Digitalisation supports sustainable packaging thanks to adding value without adding materials or considerable costs. That value takes many
forms, from marketing and consumer engagement to raising awareness of environmental issues. Digital tools that can bring benefits to global beverage brands include laser engraving and a gaming-style recycling app, with plastic packaging manufacturers able to integrate both relatively easily and cheaply.
Laser engraving is a design tool to add value to plastic packaging, with the infrared and UV laser capabilities bringing appealing consumer
engagement opportunities right at the start of the design process. The digitalisation element of laser engraving comes from its graphic design
foundation, whereby the right files mean clear designs can be engraved on closures.
Andzejus Buinovskis, design engineer at global packaging manufacturer RETAL, developed specific files that highlight the possibility of laser
engraving for integration in the company’s portfolio of HDPE closures, which are widely used by many of the world’s leading beverage brands.
Andzejus says, “I realised the potential for laser engraving on the underside of our closures when I was Retalsent files to create engraving on our closures, but the graphic files were not suited to laser engraving. The files were prepared by a professional graphic designer as they meant to be printed, but they would not translate well in laser engraving and would not have the desired result. I worked on solutions using one or two lasers and with ultraviolet, infrared or both technologies, with my knowledge of the capabilities of the machines married with
my design skills. For example, the laser doesn’t see shapes, but rather outlines; the laser beam follows the perimeter of the shape, so the design needs to be simplified in order to create a clear image. I worked with the creators of the machine to understand in depth what is and is not possible within its existing capabilities, like can we create an infilled area and can we engrave on light, dark and coloured closures.”
Read online on Sustainable Plastics
Implementing sustainable procurement practices across global plastic packaging manufacturer RETAL’s supply chain illustrates its on-going focus on implementing holistic and efficient CSR management following the ISO 26000 standard.
Sustainability Director Emmanuel Duffaut is actively ensuring RETAL engages with suppliers that also perform highly in their own CSR actions, in addition to the valued quality and food safety factors that are controlled by the company’s Quality Department.
Duffaut says, “It is crucial that we buy raw materials, good, and services in the lowest impact, most responsible manner possible and we must have a formalized and credible way to evaluate and report our suppliers’ CSR performance to meet our customers’ needs and protect their reputation. Along with our Procurement department, we are implementing a systematic, structured and standardized evaluation of our suppliers regarding CSR to ensure to our existing customers and potential customers that they work with a responsible company.”
RETAL provides to its suppliers subsidized licenses of the “7 Toolkit” that RETAL uses, which is based on the ISO 26000 standard, and was created by the CSR Company International Ltd, whose owner Martin Neureiter was the global chair for the ISO 26000 standard development.
With formalised CSR increasingly integrated across RETAL's global facilities, the company is delighted to reflect its multi-stakeholder appreciation for partnering with a responsible manufacturer that practices sustainable procurement.
Laser engraving brings new marketing opportunities for beverage brands, with RETAL collaborating with global customers to make easy to read and cheap to incorporate closure solutions.
By adding laser engraved images and codes to the underside of the HDPE closure, RETAL can provide a fresh new opportunity for customer engagement. Competitions, special offers and further information can all be shared, with QR codes, outlined pictures and sequential or random codes all able to be clearly engraved for carbonated and still beverages.
Thanks to infrared and UV laser engraving, RETAL can engrave on almost all colours, using one or both solutions. Andzejus Buinovskis, design engineer at the global plastic packaging manufacturer, says, “The potential for marketing is endless with laser engraving on closures. The machine can be set to engrave random codes, codes that relate to lotteries or prizes...we can even engrave an image of the prize itself! It's fantastic because of course there is a vastly reduced risk of the consumer checking to see if they've won a prize without buying the product, as can happen with on-label promotions for example.”
The engraved closure adds limited cost, the ultraviolet solution in particular as no additional additive is required to support the absorption of the laser beam. Buinosvskis says, “Laser engraving is a very effective marketing tool. If necessary, we can engrave with two lasers simultaneously in order to suit all colours of closures and, by working with our customers to create designs that are perfectly in tune with their current requirements, it adds a unique touchpoint for consumers.”
