Page 60 - Packaging News Nov-Dec 2019

60
HEADLINE MAKERS
www.packagingnews.com.au
November-December 2019
Well-known Australian packaging in- dustry figure Keith Chessell was recog- nised by the World Packaging Organisa- tion (WPO) with a Lifetime Achievement award. Chessell was named alongside Shahid Sheikh OBE from the United Kingdom, and Gillian Loubser from South Africa, as the 2019 recipient of this honour. In an interview with PKN, Chessell called for a united approach to the problems facing the industry.
A slew of large companies banded to- gether to address the problem of plastic waste entering the environment. The Al- liance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) comprises 30 companies, including Procter and Gamble; Dow; Shell; and Veolia, who together committed more than one billion dollars to the goal of re- ducing plastic waste, and aim to invest $1.5 billion over the next five years. It was dubbed the most comprehensive effort to eliminate plastic waste in the environment to date.
PKN flew to Verona, Italy for a global pack- aging summit and media analyst event hosted by Kodak. The imaging technology specialist launched its Creative Freedom campaign for packaging along with break- through products, and made it clear that – despite its divestment of its Flexible Pack- aging division – it wasn’t done with packaging; on the contrary, it noted that En- terprise Inkjet Systems (EIS) would be a key strategic growth area moving forward.
At EFI’s Connect conference in Las Ve- gas, PKN spoke to new CEO Bill Muir on how the company was poised to take ad- vantage of opportunities in the packag- ing market through its Nozomi inkjet platform for corrugated cardboard. Muir identified packaging as a key focus for EFI moving forward, and said the com- pany would look to “change the DNA of print”. Muir would be replaced in the top job by Jeff Jacobson later in the year.
Western Australia implemented a statewide ban on plastic bags, with 1.5 billion bags having been eliminated nationwide since Coles and Woolworths removed them from stores. Overall bag consumption had dropped by more than 80 per cent since the move by the two supermarket gi- ants, and Western Austra- lia’s ban meant NSW was the only state without a planned or implemented bag
ban of its own.
Carlton and United Breweries ditched the controversial ring- pull cap from its Carlton Dry bottles after a consumer back- lash. CUB apologised to its customers for the change, which had met significant pushback from the commu- nity since it was imple- mented in October 2018. The twist-top returned to the market in March on Carlton Dry’s 330ml bottles, which were reduced from 355ml to avoid a price rise.
One of Australia’s largest vineyard own- ers and managers, Australian Vintage, invested $10 million in a new bottling line at its Merbein packaging operation in Victoria. The new line, capable for the first time of filling both still and spar- kling wines, increased production capac- ity from 9000 to 11,000 bottles per hour, with additional capacity of 7000 bottles of sparkling wine per hour. The line was sourced by Costa Enterprises, and in- stalled and integrated by Foodmach.
Safety systems manufacturer Axelent moved into its new 1400-square-metre premises in Melrose Park, Adelaide, to accommodate its growing product range. Since 1990, Axelent has supplied modu- lar-designed safety guarding and cable tray systems to the global market. The company set up in Australia through an agent 15 years ago, and its growth since fuelled its direct entry into the region.
Rapid growth at three-year-old craft brew- ery Balter Brewing Co. prompted a signifi- cant canning line upgrade with Fibre King supplying the hard-
ware and integration expertise. The Balter facility in Cur- rumbin, Queensland, underwent massive reconstruction to transform it from a 1100-square-metre facility to almost 3300 square metres, including the addi- tion of a new canning line and four new 30,000-litre tanks.