Consumer demand for sustainability
We live in a world where climate change and our own environmental footprint are top of the agenda for many people. Increasingly, these concerns are influencing consumers’ shopping choices – what types of food they buy and how this food is packaged. They expect food to be wrapped in recyclable material that simultaneously keeps the food safe. This increase in awareness translates directly to how retailers stock their shelves. At the point of sale, it is no longer enough for packaging to extend shelf life and offer eye-catching optics, it also needs to highlight environmental protection by being fully recyclable. AMB’s recyclable PET (rPET) solutions for Form-Fill-Seal (FFS) and thermoforming solutions play an important part in fulfilling this wide array of consumer demands.
“Our investment in the two Bandera extruders reflects the growing importance of sustainability as a driving factor in packaging,” explains Bruno Marin, AMB chief executive. “At AMB we are intensifying our efforts to produce solutions that are 100% recyclable. This goes hand in hand with our ESG strategy as well as achieving the EU’s Sustainable Development Goals.”
Expanding markets for sustainable packaging
Both in the Italian and UK markets the demand for PET Form-Fill-Seal and thermoforming packaging solutions has risen dramatically. In the UK rPET and mono PET solutions with or without barrier, be it for FFS or thermoformed solutions, are in high demand due to the fact that national recycling facilities are geared towards PET. In Italy, the growth in the dairy market requires additional packaging capacities. Recycling systems in various countries worldwide are already tailored to the recyclability of rPET for FFS and thermoforming. These developments have led AMB to acquire two extrusion machines to fulfill consumer and customer demands for recyclable packaging.
The two extruders will be in use in their respective regions. AMB has a strong focus on just-in-time regional delivery. The company’s strategic geographical locations across Europe place it near its customers and allow it to cut down the environmental footprint associated with transport. Additionally, this enables a more flexible and reliable supply of film with shorter lead times and lower costs.
High-performance extrusion enhances sustainability
The two extruders acquired by AMB provide exceptional performance combined with versatility and energy efficiency and are thus fully aligned with AMB’s overall sustainability efforts. Currently, the two respective extruders are the most energy saving machinery which have been produced to date.
Since 2004 Bandera and AMB have collaborated to create machines perfectly adapted to AMB’s requirements. The manufacturer has repeatedly undertaken in-depth evaluations of its extrusion lines to make them more productive, reliable and highly competitive. The new extruders will supply 20,000T of additional capacity per year which is essential to meet the demands of both the FFS market and the continued growth in the thermoforming market. The machines offer inline triple slitting for smaller rolls as well as capacity for jumbo rolls.
Packaging that reduces our environmental footprint
The food we eat has an extensive environmental footprint before it reaches our table: it is grown, harvested, processed and transported. Packaging enters the equation at the very end and only represents a small percentage of the footprint engendered by the whole process but can make a big difference in ensuring that the energy used in previous stages is not wasted. High-quality packaging preserves food, extends shelf-life and prevents waste. When this packaging is fully recyclable it has the added benefit of closing the loop in the circular economy. “With our investment in the two extruders to boost recyclable PET production for FFS and thermoforming solutions, we demonstrate once again our full commitment to environmental protection and sustainability” says Giles Peacock, Chief Operating Officer, AMB.
