Up to 20% less material: how Smart Packaging Solutions is making packaging lighter
How do you make packaging with less material that is still strong enough for the product? At its Oudegem plant, Smart Packaging Solutions has further expanded the possibilities for doing exactly that. Our laminating machine can now produce lower grammages, opening up new possibilities for packaging vegetables, fruit and other products.
Responding to demand
Demand for sustainable, lighter packaging is growing. Retailers are looking for ways to reduce waste and the use of raw materials. At the same time, the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is setting increasingly strict requirements for packaging. As a result, efficient use of materials and good recyclability are becoming ever more important.
For Smart Packaging Solutions, this is an important reason to keep looking for ways to make packaging lighter. We can now also supply packaging with a grammage from 450 g/m² in various qualities. Among other things, this development opens up new possibilities for Repun and Stackpack . Thanks to the lower grammage, these packaging solutions for fruit and vegetables can be made lighter.
The result: up to 20% material reduction
A lower grammage means lighter packaging and therefore less raw material per pack. For certain smaller packaging formats, this can deliver a considerable material saving.
“Until recently, our lower limit was a grammage of 550 g/m²,” says Niels Monserez, Plant Manager at Smart Packaging Solutions in Oudegem. “By further optimising our machines, we can now go much lower, down to 450 g/m². That means we need up to 20% less raw material, which opens up all kinds of possibilities. For very small volumes of mushrooms, strawberries or chicory, for example, a grammage of 450 g/m² is sufficient. For other quantities, a grammage of 550 g/m² or more is still required. The integrity of the product always comes first. With a lower grammage, we can offer an even better solution for some products: strong and stable enough, but with less material.”
As light as possible, as strong as necessary
Lighter does not automatically mean better. Packaging has to keep protecting the product during transport, in the shop and at the consumer’s home. That is why, according to Niels, it is important not to look at material savings alone.
“The integrity of the packaging and the protection of the product always come first. If you save too much on material and the product gets damaged or spoils more quickly as a result, you achieve the opposite of what you want. That is why we look for the lowest grammage that is technically sound for each application. Ultimately, the product determines what is possible.”
Packaging that fits the application
Grammage is not the only factor that determines how efficient a pack is. Size, construction and choice of material also play a role. That is why Smart Packaging Solutions makes customised packaging and looks at the bigger picture. A range of combinations is also possible in terms of appearance. Depending on the application, you can choose brown-brown, brown-white, white-brown or white-white, for example. For packaging where presentation matters, various finishes are also available.
“The goal is to make exactly what is needed,” says Niels. “No excess space, no excess material and no unnecessary features. If a lighter version is sufficient for the product, why would you use more material?”
Responding to the PPWR: board as an alternative to plastic
This development ties in directly with the direction set by the European PPWR. Among other things, the regulation encourages more efficient use of materials and packaging that fits better into a circular value chain.
Smart Packaging Solutions is not only looking at making existing packaging lighter, but also at alternatives to plastic. Repun and Stackpack, for example, can be used for applications that traditionally rely on packaging made entirely of plastic.
“For some packaging, we can offer a solution that greatly reduces the proportion of plastic,” says Niels. “For moist products such as mushrooms, a thin PE layer may still be needed on the inside of the pack as a moisture barrier. In that case, you go from packaging made entirely of plastic to a solution with only a fraction of plastic. We are also researching sustainable alternatives to PE coating.”
Our Loenen plant is also working on lower grammages
The development in Oudegem is not an isolated one. Smart Packaging Solutions in Loenen is also working on producing lighter packaging. There, we can now produce grey board sheets with a grammage from 430 g/m², ideal for use as interlayers and in packaging for dairy products.
The right packaging for your product
With these new board variants, Smart Packaging Solutions is expanding the options for customers who want to optimise their packaging further. A lower grammage means less material use and a more efficient packaging solution, without compromising on product protection. The development fits into Smart Packaging Solutions’ broader approach: continually looking at how packaging can perform optimally with as little material as possible.
Curious which variant best suits your packaging? Smart Packaging Solutions is happy to help you find a solution that fits your product, application and desired look.