New packaging solutions are giving poultry companies the opportunity to reduce its environmental footprint. This may be through the incorporation of waste materials into packaging, making boxes fully recyclable or making processes more efficient.
Various packaging options were on display at this year’s International Production & Processing Expo, far too many to list here, but a few were particularly eye-catching.
In-house box printing
Amongst the most eye-catching demonstrations at the show was the new digital printer offered by International Paper. Together with printing and labelling company, GSI, International Paper is facilitating the printing of boxes where they are needed.
The digital printer can print onto six sides of a box at 180 or 360 dots per inch (dpi). In addition to whatever graphic element may be required, the printer is also able to print serial codes and high-quality barcodes onto corrugated cases, eliminating the need for adhesive labels.
At 180 dpi, the printer can work at 500 feet per minute and is able to compensate for boxes shaking, meaning that images are not blurred. Print runs can be short or long, and the digital printer can work with either partially printed boxes, simply adding additional information, or with completely bank boxes.
Onsite printing can optimize warehouse use and inventory, and wait time for new supplies can be reduced.
Greencoat boxes
Greencoat is a packaging solution from DS Smith, that is 100% recyclable and classed as food contact safe for protein. The company notes that its use can help poultry companies reach their environmental, social and governance and sustainability goals
The product was originally developed for use in the poultry industry and is a replacement for wax coated packaging. It costs less than wax coated products and is currently used by 12 poultry processing companies in the U.S.
The manufacturing process for Greencoat adds strength to the corrugated fibers, which are both impregnated and coated. Greencoat boxes can be recycled, avoiding landfill charges and, being recyclable, their use can produce a revenue stream and lower CO2 emissions.
DS Smith notes that, by 2023, it will have completely exited non-recyclable packaging.
Molded Starch Technology Tray
Evanesce was demonstrating its Molded Starch Technology Tray. Made using byproducts from the food processing industry, starch and fibre, it has been developed to replace foam trays.
The tray is 100% compostable and can be coated to make it more moisture resistant. The pressed and baked product is more cost effective than other eco alternatives and twice as cost effective as foam, its developers say.
While fully compostable, taking just a couple of weeks to compost in a composting facility, should the tray make its way into landfill, being plant-based, there is no contamination as the plant-based tray will simply decompose.
The tray will become available in the U.S. at the end of this year and may be subsequently launched overseas.
Poultry firms review packaging impact
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