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  • Sonoco awarded Supply Chain Solution of the Year

    Sonoco awarded Supply Chain Solution of the Year

    Sonoco is pleased to announce that it received the Supply Chain Solution of the Year Award at the prestigious UK Packaging Awards.

    The awards, which took place on the 19th of October 2022, recognised the success of the newly sized Bisto Gravy paperboard drum solution, helping Premier Foods to lower its brand’s environmental impact by reducing the height of the drum, which was launched in the UK market last year.

    Bisto Gravy paperboard drums, produced by Sonoco, are made from recycled paper fibre, and include a paperboard end. All inks and adhesives are water-based, and all materials used in the packaging are easily separable within the recycling process. This makes the packaging solution highly recyclable.

    The drums give consumers 20g more gravy granules (approximately six more portions per tub) than the previous ones, for the exact same price per gram as previously, all while being presented in packaging that uses fewer resources to reduce its environmental footprint.

    Commenting on the award-win, Kieren France, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Sonoco Consumer Products Europe, says: “We’re thrilled to have won this distinguished award and we are honoured to be recognised for our joint efforts together with our customer Premier Foods in making supply chains more sustainable.

    “The Bisto paperboard drum is not only made from sustainable materials and is fully recyclable, it also uses less packaging while achieving a higher product fill amount.”

    Philip Chadwick, Editor of Packaging News, adds: “The standard of entries this year was higher than ever, so the ultimate winners really outdid themselves. The judges were impressed with Sonoco’s dedication and commitment to creating a packaging solution that reduced the materials used. They also felt that Sonoco has unlocked and enhanced supply chain efficiency. A worthy winner against some very strong competition.”

    The UK requires packaging to be made of at least 85% paperboard* in order for it to be accepted in the paper waste stream. Bisto Gravy drums exceed that requirement because they are made of 95% paperboard, allowing shoppers to dispose of all empty Bisto caddies via UK-wide kerbside recycling collections.

    Hosted by Packaging News, the UK Packaging Awards takes place each year at a glamorous ceremony in Central London. This year, the event took place at the Grosvenor House London hotel.

    *The U.K. currently requires at least 85% paperboard to accept packaging in the paper waste stream, with a plan to increase to 90% required by 2023. This paper-based packaging format exceeds that requirement as it is made of 95% paperboard.

    Read the Sonoco & Bisto Success Story.

    “The standard of entries this year was higher than ever, so the ultimate winners really outdid themselves. The judges were impressed with Sonoco’s dedication and commitment to creating a packaging solution that reduced the materials used. They also felt that Sonoco has unlocked and enhanced supply chain efficiency. A worthy winner against some very strong competition.”

    Philip Chadwick Editor, Packaging News

    Get your copy of the case study here

    DOWNLOAD

    drumbeat

    October 27, 2022
    Award Winning Sustainable Packaging, Resource Download
    Company News, Sustainability
  • Sonoco to showcase the latest developments at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2022

    Sonoco to showcase the latest developments at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2022

    Sonoco’s rigid paper containers are used to package some of the world’s most iconic food brands. Many of its most recent innovations will be on display in Birmingham later this month.

    Chesterfield, UK – At Packaging Innovations & Empack, Birmingham, 25 & 26 May 2022, Sonoco will present the latest developments for its popular rigid paper board packaging solutions.

    Sonoco’s rigid paper containers (part of its wider EnviroSense™ range) has a paperboard end made with recycled and recyclable paper fibres. The can body is made with recycled fibre, and features a highly effective oxygen and moisture barrier layer, which assures food safety and preserves shelf-life, while ensuring that recycling is straight-forward through the household paper and cardboard stream.

    The design of Sonoco’s paper container allows brands to address the ongoing challenge of balancing responsible materials sourcing and recyclability with product and food safety – all while enhancing shelf-life performance.
    The wide variety of closures available for this range – including paper lids and sprinkler options – will also be showcased on the Sonoco stand.

    Sonoco’s GREENCAN® solution, a recyclable package made of 92-98% paperboard, with a wide range of barrier properties, will also feature on Sonoco’s stand. Available in multiple shapes and sizes – from round, square or rectangular; to oval, oblong or triangular, it is the ultimate ‘all-paper’ can, providing a highly recyclable, mono-material packaging solution, with robust barrier properties.

    Both ranges are suitable for the food and drink, beauty and pharma markets, and are already used by some of the most iconic global brands.
     
