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Tag: Sustainable Packaging

Environmental Savings with Sustainable Packaging

Posted on by David Priestman

IFCO, a supplier of reusable packaging solutions for fresh food, achieved record environmental savings with customers in 2024, a year marked by targeted expansion and a series of customer-centric packaging innovations. 2.4 billion shipments of fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry, fish and seafood, dairy and eggs, baked goods, bananas and other fresh grocery products were delivered in IFCO reusable packaging containers (RPCs) during 2024 globally.

In total, by using the IFCO SmartCycle circular pooling system instead of single-use packaging, customers generated the following environmental savings during 2024:

• 674,333 metric tons of CO2e emissions, equivalent to circling the planet 140,344 times by car
• 54,308 megaliters of water, equivalent to 21,723 Olympic size pools
• 14,854 terajoules of energy, equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 746,668 households
• 1,363,131 metric tons of solid waste, equivalent to the solid waste produced by 2.73 million people in a year
• 66,015 tons of product waste, equivalent to 105 million meals

IFCO uses third-party peer-reviewed life cycle assessment (LCA) studies based on ISO 14040/14044 to scientifically quantify the environmental benefits of the IFCO SmartCycle in reducing CO2e emissions, water consumption, energy use and solid waste, as well as other third-party studies to quantify reductions in food loss and food waste. For the eighth year in a row, IFCO is to award customers with an individual IFCO Sustainability Certificate. These science-backed certificates accurately quantify and recognize each customer’s unique contribution to the significant environmental savings achieved through the efficient and food-safe SmartCycle circular pooling system.

Importantly, these certificates allow producers, growers, distributors and retailers to demonstrate their commitment to improving the environmental performance of their supply chains. Customers increasingly use the certificates to showcase their tangible progress toward their own sustainability goals.

Further reductions to the carbon footprint of sustainable packaging

In 2024, a new critically reviewed LCA study commissioned by IFCO, conducted by Fraunhofer IBP and reviewed by a panel under the direction of DEKRA, updated the environmental impacts of reusable packaging containers and cardboard boxes over their full life cycle. Since 2018, IFCO has cut the average carbon footprint of its RPCs by an additional 10%. In addition, the company’s RPCs now generate up to 62% less CO2e emissions compared to single-use packaging, up from 60% in 2018. Comparative LCAs are essential for IFCO’s ESG Strategy, Thriving in the circular economy and help define the decarbonization levers, activities and milestones that support the goals of becoming a net-zero, zero-waste business by 2040.

Greater impact with innovative packaging, digital services and new regions

2024 also saw the launch of new customer-led innovations, including Dora and Nestor, two lightweight, durable plastic pallets, and the Marina Fish Crate, which also expanded the use of IFCO’s integrated tracking systems and proven digital technologies. In addition, IFCO continued to strengthen its market presence in 2024 through strategic acquisitions. For instance, the company acquired BEPCO in the Baltics, allowing more customers to access sustainable packaging solutions through the SmartCycle. Furthermore, the company opened two new state-of-the-art service centres with advanced automation in the UK as well as a new digital hub in the city of Barcelona to enhance supply chain transparency and efficiency.

“Every reusable packaging innovation, every digital solution and every acquisition expands our reach and allows more customers to benefit from our sustainable circular business model, reducing waste and carbon emissions in the process. Working closely together with our customers – producers, growers, distributors and retailers – we are driving impactful change in the global fresh grocery supply chain,” says Iñigo Canalejo, Vice President ESG & Strategic Marketing, IFCO.

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Tosca Partners with Avery Dennison to Reduce Emissions

Posted on by David Priestman

Tosca has partnered with Avery Dennison, a global materials science company, to support its transition to reusable plastic pallets and reduce CO2 emissions across its European supply chain. By adopting Tosca’s innovative pooling model, the collaboration has delivered significant operational efficiencies while cutting nearly 500 tons of CO2 in just one year. This partnership highlights Tosca’s sustainable packaging solutions which drive supply chain efficiency while reducing environmental impact.

