ILIP ATTENDS FRUIT LOGISTICA TO PRESENT ITS INCREASINGLY SUSTAINABLE AND BESPOKE PACKAGING
ILIP presents the three Rs: reduction, recycling and renewable resources for packaging that guarantees the same level of protection for fresh produce with a reduced environmental impact
VALSAMOGGIA (BO, xx February 2019) – Reducing, Recycling and using Renewable Resources: these are the three “R”s underpinning ILIP’s commitment to sustainability, which is taking the brand to Fruit Logistica (Berlin, 6th-8th February) where it will showcase its expertise in supplying solutions for fresh produce packaging. (Halle 5.2 D-01).
An extensive range designed to suit the various requirements of the industry, supplemented by the possibility of customising bespoke products for particular needs, in the form of dedicated projects developed hand in hand with customers. “We have a flexible, dedicated facility that incorporates the latest innovations, allowing us to create personalised solutions, including exclusively – explains Roberto Zanichelli, Business Development & Marketing Director at ILIP – to give packaging added value and enhance the customer experience”.
ILIP has always paid special attention to environmental sustainability. “We were among the first in the industry to accept the challenge of pursuing solutions that would reduce the environmental impact of our packaging, a product which remains necessary to protect fresh produce, preserve its freshness and avoid food waste – comments Zanichelli – the activities undertaken by our Research & Development Department, also in partnership with outstanding university departments, have enabled us to offer the market cutting-edge solutions in terms of sustainability and functionality”.
We follow three guidelines to achieve sustainable packaging: reducing, recycling and using renewable resources. Reducing the weight and thickness of packaging allows us
to use less raw material, but doing so in excess could mean food is not protected appropriately, leading to waste. This means we need to strike the right balance. An excellent example can be seen in our B19NR fresh produce tray: it weighs 20.7% less than the previous model, while guaranteeing decidedly greater compression resistance.
As for recycling, ILPA, which ILIP is part of, was the first group at European level to have integrated the entire recycled PET cycle. Since 2012, it independently manages the post-consumer bottle recycling and supply chain and only uses post-consumer RPET recycled internally. Every single process is therefore controlled directly step by step, from picking, to cleaning, grinding and extrusion, through to the production of new packaging. This is a prime example of the circular economy, one of the European goals for the coming years. This organisation makes it possible to recycle 30,000 tonnes of plastic each year, which translates to 75,000 tonnes less CO2 emitted into the atmosphere.
Last but not least, renewable resources constitute not just a way to help preserve the environment, but also an answer to the growing market need to find an alternative to plastic. This is why many ILIP products are made of bioplastic materials, such as PLA, a plant-based material that offers the ideal requisites for the food packaging industry: it protects, while being 100% renewable.
So come and pay ILIP a visit at Fruit Logistica, the international fresh produce trade show, at Messe Berlin, Halle 5.2 D-01.