Secondary packaging is now under the magnifying lens.

The US association PMMI (www.pmmi.org) has conducted a research by interviewing packaging operators from consumer packaged goods (CPG) firms in the food, beverage, dairy, electronics and personal care markets; materials suppliers; and contract packagers.

The result of this research titled ‘Secondary Packaging Market Research Study’ outlines how sustainability represents the top-of-mind for the 70% of the interviewed.  Or better, the survey states that sustainability  often represents a way to reach a target more than a goal itself.

Among tendency outlines by the interviewed, a progressive growth in the use of alternative materials jumps out, such as corn-based bio-plastic polylactic acid (PLA); Hexacomb, a honeycomb product made from container board and starch; thin-seal polypropylene; reductions in flute construction and micro flutes; and folding boxes in new ways to reduce corrugated fibreboard.

Needless to say, these new solutions impact on all the chain of machines (fillers, unscramblers and cappers) utilized in the primary packaging.