    About Sonoco

    Founded in 1899, Sonoco (NYSE: SON) is a global provider of consumer, industrial, healthcare and protective packaging. With annualized net sales of approximately $5.5 billion, the Company has 19,000 employees working in approximately 300 operations in 34 countries, serving some of the world’s best-known brands in some 85 nations. Sonoco is committed to creating sustainable products, services and programs for our customers, employees and communities that support our corporate purpose of Better Packaging. Better Life. The Company was listed as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 2021 as well as being included in Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies for the third consecutive year. For more information, visit www.sonoco.com.


    Contact

    Sonoco Consumer Products Europe

    [email protected]
    +44 7827 910382
    [email protected]
    www.sonocoeurope.com

    “We’re delighted to exhibit at the Packaging Innovations event this year with our rigid paper container solutions. We all have a part to play in making more sustainable choices, and our fibre-based containers are helping consumers to do just that. Fully recyclable and responsibly sourced, they also offer exceptional performance when it comes to product protection and preservation.”

    Francesco Giannolo Division Vice President and General Manager at Sonoco Consumer Products Europe

    Sonoco logo

    drumbeat

    May 20, 2022
    News
    Company News
  • Sonoco Europe to present new and unique sustainable packaging solutions at NatExpo 2021

    Sonoco Europe to present new and unique sustainable packaging solutions at NatExpo 2021

    Sonoco will be showcasing the practicality and environmental benefits of its new EnviroStick™ for the beauty market and its Greencan® solution at the event.

    Hartsville, S.C., U.S. Partnering with Vegeplast, a French company specialising in bio-sourced and biodegradable products, Sonoco is to demonstrate the capabilities of its Vegetop® sprinkler at NatExpo 2021 (Paris, 24-26 October – stand M68). Sonoco will also be showcasing the practicality and environmental benefits of its new EnviroStick™ for the beauty market and its Greencan® solution at the event.

    “We’re very much looking forward to exhibiting at NatExpo 2021,” says Philippe Creux, Sales Director South West Europe at Sonoco Consumer Products Europe. “It’s great that events are getting back to normal again, and we can think of no better place to present our sustainable consumer packaging products to the French market.”

    “Sonoco understands how vitally important it is to continue to reduce the environmental impact packaging has on the planet,” continues Philippe. “The latest innovation in this continual process is Vegetop – suitable for dietary supplements and for food. It is a rigid paperboard container with a compostable shaker top sprinkler lid made from Vegemat, is 100% biobased, biodegradable and fully compostable material. 

    “We’re delighted to be partnering with Vegeplast to provide our customers with a highly functional, fully biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics.”

    Sonoco will also be showcasing its brand-new beauty product solution, EnviroStick™. A 3-piece push-up bottom tube made from recycled fibre, EnviroStick has flexibility in label design for the outer and inner packaging. Philippe continues: “the European cosmetics and personal care market is the largest market for cosmetic products in the world and we understand the significant need for companies in this sector to provide consumers with the most sustainable solutions.”

    Sonoco’s Greencan packaging solution makes up the final part of its NatExpo 2021 line-up. A key part of its EnviroSense®  family, Sonoco’s Greencan utilises recycled fibre and can be tailored to product and supply chain needs across a broad variety of markets. This recyclable, high performance all-paper package can be made round, square, rectangular, oval, oblong, triangular or any other specific shapes, to accommodate a wide variety of products and brands.

    “All our products are manufactured with both the customer and the planet in mind,” says Philippe. “We invite all consumer product manufacturers to visit our stand at NatExpo 2021 to discover the true future of sustainable packaging.”

    drumbeat

    October 20, 2021
    Case Study, News
    Company News, Customer Solutions, Rigid Paper Containers, Sustainability
  • pladis further boosts sustainability credentials through Sonoco’s fully recyclable paper can

    pladis further boosts sustainability credentials through Sonoco’s fully recyclable paper can

    The leading global snack manufacturer is taking full advantage of Sonoco’s paper can range for its Mini Cheddars, Cheeselets, Cracker Crisps and Twiglets products.

    pladis, the global snack company behind some of the UK’s most loved and iconic brands, has been on a mission to substantially reduce its environmental impact by updating the packaging of various products to more ecological alternatives. This is part of the company’s sustainability agenda, which reflects its commitment to making all its packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. Most recently, pladis has made steps forward to move toward more paper-based solutions – its Mini Cheddars and Cheeselets ranges now use Sonoco’s paper can with paperboard end. Cracker Crisps and Mini Twiglets are also set to use Sonoco’s paper can later this year.

