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.
This news on Manufacturing Today
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.
RETAL is delighted to be able to donate customised film and expertise to the innovative Robotikos Mokykla to help create over 70,000 masks for healthcare professionals on the frontline of the coronavirus.
RETAL Baltic General Manager Vikorija Jureviciute responded to an online shout-out from the non-profit organisation, which provides innovative technical education for children. “I saw an article where Robotikos described their need for films to create PPE masks for people in at-risk jobs during coronavirus in Lithuania. I knew we could help as we are film experts! I contacted them straight away to offer our films and design and production expertise. My team was so motivated to help, it has been a very positive experience.”
Robotikos has coordinated volunteers for cutting the masks with lasers as well as to provide safe collection and delivery to the ambulance workers and medical staff that need them. Viktorija and her team's quick response saw regular production of its PET and rPET films and preforms slightly delayed over one weekend while they tested various options to create the best possible film for the masks.
Viktorija adds, “More people than ever before are needing to use PPE masks; not only those in hospitals but increasingly those in production of essential food and beverages too. RETAL is delighted to be able to offer our skills and resources to this crucial protection of key workers, and I personally am grateful to Robotikos for managing this important project.”
While nobody predicted the global coronavirus pandemic, now it's here we can make sure to learn lessons that support and strengthen our businesses from now on. Part of the 'new normal' will be to ensure that heightened best practice is maintained across manufacturing, helping to protect our people and our profits.
Global plastic packaging solutions provider RETAL has cleverly adapted its cross-factory quality management protocol to allow all its 17 facilities to stay effective and operational throughout the crisis, with no known cases of coronavirus in its over-1500 employees.
Instigated by RETAL's European & US Quality Director Renata Smataviciene, the QM protocol document was already in place for RETAL's largest Lithuanian factory, offering a detailed risk management for the active promotion of a healthy and efficient workplace. Working in cooperation with general managers, Renata quickly adapted this risk management document for each of the RETAL factories, allowing the specific circumstances of the different factories to combine with the Quality Management Best Practice she created.
The protocol includes strict documentation, keeping shifts totally separate, implementation of extra hygiene practices, a dedicated isolation room at each factory, a plan for potential infection of an employee either while at work or at home, and guidance for staying connected to colleagues and the wider company using appropriate technology platforms.
Renata says, “It will be very important to agree on what did and did not work. We will be able to create a detailed document that delivers clear protocol on how we can handle such unusual circumstances so that what we have learned is not wasted. We will also discuss and plan for what happens when everything goes back to normal, which is not as easy as it sounds! By having crisis management protocol in place with each facility documenting their own experiences, we can transpose this to other situations if needed.”
Read the press release on Manufacturing Journal.
Read / download the press release in PDF
Retal increases their sustainability-focused films portfolio with the introduction of up-to 100& rPET films. These food-grade films are made from all colours and all kinds of PET scrap (post-consumer PET bottle, trays and industrial). Regional sales manager Violeta Petkeviciute says, “We’ve been producing up-to 80% rPET films for some time now, so it’s exciting to show how we’ve upped our sustainability credentials even more with our latest films development.” As well as the 100% rPET films, sealable and BioPET films are also in Retal’s portfolio.
“We’re Mediterranean. I miss being able to be physically close to my team!”
For Ester Maso, general manager of Retal Iberia, a manufacturer of PET preforms and containers, caps and films, social distancing caused by the coronavirus outbreak has lost her that important physical connection with her colleagues.
She is thankful, however, that there is “a big window between the main office and production area, so the team can talk on the phone and wave to each other while they chat”. For businesses like Retal Iberia, which are reliant on in-person water cooler communication and brainstorming, finding new ways of working within or away from the office has been imperative.
“We are all in different circumstances with our families, maybe with young children or older relatives to care for, so we are making sure to stay connected through text messaging with production staff as they do not always have access to email or our intranet,” said Maso. “I’m very proud of how our team has pulled together.”
Plastics packaging manufacturers have gone from being defensive to essential businesses in a matter of weeks, as the food and beverage supply-chain is doing its bit to keep people fed and watered.
When it comes to the production staff, Retal EU & US quality director Renata Smataviciene explained how the company quickly implemented additional best practice protocol across its ten production plants in the region, taking the lead from its Italian plant, which is located just north of Venice.
Smataviciene said: “As a manufacturer of preforms for the food and beverage sectors worldwide, we already worked to strict health and safety standards for food contact, so we have implemented additional rules for disinfection every two hours and between each shift, separating production workers into up to five shift teams in each location with no contact between shifts, and are maintaining separate coffee and canteen areas for each shift. We have also created a strict plan of action for if a production worker gets sick and we’re taking temperatures before every shift.”
It may be a while yet before Maso can regain that physical proximity to her colleagues that she longs for, but companies are finding new and imaginative ways to do business, both internally and externally with clients and suppliers.
Read the article in Plastics in Packaging
Read / download the article in PDF
RETAL is delighted to be able to donate customised film and expertise to the innovative Robotikos Mokykla to help create over 70,000 masks for healthcare professionals on the frontline of the coronavirus.
RETAL Baltic General Manager Vikorija Jureviciute responded to an online shout-out from the non-profit organisation, which provides innovative technical education for children. “I saw an article where Robotikos described their need for films to create PPE masks for people in at-risk jobs during coronavirus in Lithuania. I knew we could help as we are film experts! I contacted them straight away to offer our films and design and production expertise. My team was so motivated to help, it has been a very positive experience.”
Robotikos has coordinated volunteers for cutting the masks with lasers as well as to provide safe collection and delivery to the ambulance workers and medical staff that need them. Viktorija and her team's quick response saw regular production of its PET and rPET films and preforms slightly delayed over one weekend while they tested various options to create the best possible film for the masks.
Viktorija adds, “More people than ever before are needing to use PPE masks; not only those in hospitals but increasingly those in production of essential food and beverages too. RETAL is delighted to be able to offer our skills and resources to this crucial protection of key workers, and I personally am grateful to Robotikos for managing this important project.”