Page 66 - Packaging News Magazine Nov-Dec 2018

66
HEADLINE MAKERS
www.packagingnews.com.au
November-December 2018
Amcor signed a $9.2 billion deal to buy out US flexible packaging leader Bemis, ex- panding the Australian packaging giant’s footprint in North America and connecting Bemis to Amcor’s global network. Ron De- lia, CEO of Amcor, explained that his com- pany would establish a listing on the New York Stock Exchange with a market capi-
talisation of about $23 bil- lion. The two companies would combine into a holding company called New Amcor, headquar- tered on the UK Channel Island of Jersey, a known tax haven. Ap- proval on the deal is still pending, however.
Coca-Cola Amatil’s Packaging Services Di- vision opened a new injection moulding and assembly line at its Eastern Creek facil- ity for making a three-part HDPE closure for its Powerade brand. The launch of the new production line at CCA’s Eastern Creek pre- form and closure plant on 31 August marked a significant step forward in CCA’s sustain- able packaging commitment, notably its pledge to reducing the volume and variety of plastic content in its beverage containers.
Detmold Group became the first packaging company to win the coveted award for Sus- tainable Packaging Excellence at the Aus- tralian Packaging Covenant Organisation annual sustainability awards recognising APCO members making significant prog- ress in sustainable
packaging design,
recycling initiatives
and products stew-
ardship programs.
Winners of Out-
standing Achieve-
ment awards includ-
ed Australia Post for
Industry Leadership, CHEP Australia for Sustainable Packaging Operations, and Campbell Arnott’s Australia for Packag- ing Design.
In an Australian first, WA’s Brownes Dairy turned yoghurt on its head – literally. Posi- tioned as a ‘life hack’ product, Top Down Yo- ghurt was made easy and quick to use, and with its quirky on-pack graphic design craft- ed by Boxer and Co, and a 675ml squeeze bottle designed and manufactured by Pact Group, it also ticked the fun box. The prod- uct launched in Western Australia in Sep- tember, and Brownes planned a national rollout to follow. The product reinforced how the convenience culture is influencing new product and packaging development.
A viral meme satiris-
ing Australian politics
gave Boxer and Co
packaging design
agency owner Gwen
Blake the chance to
launch a new business
virtually overnight.
Blake’s “Ban the Single-Use Prime Minister” reusable shopping bag, made available through online marketplace Etsy, turned over $30,000 in the first three days of avail- ability. The bags have since sold out, but Blake’s Etsy store Sans Sheriff now features a reusable coffee cup with the same slogan.
Orora posted strong growth for the 2018 fi- nancial year as its profit after tax soared by 12 per cent over the year ending June 2018. CEO Nigel Garrard said the underlying fo- cus for the corrugated packaging company had been on consolidation and integration, with a number of asset refresh and innova- tion investments made across the business. He also said the company’s recent signifi- cant investment in digital printing for cor- rugated packaging would be a game-chang- er moving forward.
The inaugural Print21 + PKN LIVE event saw a full house turn out to hear in- dustry experts discuss the best ways to push back the boundaries of packaging print. Some 170 professionals from the packaging and print
industries attended the forum, which was cu- rated to highlight emerging opportunities in packaging print created in large part by new digital printing technology. Attendees found it a valuable experience, with many giving the debut conference the thumbs-up.
Urban Alley, a new craft brewery in Mel- bourne, joined the burgeoning brewpub scene and introduced innovative end-to- end practices in processing and packaging. These included a new E6PR six-pack can holder, the first biodegradable one on the Australian market, made of spent grain from the brewing process. The 25 hectare-litre brewhouse, which opened early September, is set to produce two
million litres per year through a com- bination of its Urban Core range as well as monthly and season- al limited releases.
Market leader in au-
tomation, SMC an-
nounced it had
joined the Advanced
Manufacturing
Growth Centre in
support of promoting
innovation and un-
locking opportuni-
ties for growth in the Australian manufac- turing sector. Sales and marketing direct James McKew (pictured) said collaboration between industry enterprises and the sci- entific and research community was vital to create growth, and that SMC was proud to align itself with the extensive list of companies that formed part of the vibrant AMGC ecosystem. ■
Frucor Suntory made new pack- aging sustainability commit- ments that will see it introduce recycled plastic sourced from Australia and New Zealand for its water, juice and carbonated soft drink bottles. By the end of 2019, the beverage manufacturer will make all water bottles from at least 50 per cent recycled PET (rPET), with at least 10 per cent sourced locally. This will in- crease to 100 per cent rPET for all water and juice bottles and 50 per cent for carbonated soft drink bottles by 2030, of which at least 25 per cent will come from Aus- tralia and New Zealand.
In its centenary year, iconic Aussie brand SPC put innovation for local and export markets front and centre, launching a trio of fruit snack ranges in pouches – a new pack format for the company. Puree and Simple, aimed at 4-7 year olds; Frumax, for tweens; and Goulburn Valley Fruit Plus for women on the go were set to roll out in the local market first before going to China. The launch came amid increased customer de- mands for convenience in their products.
For November-December 2018 headline makers, turn to the news section in this issue, starting on page 6.