    “We are using this new, innovative product from Sonoco for the summer launch of our Mini Cheddars and Cheeselets caddies, helping our customers to tap into the ‘big summer nights in’ from the comfort of their own homes. In September, we’ll be utilising Sonoco’s paper can for our customer’s favourite festive caddies, which include Mini Cheddars, Treeslets and Twiglets,” says Christopher Owen, Marketing Controller at pladis UK&I.

    “We feel these occasions present the perfect opportunity to utilise Sonoco’s paper can with paperboard end. The container is made with recycled, recyclable and renewable paper fibres — making it a responsible choice from the beginning to the end of its lifecycle – perfect for what we’re looking to achieve as a brand, and it helps consumers make a more sustainable snack selection.”

    Owen concludes, “Moving to Sonoco’s paper can solution is part of our wider mission to make our packaging easier to recycle. This is integral to our sustainability agenda, which illustrates our commitment to making our packaging more sustainable and is one of many great strides we’ve made in this area already.”

    Philip Brown, UK Sales Manager at Sonoco Consumer Products Europe says, “We’ve been working with pladis for 13 years now, and we’re immensely proud to have provided them with various innovative packaging solutions for their immensely popular snack ranges.

    “We’re delighted that Sonoco’s paper can with paperboard end, part of our EnviroSense™ product range, is helping pladis on their journey to make its packaging easier to recycle and fulfil the requirements of its sustainability agenda. We’re looking forward to helping them with their other ranges in the future.”

    About pladis

    pladis is one of the world’s leading snacking companies and home to beloved brands including McVitie’s and Ulker. pladis is also proud to distribute a range of GODIVA chocolates exclusively for consumer-packaged goods channels around the world. pladis owns regional brands such as Jacob’s, go ahead!, Carr’s, Flipz, BN, Verkade and many more, delighting consumers with products across the snacking category including sweet and savoury biscuits, wafer, cake, chocolate, gum and candy. Formed in 2016 with a promise to bring happiness to the world with every bite, pladis is the proud steward of more than 300 years’ baking and confectionery heritage. The expertise of its more than 16,000-strong global workforce spans 25 factories in 11 countries. As a responsible business, delivering the highest quality products and exceptional service, pladis’ products are distributed to reach potentially 4 billion people across the world. All pladis’ plastic wrappers in the UK & Ireland can be recycled through its partnership with TerraCycle. Consumers can find their nearest drop-off point at TerraCycle.co.uk. For more information, visit www.pladisglobal.com.


    Contact

    Richmond & Towers: Dani Cooper / Laura Martin

    [email protected]
    020 7388 7421

    “Sonoco’s Paper Can with paperboard end meets the recycling requirements of the UK, which is great for our brand and the consumer, who can have peace of mind when disposing of the packaging in household waste recycling bins.”

    Christopher Owen Marketing Controller, Pladis UK&I

    Innovative, versatile and truly sustainable.
    Explore our next generation packaging solutions:

    Paperboard containers

    Personality, performance and protection while supporting your sustainability goals. Sonoco is committed to producing truly sustainable and more versatile packaging solutions for our customers.

    LEARN MORE
    Packaging

    EcoSeal™

    Introducing Sonoco’s paper-bottom can, the newest member of our family of sustainable packaging. EcoSeal™ is our transformation of the standard rigid paper container with a metal base to provide the next generation pack with recyclability within the waste stream and improved ecological footprint.

    LEARN MORE

    drumbeat

    July 29, 2021
    Case Study, News
    Company News, Customer Solutions, Rigid Paper Containers, Sustainability
  • Sonoco gears up for summer rollout of recyclable Sonopost® technology in Europe

    Sonoco gears up for summer rollout of recyclable Sonopost® technology in Europe

    Sonoco Protective Solutions, a division of global packaging and sustainability leader Sonoco (NYSE: SON), today announced the expansion of its proprietary Sonopost® packaging technology into Europe. Utilizing current manufacturing infrastructure, strategically located to support this growing opportunity, Sonoco Protective Solutions will expand with a new Sonopost manufacturing operation in Sochaczew, Poland this summer.

    The Sonopost manufacturing platform uses corner posts made from 100% recycled paperboard to provide a more sustainable packaging solution for large appliances, HVAC units and similar products requiring superior unit protection and exceptional stacking capability. After use, the 100% recyclable corner posts can be bailed with existing paper scrap and recycled in the paper stream, allowing manufacturers to reduce or completely eliminate their plastic packaging waste.

    “European manufacturing and retailers are aggressively looking for proven solutions to address mandates related to sustainability,” said Adam Wood, Vice President and General Manager Paper/Industrial Converted Products Europe.  “With industry leading Sonopost technology, we have the privilege of helping European manufacturers make significant progress toward their sustainability goals.”

