Live the Color
SC Biz Magazine Fall 2011 issue reports on what exactly motivated Be Green Packaging to come to open their latest manufacturing plant in South Carolina.
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From drinks to toys to household goods, planet-friendly packaging has become a selling point in its own right.
Earlier this summer in Los Angeles, Greenpeace activists unfurled a cheeky banner from the top of Mattel’s headquarters to denounce the company’s procurement of packaging materials. Testing of boxes in which Barbie dolls were packaged revealed paper fibres traced to deforested regions in Indonesia. Within a week, Mattel had pledged to change its sourcing policy and instruct its suppliers to commit to sustainable packaging. Mattel will learn from other companies that deal with a long and tangled supply chain that sustainable packaging is not only about waste diversion, but also innovation that can boost a firm’s bottom line. Companies that had long competed against each other based on product now joust for an edge based on their products’ packaging, from two-litre soft drinks bottles to laptop computers.
Consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food companies are now quick to tout the advantages that their packaging offers. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, for example, has eliminated that pesky strip from the bottom of plastic bottle caps, reduced bottleneck sizes and will decrease the amount of raw material in its bottles to create what it says will be the lightest 2-litre bottle in the beverage industry. Meanwhile Heinz has adopted the Coca-Cola plant bottle, made out of 30% cane ethanol-based plastic, for a new ketchup bottle. In Japan, a mineral water brand owned by Coca-Cola has introduced a new design that is 40% lighter, uses 30% plant-based material and easily crushes down to a size that makes it easier to transport to recycling centers.
When it comes to razors, Proctor & Gamble has stepped outside the traditional marketing tactic of adding another blade or degree of flexibility to its disposable shavers. In Europe and the UK, one Gillette-branded razor comes attached to a tray made in part from plant-based fibres. The trays are cheaper to make and their lighter weight means lower transport costs. For P&G, the benefits are a sleek design and a way to stand out in a highly competitive market. For its supplier, California-based Be Green Packaging, industry recognition is a boost for its line of Cradle-to-Cradle certified packaging.
Dell has also jumped on the sustainable packaging bandwagon. The computer manufacturer partnered with Ecovative Design, which creates shipping materials made from a fungus that feeds off agricultural waste such as rice hulls and cotton burrs. Between this and laptop trays sourced from bamboo, Dell reduced its consumption of packaging materials by 8.2 million kilos (18.2 million pounds) in 2009.
These packaging innovations offer several advantages, among them lighter materials that reduce fuel and water consumption, decreased costs, and increased consumer awareness – which in turn could increase sales. What becomes of that packaging, however, is another story. Will municipalities accept these materials into their recycling waste stream? And will consumers bother to compost that Styrofoam alternative?
The most compelling sustainable packaging options are the ones that take low-value recycling materials and transform them into high-value products. The industrial packaging company Greif and its Brazilian partner Cimplast collaborate on what they call the “Agribusiness Virtuous Cycle“. The process diverts agrochemical bottles from landfills and recycles them into pipes for new construction or remodeling projects. Meanwhile a Brazilian civil society, Earth Curators, takes plastic bottles and other scrap and “upcycles” them into affordable building materials targeted to lower- and middle-income families. While chic design will catch consumers’ attention, turning single-use products into quality building materials and high-value products that last for the long term will be the next frontier for companies and their suppliers who seek the next sustainable packaging competitive advantage.
Leon Kaye is founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com
Jenni Spinner, Senior Editor — Packaging Digest, 9/28/2011 1:27:05 AM
At the “Meet the Press: CPGs Innovating for Efficiency” session on Tues., Sept. 27, 2011, an assemblage of packaging leaders imparted insights on the latest trends in packaging line efficiency and flexibility to PACK EXPO Las Vegas attendees.
Mike Marcinkowski, principal engineer for research and development at The Gillette Co., sat down with Packaging Digesteditorial director John Kalkowski to discuss packaging innovation and productivity improvements at his firm. Marcinkowski shared lessons learned in Gillette’s recent development and European launch of revamped packaging for its popular Fusion ProGlide razors.
