Companies constantly innovate and redesign their packaging to boost performance, enhance sustainability and improve marketability. Here’s a look at four recent packaging product launches or revamps on Packaging Dive’s radar.
Creating a paper trail
A CVS Health subsidiary that specializes in injectable medications for home health is reducing its plastic use by transitioning from expanded polystyrene to fiber-based insulation for temperature-sensitive shipments. The new materials being rolled out in select markets are recyclable and compostable, according to a news release from Coram CVS Specialty Infusion Services.
The new packaging is made from wood and paper, including the insulation, box and corrugated insert. The gel packs included in certain shipments are non-toxic and should be disposed, the company says, while outer plastic should be disposed or dropped in film recycling.
The fiber-based packaging has been “tested to perform better” than the current EPS packaging in terms of temperature control and durability, according to the company. It’s also more compact, lighter and easier to break down, the company says, making for a more convenient and accessible user experience — including for patients with mobility limitations.
The company has started launching the new packaging at pharmacies in Mendota Heights, Minnesota; Malvern, Pennsylvania; and San Diego.
Pet project
Coatings specialist PPG introduced a white coating to its Nutrishield line that’s intended for use inside aluminum draw-redraw food cans and lids for wet pet food.
The coating is polyvinyl chloride non-intent, meaning it’s made without intentionally adding PVC. The company says this is the first PVC-NI, one-component coil coating in the United States. It’s also formulated without PFAS and Bisphenol A.
“The single-component solution eliminates the need for mixing, changeovers or multiple coating systems, helping streamline operations and reduce downtime for coil coaters. Its ready-to-use formulation lowers production complexity and material waste,” the news release says.
PPG says the coating “cures reliably” and has stain resistance against products like chicken, turkey and fish.
Putting up barriers
UPM Specialty Materials worked with specialty paper manufacturer Felix Schoeller to create a barrier solution for flexible food packaging. The fiber-based coating is food-safe and recyclable, according to a company news release.
The solution is based on UPM’s Solide Lucent barrier base paper that’s designed for easy converting. It features a smooth, dense surface that enables lower coating weights while maintaining strength, the news release says.
The offering is customizable for varying levels of barrier protection based on customer needs.
“Instead of relying on fixed technologies or standard barrier levels, we design customizable coating solutions that deliver the protection required — whether against oxygen, moisture, grease, or for sealing and mechanical performance,” said Andreas Bergmeier, head of innovation and technical sales packaging at Felix Schoeller, in a statement.
Go light on the sauce
Amcor introduced a new flip-top closure for squeezable sauce bottles that’s lighter than previous versions to help meet customers’ sustainability goals.
The cap weight is 8.5 grams, an absolute reduction of 1.9 grams, or an 18.7% relative reduction compared to the earlier generation of 55mm flip-top closures. The lighter cap can help reduce brands’ overall carbon footprints without compromising performance, according to an Amcor news release.
The monomaterial cap is “recyclable-ready” with PET, HDPE and PP bottles, where appropriate recycling infrastructure exists, according to the news release. It’s available in a variety of colors, orifice sizes and circular valves.
