Mondi expands ISTA-approved testing services to all its eCommerce packaging solutions

Leading European thermoforming packaging specialist Waddington® Europe, a division of Novolex®, has teamed up with Shabra, Ireland’s leading recycler and reprocessor of post-consumer waste (PCW), to purchase food-grade recycled PET (rPET) sourced from bottles, pots, tubs and trays to manufacture new rPET food packaging products at its Arklow production site. Not only does the agreement help to further secure Waddington Europe’s long-term source of rPET, but it also enables the company to expand its line of Eco Blend® products made with post-consumer recycled content sourced domestically in Ireland back into the Irish market. “Collectively, we hope these new agreements will advance our stake in localized plastics circularity in the Irish market,” said Eduardo Gomes, Managing Director of Waddington Europe. “We need to start moving to a more holistic and long-term view when it comes to the lifecycle and environmental impact of food-grade packaging. It’s just as important to consider the carbon footprint at its start of life as the environmental impact at the end of its life.”

Sonoco ThermoSafe and Asiana Airlines Inc., a South Korean airline headquartered in Seoul, are pleased to announce a global partnership agreement for leasing the new Pegasus ULD® temperature-controlled bulk shipping container. The agreement enables pharmaceutical freight forwarders access to Pegasus ULD® containers directly from Asiana Airlines. Sonoco ThermoSafe’s Pegasus ULD® is the world’s first FAA and EASA-approved passive bulk temperature-controlled ULD container for pharmaceutical use, which enables it to speed through international air freight handling and customs processes at the lowest possible cost. With a focus on sustainability, the Pegasus is engineered with composite materials, offering a lighter solution that is also substantially more damage-resistant than traditional metal containers. Additionally, the Pegasus ULD® contains a fully integrated, FAA-approved telemetry system providing real-time, cloud-based data on payload and ambient temperature and key environmental factors, precisely synchronized with GPS location.

Mondi is making good progress in terms of integrating its new Turkish HD corrugated plants in Bursa, Corum and Gebze with its plants in Germany (Ansbach) and Poland (Simet), following the acquisition of Olmuksan in 2021. In recent years, Mondi has invested in new capacity, technology and machinery at its Ansbach and Simet plants, which are now some of Europe’s largest full-service, state-of-the-art facilities. Mondi Olmuksan is one of the leading players in the HD sector in Turkey, further expanding the group’s capacity to serve a broader range of industries and geographies. "Our customers have been impressed that a HD corrugated container can withstand a tonne of top weight, or that a corrugated box can safely transport heavy items through hot and humid climates. Once they realise that HD corrugated solutions are a viable alternative, they get excited about all the added benefits of customisation, handling and transport efficiencies. And of course, switching to a lightweight, paper-based, recyclable material helps our customers achieve their own sustainability goals." Gerald Dörzbach, Sales Director at Mondi Wellpappe Ansbach