fentsch.de: latest local and market news

New gravure printing facility at Wipak Walsrode

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:22:00 +0200

The demand for high-quality print images rises rapidly. In order to cover this growing demand, we installed an additional gravure printing facility which was officially put into operation in early June in the presence of Joerg Bode, Secretary of Commerce, Labour and Social Affairs in Lower Saxony. Wipak, manufacturer of flexible packaging films, has invested about 5 million EUR in order to upgrade the capacities. The facility is mainly used to print and laminate films for food packaging which tend to employ more and more complex motives. Equipped with 10 printing systems and a turn-over device, the facility is able to apply additional coatings as well as to print special colours and metal effects. Consumers tend to take a major part of their purchase decisions spontaneously while shopping. They often do not take more than a second to select a product. For that reason it is of vital importance for trading companies and food manufacturers to catch the attention of consumers by means of a high-quality print image. Klaus-Dieter Opitz, Director Sales and Marketing at Wipak Central explains: „For Wipak, the continuous investment in the latest technology and thus a clear focus on customer requirement is the foundation for long-term customer satisfaction“. “We expect an ongoing growth for printed packages. Thanks to our additional printing capacities, we are able to produce faster and with higher flexibility. In particular the optimized processes when changing print cylinders provide higher production flexibility for our facility. This allows us to better serve our customers“, Wipak’s Managing Director Matti Rovamaa explains the investment decision.

Sustainable packaging market predicted to reach $142.42bn by 2015

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:01:00 +0200

Greater awareness about environmental disposal hazards and more stringent government regulations are predicted to drive the global market for sustainable packaging to reach $142.42bn by 2015, according to market research group Global Industry Analysts (GIA). Other drivers are identified as increased awareness about recycling of packaging wastes and government initiatives to minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Also making greater use of recycled and reusable materials has helped companies cut costs and packaging waste. The report, “Sustainable (Green) Packaging: A Global Strategic Business Report,” identifies the food and beverage and food service industries that lead the drive to sustainable packaging along with cosmetics and personal care, shipping markets, and healthcare. Biopolymer packaging And the report highlights that several food companies also have announced plans to switch to compostable biopolymer packaging. Unlike other sectors of the packaging industry, sustainable packaging has showed good over the past two years bucking the economic downturn. Europe and the US together account for more than 70 per cent of the global sustainable packaging market. In the US recycled material accounts for the largest packaging category, contributing nearly 90 percent to the total demand, according to the report. But Asia-Pacific is predicted to show the fastest growth in green packaging; increasing at an annual compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 10 per cent over the next five years. Greater awareness about environmental concerns, government initiatives, growing economies, and burgeoning population are identified as the drivers behind this growth. Biodegradables represent the fastest growing segment in the packaging industry. Among biodegradables, bioplastics are garnering increased demand in the green packaging market. Bemis company The report highlights the trend towards using sustainable packaging as a marketing tool. Key players in the global sustainable packaging market are identified as Associated Packaging Technologies, Amcor, Ball Corp., Bemis Company, Biopack Environmental Solutions, Constar International Inc., Crown Holdings, Earthcycle Packaging, EnviroPAK, E. I. Du Pont de Nemours, Georgia-Pacific, Graphic Packaging Holding, Huhtamäki Oyj, Innovia Films, MeadWestvaco, NatureWorks, Owens-Illinois, Pactiv, Plantic Technologies, Plastipak Packaging, Printpack, Rexam, Saint-Gobain, Sealed Air, and Silgan Holdings. Meanwhile, another recent report from Colorado-based Pike Research suggests that the sustainable packaging market is growing much faster than the general packaging industry. Its size is expected to double in size from $88m last year to $170bn in 2014.

Nestlé to acquire majority participation in Malher Group

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:38:00 +0200

Nestlé and Malher have announced an agreement for Nestlé to become the majority shareholder of the Guatemalan group. Malher manufactures, markets and distributes culinary products and powdered beverages under brands such as Malher, Yus and Toki. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. Financial details of the agreement are not disclosed. Malher has more than 50 years’ successful commercial presence in Guatemala and is also present in other Central American countries, the Caribbean and North America. Malher currently employs more than 1,300 people who, together with the Nestlé team, will further develop the business in the region. Thanks to this participation, Nestlé will strengthen its position in the culinary business in Guatemala and enter the powdered beverages sector. Luis Cantarell, executive vice president of Nestlé’s Zone Americas, said: “Malher Group and its prestigious brands will consolidate Nestlé’s leadership in the culinary category in the Central American Region. This association will be very positive as it will complement Nestlé’s research and development expertise with Malher’s best-in-class product distribution in the region, allowing us to be closer to our consumers.”

SIG opens 'new chapter' as it targets UK food market

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 07:33:00 +0200

Liquid carton giant SIG Combibloc has revealed plans to target the UK food market with a new mid-sized carton format. The business is set to launch the CombiblocMidi, a new format that is specifically designed for products such as soups and cooking sauces, onto the UK market in the coming weeks. The group, which is owned by New Zealand-based Rank Group, said that the move was an effort to increase volumes outside the ambient juice market, which is the current source of the majority of its UK business. The CombiblocMidi format is already being used by the Campbell Soup Company in France. Alongside the new packaging format, the company, which supplies food producers including Unilever, Premier Foods and Campbells, is also planning to launch new filling technology to handle the format. SIG Combibloc marketing manager for Europe North Cindy Haast said: "We’re getting ready to open up a new chapter in our aseptic filling technology that will set benchmarks in both speed and efficiency withing the UK liquid food industry. "In sectors such as soup, consumers are looking for more content such as meat and vegetables and our forthcoming formats, such as the CombiblocMidi, will be able to handle larger particulates, enabling our customers to respond flexibly to changing trends and consumer expectations."

