Standing together at the forefront of the packaging sustainability movement
A. HATZOPOULOS S.A. and leading machine manufacturer ROVEMA join forces to present live at the upcoming IPACK-IMA trade fair in Milan a novel, fully-recyclable solution for coffee packaging, running at full speed at the ROVEMA’s BVC 260 packaging machine live on display at the show. Ensuring high-barrier properties for the protection of the coffee’s aroma and flavors, the monomaterial film which we designed based on the X-CYCLETM packaging technology delivers packaging sustainability, efficiency and full performance.
Mono-material, all-PP Recyclable solution based on X-CYCLETM
The high-end X-CYCLETM materials we developed specifically for the coffee market are in line with the CEFLEX and OPRL guidelines for flexible packaging design for recycling. These guidelines strongly suggest the replacement of conventional flexible packaging with mono-material alternatives, where possible, in order to facilitate recycling. The specific target for the development of this film was to convert conventional structures, which are used for coffee packaging, into their recyclable equivalents, whilst simultaneously preserving the high protective and functional properties of the original films. This particular solution we designed replaces the traditional multi-material coffee triplex laminates with a mono-material, 89my formulation constructed exclusively from polypropylene films and thus it can be easily recycled through the PP recycling streams already existing in several European countries.
High Protection
The novel film to be presented live at the event incorporates high-barrier properties against oxygen, aroma and water vapor. This way it is able to provide total safety and guarantee high protection of the coffee quality, maintaining the aromas and the various coffee flavors rich and vibrant for a long shelf-life.
Full Performance
The switch to the suggested X-CYCLETM film is easy and efficient, as it achieves optimal performance during the packing process. First approved at ROVEMA’s test center in Germany and now presented at IPACK-IMA in Milan, this fully-recyclable packaging system we have designed reaches an output rate of up to 70 side-gusseted coffee packs per minute, with the WICOVALVE® W109PP button valve applied ultrasonically to our X-CYCLE PP film at ROVEMA’s BVC 260 line on display at the show.
“We are thrilled to be joining forces with ROVEMA for this packaging development for coffee and to stand together at the forefront of the packaging sustainability movement”, comments Lefteris Tourasanidis, R&D Director of A. Hatzopoulos S.A. “Helping brands redesign their packs for recyclability is a very exciting process. Our close collaboration with ROVEMA for such customer projects is an important success factor of this transformation process, increasing performance and overall efficiency in packaging design”.
Many coffee brands now decide to follow a holistic approach to Sustainability in their supply chain, going beyond their coffee sourcing and looking to switch also their packaging into more sustainable alternatives. At A. HATZOPOULOS S.A. we are committed to help our partners achieve their current and future sustainability goals. With the vision for a better future planet, we have developed the next generation of flexible packaging solutions for coffee, designed for recycling: X-CYCLETM.
IPACK-IMA 2022, the global top trade fair for the packaging sector, will take place on 3-6 May at Fiera Milano. The event will bring together over 1.500 exhibiting companies from the entire industry and it is expected to attract more than 75.000 international visitors from 146 countries. Discover our innovative X-CYCLETM materials live at the ROVEMA stand: Hall 1P, Stand C87.
Exhibition details and Practical info:
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About ROVEMA
With passion and the experience of more than 60 years, ROVEMA develops and builds packaging machines and lines that meet the complex demands of the modern circular economy. ROVEMA thinks holistically and considers the environment, the market, the product and the packaging in projects from the very beginning. This enables the development of efficient and sustainable packaging machines with high availability. A sustainable solution that fits the characteristics of the product to be packaged and its requirements for logistics, packaging material, shelf life and energy efficiency is ROVEMA’s top priority. A successful concept – ROVEMA has already delivered more than 30,000 machines and lines worldwide.
At the IPACK-IMA trade show in Milan, ROVEMA is exhibiting a BVC 260 of continuous operation specifically for packing coffee – ground coffee, coffee beans, agglomerated or freeze-dried coffee can be processed with gentle product handling and accurate weight. For coffee applications requiring a degassing valve, the machine is equipped with the particularly high-performance new ROVEMA valve applicator for button valves. Packing materials from the flat film web are used, and the aroma valve is fitted in the reel carrier of the packaging machine, offering maximum flexibility at this point as well: the process allows an even wider sealing window, which can be adapted to the requirements of the particular packing material and the button valve selected.
“When we started with our testing of alternative packaging materials, we soon found out that we need an improved valve applicator to meet speed demands in coffee packaging. New materials need longer weld times, so the applicator has been re-designed to now allow packing at a faster speed while having a longer sealing window to meet packaging material demands. We discovered the importance of having very stable temperature controls and long-weld times for mono-materials. These findings are spoken about transparently between us, the film producer and the client, to ensure we give the best-in-class machine. We are completely flexible in our approach and adapt our development, particularly in coffee, to the consumers’ requirements.”, comments Ingo Hamel, Rovema’s Head of Innovation and R&D.
Fig: Turnkey solutions for coffee from a single source – from dosing to final packaging suitable for loading or transport optimization.
Learn more about packaging coffee with Rovema:
https://www.rovema.com/en/packaging-solutions/packaged-goods/coffee