Packaging solutions must fulfill several conditions. First of all it must preserve products (from bacteria and contaminants) and protect in particular delicate products. But – no less important – the solutions also have to promote and present the packaged product.
“At Constantia Flexibles, we are aware of this four important characteristics a packaging solution must have – Preservation, Protection, Promotion and Presentation – this is what we call the ‘4 Ps’ of flexible packaging. But now it is also expected that packaging materials have to fulfill another requirement – they have to be as environmentally friendly as possible,” said Alexander Baumgartner, CEO of Constantia Flexibles.
Every year a massive 2.12 billion tons of waste is produced (World Bank 2018) – and it seems like waste production will continue to rise if we have a look at the rapidly growing world population which concentrates mainly on cities, but also the growing environmental consciousness among people. This is why the packaging industry is constantly looking for more sustainable options. The vast majority of the players in the industry, including Constantia Flexibles, is willing and need to adapt to the ongoing changes and challenges.
“We understand our responsibility towards the environment, and we welcome political efforts to prevent waste. For example, the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy which stipulates all plastic to be reusable or recyclable in a cost-effective manner by 2030 (European Commission),” Baumgartner said.
“End consumers also demand recyclable packaging materials in most cases. In 2018 we commissioned a survey, the results include the following: 80% of end consumers prefer a eco-friendly packaging over a regular one. Consumers would even pay up to 15% more for recyclable and compostable packaging (market agent 2018),” he added. “The task for packaging companies today is therefore to develop packaging that meets the requirements for the protection(of the packaged product) and for an attractive design, while also reducing the burden on the environment. That’s also what we did at Constantia Flexibles.”
The development of a modern more sustainable packaging solution
“Our R&D department has invested many years in the development of a new, more sustainable packaging solution, which also meets modern needs. We launched Ecolutions, our flagship sustainable product line in the year 2018. The packaging solutions Ecolutions are 100% recyclable. These meet sustainability requirements and significantly reduce the carbon footprint of packaging versus the current materials used. The product line focuses on recyclable solutions and decreases the impact on the environment, while losing none of the required features like high barrier quality and varied possibilities for an appealing design,” Baumgartner said.
Different packaging solutions for different products
Because of its different forms and qualities Ecolutions can be used for packaging a wide range of products. Among others food product applications, personal and beauty care products as well as coffee beans and cocoa powder, which require the highest protection. Part of the innovative Ecolutions solutions is the packaging family called EcoLam, and has numerous properties that make it more sustainable.
The Mono PE laminate EcoLam is lightweight, and its OPE/PE structure is fully recycle-ready due to the mono-material structure. In addition, its carbon footprint is approximately 32% smaller than that of comparable products. Another advantage of the EcoLam packaging line are the great barrier properties. From Eco Lam, to EcoLamPlus to EcoLamHighPlus, the level of moisture, oxygen and even aroma as well as mineral oil is getting higher and higher.
For common high barrier packaging solutions, usually multi-material laminates are used to achieve high barrier properties. But the lamination of different material groups can hamper the recycling process. EcoLamPlus and EcoLamHighPlus combine excellent barrier properties with the environmental benefits of a mono-material, which can be fully recycled.
EcoLam is currently used by Asian Paints. India’s largest ‘Do it Yourself’ manufacturer has switched all their DIY products from PET/PE to EcoLam. In addition, dry pet food, laundry products including powders, tabs and capsules can be packed in EcoLam. Because of the quality oxygen and moisture barrier, EcoLamPlus is among others suitable for meat, cheese and dairy products in pouches. As EcoLamHighPlus provides an additional high barrier against both moisture and oxygen, it is the ideal packaging for salad dressings as well as coffee beans. In addition, the uniqueness of EcoLam also lies in the fact, that the reverse print outer layer can be run on gravure or flexo at a thickness of 20 microns, the film has an excellent transparency and the outer surface is inherently heat resistant.
Because the material can be processed with any type of printing, there are no limits to contemporary designs. Thus, EcoLam is also the ideal packaging solution to promote and present a product. With the launch of this line, Constantia Ecolutions, Constantia Flexibles has made a huge leap towards sustainable packaging.
The first plant worldwide producing 100% recyclable flexible packaging is being set up in India
“Long before launching the Ecolutions product line, we started to think about building a modern plant focusing exclusively on only fully recyclable flexible packaging. This unique plant – Constantia Ecoflex – was built in Ahmedabad, India and is currently testing with clients. The official inauguration ceremony of the plant will take place in November this year. We chose India as suitable location for this plant, because we believe that the Indian government could exert pressure on the recycling economy,” Baumgartner said. “The government in India has recognized the problem of plastic waste worldwide and especially in their country and have created the appropriate conditions to counteract this. In some Indian states there is mandated government obligations that the equivalent amount of packaging material that any industry puts out in the market, must be recovered through collection companies.”
The EcoLam packaging solutions produced in Ahmedabad will support not only the Indian but also the global consumer industry to meet legal requirements for recyclable plastic. Because Constantia Ecoflex is designed after a Plug & Play concept, the plant can also be easily and quickly reproduced in any part of the world.
A glimpse into the future
“Constantia Ecolutions packaging solutions and the unique plant Ecoflex in Ahmedabad, are only the beginning of our measures for more sustainable packaging solutions. We have established collaborations with holistic partners from NGOS, to regulatory companies and waste companies to make our mission reality. The actions include the development of film and foil based packaging for the circular economy and we are focusing on recyclable and compostable products. The next big milestone will be the enhancing of EcoLam with the use of Post-Consumer-Recyclate which is already in the making. We are excited to be part of this world-changing journey and motivated to develop packaging solutions which preserve, protect, promote and present products – and make a contribution to a more sustainable future,” Baumgartner said.