With the new Terra Alu-free + Full Barrier solution, SIG is now extending its full barrier packaging material without an aluminium layer to aseptic multiserve carton packs.
The new packaging material without an aluminium layer for multiserve carton packs is said to reduce the carbon footprint of SIG's standard aseptic carton packs by up to 61 percent when combined with forest-based polymers. The material consists of more than 80 per cent paper and simplifies the packaging structure to just two main materials, all of which can be linked to renewable sources.
Performance and compatibility
The packaging material offers the same complete barrier protection as conventional aseptic SIG carton packs and the same product shelf life of up to 12 months. It can be used seamlessly on existing SIG filling lines for aseptic carton packs - with full machine performance including a high speed of up to 24,000 packs per hour for small formats and up to 15,000 packs per hour for multiserve carton packs. This only requires minor, cost-effective adjustments to the existing machines.
The Plug-and-play solution enables SIG customers worldwide to benefit from the additional environmental advantages of the full-barrier packaging material without an aluminium layer. for a variety of beverages without having to compromise on product quality or production output.
„We are opening up new possibilities for the packaging of sensitive product categories such as plant-based products, juices and functional beverages. Our SIG Terra portfolio now offers aseptic cartonboard packaging materials without an aluminium layer for all the product categories we serve, without compromising on shelf life.“
Christoph Wegener, Chief Markets Officer at SIG.
Simplification of packaging structures
In aseptic carton packs, an aluminium layer is traditionally used to protect food and beverages from oxygen and light. Although aluminium only makes up around five percent of a standard aseptic carton pack, it is it is responsible for up to 25 per cent of CO2-footprint of a carton pack with full barrier protection. The removal of the aluminium layer is an important step towards reducing the already low CO2-footprint of a standard aseptic carton pack from SIG even further and to minimise the Simplify packaging material from three to just two raw materials, which increases the paper content to over 80 per cent. SIG intends to gradually expand SIG Terra Alu-free + Full Barrier for all flagship carton formats in the single and multi-serve range, which are suitable for all beverage and dairy product categories.
„We have set ourselves the goal of increasing the proportion of paper in our aseptic carton packs to at least 90 per cent by 2030, including closures, with an interim target of 85 per cent without closures this year. This will enable us to increase the proportion of renewable raw materials in our packaging, reduce CO2-footprint and create the conditions for simplifying the recycling of aseptic carton packs, as only cartonboard and polymers need to be separated from each other.“
Gavin Steiner, Chief Technology Officer at SIG
Source: SIG
