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Article by Nampak 21 April 2009
“Tripartite alliance” is the future of packaging
Retailers, consumers and packaging manufacturers all have a role to play in developing environmentally friendly packaging, says Nampak, Africa’s largest packaging company.
A number of research reports cite the importance of this “tripartite alliance” as a means of enabling positive change. The most high profile example is probably Wal-Mart in America, which is pushing suppliers to reduce the amount of packaging they use. In the UK, similar initiatives are in place, particularly in terms of the larger supermarket chains, where focus points include easily recyclable packaging and labelling that educates consumers to that effect. While the “green” movement is significantly advanced in America and Europe, it’s only beginning to gather real momentum locally.
In Nampak’s experience, Woolworths (or Woolies as it’s affectionately known, [Status]) is one of the most progressive of retailer own-brands. This leadership position is largely attributed to the company’s much-publicised “good business journey”, which articulates consumer views and values, and prioritises packaging within the context of environmental sustainability.
Nampak’s retail stores customer champion, Chris Dickie, says that Woolies actively engages suppliers and packaging manufacturers to innovate new products and packaging formats. “There’s a definite sense of cooperation, inclusiveness and partnership, which informs the process from beginning to end, and results in everyone working together in a constructive way. This approach has recently enabled Nampak to deliver two groundbreaking packaging solutions that are highly innovative and environmentally friendly.”
Woolies developed the first pack in association with Homsek Dairies and Nampak. Homsek Dairies has been producing fresh milk for Woolies since 2001, and has one of the largest Ayrshire herds in the world.
The retailer challenged Homsek Dairies to enter the growing long-life milk category and to do so differently. While all possible options were researched, it was finally decided to pack the milk in plastic bottles instead of the conventional “brick” cartons. The transition was aligned with packaging trends overseas and proved very ambitious in terms of its complexity, deadlines and design.
The project cost nearly R150-million and involved the construction of a custom-built plant and state-of-the-art infrastructure at Nampak Liquid in Bloemfontein, as well as a world-class filling, processing and packaging facility on a 6 000sqm green-field site at Homsek Dairies, which is about 20km’s from the Free State capital. Despite the enormity of the task, Nampak says that it took just 10-months to complete and not a single deadline was missed. The packaging company attributes this success to the outstanding contributions of Woolies and Homsek Dairies. “It was a truly collaborative effort,” says the managing director of Nampak Liquid Plastics, Willem Pienaar.
Willem is proud of what’s been achieved, specifically from a packaging perspective, as it’s the first time in South Africa that plastic milk bottles are being used for long-life milk products. In the past, the technology wasn’t available locally to ensure the levels of light and oxygen protection that are required to keep the product on-shelf for an extended period of time. But, Nampak Liquid was undeterred by the challenge and drew on the vast experience of Nampak Plastics Europe in this area, as well as the expertise of Nampak’s research and development facility. As a result of this collective effort, Homsek Dairies is the first dairy in the country to move out of cartons in the category of long-life milk.
What’s more, the plastic bottles are 100% recyclable, which is in line with the principles of the Woolies “good business journey”.
There are many more benefits, which include variety in terms of decorative capability, as well as design/shape. “The bottles are easy to open, re-close and handle, and also relatively inexpensive to produce,” adds Willem.
As one of the world’s most diversified packaging companies, Nampak leveraged the involvement of other divisions in the group in order to deliver a holistic packaging service. Together with Nampak Liquid Plastics, Nampak Closures manufactured the plastic bottle caps and Nampak I&CS supplied the machinery that checks fill levels and leaks. (Nampak Liquid Plastics and Nampak Closures form part of the Nampak Rigid Plastics cluster., [Status])
According to Woolies, sales are up 30% on where they were with cartons. New long-life products are in the pipeline too.
The second Woolies pack that has taken the market by storm is its fully biodegradable sandwich pack, which was initially designed and developed by Nampak Cartons UK. Today, the packs are made locally by Nampak Cartons & Labels in Epping.
The Woolies “good business journey” promises to keep “a close eye” on packaging materials that are renewable and breakdown naturally in the soil. “As soon as these become readily available, we will try and use them as much as possible.” The sandwich pack is proof that Woolies is living this message.
The cardboard used in the sandwich pack is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC, [Status]) certified and the transparent window is made from poly lactic acid, a corn-based polymer. Imported from Finland and America respectively, it’s the first time that certified sustainable cardboard is being used in food packaging locally. The pack “un-zips” to form a disposable plate, which is handy for consumers who are “on-the-go”.
For the purposes of production, Nampak Cartons & Labels invested R2.2 million in machinery; Nampak Cartons UK provided operator training, and Nampak’s research and development facility tested the packs. Finally, Nampak Cartons & Labels in Epping received FSC certification, enabling the fulfillment of the sustainability commitment in terms of its internal processes.
Nampak says that the Woolies long-life milk plastic bottles and sandwich packs are excellent examples of how retailers, consumers and packaging manufacturers should be working together in the interests of environmental sustainability. “The challenge is bigger than any single individual or company,” continues Nampak.
“The Woolies experience shows is that in order for an idea to be effectively executed, it must originate in a ‘shared’ space and belong to everyone involved. We’re pioneering a new way of doing business, where flexibility, co-responsibility and synergy are key factors of success. The world is changing and we must change with it. This is the future and it’s time to embrace it.”
