Tag Archives: corrugated

The first digital post print corrugated press in Europe

Smurfit Kappa is installing the new HP PageWide C500 digital press – HP’s most technologically advanced digital press for a corrugated application.

The first digital post print corrugated press in Europe

The press will be installed in Smurfit Kappa’s Interwell plant in Austria and is designed for greater customisation and flexibility of corrugated printing, the new industrial-scale press will be the first commercial HP single pass press in Europe.

The press will be installed in April and will support Smurfit Kappa’s extensive customer base in the FMCG sector.

With a fully integrated stack-to-stack workflow, the press combines digital simplicity with off-set replaceable print quality on both coated and uncoated paper.

The technology will provide brand owners with customised packaging solutions that can drive sales across both online and traditional sales channels.

Smurfit Kappa will sue the press in conjunction with its ShelfSmart and eSmart services.

The graphic flexibility and quality of the new HP PageWide C500 Press will further enhance the company’s service to drive brand recognition and provide fit-for-purpose packaging.

Furthermore, the HP water-based inks facilitate printing on both primary and secondary food packaging without an additional barrier which can comply with even the most stringent global food safety regulations.

CPI announces corrugated CFQ standard

The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) is set to launch a Common Footprint Quality (CFQ) standard for the UK fresh produce industry.

CPI
CPI aim is to ensure safe and high performance corrugated packaging for fruit and vegetables.

Revealing the initiative at the London Produce Show at the Grosvenor House Hotel, CPI’s director of packaging affairs, Andy Barnetson, said the move will further improve the efficiency of the fresh produce supply chain by allowing common footprint trays from different suppliers to be stacked safely and quickly, maximising space in both storage and shipping.

CPI, who shared a platform with the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers (FEFCO) at the event for the fresh fruit, vegetable and flower industries on 8-10 June, says it is collaborating with its European counterpart during the process for establishing its own CFQ with a view to introducing the standard later this year.

Speaking to an audience of fresh produce suppliers and growers at the show, Barnetson explained: “The CFQ standard is another initiative by the industry aimed at retaining corrugated’s position as the packaging material of choice in the 21st Century. The mark will be an assurance that fruit and veg are suitably protected through the supply chain.

“Corrugated packaging’s ability to adapt to all shapes and sizes, its greater protective qualities and how it has evolved from a conventional brown box into a marketing tool thanks to the development of attractive shelf ready packaging (SRP), gives growers improved saleability for their products.”

Fresh produce needs packaging that provides cushioning, ventilation, strength, moisture resistance and protection. The CPI believes corrugated packaging combines all of these attributes as well as being sustainable.

Barnetson concluded: “Corrugated is the perfect fit for fresh produce. Nothing beats it for strength, space efficiency and stacking. Rolling out the CFQ standard is further proof that the industry is not resting on its laurels and is determined to ensure the best packaging solutions for all fresh produce companies.”

Corrugated is not part of the waste problem, says trade association

Corrugated is not part of the waste problem, says trade association

Corrugated is not part of the waste problem
IT’S a myth that eliminating corrugated packaging will automatically reduce the amount of waste in the food supply chain. Corrugated is not part of the waste problem insists the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI), which is supporting its stance with recycling figures and information on enhanced production processes.
The trade association is hitting back at claims from some quarters that used corrugated is a waste material, when in fact most of it is recycled, and made into new packaging. It actually has a very low impact on the planet thanks to a recycling rate of over 80%.
CPI’s Director of Packaging Affairs, Andy Barnetson, said: “To say that using alternative packaging may result in ‘less corrugated’ misses the point. Corrugated is single trip but has such a high recycling rate that it doesn’t substantially impact on the waste problem.
“Our industry has always invested in recovery and recycling processes. Corrugated is fully recyclable through a closed loop system, so landfilling of corrugated must be viewed as a last resort. Such a versatile, easily recycled product should be recovered wherever possible, in order to make the most of the resources which went into its production.”
The Corrugated Packaging Industry in the UK has been instrumental in driving down waste within the supply chain, even before the Courtauld Commitment was introduced. It is a pioneering force in sustainable, lightweight, recyclable papers that do not compromise the integrity of goods in transit, and ensure that they arrive still in top condition.
In today’s challenging economic climate, it is quite right that supply chains are being scrutinised in an effort to drive down costs and meet environmental objectives. But when developing packaging solutions, many factors must be taken into account including transport efficiency.
With the advent of modern corrugated processes, such as new flutings that offer up to 23% storage space saving, the Corrugated Packaging Industry is offering extremely space-efficient packaging which is leading to better use of pallets, resulting in fewer vehicles on the road.
Boxes need to be designed to fill Lorries from floor to roof. If every single lorry on the road was filled to complete capacity, the savings in fuel costs and CO2 emissions would be huge. Corrugated can adapt itself to product after product. By contrast, alternative packaging options do not have this flexibility and as a result are not as space efficient.
Corrugated may not have all the answers, but it is the most widely used packaging material in the UK and has helped deliver goods to market safely for over a hundred years. It should not be considered as waste but as the safe and sustainable packaging solution that it has always been, insists the CPI.