Building materials supplier Boral is transitioning its bagged dry mix products manufactured at its Maldon, NSW facility from paper bags to packaging made from recycled plastic that is 100 per cent recyclable at end of life.
The new packaging will be introduced incrementally from mid-July across bagged concrete, mortar, sand and cement, grout and sand-based mixes.
The company told PKN it is currently operating at around 30 per cent recycled content during the commissioning phase, as advised by its packaging partner, to ensure the process is stable and consistently meets quality standards. Boral plans to progressively increase this to more than 50 per cent in the first 12 months of full operation.
Packed using form, fill and seal (FSS) technology from Haver & Boeker, the airtight recycled plastic bags are designed to extend product shelf life, minimise damage and waste, and allow products to be stored outdoors without additional weather protection. Boral says the packaging provides greater flexibility for resellers and construction sites.
The company has also updated the packaging design with industry-recognised iconography to indicate product applications, which it says is intended to improve understanding of product use, particularly for end customers from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Rajeev Ramankutty, executive general manager, Cement at Boral, said the transition reflected how customers store, handle and use products.
“Paper bags have served the industry for decades, but they come with limitations in durability, storage and product loss. By moving to packaging made from recycled plastic that is fully recyclable at end of life, we are improving product integrity, reducing waste across the value chain and supporting more circular outcomes in building materials.”
Ramankutty said the new packaging would give resellers greater flexibility to store products outdoors while reducing damage and waste.
“We’re aligning our packaging with real-world site conditions. We are giving resellers greater flexibility to store product outdoors, reducing damage and waste, and making our range easier to use and understand from an end-customer perspective.”
Boral said it plans to progressively expand the use of recycled plastic packaging across its broader bagged product range as part of a phased rollout.
