With 2009 sustainability reports from leading consumer brand owners rolling out, the annual Michigan State conference on packaging innovation happening this week, and the Novapack conference on PET packaging trends in two weeks, our attention here at AEB has turned to the range of packaging industry activities focused on reducing the amount of raw materials used for beverage packaging. Some of these moves are made in the name of sustainability, some in the name of cost reduction. The best address both.  Here are a few of the 2009 announcements that caught our attention: 

 

Finally, it is worthwhile to recognize the potential offered by flexible packaging.  The potential for lightweighting is huge if the market will accept non-rigid format packaging.  PMMI recently reported that beverage pouches were poised to grow faster than any format over the next 10 years. AEB's Blu Sterilization Technology is an enabling technology that will continue to drive packaging evolution toward lighter weight, more sustainable solutions.  By allowing for room temperature sterilization, bottles and films do not need to be constructed to withstand the high tempertures used in conventional retort, hot fill, and chemical sterilization technologies.  With global consumer trends favoring healthier, more varied beverage products in single serve formats, there is an increasing need for sterilization and aseptic packaging technologies that enable sustainable manufacturing and sustainable packaging solutions.