With all visits to the RETAL PA factory in Donora cancelled due to coronavirus, the team decided to make a virtual tour instead...bringing RETAL to the community.
HR Manager Elizabeth Giecek explains how the video is a great way to stay in touch with the people of Donora, especially because tours had been planned for high school students from Monessen High School, just across the river from RETAL PA. Elizabeth says, “It is really important for us to keep in contact with our community, now more than ever, as we can all feel isolated. We were looking forward to taking students from Monessen on a tour of our facility as we are always keen to engage with potential employees and show them the range of careers available at RETAL PA.”
Production Manager Matthew Durka takes us on a virtual factory tour of the plastic packaging producer's Donora plant, which employs 40 people across its 140,000 sq ft site, which opened in 2016 after taking over the Spartech Polycom location. His upbeat presentation and in-depth knowledge of the facility makes him the ideal host for the video, not least because he's worked at RETAL PA since it opened. Elizabeth adds, “We joke that Matt came with the building because he actually worked at Spartech Polycom for 14 years before we took over the space! We don't know what we'd do without him; he really knows his stuff and we're delighted that comes across in the video.”
Filmed at the start of the pandemic but before masks were obligatory, the tour shows how production continued even with reduced staff and social distancing rules. The friendly, informative video is being used to show potential customers the various technical capabilities at RETAL PA as well as being an excellent showcase for career opportunities for the local community.
Watch the video here on RETAL's YouTube channel.
Aerial images by RPA president Darius Janulionis thanks to RPA process engineer (and pilot!) Greg Murrer.
Laser engraving brings new marketing opportunities for beverage brands, with Retal collaborating with global customers to make easy to read and cheap to incorporate closure solutions.
By adding laser engraved images and codes to the underside of the HDPE closure, RETAL can provide a fresh new opportunity for customer engagement. Competitions, special offers and further information can all be shared, with QR codes, outlined pictures and sequential or random codes all able to be clearly engraved for carbonated and still beverages.
Thanks to infrared and UV laser engraving, RETAL can engrave on almost all colours, using one or both solutions. Andzejus Buinosvskis, design engineer at the global plastic packaging manufacturer, says, “The potential for marketing is endless with laser engraving on closures. The machine can be set to engrave random codes, codes that relate to lotteries or prizes...we can even engrave an image of the prize itself! It's fantastic because of course there is a vastly reduced risk of the consumer checking to see if they've won a prize without buying the product, as can happen with on-label promotions for example.”
The engraved closure adds limited cost, the ultraviolet solution in particular as no additional additive is required to support the absorption of the laser beam. Buinosvskis says, “Laser engraving is a very effective marketing tool. If necessary, we can engrave with two lasers simultaneously in order to suit all colours of closures and, by working with our customers to create designs that are perfectly in tune with their current requirements, it adds a unique touchpoint for consumers.”
With all visits to the RETAL PA factory in Donora cancelled due to coronavirus, the team decided to make a virtual tour instead…bringing RETAL to the community.
HR Manager Elizabeth Giecek explains how the video is a great way to stay in touch with the people of Donora, especially because tours had been planned for high school students from Monessen High School, just across the river from RETAL PA. Elizabeth says, “It is really important for us to keep in contact with our community, now more than ever, as we can all feel isolated. We were looking forward to taking students from Monessen on a tour of our facility as we are always keen to engage with potential employees and show them the range of careers available at RETAL.”
Production Manager Matthew Durka takes us on a virtual factory tour of the plastic packaging producer’s Donora plant, which employs 40 people across its 140,000 sq ft site, which opened in 2016 after taking over the Spartech Polycom location. His upbeat presentation and in-depth knowledge of the facility makes him the ideal host for the video, not least because he’s worked at RETAL PA since it opened. Elizabeth adds, “We joke that Matt came with the building because he actually worked at Spartech Polycom for 14 years before we took over the space! We don’t know what we’d do without him; he really knows his stuff and we’re delighted that comes across in the video.”
