US-headquartered PakTech, producer of 100% recycled and recyclable multipack packaging solutions, has kicked off manufacturing in Australia and is teaming up with Endeavour Group to expand the drinks retailer’s closed loop recycling scheme.
PakTech’s launch in Australia follows its establishment of a contract manufacturing facility in Sydney, NSW and proprietary partnership with Visy. The facility has the capacity to manufacture up to 75 million recycled multipack beverage can handles annually within Australia.
The can handles are manufactured from recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a recyclable material typically used to make milk bottles, detergent bottles, and toys. Through a recover, recycle and remanufacture process, the post-consumer HDPE is repurposed into new can handles (and other products), allowing PakTech and its partners to support the claim that they are closing the circular economy loop.
The sorting, cleaning and processing of post-consumer HDPE takes place at various various recycling and recycled plastics manufacturing facilities throughout Australia, including Visy, which runs both recycling material recovery facilities and a recycled plastics manufacturing plant. Visy supplies the recycled resin (predominantly manufactured from HDPE dairy bottles) which is used to manufacture PakTech handles, from its Smithfield, NSW rPlastics plant.
PakTech’s range of handles have been assessed 'recyclable' by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO)’s Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) programme.
The company’s new collaboration with Endeavour Group will see the collection of recyclable PakTech can handles / clips through the selected retail outlets.
Commenting on the start of local operations, Brandon Rogers, CEO at PakTech said, “We’re now able to fulfil our vision of ‘made in Australia, recycled in Australia, and repurposed again into new products in Australia’.”
Rogers says conscious consumerism is flourishing, and pressure from consumers around the world is forcing brands and retailers to rethink their approach to sustainable packaging.
“Sustainability and the circular economy are no longer competitive differentiators, they’re an expectation. We’re thrilled to join forces with an industry-leading brand in the Endeavour Group, and to formally commence our on-the-ground manufacturing here in Australia. As we look to promote the circular economy and tackle single use plastics in Australia, there is no better organisation to do it with than the Endeavour Group.”
Endeavour Group boasts Australia’s largest retail drinks network, including more than 1675 stores under brands such as Dan Murphy’s and BWS, and runs the country's largest portfolio of licensed hotels. Endeavour also has leading in-house brands and production capability within its Pinnacle Drinks business.
Sarah McElholum, circular economy sustainability manager at Endeavour Group, said the company is proud to be partnering with PakTech to support the continued recycling and re-use of PakTech products.
“We are also continuously working to improve the recyclability and re-use of our beverage packaging for our customers. Our partnership with PakTech, along with our cork collection and wine bottle divider recycling schemes within stores such as Dan Murphy’s, gives our customers another chance to help avoid landfill, and give packaging another life.”
McElholum says Endeavour supports the development of a circular economy. “We’re working to understand and improve the way we manage waste and make sure our packaging is sourced sustainably, meets customer expectations of quality and durability, and can be recovered, recycled and used again.”
Locally, PakTech is building a formidable list of customers, including Asahi, Billson’s, Hawkers Beer and a host of craft beer, seltzer and wine manufacturers. In the US, it works with CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies like Pepsi, KraftHeinz and Johnson & Johnson as customers, and has seen continued strong growth for sustainable multipack products.