Fueled by consumer feedback, sustainability concerns and aims to boost line efficiency, Gillette swapped the razor’s traditional clamshell packaging with a formable pulp tray composed of multiple, rapidly renewable fibers (including bamboo and bulrush). The end result: a package that’s easier to open than its predecessor, more sustainable and lightweighted. Additionally, the work of the task force involved in planning, designing and rolling out the packaging helped lead to a scrap rate of approximately 1 percent.
“To get down to that 1 percent is huge,” Marcinkowski said. “That’s one of the best production rates we’re running right now—that’s a big win for us.”
Marcinkowski added that the revamped packaging has been in production in the European market for about a year and soon will be launched worldwide.
Next, Garry Kohl, senior director of packaging R&D for Frito-Lay Inc., chatted with Lisa Pierce, editor of Packaging Digest, to discuss how a multinational corporation with approximately $14 billion in sales implements packaging innovations. He told the Meet the Press audience that the amount of product the company handles in the United States alone, and the associated packaging, is staggering.
“If you took all the bags of chips we produce every year, you could create a ribbon that goes from the earth to the moon and back four times,” he said, adding that figuring in Frito Lay’s global sales causes that figure to double.
Determining ways to improve efficiencies and implement those processes at a large company can be challenging, Kohl said. Streamlining existing operations and other methods can help toward achieving those goals, but technology is a big part of making it happen.
“It’s the technology that’s going to drive us forward, and we need partners that are going to help us do that,” Kohl said “Technology can help us make our products faster, with the same quality that we’ve always had going forward.”
The Meet the Press session was presented as part of the IoPP Packaging Learning Center Conference at PACK EXPO. To glimpse more of the insights offered by experts at the show regarding packaging line efficiency, flexibility and other pressing issues, be sure to check out the continuing coverage in Packaging Digest’.
Be Green Packaging, LLC. today announced that it has successfully completed an AIB food safety audit of its China-based manufacturing facility. The company, which produces a complete line of compostable and recyclable foodservice packaging from renewable plant fibers, conducted the audit as part of a larger campaign to certify the entirety of its operations by independent, 3rd party organizations.
The American Institute of Baking (AIB) is an internationally recognized certification and inspection body that has developed an industry standard audit for food contact packaging manufacturers. Companies can voluntarily undergo AIB audits in order to gain insight into areas which may need improvement and also to maintain a high level of transparency into their operations.
“We decided to undergo an AIB audit in order to demonstrate our willingness to let independent, 3rd party organizations review our facilities as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency,“ commented Eva Van Wingerden, Director of Eco-social Initiatives at Be Green. “When all was said and done, however, it ended up being much more than that. The results of the review helped us to identify and systematically improve various aspects of our facility, which results in a safer workplace and product for everyone involved.”
Be Green Packaging adheres to the triple bottom line philosophy, which places environmental stewardship and social responsibility on par with profitability. The company maintains a long list of eco-social certifications from organizations such as the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, the Biodegradable Products Institute, Western Michigan University’s Recycling Pilot Program, the Non-GMO Project, and the USDA BioPreferred Program, among others. The company is also currently undergoing a Workplace Conditions Assessment (WCA) through the organization Intertek, which specifically focuses on the health, well being, and working conditions of employees at its various facilities.
The company will be opening the first plant fiber packaging manufacturing facility in the United States later this year. Governor Nikki Haley along with Jasper county community leaders recently visited the forthcoming Ridgeland, South Carolina facility officially welcoming the company to the state. Be Green will begin distribution out of the Ridgeland facility in September and commence manufacturing in the first quarter of 2012.
Be Green Packaging LLC, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., manufactures and distributes Cradle to Cradle certified, tree-free, compostable packaging for the food and consumer packaging industries. The company’s products are made from annually renewable plant fibers that are safe for people and healthy for the planet. For more information about the company, please visit www.begreenpackaging.com.
SANTA BARBARA, June 22nd – Be Green Packaging announced today that its line of plant-based food packaging has achieved USDA BioPreferred status. The company’s packaging, which is composed of wild-harvested plant fibers such as bulrush and bamboo, qualified for the labeling due to its high level of ‘biobased’ content. According to the USDA’s website, the term ‘biobased’ refers to commercial or industrial products (other than food or feed) that are composed in whole, or in significant part, of biological products, renewable agricultural materials (including plant, animal, and marine materials), or forestry materials.
