AMERPLAST A FORERUNNER IN SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING WITH AMERGREEN
(Tampere 26.10.2016) Amerplast, one of Europe's largest flexo printers and bag converters and a leader in innovative packaging solutions, has launched the AmerGreen brand as part of its quest of being a forerunner in transforming the flexible packaging industry into an environmentally sound business.
AmerGreen has three key components. It reduces food waste by delivering the best flexible packaging system that extends the shelf life of food products in a natural way. Secondly, it involves progressively converting Amerplast's PE materials to PE from renewable biomass resources, such as sugar cane. Thirdly, it means partnering with local Governments, city councils and retailers to design flexible packaging solutions that are reusable and completely integrated in a circular economy.
“There is no reason to delay the transformation of the flexible packaging industry into an environmentally sound business. With AmerGreen we are ready to take a leading position in this transformation process”, says Reima Kerttula, Amerplast COO. “Today's consumers value sustainable packaging and we do not buy the notion that our customers would have to choose between green packaging and profits. On the contrary, we're convinced that what is good for the environment is good for the business”, Kerttula notes.
Amerplast has actively developed a range of bags made of recycled plastics, manufacturing carrier bags that are made up to 95% of recycled material. The company recently entered into a cooperation agreement with Ekokem, a leading Nordic provider of environmental management and material efficiency services. The cooperation involves the manufacture of plastic bags and flexible packaging material from recycled plastic granules produced by Ekokem and is a tangible example of the circular economy in action. The majority of the Ekokem Plastic Refinery's raw material originates from consumer waste.
Developed in concert with PerfoTec, Amerplast has launched the AmerFresh Packaging System that offers the European fresh produce industry a world leading technology advancing the shelf life of fresh produce without any added chemicals and reducing waste by up to 50 %. The AmerFresh Packaging System allows optimal respiration of the produce for a longer life cycle once it is packaged, thereby also increasing sales and reducing cost.
In cooperation with Braskem, world leader in the field of biopolymers, Amerplast offers its customers Green Polyethylene (Green PE), made from a 100 % renewable resource, sugar cane ethanol. Green PE contains no fossil raw materials and can be recycled in existing recycling streams, while it has the same quality and technical characteristics as conventional oil based polyethylene. The production of Green PE does not add to greenhouse gases, but actually reduces CO2 emissions instead. Polarbröd, an Amerplast customer and Sweden’s third largest bakery has already taken the decision to convert all of its flexible film requirements from fossil based polyethylene to Amerplast's bio based polyethylene film.
For additional information:
Reima Kerttula, Amerplast COO, reima.kerttula@amerplast.com, tel. +358 400 648 458
Amerplast news: http://www.amerplast.com/about-us/company/news/
Amerplast for media: http://www.amerplast.com/about-us/media/
Amerplast on Twitter: @amerplast
Amerplast on LinkedIn: Amerplast
About Amerplast
Amerplast, founded in 1952, is one of Europe's largest flexo printers and bag converters and a leader in innovative packaging solutions, manufacturing high-performance flexible packaging for fast moving consumer goods for both food and non-food categories. The company plays a key role in consumer goods categories such as retail bags, bakery, fresh and frozen food, consumer tissue and personal care, providing optimal logistics and packaging solutions that efficiently support customer business. With manufacturing plants in Finland and Poland and sales offices in Sweden and Russia, Amerplast employs around 420 people and sells to customers in more than twenty countries. Amerplast plants producing food and hygiene packaging are BRC certified (British Retail Consortium) and the company is an officially certified HD quality printing house. www.amerplast.com
