-resistant package.

So-called “crumbsticks” were created as part of a product development competition.So-called “crumbsticks” were created as part of a product development competition.

The scientists at Hohenheim used oleogels in the development of this consumable protective layer. These are fats that are structured using certain gelling agents. The use of some of these is already established in the food sector, for example in the substitution of animal fats and palm oil. What is new, however, is their use as heat-resistant coating to prevent the migration of water within a food product or from a food product into the packaging material.

Existing production processes, mainly from packaging & polymer technology, can be used to create oleogels. The layer of coating can be applied either by glazing, laminating, coating, or spraying and is suitable for food as well as the food packaging field or convenience food packaging. Applications in the pet food sector are also conceivable.

The innovative material can be used in the food sector to separate components with different characteristics. Many processed foods are multi-component systems which are defined by different properties. These include many snack and convenience food products, which often have a dry and a moist (creamy) component. During the production and storage of these products, care must be taken to ensure that moisture from one ingredient is not absorbed into the dry areas of the product. This can be prevented using the protective layer made from oleogel. Even during production processes such as baking or frying, the characteristics of the individual components of the food are retained.

Another application for this coating material is the animal feed sector. Here, too, numerous possible applications are conceivable, such as coating the packaging to protect against moisture, or also separating individual components of the feed.

This new coating exhibits several properties, the combination of which has not been possible before: It is water-resistant, heat-resistant, and mechanically durable while still being edible. By changing the composition or including additives (such as flavorings or colorants), the oleogel layer can be adapted to the specific application. The composition of the oleogel is purely plant-based due to the use of vegetable oils and ethyl cellulose.

The EP patent applications (EP 21207193.0) are pending. Technologie-Lizenz-Büro (TLB) GmbH supports the University of Hohenheim and its scientists in patenting and marketing its current innovation. TLB has been commissioned with the exploitation of this pioneering technology and offers companies possibilities to cooperate and license the patents.

For more detailed information, please contact Innovation Manager Dr. Dirk Windisch (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Page 1 of 20

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage. Site Terms and conditions