Frito-Lay withdraws noisy compostable SunChips bag
Packaging Digest
Frito-Lay is dropping its biodegradable SunChips bag, just 18 months after introducing it. Launched with extensive publicity that highlighted the bag's 100-percent compostability, the new packaging quickly became the target of negative attention because of how noisy it is. The bag's infamously pronounced crinkling sound is said to be caused by the unique molecular structure of the material, which makes it more rigid and therefore louder when manipulated.More

Clariant rolls out simulated foil packaging film
Plastics & Rubber Weekly
Masterbatch maker is mixing color and bi-layer extrusion technology to create simulated foil-laminated tubes. The Enigma process applies a "color saturated" outer layer to a reflective plastic base layer, all within the extrusion process. The resulting material has an appearance normally only achieved by laminating a layer of foil between two layers of PE. More

Materials: Bioplastics bid to boost business
Packaging News UK
Whatever the hype surrounding bioplastics, and the debate swirling around the subject, one fact remains: it's still a niche sector. Currently, the global bioplastics market accounts for just 1 percent of standard petrochemical-based polymer consumption. Yet the market has developed rapidly over the past few years -- fast enough for the packaging sector to take it seriously and with good reason.More

Polenghi develops Europe's first extrusion-blow-molded Ingeo bottle
Packaging Digest
Using a new Ingeo blend formulation, Polenghi LAS has developed Europe's first extrusion-blow-molded biobased bottle, Polenghi LAS and NatureWorks LLC, manufacturer of Ingeo bioplastic, reported. By switching from polyolefin resin to Ingeo bioplastic for packaging 10 million bottles its new Bio organic lemon juice, Polenghi will conserve 1,000 barrels of oil and reduce CO2 emissions by 126 tons compared to an equivalent oil-based plastic squeeze bottle says NatureWorks.More

Recyclable holographic effect puts the 'wow' in Gillette razor
Greener Package
For its most technically advanced razor, Gillette pulls out all the stops, creating a design that is eye-catching on shelf, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. The "trifecta" in package design today is a package that delivers sales results for a brand while also being environmentally friendly and reducing materials use and costs. Gillette scores on all three counts in launching its premium Fusion ProGlide razor.More

Packaging Dynamics Corp. acquires Marcal Chicago
Recycling Today
Packaging Dynamics Corp., a leading flexible packaging and specialty papers company providing in its three business units  -- BagcraftPapercon, International  Converter and Thilmany Papers -- has acquired the business operations of Marcal Chicago LLC, an affiliate of Marcal Manufacturing LCC, based in Elmwood Park, N.J. Marcal Chicago manufactures and markets a specialty packaging products for foodservice, restaurant and supermarket customers.More

Retrofits for aging extrusion lines
Packaging Digest
At 30 years old and approximately 75-ft long, the Black-Clawson two-station extrusion laminator that dominates the Amgraph production floor has made the switch from analog drives and drifting system variables to a modern all-digital system.More

Amcor buys Italian film manufacturer for EUR 43 million
Packaging News UK
Australian packaging giant Amcor is back on the acquisition trail with the purchase of Italian film producer B-Pack Due for EUR 43 million. Amcor has spent heavily in its flexibles operation since the summer of 2009 and this latest deal adds films where the firm "does not have a large position".More

Study: store packaged salads below 5°C for safety
Packaging Magazine
Storing packaged lettuce salads at 5°C or below is vital to reducing food safety risks, according to a new U.S. study. The research, published in the Journal of Food Science and led by food technologist Yaguang Luo at the US Department of Agriculture, examined samples of packaged lettuce that had been inoculated with E.coli bacteria, resealed and stored at 5°C and 12°C until their "Best if used by Dates."More

Global Polypropylene demand driven by packaging and automotive sectors
Plastemart
Global polypropylene demand in 2009 was 36.5 million tons, with the packaging industry holding the largest share at 54 percent, followed by the automotive industry with a share of 15.6 percent, as per GBI Research. The low density of polypropylene makes it suitable for these applications.More

Recyclable board for cold cuts packaging debuts in Finland
Greener Package
A revamped range of cold cuts by one of Finland's leading food manufacturers uses recyclable paperboard trays for sliced meat packaging. New cold cuts packaging for Finland's HK Ruokatalo, one of the country's leading food manufacturers specializing in meat, is based on Stora Enso's new Primeforma board, developed for thermoformed food packaging. The board can be used on existing packaging lines designed for plastic packaging.More

Flint Group appoints packaging inks commercial director
Labels and Labeling
Flint Group's Packaging and Narrow Web Division has appointed Carsten Höh as commercial director for packaging inks in Central Europe. Höh will be responsible for packaging ink sales in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and will be a member of the European sales management team.  More

Suwary takes stake in specialist packaging firm
European Plastics News
Polish plastic packaging and car accessories producer Suwary has agreed to acquire an 80 percent stake in Kartpol Group, based in Wolomin, Poland, which specializes in packaging for construction chemicals. Under the €5m deal, Pabianice-based Suwary, an offshoot of Canadian packaging and mould making group Wentworth Technologies, has the option to acquire the remaining 20 percent of Kartpol shares at a later stage.More

Odor in polymers can be restrained by use of special additives
Plastemart
During plastics processing, additives, plasticizers and flame retardants are used. These additives, and sometimes the polymers, exude unwanted odors in finished products, limiting their applications. One solution -- Masking fragrances, is a short-term solution because once the fragrance wears away, the malodor returns. Odor absorbers absorb unwanted odors within the materials, by trapping the VOC molecules.More

NovelQ project bears fruit with new HPP packaging
Food Production Daily
Trials are underway at Italian flexible film manufacturer Icimendue on a newly-developed multilayered packaging applicable for high pressure food sterilization -- one of many spin offs initiated under the EU funded NovelQ project, claims its coordinator. More