The tropical bioeconomy competitiveness cluster Qualitropic has integrated packaging as part of its strategic missions. four years ago, he recruited Virginie Gallet, packaging engineer, to inform, advise and support companies in their eco-responsible packaging projects.
What does Qualitropic bring to companies regarding packaging? ?
We raise awareness about eco-design, information on different packaging materials and advice to our members on the subject. I worked in packaging development in the beer sector, then at Bonduelle, before joining Qualitropic. This is a subject that is close to my heart : increase the skills of companies in packaging, especially the small ones who are on all fronts. I also work with plastics processors to study local recycling loops.. We support several packaging projects. Our ambition is to do this more and more, because companies are often lost between regulatory developments and the very technical aspects of packaging : life cycle analysis of a product, the end of life of products on our territory, sourcing is not easy from Reunion…
Are Reunion companies sufficiently aware of the eco-responsible requirement in this area? ?
More and more. I see it in my interventions. Nevertheless, Reunion shows a certain gap with the national discourse, more advanced. The packaging problem is not yet clearly identified in Reunion Island. The speech goes a little in all directions. There is a need for a methodological reference to guide reflection and product studies. We must be able to meet the expectations of both small and large businesses.
You went to the All4Pack show. What did you remember from it? ?
I went to All4Pack with two small Qualitropic member companies with the aim of reworking their packaging and the effectiveness of their packaging with them., still very manual. As a packaging engineer, I have been visiting this salon for a long time. I was impressed this year by the fact that eco-responsibility has become the central issue for the entire packaging value chain., packaging material suppliers, production equipment and machines, to manufacturing companies. Today, everyone shares the same objective of producing only truly useful and least impactful packaging possible. : the right packaging.
PackTheFuture 2023 : the competition rewarding innovations in plastic packaging
PackTheFuture 2023 : the competition rewarding innovations in plastic packagingThe professional associations of plastic packaging manufacturers German IK and French Elipso have launched the fifth edition of the international PackTheFuture competition which rewards innovative and sustainable plastic packaging solutions..
“With the PacktheFuture competition, we raise public and industrial awareness of even more innovative and sustainable plastic packaging solutions throughout Europe. We vigorously carry the vision of a new circular economy for the European plastic packaging industry”, declares Gaël Bouquet, general delegate of Elipso. Members of the two associations have until February 28 to submit their innovations in the following categories : reuse category, re-use, biosourced category and/or incorporation of recycled, recyclability category, litter prevention category, product protection category, consumer benefit category. In 2017 was awarded, among others, Optys, a decorated bottle, made without labels, eco-designed by Coveris, rigid plastic packaging manufacturer, and Serac, packaging machine manufacturer, to reduce the environmental impact of drinking yoghurt or UHT milk bottles. In 2018, the Barbier Group was one of the winners for its “Low Fusion Film” innovation, a product bundling film that is thinner than other films, shrinking at lower temperature during pack formation, and containing 20% recycled raw materials. In 2020, the competition could not take place due to the health crisis.