The BioPreferred label was created by the USDA in 2002 in order to encourage consumers and government agencies to identify and use products which meet the programs biobased content standards. Products that achieve BioPreferred status receive preference for all government contracts over those that do not.
In addition to the BioPreferred label, Be Green’s line of food service packaging has also garnered independent, 3rd party certification from a host of organizations such as the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), Western Michigan University’s Recycling Program, and the Non-GMO Project, among others.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.; June 13th, 2011 – DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers has announced the winners of its 23rd Annual Awards for Packaging Innovation, naming Be Green Packaging and Proctor & Gamble as the recipients of its highest honor, the prestigious Diamond Award. The companies garnered the accolade for their recent collaboration on the design of Gillette’s new Fusion Pro Glide razor packaging trays. The new trays, which are composed of plant-based fibers, reduced cost and material weight while maintaining Gillette’s distinctive product packaging. Be Green is known for its line of compostable and recyclable packaging that is also manufactured from plant-based materials similar to those used in the Gillette Fusion ProGlide trays.
DuPont gives Diamond Awards only to those companies that demonstrate extraordinary levels of innovation, commitment to the principles of sustainability, and cost/waste reduction. Of this years 200+ applicants from around the world, only two were chosen to receive this honor. In addition to the Be Green Packaging/P&G team, Ecovative Design also received recognition for its line of protective secondary packaging created from a combination of mycelium (mushroom roots) and regionally sourced agricultural byproducts. Entries were reviewed by an independent panel of judges comprised of top executives from across the packaging and sustainability industries.
“The Packaging Awards program is an opportunity to celebrate how collaborating throughout the value chain can bring cost-effective innovation to the market to help solve the big issues,” said Shanna Moore, global director of sustainable packaging at DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. “The Gillette Fusion ProGlide packaging captures the spirit of innovation to resolve complex global challenges.”
Be Green’s proprietary technology allows it to create a wide range of consumer, industrial, and food grade packaging from a mix of plant-based fibers. WIld-harvested, annually renewable plants are formed into an array of shapes and sizes using advanced moulding processes that can be adapted to meet nearly any specification. The company maintains stringent eco-certifications from third party organizations such as the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and the Biodegradable Products Institute to ensure transparency in its manufacturing operations.
“Be Green are leaders in the green packaging industry. Their pressed plant-fiber manufacturing capabilities are what initially attracted me to the company and they worked closely with us [Gillette] to develop the Fusion ProGlide tray. We had tight deadlines and they delivered, everytime.” said Mike Marcinowski, principal research and development engineer of Proctor & Gamble’s global packaging development division. “There has been a big push within the packaging industry to reduce the environmental impacts of our products. We chose Be Green to manufacture the Gillette Fusion ProGlide tray because they had the plant-fiber technology we needed with a host of eco-certifications to back it up.”
“We are extremely pleased to have won this award in partnership with P&G” commented Robert Richman, chairman and president of manufacturing. “The DuPont award is a milestone for both companies. By maintaining a high-level of transparency in all our interactions we were able to develop truly innovative packaging for the Gillette Fusion Pro Glide. Our recipe for success is simple: collaboration and transparency through every step of the process.”
“This award proves that it is possible to bring sustainable green solutions to the marketplace at lower costs than traditional packaging while significantly lowering a company’s packaging footprint” said Ron Blitzer, CEO of Be Green Packaging in regards to the recent announcement. “For consumers and retailers alike, this collaboration is providing a template for the next generation in packaging. This is a big win for not only Be Green and P&G/Gillette, but consumers as well.”
The Gillette Fusion Pro Glide razor is currently available in a number of European markets, including the United Kingdom.
In addition to P&G, Be Green is currently supplying food service packaging to Whole Foods Market and 7-11, among others. The company will be expanding its global manufacturing operations by opening the nation’s first plant-fiber manufacturing facility based on the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s standards later this year in Jasper county South Carolina.
About Be Green Packaging
Be Green Packaging LLC, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., manufactures and distributes Cradle-to-Cradle certified, tree-free, compostable packaging for the food and consumer packaging industries. The company’s products are made from annually renewable plant fibers that are safe for people and healthy for the planet. For more information about the company, please visit www.begreenpackaging.com.
