Packaging

All-round attraction: Sonoco at FachPack 2019

Wednesday 21. August 2019 - Safe, convenient and sustainable: the demands placed 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: packaging plays a key role in consumers purchasing decisions. Above all, it must fit in perfectly with their lifestyle.

Flexibility and environmental friendliness are playing an increasingly important role. 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. Visitors to Stand 5-319 in Hall 5 can experience what this means in concrete terms: From fully decorated cardboard cans to individually shaped IML containers – Sonoco Europe offers individual packaging solutions that perfectly match different lifestyles: “packaging designed for individuals”.
“We are very much looking forward to FachPack: it gives us the opportunity to present our latest developments to a wide audience of packaging and industry experts and at the same time discuss important trends for the future with them,” says Séan Cairns, Vice President and General Manager Sonoco Consumer Products. “It is no surprise that sustainability will continue to play a central role this year. Although our packaging solutions are already among the most sustainable in their segment, we will be presenting further improvements and innovations in Nuremberg”.
Cardboard bottoms for better recyclability
The FachPack-Giveaway from Sonoco is a small snack tin with freeze-dried fruits. With its cardboard base and digitally printed label, it impressively demonstrates how modern packaging solutions can combine high sustainability with attractive design elements and convenience. Digital printing is an alternative to flexographic or gravure printing developed for large runs: since it does not require printing cylinders or sleeves, it is a flexible and cost-effective way of printing smaller but high-quality label batches quickly. This makes it the ideal choice for seasonal or promotional items, among other things.
“Our giveaway is a great example of how an already very sustainable package can be further improved by optimizing components such as the bottom,” explains Cairns. “At Sonoco, we see sustainability as a multi-layered concept, and we don’t just focus on one aspect like recyclability. Recyclability is of course an important factor – but not the only one that defines the sustainability of packaging”. A detailed analysis based on the Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool (PIQET) on the walls of the Sonoco stand invites visitors to compare and discuss different packaging solutions. Six different evaluation criteria are used, including CO2 emissions, energy and water consumption. The PIQET spider diagrams can be used, for example, to compare Sonoco’s carton cans with alternative packaging solutions, identify their advantages, and further improve the sustainability of the packaging on this basis.
“For example, if you are looking for packaging for a less sensitive product such as candy or muesli, cardboard cans with aluminium-free inner lamination and a cardboard bottom are an option for you,” says Cairns. The cardboard bottom for the giveaway snack can, for example, is manufactured in the new DRECE (Deep Recessed Exposed Cut Edge) design. DRECE floors and the alternative EcoSeal floor are currently being tested by several Sonoco customers who want to replace their standard metal floors with cardboard floors. For sensitive products, Sonoco also offers alternatives to aluminum lamination, such as a silicon (SiOx) coating. “We are working around the clock on new solutions and testing new materials in this area,” says Cairns. “We are particularly proud that our in-mould labeling (IML) packaging already achieves recycling rates of up to 98 percent.
Design and comfort win consumer hearts
The design of Sonoco’s FachPack stand brings packaging solutions such as the giveaway snack can to the fore. It consists of a kitchen, a living room and a supermarket and thus shows Sonoco’s cardboard and IML solutions in the environment in which they convince consumers with their outstanding design and convenience. In the kitchen area, for example, IML packaging for meat-based snacks shines with a crystal-clear view of their contents. On the coffee table, snack cans score points for their resealability and… And in the supermarket area, visitors can expect innovative carton cans for spices and spice mixtures from the start-up Just Spices. Other brand highlights at the stand include mymuesli, Emmi and Rügenwalder.