Page 13 - Packaging News Magazine May-June 2019

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Plastic packaging has become a focus of regulatory scrutiny. Join the debate and have your say. Around 3,200 international exhibitors at K 2019 will be introducing you to the latest developments and groundbreaking innovations on all the trending topics in the plastics and rubber industry. Welcome to the industry’s most important business platform.
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INDUSTRY INSIGHT
going to be boom times, but it’s not going to be a hard landing.”
Business and consumer sentiment are down, acting as a drag on the economy, and the housing market is also in a downturn; the low Australian dollar is, however, helping exports.
Koukoulas also cited lower interest rates, plus growth in public sector spending and non-mining business investment, as good economic news for Australia.
Three key takeaways:
• The economy is in for a soft six months.
• Much hinges on housing, global economic conditions, and business and
consumer sentiment.
• It is vital we see interest rate cuts, a
lower Australian dollar, and maybe sooner tax cuts and other fiscal measures, says Koukoulas.
CLOSE THE LOOP NOW, URGES GURU
Delegates also heard of the vital importance of shifting from a linear to a circular economy.
Michael Grima, director of QDesign En- terprises, took attendees through the challenges and opportunities in breaking away from the make-use-dispose model and into a closed loop.
According to Grima, talk of recycling and environmental issues is no longer a tokenistic discussion for packagers, with many now seriously shifting to more eco-friendly materials and methods.
He warned that making the leap to a circular economy, as printing equipment manufacturer Fuji Xerox did in the 1990s, must be done sooner rather than later.
“The longer you wait to make that change, the less likely it will be to have any impact whatsoever,” he said. “It’s not for humanity – do it for the love of your own family.”
Grima held up Fuji Xerox as an example: they took responsibility, created their own integrated recycling network, established a secondary value on their product, and designed their products with a closed-loop mindset.
Three key takeaways:
• Closing the loop must be done sooner rather than later.
• Companies should stop thinking of used product as waste and start thinking of the additional value that can be gained from its reuse or recycling.
• There are massive financial opportuni- ties in the circular economy as well. Space constraints precluded inclusion of
all the speakers in this section. For more on the Industry 4.0 topic, see page 52-53 in APPMA Machinery Matters, and for more coverage of the conference, see the AUSPACK section on PKN's website: packagingnews.com.au. ■
OPPOSITE PAGE: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Michael Grima, QDesign Enterprises says it’s time to close the loop.
Ben Culligan uncorks the secret to Treasury Wines’ success.
Andrew Manly believes active and intelligent packaging is the way of the future.
(L-R) Paul Klymenko, Caitlyn Richards, Brooke Donnelly, Dr Steve Lapidge, and Craig Reucassel discuss opportunities in sustainable packaging.
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