Sustainable packaging will be the future and we will be compelled to adhere to sustainable packaging norms, said Shailesh Nema – country manager & director, Michelman India during the Print Business Outlook Conference 2018, which was organized by NPES and Telangana Offset Printers Association in Hyderabad on 11 March.
Michelman has around 70 years of expertise in water-based coating. The company is a global developer and manufacturer of environment-friendly advanced materials for industry, offering solutions for the coatings, printing & packaging and industrial manufacturing markets.
Highlighting the benefits of sustainable packaging, he said it is safe and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle as it is sourced, manufactured, transported and recycled using renewable energy.
According to Nema, sustainable packaging solutions not only have a positive impact on the environment, but also make good business sense. He said that brands can attract new customers with green packaging. “Millennials are ready to spend that extra buck for greener packaging solutions and choose socially and environmentally responsible brands,” he said.
Sustainable packaging also helps reduce energy and resource consumption while reducing a company’s carbon footprint. Another advantage that sustainable packaging offers is that of reduced logistics costs as down-gauging leads to smaller or fewer rolls and boxes, thereby reducing space and emissions.
However, he stressed that compostability needs to be mixed with cost efficiency if sustainable packaging needs to be widely accepted. “People are interested in greener solutions if these solutions are either cost neutral or cost efficient. We have to be sensitive about this,” he argued.
Nema informed the audience about how Michelman India can help converters as well as brand owners innovate and develop sustainable packaging solutions. He talked about Michelman’s newly established Michelman Innovation Centre for Coatings (MICC), at its facilities in central Mumbai. The Centre is designed to allow all members of the packaging value chain to participate in the design and production of sustainable packaging.
The MICC houses a Kroenert pilot coater laminator that allows packaging manufacturers to test new concepts without stopping their production lines. The Centre includes advance equipment for barrier testing, lamination, and for improving both the physical and chemical properties of coatings.
“The MICC is open for brand owners and converters who can prototype innovative packaging structures, conduct trials and decide on optimum structure,” he said.