Filmed at the start of the pandemic but before masks were obligatory, the tour shows how production continued even with reduced staff and social distancing rules. The friendly, informative video is being used to show potential customers the various technical capabilities at RETAL PA as well as being an excellent showcase for career opportunities for the local community.
Watch the video here on RETAL’s YouTube channel.
Aerial images by RPA president Darius Janulionis thanks to RPA process engineer (and pilot!) Greg Murrer.
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Committing to a circular economy needs acceptance that our cumulative efforts will repay us ten-fold, rather than promoting it as 'someone should do something'. Design for Recycling is better for everyone. We can all do something. We live in a world with finite resources, but it's also a world where people are busy, want to eat conveniently on-the-go, to live in their own homes, and go on holiday. Design for Recycling (DfR) plays a crucial role in rounding the square that is environmental impact across all design and manufacturing.
The basic premise of DfR regarding packaging is that it is far better to design packaging that is easy to recycle with existing technologies after use, than to focus on creating ways to recycle complex packaging. Core elements include assessing how the different constituent polymer materials separate in the recycling process, and how additives, colourants and added material such as labels, closures and inks can hinder the recyclability of the final packaging.
By working with the guidelines offered by Plastics Recyclers Europe, the organisations that represents the €18bn plastic recycling sector, and its free online recyclability rating tool created by RecyClass, global plastic packaging manufacturer RETAL is proudly integrating DfR into its portfolio of preforms, closures and films.
Emmanuel Duffaut, RETAL's Sustainability Director says,“We actively promote RecyClass DfR principles and tools among our beverage and food brand customers to collaboratively assess and improve the recyclability of their packaging. In our recent customer survey, we were delighted to see that over 55% of customers wanted to further increase the recyclability of their preforms, caps and films and we're working together to make that happen in a cost-effective, practical way.”
By integrating DfR principles into its packaging KPIs alongside technical performance and cost efficiency, recyclability is at the start of the design process, supporting RETAL's circular economy approach and positively influencing the complete life cycle of its customers' products.
Doing more with less right from the start is the smart way to 'solve' the sustainability issue.
Renata Smataviciene, EU & US Quality Director at RETAL recently spoke with Packaging Europe about the effects the pandemic is having on her company.
What measures are you taking to ensure you meet the challenges presented by the pandemic?
We will continue with our coronavirus protocol for the foreseeable future to keep protecting our production staff and our business. Many non-production employees that previously worked in our plants have found it very positive and productive working from home, so we will keep discussing how we can harness that once the restrictions are lifted. It is crucial to keep our risk assessment and protocol up to date as the situation changes, for the support of our people and our business. We will also continue to stay in closer contact with our customers, as we've found that staying customer-orientated in response to quickly-changing demands has been really positive.
Read the interview online at Packaging Europe
The plastic packaging industry will, like every other industry, have a 'before coronavirus' and an 'after coronavirus'. Having been largely positioned as part of the essential food supply chain during the global pandemic, it will thankfully not have suffered the same dramatic financial impact as many other sectors, yet this does not mean that impact has not been felt.
Perhaps a silver lining that this unprecedented situation offers is an awareness that change across the plastic packaging sector can be implemented quickly than previously considered. Change that can deliver tangible advantages to manufacturers, consumers, and the environment. If the sector can grasp this opportunity and harness the potential to implement actions that can truly make a difference, it will be possible to rewrite some of the negative associations the industry has faced and take positives from this challenge.
It is evident that companies can move quickly. Quicker than they thought they could, certainly. Manufacturing can be modified without endless strategising, equipment can be used in different ways and, crucially, employees are delighted to be involved in harnessing their skills for impactful change. Marry this with the ongoing focus on increased sustainability in the plastic packaging sector and there is a harmonious relationship ready to blossom.