    Long, hollow tubes of solid paperboard shaped into special profiles to hug corners and protect edges, Sonopost corner posts offer industry leading stacking strength, dynamic crush-resistance, and superior unit protection. Acting as an internal skeleton, the technology allows manufacturers to confidently package and stack their products without the burden of plastic-based packaging materials. The corner posts also serve as an external skeleton, bracing and supporting bulk loads and securing them into tight units.

    According to Wood, the new Sonopost plant in Poland will open its doors in the July-August timeframe. More information regarding the plant opening will be available in the coming months.

    About Sonoco

    Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a global provider of consumer, industrial, healthcare and protective packaging. With annualized net sales of approximately $5.2 billion, the Company has 20,000 employees working in more than 300 operations in 34 countries serving some of the world’s best-known brands in some 85 nations. Sonoco is committed to creating sustainable products, services and programs for our customers, employees and communities that support our corporate purpose of Better Packaging. Better Life. The Company was listed as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2021 as well as being included in Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies for the third year in a row.


    Contact

    Roger Schrum – Sonoco Consumer Products Europe

    [email protected]
    843-339-6018

    “We believe we have a responsibility to continue developing more sustainable packaging solutions to help protect and preserve our planet for future generations,” said Wood. “Sonopost technology is an ideal solution for protecting large appliances against the rigors of new and existing distribution channels, from a global packaging company with a deep history in recycling and sustainability.”

    Adam Wood Vice President and General Manager Paper/Industrial Converted Products Europe

    Sonoco logo

    There’s no cutting corners when it comes to protecting your products.

    It’s true. . .paper can hold thousands of pounds. Sonoco’s proprietary Sonopost® are made from 100% recycled paper and can be custom designed to fit your needs.

    Learn More

    drumbeat

    June 30, 2021
    News
    Alcore, Company News
  • Sonoco Consumer Products Europe signs agreement with ACE UK

    Sonoco Consumer Products Europe signs agreement with ACE UK

    To launch UK-wide paper container recycling – Pringles tubes now included in Bring Bank scheme.

    The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK) and Sonoco Europe have signed an agreement which provides a UK-wide recycling solution for paper containers with metal ends, through ACE UK’s Bring Bank collection scheme.

    Consumers will now be able to recycle their paper containers, including Pringles tubes, alongside food and drink cartons at 334 recycling points throughout the UK. With 26% coverage located in 100 local authorities across the UK, the Bring Bank scheme offers consumers a simple and effective way to recycle used paper container products. Bring Banks are the large bins at recycling points found in locations such as supermarkets and retail centre car parks, household recycling centres and other public locations. Consumers can find the locations of the Bring Banks using this interactive map: www.ace-uk.co.uk/recycling.

    Helen Potter, sustainability commercial lead for Kellogg’s owned Pringles says: “We know that people want to recycle their Pringles tubes. Including a solution for Pringles in the Bring Banks scheme will allow our consumers to return them to be recycled into something new and is an important interim solution as we work towards the development of our new tube. At Kellogg, we’re committed to making all of our packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable by the end of 2025. This is another important step on this journey.”

    Material collected from the Bring Banks is sent to ACE UK’s Stainland recycling facility in West Yorkshire, which is run by Sonoco Alcore. Fibre from the recycled cartons is fed directly into Sonoco Alcore’s paper mill on the same site, to be turned into industrial coreboard.

    Commenting on the agreement, Richard Hands, CEO of ACE UK said: “ACE UK has been successfully running the industry’s recycling programme for the last 15 years, driving significant increases in carton recycling as part of its role as the UK’s food and drink carton industry trade body. We have worked closely with local authorities and waste management companies so that today 93% of local authorities collect food and drink cartons for recycling through either Bring Banks or kerbside collection. Whilst our primary focus remains on increasing carton recycling, our Bring Bank network and the expertise and experience we have developed will deliver an immediate solution for Sonoco Europe’s paper containers with metal ends, helping to create a step change in recycling for these products.”
     
    About ACE UK

    The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK provides a platform for the industry to profile and benchmark cartons as a renewable, recyclable and low-carbon packaging choice, and to drive its environmental initiatives. This includes running the industry’s carton recycling programme.

    ACE UK represents Elopak, SIG Combibloc and Tetra Pak, the leading manufacturers of beverage cartons for the UK market. It is also supported by BillerudKorsnäs and Stora Enso, which produce about 98% of the paperboard used by ACE UK members in beverage cartons in Europe.

