Saica Group provides sustainability-minded solutions for the manufacture of recycled paper and corrugated and flexible packaging while promoting circular waste management.
After more than eight decades of developing sustainable and innovative solutions, today the group is comprised of four business divisions: Saica Paper, Saica Pack, Saica Natur, and Saica Flex. Saica Flex is the flexible packaging division of Saica Group and a key sustainable producer of flexible packaging and labelling solutions. It is present in more than six countries across the European Union and the UK.
How does the flexible packaging division prioritize innovative and environmentally conscious practices? Miguel Angel Dora, general manager of Saica Flex, explains.
As an introduction, it would be good to have an overview of Saica Flex’s sustainability commitments. Could you tell us about your targets?
Saica Group is fully committed to the transition towards a circular economy. To do this, Saica has set a series of ambitious targets in resource efficiency, circularity of materials, climate neutrality, and zero littering, among others.
More specifically, the flexible packaging business unit has committed to: have designed recycling solutions for 100% of our flexible packaging portfolio, introduce at least, 5% of post-consumer recycled materials by weight in its products, reduce the plastic weight across its products by an average of 20% and to have a 15% in weight of all this packaging made of paper structures.
I would like to analyze those commitments. Starting with designing for recycling, is there any product you are offering to your customers that achieves this goal?
Absolutely yes. We have developed Saica Monoflex. This product is a commitment to Circular Economy: a 100% designed-for-recycling monomaterial alternative, laminated or even monoweb for food and non-food contact applications.
This gamma of products can be produced with and without O2 and aroma barriers (PE or PP based) and they are suitable for VFFS, flowrap and pouch filling processes, depending on the configuration of structure and the properties of the materials that composes them. In addition, it could contribute to the saving of natural resources like reducing the energy consumption associated to the heat-sealing process that is conducted at a lower temperature.
As the increase of post-consumer recycled content is one of Saica’s main sustainability commitments, how do you see the future of such products? Is there anything Saica Flex is doing to reach this goal?
Since 2017, we are pioneering the introduction of post-consumer recycled content in packaging structures. Such an example of this is Greenheart, designed-for-recycling mono PE laminates with >40% recycled content using Saica Natur Cycle Plus PCR certifed rPE resin. It was our first flexible recycled plastic packaging for industrial use.
The commitment to the Circular Economy and Zero Waste made it possible to create a bag for non-food and non-cosmetic products based in the use of recycled low-density polyethylene. This packaging may be used in home care and industrial market applications as for detergents, soil, fertilisers and chemical products.
You have mentioned the importance of the flexible packaging division to reduce the weight of plastic content. Is this a measure you are implementing by replacing it with more paper structures? Are you already working on paper-based products?
Exactly. When we commit to reduce the plastic content weight, a key performer is paper.
This year, 2024, Saica Flex has launched, in collaboration with one of our biggest customers, a paper-based product for multipacks application in the confectionary, snacks and chocolate markets. The new packaging solution is designed to be recycled, contributing to virgin plastic reduction goals and, at the same time, this paper-based product retains top quality ensuring food content reaches consumers in optimal condition.
This isn´t the only paper product we have right now, and we continue working on the development of brand-new ones always collaborating and supporting our customers. Their needs and sustainability targets are fully aligned with Saica’s.
To read more about Saica Flex and its work to pursue sustainability in the flexible packaging space, click here.
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