About Proctor and Gamble
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Actonel®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, and Braun®. The P&G community consists of over 135,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
SANTA BARBARA, June 6th, 2011 – Be Green Packaging, LLC announced today that it has engaged The Austin Company, a leading design, engineering, and construction firm who will undertake the development of the company’s new $7.3 million dollar manufacturing facility in Ridgeland, South Carolina. Earlier this year, Be Green announced the purchase of the 27-acre property where it will house the nation’s first plant-based, compostable packaging facility operating under the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s sustainability standards. Based out of Santa Barbara, California, Be Green is making a name for itself in the emerging sustainable packaging sector by working with a diverse portfolio of clients such as Whole Foods Market, P&G’s GIllette Razor Company, and Sonoco, among others.
With over 130 years of experience, The Austin Company is one of the country’s preeminent engineering and construction firms whose list of clients covers a wide range of industries from aerospace to food service. In the past, The Austin Company has worked with internationally recognizable organizations such as Proctor and Gamble, General Mills, The Boeing Company, Danisco, and Unilever, among others, to design, construct, and maintain some of the world’s most innovative manufacturing facilities. The company will be serving as design, engineering and construction consultants and offering a host of process operations improvement services to Be Green in the months running up to the plant’s opening.
“Be Green is committed to quality in every aspect of how we conduct business, from our manufacturing standards to our finished product. We want to extend that same level of commitment to our new facility and that is why we have brought The Austin Company on board” commented Robert Richman, Chairman and President of Manufacturing, when asked about the partnership. “Simply put, they have the experience and knowledge to help us get our facility up and running in the shortest timeframe possible while maintaining our high standards.”
Be Green Packaging LLC, based in Santa Barbara, California, manufactures and distributes Cradle-to-Cradle certified, tree-free, compostable packaging for the food and consumer packaging industries. The company’s products are made from annually renewable plant fibers that are safe for people and healthy for the planet. For more information about the company, please visit: www.begreenpackaging.com
In a consumer driven marketplace there are few actions that speak as loudly as “voting with your wallet” and as Pira International’s latest packaging industry survey reveals, companies are indeed listening. The firm recently released a comprehensive marketing intelligence report entitled The Future of Sustainable Packaging to 2020: Convenience Vs the Environment, which outlines a dramatic shift in perception within the packaging industry regarding sustainability. The research firm chose to approach the study from a “consumer-based” perspective, seeking to understand exactly what forces are driving the marketplace.
Pira interviewed key players in the global packaging supply chain in order to understand what they considered to be the largest drivers of growth in the sustainable packaging industry. According to Pira, sustainability is defined as growth that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. The results of the study showed that 79% of the respondents felt consumer awareness of environmental issues and new material developments were the most important factors driving growth within the field.
Based on the results of the study, the researchers concluded that “…the packaging industry cannot help but become the sustainability focal point and primary benchmark for other industries.” Linda Casey of Packaging Digest went on to state “Not only is packaging a resource intensive sector in an increasingly resource constrained world, but tons of packaging waste are ending up in landfills daily.” Considering these factors, it becomes quite clear that the potential for innovation within the industry is huge.
Major companies are beginning to take note and a few have stepped forward to lead the “sustainable packaging revolution” by adopting forward-thinking solutions that eschew traditional petroleum-based plastics. In the public sector, Whole Foods Market, Proctor and Gamble’s Gillette Razor Company (UK), and Pepsi Co. are among those that have led the charge by adopting 100% recyclable, plant-based packaging for use on some of their products. With many of the worlds most recognizable brands preparing to follow suit, it is only a matter of time before truly sustainable, plant-based packaging becomes an industry standard.
The large scale adoption of plant-based packaging currently underway is helping to create economies of scale that will encourage companies that may have initially been reluctant to adopt sustainable packaging due its high price to reconsider their decisions. This is especially true in light of the recent surge in oil prices that continues to make traditional petroleum-based plastic packaging look less favorable by the day.