The Challenge: Scalable, Sustainable Solutions

Tosca were pleased to support Avery Dennison in their pursuit of a scalable, efficient solution to meet the growing demand for plastic pallets, while aligning with their strong commitment to sustainability. This includes their goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Avery Dennison recognised the need to optimise operations due to increasing demand for wooden pallets, especially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. By partnering with Tosca, a leader in sustainable packaging and supply chain solutions, they found the solution.

Reusable Plastic Pallets

Tosca has provided the solution to Avery Dennison’s challenge with its durable, reusable L1 plastic pallets, designed to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and minimise environmental impact. Initially, Avery Dennison aimed to replace their own pallets with a more efficient solution to meet growing demand. This quickly expanded to switching much of their supply chain to Tosca’s plastic pallets.

A key challenge has been convincing Avery Dennison’s customers to accept goods on plastic pallets, as more participation would optimise logistics and enhance sustainability. Both sales teams worked together to demonstrate the operational and environmental benefits of this choice. The official partnership began in 2022, and Tosca’s plastic pallets are now used in 13 Avery Dennison factories and distribution centres, shipping to over 400 customer locations across Europe.

Operational Benefits and Sustainability Gains

The partnership between Tosca and Avery Dennison enhanced efficiency and scalability by supporting the growing demand for plastic pallets, addressing availability issues and providing a more cost effective, reliable alternative to wooden pallets post Covid-19. In addition, Tosca’s reusable plastic pallets offer cleaner, more hygienic solutions for their warehouses. These improvements align with the company’s goal of enhancing operational efficiency while reducing its carbon footprint.

In 2023, 40% of Avery Dennison’s Euro-sized pallets had been converted to plastic, and the company already achieved nearly 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved annually — exceeding initial estimates.

Due to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Avery Dennison is rethinking their transport and sales packaging, which increasingly focuses on reuse and circularity. “Our focus is on the recyclability and circularity of our packaging. By partnering with Tosca, we are moving in the right direction,” said Violeta Gómez Valdivieso, Central Packaging Leader at Avery Dennison. “For example, the PPWR requires that at least 40% of transport or sales packaging be reusable by 2030, and Tosca’s plastic pallets meet these requirements.”

A Strong Sustainability Partnership

Looking ahead, Avery Dennison plans to continue to transition to plastic pallets, with Tosca’s pooling system playing a critical role in achieving both greater efficiency and sustainability in their supply chain. The possibility to use the already integrated RFID tags on Tosca’s plastic pallets for tracking opens improved traceability capabilities and streamlined order management, bringing even greater potential operational benefits in the future.

“At Tosca, we work side by side with our customers in long-term partnerships, and our successful collaboration with Avery Dennison is the perfect example of this. Both companies strongly believe in the concept of continuing the loop,” said Felix Van Ouytsel, Sales Director UK/Ireland at Tosca. The partnership between Tosca and Avery Dennison shows how collaboration can drive significant sustainability advancements, setting a benchmark for the industry.

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Packaging Machines Debut at LogiMAT

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Hugo Beck is underlining its position as a leading innovator in horizontal film and paper packaging solutions with the debut of three machines on Booth 4F66 in Hall 4 at LogiMAT, held at the Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre in Germany from March 19 – 21st.

As Europe’s biggest intralogistics exhibition, LogiMAT serves as an ideal platform for Hugo Beck to showcase its expertise in meeting industry-specific requirements with innovative, fully automatic film and paper packaging machinery. Though designed for varying business scales and products, each of the three machine solutions on display are united in demonstrating Hugo Beck’s ability to deliver effective packing of products in a way that is fast, efficient and sustainable.

On display is the flexo 700 e-com – Hugo beck’s entry level model for e-commerce, mail order and logistics. Automatically adjusting the film bags to match the product’s length and optionally also width, the flexo 700 e-com produces precise fitting shipping bags with the lowest possible material use. Suitable for the direct dispatch of individual goods, packing groups of products, or meeting the complex requirements of returned goods packaging, the machine processes various film types with different thicknesses, including recycled content films and recyclable mono-material films. Noteworthy features also include the ability to add an easy-opening perforation to the bags and insert a double-sided adhesive tape for re-sealing – an asset for handling returns seamlessly.

