Packaging and processing machinery supplier Nupac and its partner Syntegon have taken a leadership role in providing FMCG companies with insight into sustainable material options and machinery, which enables them to package their products in a high quality and efficient manner.
The future of sustainable packaging in the Australian FMCG industry looks bright, with several trends and developments pointing towards a more sustainable and circular packaging sector. Both consumer expectations and government initiatives have increased the pressure on manufacturers to fast track their move towards sustainable packaging.
A recent example is Mars Wrigley transitioning its chocolate bars to paper packaging on Australian shelves (see article on page 20 of PKN Packaging News January-February issue).
Nupac, which has worked with a range of Australian manufacturers in helping transition to recyclable materials, was involved in this project, with the bars wrapped on its global partner Syntegon’s machines.
“Behind the end result of an attractive, sustainable package on shelf comes a lot of work and understanding,” says Nupac MD Peter Pontikis, who makes the point that the future of sustainable materials is about much more than the material itself.
Pontikis says, “Finding the right material to work with your product is only one aspect, the machinery and packaging need to work hand in hand to ensure high quality results as well as efficient and reliable packaging to enable feasibility for these solutions.”
As demand for recyclable materials grow, and material suppliers continue to invest and develop new solutions, manufacturers will need to determine which materials best suits their products and expectations as well as how these can effectively run in their processes, if they are to keep up with consumer expectations and the potential future regulations which Australia may see.
This article was first published in the January-February 2023 print issue of PKN Packaging News, p21.