    For more information contact:
    [email protected]
    +44 1869 353804
    www.ace-uk.co.uk
     
    About Sonoco Europe
    At roughly 70 operations across Europe, Sonoco provides customers with a wide range of consumer and industrial packaging solutions. Consumer goods packaging solutions include cardboard cans, drums, and luxury tubes (also called rigid paper containers) with a variety of closures; plastic packaging; packaging services; and graphics management. Sonoco’s industrial division produces a portfolio of cores, tubes, and spools made from highly engineered paperboard or plastic for use with paper, textiles and specialty films. The Sonoco Thermosafe unit offers customers temperature assurance packaging solutions for the transport of temperature-sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals and other biologics. Utilizing a range of packaging materials, technical disciplines, material science and manufacturing capabilities, Sonoco takes a holistic approach to providing customized solutions that meet customers’ unique needs.


    Contact

    Sonoco Consumer Products Europe

    [email protected]
    +44 7827 910382
    [email protected]

    “Consumers are increasingly aware of the need for more sustainable choices, which is the drive for many brands and retailers to increase the recyclability of their packaging. This two-year agreement with the food and drink carton experts from ACE UK, reflects our global initiative to commit to a continuous improvement on sustainability. We are constantly striving to enhance our capabilities in paper-based packaging with the required functional barrier properties to help extend the shelf life, whilst providing our customers in Europe with a recycling solution they can have full confidence in.”

    Peter Görlitz Sustainability Manager at Sonoco Consumer Products Europe

    Sonoco logo

    drumbeat

    March 22, 2021
    News
    Company News
  • Starting a new role during a pandemic: Interview with Joe Curtis

    Starting a new role during a pandemic: Interview with Joe Curtis

    Working life changed drastically when the COVID-19 pandemic hit early last year, and for many, it’s been a tough ride to adjust overnight.

    We caught up with Joe Curtis, Process & Continuous Improvement Engineer at Sonoco Consumer Products Europe, to hear how he has coped with the challenges of moving to a new house and starting a new role during a pandemic.
     
    Joe joined us at our Chesterfield office in August 2020. He moved from Hull after graduating with BEng Chemical Engineering with first class honours (congrats Joe!).

    How did you come to this job during the pandemic, and how are you finding it?

    I, like many people during the pandemic, was unemployed and frustrated. At the beginning of August 2020, I received an interview invitation for a temporary 3-month contract as a graduate Process Engineer, I was ecstatic. I signed a house contract the day after accepting the role and moved to Chesterfield on Saturday and started my new position on Monday. ⁠

    I have worked a few different jobs during my life and starting somewhere new is never easy; but nothing was quite as strange as starting somewhere that must operate during a pandemic. It was odd having to check how many people were in a room before entering and wearing a mask everywhere. Furthermore, the hand washing/sanitising routines were not something I was used to pre-pandemic. With all this said though I am very glad that Sonoco has taken COVID-19 restrictions so seriously and has been actively working to keep everyone safe.

    What challenges have you come across during the pandemic, and how did you adapt to them?

    It wasn’t all smooth sailing, especially with the quick move, but the Chesterfield team immediately made me feel welcome, even with the tough pandemic related restrictions. Having worked in a few different manufacturing environments I was pleasantly surprised at strong safety culture on the site.

    What surprised you within the first 30 days about your new role, and working for Sonoco?

    From the very first day I was given the chance to start on real projects to improve the plant, and immediately started learning, whilst shadowing experienced engineers working on the machinery around the plant. Meanwhile, in the office the European Director of Operations was assisting me in my projects and offered valuable insights into continuous improvement. My role is so incredibly varied, which is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much.

    What learning opportunities have you had since you joined Sonoco?

    Possibly the largest learning opportunity came just after being offered a full-time permanent role in November. I was placed on a lean six sigma training course provided via Sonoco through e-learning and given a major project on one of the main production lines on site. I am just about to start the E-Learning lectures for this and I’m looking forward to earning my qualification!

    What aspects of your role are exciting to you?

    Since starting here, I have created new standards for maintenance, machine setting and processes, in addition to chairing the daily direction setting meeting to discuss important plant tasks. There has not been a single day that hasn’t been challenging or rewarding and I have thoroughly enjoyed putting my engineering degree to good use. I particularly enjoy designing and creating new methods to set machines so that they work consistently and reliably. The excitement of being the first person to make an easy and effective way of doing something which people find useful is something that really motivates me.

    What do you see as the future for your role?

    There are also lots of exciting future projects to get involved with, for example, I am currently involved in early discussions of using 3D-printing technology to assist with prototyping engineering parts.