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A number of research reports cite the importance of this “tripartite alliance” as a means of enabling positive change. The most high profile example is probably Wal-Mart in America, which is pushing suppliers to reduce the amount of packaging they use. In the UK, similar initiatives are in place, particularly in terms of the larger supermarket chains, where focus points include easily recyclable packaging and labelling that educates consumers to that effect. While the “green” movement is significantly advanced in America and Europe, it’s only beginning to gather real momentum locally.
In Nampak’s experience, Woolworths (or Woolies as it’s affectionately known, [Status]) is one of the most progressive of retailer own-brands. This leadership position is largely attributed to the company’s much-publicised “good business journey”, which articulates consumer views and values, and prioritises packaging within the context of environmental sustainability.
Nampak’s retail stores customer champion, Chris Dickie, says that Woolies actively engages suppliers and packaging manufacturers to innovate new products and packaging formats. “There’s a definite sense of cooperation, inclusiveness and partnership, which informs the process from beginning to end, and results in everyone working together in a constructive way. This approach has recently enabled Nampak to deliver two groundbreaking packaging solutions that are highly innovative and environmentally friendly.”
Woolies developed the first pack in association with Homsek Dairies and Nampak. Homsek Dairies has been producing fresh milk for Woolies since 2001, and has one of the largest Ayrshire herds in the world.
The retailer challenged Homsek Dairies to enter the growing long-life milk category and to do so differently. While all possible options were researched, it was finally decided to pack the milk in plastic bottles instead of the conventional “brick” cartons. The transition was aligned with packaging trends overseas and proved very ambitious in terms of its complexity, deadlines and design.
The project cost nearly R150-million and involved the construction of a custom-built plant and state-of-the-art infrastructure at Nampak Liquid in Bloemfontein, as well as a world-class filling, processing and packaging facility on a 6 000sqm green-field site at Homsek Dairies, which is about 20km’s from the Free State capital. Despite the enormity of the task, Nampak says that it took just 10-months to complete and not a single deadline was missed. The packaging company attributes this success to the outstanding contributions of Woolies and Homsek Dairies. “It was a truly collaborative effort,” says the managing director of Nampak Liquid Plastics, Willem Pienaar.
Willem is proud of what’s been achieved, specifically from a packaging perspective, as it’s the first time in South Africa that plastic milk bottles are being used for long-life milk products. In the past, the technology wasn’t available locally to ensure the levels of light and oxygen protection that are required to keep the product on-shelf for an extended period of time. But, Nampak Liquid was undeterred by the challenge and drew on the vast experience of Nampak Plastics Europe in this area, as well as the expertise of Nampak’s research and development facility. As a result of this collective effort, Homsek Dairies is the first dairy in the country to move out of cartons in the category of long-life milk.
What’s more, the plastic bottles are 100% recyclable, which is in line with the principles of the Woolies “good business journey”.
There are many more benefits, which include variety in terms of decorative capability, as well as design/shape. “The bottles are easy to open, re-close and handle, and also relatively inexpensive to produce,” adds Willem.
As one of the world’s most diversified packaging companies, Nampak leveraged the involvement of other divisions in the group in order to deliver a holistic packaging service. Together with Nampak Liquid Plastics, Nampak Closures manufactured the plastic bottle caps and Nampak I&CS supplied the machinery that checks fill levels and leaks. (Nampak Liquid Plastics and Nampak Closures form part of the Nampak Rigid Plastics cluster., [Status])
According to Woolies, sales are up 30% on where they were with cartons. New long-life products are in the pipeline too.
The second Woolies pack that has taken the market by storm is its fully biodegradable sandwich pack, which was initially designed and developed by Nampak Cartons UK. Today, the packs are made locally by Nampak Cartons & Labels in Epping.
The Woolies “good business journey” promises to keep “a close eye” on packaging materials that are renewable and breakdown naturally in the soil. “As soon as these become readily available, we will try and use them as much as possible.” The sandwich pack is proof that Woolies is living this message.
The cardboard used in the sandwich pack is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC, [Status]) certified and the transparent window is made from poly lactic acid, a corn-based polymer. Imported from Finland and America respectively, it’s the first time that certified sustainable cardboard is being used in food packaging locally. The pack “un-zips” to form a disposable plate, which is handy for consumers who are “on-the-go”.
For the purposes of production, Nampak Cartons & Labels invested R2.2 million in machinery; Nampak Cartons UK provided operator training, and Nampak’s research and development facility tested the packs. Finally, Nampak Cartons & Labels in Epping received FSC certification, enabling the fulfillment of the sustainability commitment in terms of its internal processes.
Nampak says that the Woolies long-life milk plastic bottles and sandwich packs are excellent examples of how retailers, consumers and packaging manufacturers should be working together in the interests of environmental sustainability. “The challenge is bigger than any single individual or company,” continues Nampak.
“The Woolies experience shows is that in order for an idea to be effectively executed, it must originate in a ‘shared’ space and belong to everyone involved. We’re pioneering a new way of doing business, where flexibility, co-responsibility and synergy are key factors of success. The world is changing and we must change with it. This is the future and it’s time to embrace it.”
Back to top ^
