GPI announcement – Mike Weinhold

Sustainable, paper-based frozen food packaging is now a reality! Ahlstrom and The Paper People LLC have codeveloped and launched an innovative and sustainable solution for frozen food packaging. This new line of fully fiber-based, recyclability-certified packaging is specifically designed to replace traditional fossil-based plastic and films for frozen food packaging. “This new package is designed to be used on existing packaging equipment including vertical form-fill-seal, stand-up pouches and SOS style systems,” said Neil Bretl, President for The Paper People. “The package can also be used in flow wrap and bundle wrap applications. We worked diligently to ensure these materials could easily replace traditional non-renewable substrates on existing equipment.”

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) charges for packaging converters, producers and suppliers have been delayed a year, from October 2024 to 2025. The government blamed economic pressures for the delay, but said it would use the time to finalise plans for the scheme’s implementation with local government, businesses, and waste management companies. Companies involved in packaging will still have to collect and process data on the amount and nature of packaging they use or produce during the delay.

Following “The Easy Way”, Flint Group Flexographic Products expands its product range with a further inherent flat top dot flexo plate, which provides significant fluting reduction on various corrugated boards from fine to rough flute. Holding the finest highlights, the nyloflex® FTC Digital plate offers outstanding print quality - sharp and defined elements with precisely reproduced text and codes, inviting printers to push the boundaries of print resolution in corrugated postprint. Furthermore, the new flexo plate features excellent ink transfer, resulting in very smooth solids with even ink laydown, which allows for high and consistent print quality on a variety of substrates. “With a continuing trend for lower quality liners due to cost reasons, however, uncompromised requirements for quality printing, printers, retailers and brand owners demand good quality in corrugated postprint, both for superior liners and more challenging materials,” says Dr. Eva Freudenthaler, Vice President Technology, Flint Group Flexographic Products. “With the development of nyloflex® FTC plate, we therefore had two focal points with regard to print quality - to reduce the fluting effect across many different liner qualities and to further enhance the quality of fine highlight screens in corrugated postprint - while at the same time keeping it simple for the pre-press operation by providing a plate that can be processed like any normal digital printing plate.” Click Read More below for additional detail.