Using less material, improving recyclability, and employing renewable raw materials: at this year’s FachPack, Südpack Verpackungen GmbH & Co. KG will unveil a range of solutions that provide answers to questions concerning the packaging market of tomorrow, already today. At Booth 242 in Hall 7, the film experts will showcase innovative packaging concepts that especially shine in terms of climate protection and sustainability – without compromising product safety. In this regard, all Südpack solutions follow the three-pronged strategy reduce – recycle – replace. For example, films from the high-performance Multipeel series use significantly less material, while still delivering optimal protection for sensitive products. Protection is also top priority for the xpect series: using renewable materials, these solutions help preserve both climate and resources.
“In the current debate over plastics, food packaging is especially in the crosshairs,” explains Johannes Remmele, Managing Director at Südpack. “How to protect the environment, climate and valuable resources is an important question for the future of humanity – and we as an industry have to help find answers. Accordingly, at the FachPack 2019 our focus will clearly be on products and concepts that are at least one step ahead when it comes to sustainability.” The Ochsenhausen-based packaging experts are proud of the strides they’ve made since last year’s FachPack, not only in the reduction, but also in the recycling and replacement of plastics. The result: a range of advanced products and innovations that await visitors at the Südpack Booth 242 in Hall 7. Here the film experts will also share for the first time their “Roadmap for Sustainable Packaging Evolution”: it represents Südpack’s comprehensive commitment to more sustainable products – from reducing material consumption to the use of renewable materials and improved recyclability. In all of these areas, the company either already offers a broad selection of sustainable solutions, or will soon bring them to market.
Reduce: Less material - less strain on the environment
Especially with regard to the reduction of material consumption, the film experts have made substantial advances. This saves resources and helps to preserve the environment. In concrete terms, that means: today far less granulate is required to produce the same amount of film than only a few years ago. Thanks to “downgauging,” film solutions are getting thinner and thinner. Established products from the “Veraplex World,” for example, are being continually refined with regard to material reduction – without compromising their performance. The MAP top film Veraplex Plus offers an especially stable lidding film, even for large packaging by using 29 percent less material.
The MAP top film Veraplex Plus offers an especially stable lidding film, even for large packaging by using significantly less material
The xPET solution from the Multipeel product family offers similar efficiency. The resealable solution offers outstanding sealing qualities, making it a favorite choice for foodstuffs like cold cuts, cheeses, and bread spreads – with up to ten percent lower material consumption. In turn, the Peel xPET offers an especially broad application range with minimal film thickness. In the packaging concept, it delivers twelve percent lower material consumption, together with absolutely reliable sealing on films made of mono-PET or crystalline PET, and on packaging with antiblock or silicone coating.
CO2 footprint: Resource efficiency and recycling
To conserve resources, Südpack not only uses downgauging but also materials that can easily be recycled or which incorporate renewable raw materials. Consequently, many of our currently available foil concepts are available in the xPEP product group; based on polyolefins, it offers increased recyclability. For example, manufacturers can opt for the Safe Peel Clear xPEP, which will also be presented at the FachPack. It delivers the same proven sealing performance as its sister products, but when used in combination with PP packaging, it’s up to 96 percent recyclable. xPEP solutions for Multifol, flow wrap and Multipeel products are also available. In this variant, Multipeel xPEP concepts offer an impressive 90 percent recyclability rating on the Ecoterm scale.
All products of the xpect line – here the Flow Wrap xpect - are made of bio-based PE but are providing the same functionality as films made of conventional PE
“The recyclability of our plastic solutions is one essential aspect. At the same time we want to improve our independence from petroleum, so as to further reduce our films’ CO2 footprint,” says Carolin Grimbacher, Managing Director and Head of Research and Development at Südpack. In the product lines “Planova” and “xpect” Südpack is therefore focusing on renewable resources: cornstarch-based PLA for the Planova series, and bio-based polyethylene (PE), derived from sugarcane, for the xpect line.
The range of applications for bio-based PE and PLA at Südpack continues to grow: products from the xpect line are available as MAP packs, top and bottom films, and as flow packs, and provide the same functionality as those made of conventional PE. This is a major advantage for further processing: manufacturers who choose xpect line films can continue to use their current packaging machines, and can design their products using rotogravure, flexo or digital printing just as they’ve done in the past, while enhancing their brand image with regard to sustainability at the same time.