Until now, Design for Recycling (DfR) has been a relatively quiet voice in the plastic packaging industry, yet its pleasing tone has increased in volume as the need – and the market and regulatory demand – for more sustainable packaging continues, both Before Coronavirus and After Coronavirus. In plastic packaging, as in life, there are rarely only two options. Yes or no doesn’t come close to covering the nuanced options of better or worse, more effective or less effective, sustainable or unsustainable.
DfR is the smart approach to sustainable plastic packaging, as well as being a good idea for almost all manufacturing, as we live in a world with finite resources. The basic premise is that it is far better to design packaging that is easy to recycle with existing technologies after use than to focus on creating ways to recycle complex packaging. Core elements include assessing how the different constituent polymer materials separate in the recycling process, how additives and colourant but also added material such as labels, closures and inks can hinder the recyclability of the final packaging.
Committing to an eco-design strategy that starts at the very beginning is a very good place to start. Emmanuel Duffaut, Sustainability Director for global plastic packaging producer RETAL, agrees, “Recyclability has to be integrated in packaging KPIs alongside technical performance, costs efficiency, etc. By designing and producing more recyclable packaging, it is possible to positively influence the complete life cycle of a brand's products and boost its sustainability credentials. Reducing environmental impact and creating a circular economy is at the heart of design to recycle.”
The guidelines offered by Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE), the organisation that represents companies associated with plastic recycling, an €18bn sector that employs over 18,000 people in more than 500 companies, explains the DfR approach. With clear PET, coloured PET, and thermoformed trays among the packaging types discussed, PRE states how preforms, caps, and labels must be evaluated for their recyclability in presently-available recycling streams.
PRE also offers has a free online tool, created by RecyClass, to rate the recyclability of users' packaging from A-F, as well as giving advice on how to improve. Duffaut adds, “Here at RETAL we actively promote RecyClass DfR principles and tools among our beverage and food brand customers to collaboratively assess and improve the recyclability of their packaging. In our recent customer survey, we were delighted to see that over 55% of customers wanted to further increase the recyclability of their preforms, caps and films and we're working together to make that happen in a cost-effective, practical way.”
As this new world shows that change is possible and even welcomed, perhaps design for recycling is one of the heroes of this global crisis. Tweaks lead to innovation. By understanding - and experiencing - that it is inherently possible to do more with less, there are opportunities for improvement without difficulty and without unnecessary delays or complications. Design for Recycling is just design now.
Read online at Sustainable Plastics
Committing to a circular economy needs acceptance that our cumulative efforts will repay us ten-fold, rather than promoting it as 'someone should do something'.
Design for Recycling is better for everyone. We can all do something. We live in a world with finite resources, but it's also a world where people are busy, want to eat conveniently, to buy goods for their home, and enjoy their leisure time. Design for Recycling (DfR) plays a crucial role in rounding the square that is environmental impact across all design and manufacturing sectors.
The basic premise of DfR regarding packaging is that it is far better to design packaging that is easy to recycle with existing technologies after use, than to focus on creating ways to recycle complex packaging. Core elements include assessing how the different constituent polymer materials separate in the recycling process, and how additives, colourants and added material such as labels, closures and inks can hinder the recyclability of the final packaging.
By working with the guidelines offered by Plastics Recyclers Europe, the organisations that represents the €18bn plastic recycling sector, and its free online recyclability rating tool created by RecyClass, global plastic packaging manufacturer RETAL is proudly integrating DfR into its portfolio of preforms, closures and films.
Emmanuel Duffaut, RETAL's Sustainability Director says,“We actively promote RecyClass DfR principles and tools among our beverage and food brand customers to collaboratively assess and improve the recyclability of their packaging. In our recent customer survey, we were delighted to see that over 55% of customers wanted to further increase the recyclability of their preforms, caps and films and we're working together to make that happen in a cost-effective, practical way.”
By integrating DfR principles into its packaging KPIs alongside technical performance and cost efficiency, recyclability is at the start of the design process, supporting RETAL's circular economy approach and positively influencing the complete life cycle of its customers' products.
Doing more with less right from the start is the smart way to 'solve' the sustainability issue.