In addition, Hugo Beck introduces the paper packaging machine paper X e-com to LogiMAT audiences, renowned for its continuous packaging process, thus maximising efficiencies by ensuring that there is no downtime when sealing or glueing. Handling uncoated and coated paper for e-commerce packaging applications, the paper X e-com enables the use of sustainable packaging materials, whilst individually adapting the shipping bags to varying product lengths.

Packaging Machines Debut

The servo X 800 will also be making its debut on the Hugo Beck booth – a form fill and seal machine which sets standards in the horizontal large-format sector. With maximum modularity and flexibility, servo X 800 machines ensure the packaging of large items such as trays, multipack items, boxes or even car tyres ready for quick, easy and secure transportation. Its capabilities extend to handling thick film types through to ultra-thin films – with its extremely tight-fitting and precise packaging saving up to 15% in film usage.

Timo Kollmann, Managing Director at Hugo Beck, said, “The debut of three previously unseen machines at LogiMAT 2024 underscores Hugo Beck’s commitment to more automation and solutions addressing the most diverse needs of businesses in the e-commerce, mail order and logistics sectors. Each machine provides our customers with a competitive edge in their packaging processes, delivering efficiency, sustainability, and flexibility.”

Hugo Beck invites LogiMAT attendees to visit their Booth 4F66 in Hall 4 to see live demonstrations of its packaging solutions.

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DS Smith Launches R&D, Innovation Centre

Posted on by David Priestman

DS Smith, leading provider of sustainable, fibre-based, packaging, today announces the launch of its global Research & Development (R&D) and Innovation Centre, ‘R8’. The new facility is an industry-first and allows DS Smith, its customers, and partners to accelerate the research and development of radically new packaging fulfilment solutions.

Located near Birmingham in the UK, the R8 facility includes a 4,000m2 pilot hall, four laboratories, conditioning chambers, an ideation and design studio, prototyping areas, and collaboration spaces. As well as being the home of DS Smith’s Group Innovation and R&D teams, it is intended to spearhead research in manufacturing, maximising on the growing demand for sustainable packaging, and the innovation needed to deliver it.

Stefano Rossi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Packaging Division, DS Smith, said, “our customers are some of the world’s most iconic FMCG brands, online retailers, and industrial players, so innovation and sustainability are very high on their agenda. Our global R&D and Innovation Centre will facilitate the collaboration that we know is needed to solve some of the industry’s biggest challenges.

“We will be partnering with customers to help them transition to the circular economy by focusing on novel packaging solutions that deploy new materials and technologies. Nothing is off the table – we have designed the hub to encourage scrutiny of existing ways of working and explore all the possibilities, especially for service-based offerings in the packaging supply chain.”

With R8, DS Smith has created a collaboration space that allows it to cover the whole innovation spectrum under one roof: from early technology and material development, ideation, and concept development, testing and product development, through to prototyping and customer pilots.

Projects will be informed by key industry drivers rooted in sustainability, supply chains, and data. Smart packaging for tracking and monitoring the supply chain, alternative natural resources in papermaking, reusable fibre-based packaging and technologies, and advanced barrier technology for food and industrial applications, are all areas for exploration.

Among the leading-edge technologies at R8 is a modular Pilot Line, inspired by the automotive industry and developed in Italy, which uses robots to make boxes from multiple components, and fill them at high speed.

Rossi added, “we believe in sharing expertise to help customers reduce waste, streamline production, and increase sustainable productivity. At the heart of this is a solid commitment to reducing plastics, paving new pathways for alternative fibres, and designing out waste altogether.”

Sustainability is integral to the DS Smith business model, which is inherently circular, and is supported by the DS Smith Now & Next Sustainability Strategy. This ambitious plan focuses on the sustainability challenges the world faces today, as well as those that will impact on future generations, empowering the business to lead the transition to a low carbon, circular economy.

In support of Now & Next and DS Smith’s commitment to the Circular Economy, the R8 facility is carbon neutral. It has been designed for both re-use and deconstruction, and uses reconditioned furniture, solar panels, and air-sourced heat pumps.

