Packaging

Constantia Flexibles pioneers sustainable packaging production in India

Monday 18. November 2019 - Constantia Flexibles - the worlds third largest manufacturer of flexible packaging with headquarters in Vienna - opens the worlds first plant in India to produce only more sustainable and recyclable flexible packaging. Production at the new plant will focus on the EcoLam packaging family, which is more environmentally friendly. The official opening of the first site of this kind will take place on 20 November in Ahmedabad, GujaratIndia.

The reduction of waste in general and plastic waste in particular is a relevant issue, also for the food, household and personal care industries in India. The Indian government has recognised this problem and adopted the so-called “Plastic Waste Management Rules” as early as 2016. These regulations stipulate, among other things, that disposable plastics, such as pouches, must be completely avoided by 2022. A further component of the new regulations is the gradual elimination of multilayer plastics that cannot be recycled.
Alexander Baumgartner, CEO of Constantia Flexibles: “We are aware of our responsibility towards industry, end users and, above all, the environment. Therefore, we are not only focused on developing more environmentally friendly packaging, we have also designed the world’s first plant that exclusively produces sustainable packaging. The plant, called Constantia Ecoflex Ahmedabad, is located in Gujarat, India, the perfect market for the implementation of such a forward-looking project”.
Exclusively sustainable packaging at the new plant in Ahmedabad
The decision to open a plant in India was relatively simple. Among other things, the new Plastic Waste Management Rules show that the Indian government can put pressure on the recycling industry and support initiatives and companies that are committed to reducing waste.
Production at the new plant will focus on EcoLam, a packaging family that is part of Constantia Flexibles’ innovative Ecolutions product line.
EcoLam is a lightweight mono PE laminate suitable for a variety of packaging applications. Due to the mono-material structure it is fully recyclable and the CO2 balance is about 32% lower than comparable products. The EcoLam product family is available in different barrier grades (EcoLam, EcoLamPlus, EcoLamHighPlus) to meet the barrier requirements for a wide range of products.
After a construction period of just over two years, Constantia Ecoflex Ahmedabad started trial operations in September 2019. The plant has an area of 24,500 sqm and currently employs 50 people, which is expected to triple by the second quarter of 2020.