In addition to measuring drivers of growth, Pira’s study also identified major barriers that need to be overcome in order for sustainable packaging to be adopted on a wider scale. Researchers concluded that there is a significant level of confusion surrounding “eco buzz words” such as biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, recycled, and other variations on these and similar terms. While there is a growing number of highly educated eco-enthusiasts that intentionally seek out green products, the reality is that the average consumer is overwhelmed by the growing list of vaguely defined and often overlapping terms used to market and describe sustainable packaging.
The study’s authors suggest that both the packaging industry and consumers need to work together to develop a unified set of standards that will end confusion and maintain transparency in the rapidly growing sustainability sector. Independent organizations such as the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute have developed their own strict standards that could potentially serve as a framework for future legislation. A list of packaging companies that are currently certified by the organization can be found here.
While the report’s overall outlook is certainly positive, there nonetheless remain significant hurdles that need to be overcome in the rapidly growing field. If consumers are indeed the major drivers of growth within the industry, it is imperative that they understand just what it is they are getting.
To find out more about Pira International or to purchase a copy of the report, visit their website at www.pira-international.com.
– Justin Faerman
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – May 26, 2011 – Be Green Packaging, LLC. announced today that it has finalized the purchase of the manufacturing plant where it will house the nations first compostable packaging facility based on the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s standards. The rapidly growing company, which is located in Santa Barbara, CA, designs and manufactures Cradle to Cradle certified packaging from plant-based fibers and is currently supplying notable companies such as Whole Foods Market, 7-Eleven and P&G’s Gillette Razor Company, among others. Be Green’s present domestic operations are limited to warehouses in Boston and Los Angeles, however, the company is seeking to augment its China manufacturing base with the new facility in Ridgeland, SC.
In order to accommodate its growing list of clients and expand the company’s operations globally, Be Green will be opening a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Jasper county South Carolina. Gov. Nikki Haley recently lauded the company’s decision to locate the facility in Ridgeland stating “What makes this great is that we [the state of South Carolina] said we weren’t going to just focus our economic development and job creation efforts on the cities but also the rural areas that need it the most. Be Green Packaging’s decision to invest more than $7.3 million and create 175 new jobs in our state is exciting news.
The company is currently the only manufacturer of sustainable food packaging to have achieved a Cradle to Cradle certification according to the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII) protocols. Founded in 2010, the C2CPII is a non-profit organization whose aim is to transform our perception of what makes a product truly sustainable. The C2CPII Cradle to Cradle standard was developed to provide an objective level of certification for products that “…[mirror] the healthy, regenerative productivity of nature, and thereby [create] industry that is continuously improving and sustaining life and growth.” (c2ccertified.org) According to the design firm MBDC (C2CPII’s predecessor), “…unlike single-attribute eco-labels, [the Cradle to Cradle] certification program takes a comprehensive approach to evaluating the design of a product and the practices employed in manufacturing the product.” Factors such as material health, material reutilization, renewable energy use, water stewardship, and social responsibility are considered when determining whether or not a product meets the organizations standards.
The new plant will combine a sophisticated water reclamation system with extensive composting and recycling operations to achieve its goal of becoming a 100% waste-free facility. CEO Ron Blitzer plans to extend the company’s triple bottom line philosophy to the new plant. “Our commitment to sustainability doesn’t end with our products– in addition to reducing our environmental footprint, we will be creating long-term jobs and growth in the area. We are committed to safety and quality in our plant and adding value to the communities in which we operate. With radical changes happening daily in our industry, now is the time to bring our manufacturing operations to the US.” commented Blitzer.
Since opening its doors in 2007, Be Green has accumulated a long list of 3rd party environmental certifications by maintaining a strong commitment to its triple bottom line philosophy, which puts social and environmental stewardship on par with generating profit as a core policy of the enterprise. The company’s packaging, which is manufactured from renewable, wild-harvested plants such as bulrush, bagasse, and bamboo, is certified compostable, recyclable, and tree-free. A non-GMO certification is pending although the company maintains that it does not use GM fibers in any of its products.
“Innovation is at the core of our enterprise” stated Robert Richman, Chairman and President of Manufacturing. “Because our packaging is manufactured from renewable, plant-based fibers, we are able to eschew petroleum and the significant problems associated with it, including rapidly increasing costs. We are excited to be at the forefront of the green revolution and are working around the clock to get things up and running at the Ridgeland facility.”
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Be Green Packaging LLC 