Journey of Sustainable Packaging

Posted on by David Priestman

With the packaging industry eagerly anticipating the first interpack in six years, Hugo Beck – a world leading specialist in horizontal film packaging machines, flowpack and paper packaging machines as well as automation solutions – is welcoming visitors to its stand to see at first hand the significant improvements in machinery for sustainable packaging, including a brand-new solution for paper packaging.

Since the last interpack in 2017, Hugo Beck has invested heavily in introducing new film and paper packaging machines, as well as in improvements to existing machines and capabilities.
These advances will be showcased on the Hugo Beck stand, which will take visitors on a journey through the options available in paper and film packaging. Hugo Beck promises ‘the highest flexibility for today’s markets and tomorrows.’

A key focus will be on the ability to deliver sustainable packaging concepts and resource-saving machine technology. This includes futureproofing customers’ packaging processes through the integration of flexible, fully automated packaging machines, which help to reduce material consumption, drive greater efficiency and improve recyclability.

On the Hugo Beck stand (Hall 11, Stand G39)

– The Hugo Beck stand is highlighting individual packaging solutions for diverse industries and products. A brand new flexo paper packaging solution will be introduced to the market as a cost-effective entry model and a space-saving machine solution. As a hybrid variant of the company’s flexo machine series for paper and film the machine can be changed between packaging materials within minutes, making it perfect for a number of industries from e-commerce and logistics through to many others.

– The paper e-com fit for paper packaging, which is ideal for e-commerce applications, automatically adapts the size of shipping bags to the varying length and width of products. Different product sizes up to 200 mm tall can be packaged in a jumble using a minimum amount of paper. The precisely fitting paper bags feature two sewn sides plus a glued top overlap. As such, it opens up new possibilities for sustainable shipping packaging for the e-commerce, mail order and logistics sectors when it comes to direct dispatch of individual goods, packing groups of products or meeting the complex requirements of returns packaging.

– The flowpack X is a modular solution for air-tight film packaging and paper packaging. Easily adjusted to process varying packaging materials with a short changeover, and capable of coping with the most diverse heat and cold-sealable paper-based packaging materials and films with different thickness, the flowpack X enables optimum functionality for manufacturers seeking sustainable packaging materials. Offering air-tight film packaging, it is perfect for pharmaceutical or medical technology, but the flowpack X provides customers across multiple industries with ultimate flexibility and security when working with a variety of packaging materials.

– The continuous servo X Form Fill and Seal machines are capable of material savings of 60-70% through minimal use of film targeting diverse industries. Minimising the use of packaging material in the first place is a key requirement for sustainability. The servo X machine series is designed to ensure film use is as efficient as possible while delivering a consistently high, or even increased, output across all types of machine-compatible films, such as mono-material films, recycled content films and bioplastics. The amount of film required is reduced by simply using the company’s extremely tight packaging technology, which delivers a precision fit of the film and hardly any film waste during production. The environmental profile of film packaging can also be optimised by making it as thin and light as possible. Packaging machines from Hugo Beck process extremely thin packaging and shrink films starting from only 7 µm.

SEW-EURODRIVE is exhibiting Hugo Beck’s latest flowpack X for paper packaging, which is available with complete machine automation solutions from SEW-EURODRIVE on request. The selected drive and automation components from SEW-EURODRIVE have been expanded specifically due to Hugo Beck‘s sustainability requirements and now include components such as energy storage units and stepper drives. The use of an intelligent energy management system and the replacement of pneumatic drives with electromechanical drives significantly and measurably reduces energy requirements and makes compressed air unnecessary.

The use of an energy storage unit, in conjunction with the software modules from SEW-EURODRIVE, leads to stabilisation of the power supply and bridging of short-term voltage dips, to reduced peak loads as well as to controlled stops in the event of longer power failures. This means that the machine can also be used when the power grid is not stable or even when a power failure is expected.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors to interpack, to see the huge strides we’ve made in terms of product development since the last show,” commented Timo Kollmann, Managing Director of Hugo Beck. The world has changed a lot over the past six years, with an increased focus on sustainability and significant growth in sectors such as e-commerce. Our latest solutions help customers to meet their challenges in terms of increased sustainability while still delivering on the key requirements for effective packaging such as protection and preservation of products.”

 

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