Nestlé completes acquisition of Liverpool’s Vitaflo

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:35:00 +0200

Nestlé has completed the acquisition of Vitaflo, a Liverpool-based global provider of clinical nutritional products that has enjoyed double-digit growth in the order of 30% over the last three years. This strategic transaction allows Nestlé to enter the fast-growing global market for clinical nutrition products tailor-made for people with inherited metabolic disorders. This sector is growing rapidly, as improved diagnosis and screening enable increasing numbers of cases to be detected, and new advances in science demonstrate the benefits of specialised nutrition as an integral part of clinical management. Vitaflo has approximate annual sales of CHF 40m. The acquisition price isn’t disclosed.

Danone agrees to sell shareholding in Huiyuan

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:35:00 +0200

Danone has agreed to sell its 22.98% shareholding in China Huiyuan Juice Group Limited to SAIF Partners, a Hong Kong-based private equity firm. As per the agreement, Danone is to sell its participation for HK$ 6.00 per share, for a total consideration of approximately €200m. Huiyuan holds a leading position in the fruit juice market in China. Danone’s decision to sell its minority stake in Huiyuan is in line with the company’s strategy to focus the activities of its waters division on natural mineral and spring water-based beverages. Since Danone’s entrance in the Chinese market in the late 80s, the company has built up successful positions in its four core categories – fresh dairy products, waters, baby nutrition and medical nutrition – which together operate 20 factories and employ 9,000 people in China.

BAT and EC sign agreement to combat illicit trade

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 07:19:00 +0200

ritish American Tobacco (BAT) yesterday entered into a cooperation agreement with the European Commission (EC) and the member states of the European Union (EU) to collectively tackle the problem of illicit trade in tobacco. As part of the deal, BAT will keep a tighter on supply chain networks, introduce tracking and tracing mechanisms on its products and cooperate with law enforcement bodies, including the EU's anti-fraud agency OLAF. BAT will also make payments if any future seizures of their official products, above certain quantities, are made in the EU. Under the legally binding deal, BAT is to pay a 10-million-dollar annual contribution to the EU's central budget and to participating member states - all 27 of them barring Spain, Sweden and Poland. Poland, Spain and Sweden have not signed the agreement for procedural reasons but are expected to join soon, EU taxation commissioner Algirdas Šemeta said. Šemeta highlighted figures showing that illegal tobacco trafficking costs the EU EUR 10 billion in lost tax revenue each year, and that it presents unfair competition for tobacco products sold through official chains. Previous agreements of a similar nature with Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco International caused smuggling of those brands to decrease "very significantly", the commissioner added, speaking of the value of cooperation between authorities and businesses. (pi)

Constantia Flexibles buys Spanish Tobepal from AMCOR

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:23:00 +0200

Constantia Flexibles Holding GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of the listed Constantia Packaging AG headquartered in Vienna buys Spanish Tobepal from AMCOR Flexibles Hispania S.L., which belongs to 100% to the Australian AMCOR Group. Tobepal with locations in Burgos and Logrono in Northern Spain has sales of approx. € 100 million and 488 employees. Business focus is in flexible packaging in the pharma, food and household goods areas. The transaction was approved by the EU commission, closing is expected within the coming months. The Constantia Packaging Group operates in the "aluminum", "corrugated board" and "flexible packaging" businesses. Approximately 7,800 employees in 19 European, Asian and American countries produce raw aluminum, semi-finished aluminum products as well as packaging solutions from aluminum, plastic and corrugated board packaging for the food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, automotive, aviation and other industries.

For Environment's Sake

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:23:00 +0200

Gravure d'Azur is the second French Janoschka site after Sopelpa that has successfully achieved the Imprim’Vert® (“print green”) certification.

Imprim’Vert® is a commitment of the entire printing supply chain to reduce their impact on the environment through:

an efficient management of dangerous waste
the security of storage for dangerous chemicals (liquids)
the non-use of toxic products
environmental awareness campaigns to their customers

Our focus on the environment and on the health of our personnel is not based on an ethical perspective only. Both aspects are indispensable for the continuity of the industry, the well-being of our staff and the local population.

Unilever’s Findus Italy goes to Birds Eye Iglo

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:12:00 +0200

Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever yesterday confirmed the sale of its Findus Italy business to frozen-foods group Birds Eye Iglo in a deal worth EUR805 million (A$1.2 billion).

Unilever said it had sold Findus Italy “to a company in which Birds Eye Iglo has a significant stake” three months after it had put the business on the block.

James Hill, chairman of Unilever’s Italian business, said: “Findus is the lynchpin of an attractive and profitable Frozen Foods business and I am confident that it will prosper under the dedicated resource and focused management that the new owners will bring.”

Hill added: “With this deal Unilever is now in a stronger position to focus on its core categories outside frozen foods and to achieve long-term growth in the Italian market.”

Unilever said Findus Italy, which sells brands including 4 Salti in Padella, Sofficini and Captain Findus, generated EUR462m in sales in 2009.

The deal remains subject to regulatory clearance from the EU.