Finland-headquartered packaging company Huhtamaki is revolutionizing the industry with its mono-material solutions that aim at replacing conventional flexible packaging. The solutions target a wide range of applications in industries such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, home, and personal care worldwide. In April 2023, Huhtamaki launched its new blueloop solutions, expanding its existing blueloop portfolio.
In a conversation with Packaging South Asia, Dhananjay Salunkhe, managing director of Huhtamaki India, highlighted the advantages and usages of these mono-material solutions.
“Our expanded blueloop portfolio now includes three powerful and sustainable mono-material structures. These structures made from ‘PP Retort, PE, and Paper’ leverage ‘the power of 3’ – widely recycled, cost-effective materials with an economically viable use after collection. Our products offer recyclability, product protection, and affordability, all in one,” Salunkhe said.
Advantages of mono-materials
According to Salunkhe, the mono-material solutions offer manifold advantages. They prioritize product protection, ensuring that packaged products remain fresh and intact until they reach consumers.
The solutions address the challenge of recyclability, overcoming the limitations of conventional multi-material flexible packaging. The blueloop innovations are designed to be durable, lightweight, and capable of preserving the freshness and quality of various packaged products.
“Moreover, the advantage of the new structures lies in their ability to seamlessly integrate with today’s customer machinery, resulting in a smooth and effortless adoption process. These new innovations allow us to provide a sustainable alternative to conventional laminates that use aluminum as barrier or base package functionality on polyolefin structures,” he said.
“Both blueloop Paper and blueloop PE offer barrier performances that are comparable to aluminum-based solutions. The blueloop PE requires a reduced material usage, while blueloop Paper’s barrier performance is achieved without lamination or polymer film. The blueloop PP Retort, on the other hand, is designed for demanding applications with sterilization,” Salunkhe added.
Good response from Indian customers
The response from Huhtamaki’s India-based customers to these solutions at Interpack 2023 was inspiring, Salunkhe said.
“We are thrilled to introduce the blueloop PE solutions to the Indian market. These solutions perfectly align with the country’s growing emphasis on sustainability,” he said.
“Our commitment to driving positive change goes beyond mere intention. We have made significant technological investments in the films business in India, which is also a key part of the company’s global operations. We recognize that many Indian brands, particularly in the FMCG and food industries, are actively seeking sustainable alternatives that reduce plastic waste and foster a circular economy. We are dedicated to meeting their needs and collaborating with them to drive transformative change in the packaging industry,” he added.
Huhtamaki India has observed a significant interest in its new mono-material packaging solutions from the food and beverage industry, where sustainability has become a critical factor in packaging choices. The new blueloop solutions also cater to pet food, tube laminates, pharma, healthcare, and personal care.
All about blueloop
Blueloop is a brand that covers Huhtamaki’s range of sustainable packaging solutions designed for circularity. The PE, PP, and paper solutions are recyclable, mono-material packaging options that meet the needs of multiple industries such as food, beverages, pet food, healthcare, and personal care. Huhtamaki’s blueloop flexible technologies aim to meet the 2025 pledges of customers, providing truly sustainable solutions aligned with the company’s vision of protecting food, people, and the planet.
“Our blueloop flexible technologies are set to take innovation in mono-materials to a new level. In line with Huhtamaki’s vision of protecting food, people and the planet, these innovations are designed to meet the 2025 pledges of our customers and provide sustainable solutions to them,” Salunkhe said.