    I look forward to developing further at Sonoco and can’t wait to see where this takes me or what I will end up working on as products change and our factory expands to more production lines.


    Contact

    Sonoco Consumer Products Europe

    [email protected]

    drumbeat

    February 25, 2021
    News
    Blog, Company News, Consumer Packaging
  • Designed to Appeal: Sonoco at the FachPack 2019

    Designed to Appeal: Sonoco at the FachPack 2019

    Safe, convenient and sustainable: the demands on modern consumer packaging are diverse and can vary greatly from product to product.

    But no matter which product it is, one thing is certain: the packaging plays a key role in consumers’ purchasing decisions. Above all, it needs to perfectly match consumers’ lifestyles – which are increasingly flexible and environmentally conscious. At this year’s FachPack in Nuremberg, Sonoco Europe will demonstrate that excellent branding, high convenience and sustainability can very well go hand in hand.

    At booth 5-319, hall 5, visitors will be able to see for themselves how it’s done: from all-around-decorated cardboard cans to individually shaped IML containers – Sonoco Europe offers individual packaging designed for individuals.

    Cardboard ends for increased recyclability

    Sonoco’s giveaway, which was specially manufactured for the FachPack, is a small snack can filled with freeze-dried fruit. It showcases how modern packaging solutions combine high sustainability with appealing design elements and convenience by featuring both a cardboard end and a digitally printed label. Digital printing offers an alternative to larger scale flexographic or gravure printing: since it doesn’t require the manufacturing of print cylinders or sleeves, it represents a flexible and cost-efficient way to quickly print smaller, yet high-quality batches of labels, which are ideal e.g. for seasonal or promotional products.

    “It’s a great example of how you can further improve an already very sustainable packaging by changing or adding additional features like a paper bottom”, Cairns explains. “At Sonoco we prefer to see sustainability as a multifaceted concept rather than focusing on only one single aspect, such as recyclability. Of course, recyclability is an important component – but certainly not the only one that determines the sustainability of packaging.” An in-depth Piqet (Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool) analysis, which is displayed at the Sonoco booth, will therefore invite visitors to discuss and also compare different packaging solutions with regard to six different evaluation criteria, including CO2 emissions, energy consumption, and recyclability. With the help of Piqet spider graphs, developers can compare e.g. Sonoco’s cardboard cans with alternative packaging solutions, identify advantages, and discuss how to further improve sustainability.

    “For instance, if you’re searching for a packaging for a less delicate product like sweets or cereal, you can choose a non-aluminium lining and a cardboard bottom for your cardboard can”, said Cairns. The cardboard bottom is manufactured in the new DRECE (Deep Recessed Exposed Cut Edge) design. DRECE ends as well as Sonoco’s EcoSeal end are currently being tested by several Sonoco customers who are considering replacing their standard tin ends with cardboard.” For sensible products such as coffee or infant formula, Sonoco offers alternative solutions to aluminium linings such SiOx (silicone oxide) barriers. “We are working around the clock on sustainable options and testing new materials”, explains Cairns, “I am also proud to say that our In-Mould-Labelling (IML) solutions currently already achieve recyclability rates of up to 98 percent.”

    Design and convenience are what win over consumers

    The design of Sonoco’s FachPack booth is intended to highlight packaging solutions like the giveaway snack can. Consisting of a kitchen, a living room and a supermarket, it displays Sonoco’s cardboard and IML solutions in the settings where they win over consumers with their outstanding design and convenience features. IML solutions for yoghurt products, for example, provide visitors with a clear view of their contents, and can be found in the kitchen area. Snack cans demonstrate their reclosability and are waiting on the living room coffee table. Another type of innovative product on display: cardboard cans for spices and spice mixtures from the start-up justspices, which will feature prominently in the supermarket area of the booth. Other brands showcased include mymuesli, Emmi and Rügenwalder.

    About Sonoco Europe

    At roughly 70 operations across Europe, Sonoco provides customers with a wide range of consumer and industrial packaging solutions. Consumer goods packaging solutions include cardboard cans, drums, and luxury tubes (also called rigid paper containers) with a variety of closures; plastic packaging; packaging services; and graphics management. Sonoco’s industrial division produces a portfolio of cores, tubes, and spools made from highly engineered paperboard or plastic for use with paper, textiles and specialty films. The Sonoco Thermosafe unit offers customers temperature assurance packaging solutions for the transport of temperature-sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals and other biologics. Utilizing a range of packaging materials, technical disciplines, material science and manufacturing capabilities, Sonoco takes a holistic approach to providing customized solutions that meet customers’ unique needs. To learn more, visit www.sonocoeurope.com.

