Page 19 - Packaging News magazine May-June 2022

May-June 2022 | www.packagingnews.com.au | SUSTAINABILITY
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Geelong, to vertically integrate the production of its disruptive Woolpack products.
The funding for the facility was secured by the $4.8 million federal Modernising Manufacturing gov- ernment grant, awarded to PPP late last year.
Howarth says the company has set its sights on Geelong as a good location for the new manufacturing facility, as one of only two wool scours in the country is located there. The purpose of part- nering with the Geelong wool scouring operation is to be enable wool to be washed locally and not sent to China, which is currently the practice.
“Thanks to the Government’s fore- sight in giving us this grant, the new facility will benefit Australia as it will generate new revenue for sheep farmers, create jobs, support rural communities, and increase Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability,” she said. “What we’re really excited about too is that it will enable us to receive and process circular textiles.”
Although current interruptions to supply chains means that purchas- ing equipment for the million facility could be delayed by a few months, Howarth says the wait will be worth it.
“This facility is going to be a game changer – it will have the capability to process a lot of contract manufac- turing,” she says, confirming that PPP has already been approached by cus- tomers who are currently getting their wool products manufactured over- seas and now require the company to do it locally for them.
GOLD CLASS
In a highlight win this year, Planet Protector Packaging recently took top honours at the 33rd annual Banksia National Sustainability Awards, win- ning Gold overall for its Woolpack packaging solution.
Recognising the fine achieve- ment, Graz Van Egmond, CEO of Banksia Foundation, says, “Planet Protector Packaging has the defi- nite X-factor in linking new revenue for sheep farmers with a more sustainable solution to packag- ing. It is a smart initiative that helps
... when you look at why we’re doing it, to prevent... polystyrene from destroying our oceans, it’s a no brainer.”
to solve numerous known problems. They have a bold view of the chal- lenges of disrupting a long-established supply chain.”
PASSAGE TO INDIA
Howarth confirms that PPP is in the final stages of completing its market entry feasibility for India and is hop- ing to open its operations there by the end of the year.
“Although we’re proud of our local achievements, we are mindful that Australia and New Zealand comprise only 1.3 per cent of the global market for packaging. Asia, which is almost on our doorstep, has 46 per cent, which is why we have identified it as an important area for us to accelerate our impact,” says Howarth, emphasis- ing that eight of the ten most plastic-, polystyrene- and microbead-polluted rivers, are in Asia.
The Indian venture will focus on the pharmaceutical sector, an area in which PPP has had great success, having launched its Vaccine Protector Solution (winner of multiple PIDA 2021 and WorldStar 2022 Award) dur- ing the height of the Covid pandemic.
In closing, Howarth says, “Our Woolpack solution is inspired by nature which invariably has solved some of the world’s most pressing global challenges. We are a social enterprise on a mission to leave the planet better than we found it. And you know, when you look at why we’re doing it, to prevent the fragments of polystyrene from destroying our oceans, it’s a no brainer.” ■
BLACKMORES SWITCHES TO WOOLPACK
HEALTH and supplement giant Blackmores, a longstanding client of PPP’s, approached the company with the intention to switch to a more sustainable packaging option. At its western Sydney warehouse more than 9000 lines are packed every day, and approximately 1000 of these lines are temperature sensitive.
“Before discovering PPP, Blackmores had a large portion of its orders moving through cold chains, packaged in reusable plastic eskies. The company believed that by giving customers a product that they could reuse, it was doing the right thing, but discovered that its repeat customers did not need multiple plastic eskies and that they were throwing the containers into landfill,” explains Lars Ljung, sustainability manager at Planet Protector Packaging.
“The greatest benefit for Blackmores to switch to Wool- pack is that the packaging maintained the insulative performance, of below eight degrees, needed for transporting temperature-sensitive products. In addition, the pack is reusable and at its end of life, all the components can be responsibly disposed of and diverted from landfill,” he adds.