    About Sonoco

    Founded in 1899, Hartsville, South Carolina-based Sonoco is a global provider of a variety of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, and displays and packaging supply chain services. With annualized net sales of $4.8 billion, the Company has 20,000 employees working in more than 300 operations in 33 countries, serving some of the world’s best known brands in some 85 nations. For more information on the Company, visit sonoco.com.


    Contact

    Sonoco Consumer Products Europe

    [email protected]

    “We’re looking forward to FachPack because it will give us the opportunity to present our latest developments to a broad audience of packaging and industry experts, while at the same time discussing important trends for the future.

    Not surprisingly, sustainability will continue to play a central role this year. Although our packaging solutions are already among the most sustainable in their segment, we’ll proudly present further improvements and innovations in Nuremberg.“

    Séan Cairns Vice President & GM, Sonoco Consumer Products

    Sonoco logo

    drumbeat

    November 6, 2020
    News
    Company News, Consumer Packaging
  • Meet sustainability manager Peter Görlitz

    Meet sustainability manager Peter Görlitz

    Peter Görlitz joined Sonoco CPE in 2019 as sustainability manager.

    He is passionate about the “bigger picture” and implements new processes and guidelines at Sonoco that will guide us on our sustainability journey. We sat down with him to learn more about his career path, his interests and how the sustainability trend is changing the market.

    What are your duties as a sustainability manager?

    The idea of sustainability focuses on the ecological, social and economic aspects of any given issue and seeks to find a balance between these three perspectives. As a sustainability manager, it is my responsibility to advise the company in several areas and according to these principles. Together with my colleagues, I decide on suitable measures and work to find sustainable long-term solutions.

    My goal is to share my knowledge about sustainability so that ideally all Sonoco employees have a common understanding on that topic. My role is to provide the company with sound advice on the direction for its sustainability journey, so that every employee knows what steps to take next. I also act as an interface for customers and other stakeholders who are equally concerned about sustainability and want to align their ideas with ours.

    What is your academic/professional background and how did you become a sustainability manager?

    There are a lot of ways to enter the field of sustainability. I myself have a background in the natural sciences, having studied Geo-Ecology and International Management of Resources and the Environment. This background allows me to assess the sustainability aspects of different issues very well. On the one hand, I can assess the impact of a product or measure on the environment in both short and long term. On the other, thanks to what I learned from my management studies, I have a thorough understanding of the various social and economic processes within a big organisation like Sonoco. My first job in the field of sustainability was in the automotive industry. The focus there was primarily on improving development and production processes. At Sonoco, my focus is mainly on the product itself. I try to find answers to questions like: What do we have to do to offer more sustainable packaging? And what is the definition of sustainable packaging in the first place? Anyone who wants to be involved in sustainability management should be curious about the bigger picture, so to speak. Sustainability is based on the idea of balance and preservation, while taking into account environmental, social and economic aspects. As a sustainability manager, I’m confronted with a number of new topics daily, so I have to familiarise myself with them quickly. I also enjoy working with people, and in conversations, I often find myself in the role of the mediator.

    Why did you decide to become a sustainability manager?

    As a child, my love for nature and the world at large was sparked by taking regular hikes. That’s something I’ve been able to keep as an adult, and now I would like to do my part, so that all children and adults can discover that beauty for themselves. I am interested in economic issues and I like dealing with people. Working as a sustainability manager involves all those interests.

    What do like most about your job?

    When I start working on a new issue, at first I often don’t know how to solve it. It’s only by collaborating with my colleagues that I can deliver a suitable solution that provides sustainable outcomes for the company and all its employees. I learn something new from them every day, so it never gets boring.

    What topics are you currently working on?

    An attitude change is taking place in the market right now, and the topic of recyclable packaging is becoming more and more important. Many companies are defining new standards for themselves in response to this change. In this context, it is my job to review these standards in close collaboration with experts, and to provide guidelines for my internal and external colleagues. My focus area is Europe. I’m also overseeing both smaller and larger projects in which we’re testing the recyclability of our products at sorting and recycling plants. My participation as Sonoco’s representative at associations in the packaging and recycling industry is an important point on my agenda, too. We jointly define new standards and guidelines for recycling in order to promote a circular economy and a more sustainable use of resources.

    drumbeat

    November 6, 2020
    News
    Blog, Company News, Sustainability
  • Plastic Packaging by Sonoco: Simply Sustainable

    Plastic Packaging by Sonoco: Simply Sustainable

    The sustainability and recyclability of their solutions is a key issue for the packaging experts at Sonoco Consumer Products Europe.

    Hockenheim, 12.11.2018 – The sustainability and recyclability of their solutions is a key issue for the packaging experts at Sonoco Consumer Products Europe. Advanced In-Mould-Labelling (IML) technology and a focus on mono-material enable them to produce plastic packaging solutions that are almost completely recyclable. The cyclos-HTP institute for recycling and product responsibility recently tested Sonoco’s polypropylene (PP) packagings that are currently being used on the market by several clients. What it found: the Sonoco packaging solutions offer an extraordinarily high recyclability of close to 100 percent.

    Cyclos-HTP, based in Aachen, was founded in 2014 with the self-proclaimed goal of classifying, surveying and testing the recycling capabilities of packaging and other goods. The institute analyses a given packaging’s materials and assesses how it is actually recycled in the industrial-scale recycling streams established in Germany and other European countries. To this end, cyclos-HTP runs the packaging solutions through real sorting systems, a testing concept that piqued Sonoco’s interest. “When we design new packaging solutions, we consider three main aspects: Does the new solution safely protect sensitive goods? Does it fit in with and simplify consumers’ everyday lives? But equally important: How can we make the packaging as sustainable as possible by using recyclable materials?” says Andreas Rothschink, Sales Director Sonoco Europe. “For our plastic packaging solutions, we rely on high-quality PP. By working with cyclos-HTP, we received solid proof that our packaging solutions have a recyclability of close to 100 percent and can actually be recycled just as we intended.”

    The result: almost completely recyclable packaging solutions

    cyclos-HTP tested a packaging that is similar to solutions used by a variety of brands. Its base is a Sonoco IML container, which is covered by a plastic lid and an aluminium membrane produced by other manufacturers. The final score after testing showed that Sonoco’s container has a recyclability level of up to 98 percent, with small deductions for printing colour and finish. Together with the aluminium membrane and the PET-plastic lid, the tested solution had an overall recyclability level of 88 percent. “The test result shows: if clients want to raise the recyclability of their packaging to more than 90 percent, mono-material is key,” says Andreas Rothschink. “We can provide both containers and lids made from PP. Customers can also use PP membranes for products that don’t require high barrier properties, such as chilled food or dairy products.”

    Mono-material packaging for high recyclability

    Sonoco’s IML containers are used for a wide variety of food – from snacks like precooked sausages to fresh dairy products such as yoghurt. In the dairy segment, the mono-material packaging outdoes other common solutions such as plastic containers wrapped in cardboard for a more naturalistic look. Made from two entirely different material groups, the cardboard wrap-around and the container need to be separated completely to be recycled. Many of these packagings, however, end up in the recycling systems unseparated, which is why they are attributed recycling rates of under 50 percent.

    For Sonoco, one major takeaway from the cyclos-HTP analysis was the benefits of mono-material packaging. “The analysis confirms one principle behind our packaging development: given the current status of the German and other European recycling systems, the best way that we can ensure our packaging’s recyclability is to use as few different materials as possible,” says Andreas Rothschink. “To further increase the recyclability of its plastic packaging, Sonoco will continue to focus on mono-material solutions with a recyclability of close to 100 percent.”

    About Sonoco Europe

    At roughly 70 operations across Europe, Sonoco provides customers with a wide range of consumer and industrial packaging solutions. Consumer goods packaging solutions include rigid paper containers, drums, and luxury tubes (also called rigid paper containers) with a variety of closures; plastic packaging; packaging services; and graphics management. Sonoco’s industrial division produces a portfolio of cores, tubes, and spools made from highly engineered paperboard or plastic for use with paper, textiles and specialty films. The Sonoco Thermosafe unit offers customers temperature assurance packaging solutions for the transport of temperature-sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals and other biologics. Utilising a range of packaging materials, technical disciplines, material science and manufacturing capabilities, Sonoco takes a holistic approach to providing customized solutions that meet customers’ unique needs. To learn more, visit sonocoeurope.com or read more on Linkedin.

    About Sonoco

    Founded in 1899, Hartsville, South Carolina-based Sonoco is a global provider of a variety of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, and displays and packaging supply chain services. With annualised net sales of $4.8 billion, the Company has 20,000 employees working in more than 300 operations in 33 countries, serving some of the world’s best known brands in some 85 nations. For more information on the Company, visit sonoco.com.


    Contact

    Sonoco Consumer Products Europe

    [email protected]

    drumbeat

    November 12, 2018
    News
    Company News, Sustainability
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