Modernizations: sustainable and compliant, with optimized performance

Food manufacturers need machines that provide maximum efficiency and performance in the long term. This is only possible if they keep up with the latest technology. In many cases, modernization is a good way to make existing equipment fit for new challenges and regulations. Syntegon's successful examples show how this can be achieved, particularly regarding sustainability. 

Machine downtime, poor line utilization, production losses – the effects of neglecting modernizations are as varied as the reasons for it. Recognizing the need too late or relying on obsolete components are just two examples of many. New market requirements, such as trends towards smaller packaging sizes, also increase the need for upgrades. This is where service partners who proactively advise and point out upcoming requirements are a great help. 

PPWR as current driver

Currently, the biggest driver is undoubtedly the European Union’s Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Among other things, it requires that all packaging in the EU be recyclable by 2030. Even if it seems a long way off, now is the time for food manufacturers to start the transition to more environmentally friendly and PPWR-compliant packaging. One example of how this change can already be achieved today with existing machines is the “paper-ON-form” retrofit kit from Syntegon. 

Confectionery products such as chocolate bars, biscuits, and baked goods are usually sold packaged in composite plastic film. Thanks to the latest research, however, recyclable papers made from up to 90 percent natural fibers are now also available. They protect delicate contents just as well and are much more environmentally friendly. Mondelēz International, for example, uses such a solution for its Cadbury chocolate bars. The special shape of the bars presents an additional challenge: they are wider and very flat, which makes them more difficult to process. paper-ON-form was developed for existing machines that can process many different formats – without compromising on output rates. 

Material tests under real-life conditions

Paper-ON-form allows manufacturers to switch to sustainable, PPWR-compliant packaging easily and cost-effectively. Paper-ON-form forms flow wraps without crumpling or tearing them. The forming and sealing units are suitable for different types of paper, regardless of thickness and manufacturer. Extensive tests have shown reliable output rates without compromising speed. Syntegon has thus clearly demonstrated that paper flow wraps can keep up with the machine output of their plastic counterparts. 

To arrive at a packaging suitable for PPWR, however, further details need to be clarified. Although the regulation provides a clear framework, it leaves many questions unanswered. For example, the specifications for “Design for Recycling” have not been definitively established, so that the choice of the appropriate future packaging for their product poses a challenge for many manufacturers. Syntegon has therefore specialized, among other things, in efficient material testing that helps determine the optimal design for each product. To this end, the experts work with their customers in Syntegon's own laboratories to conduct comprehensive analyses and material tests, identify suitable materials, and test them under real-life conditions on the packaging machine. This service is already used by numerous leading food manufacturers.

Sustainability beyond PPWR boundaries

Even if they are not affected by the PPWR, various initiatives for recyclable packaging are in place on other continents, as well. For example, Mars Wrigley's chocolate bars sold in Australia, such as Mars and Snickers, are to be packaged in recyclable, reusable, or compostable materials by 2025. To this end, the company has invested two years in research and development at its site in Ballarat – and, with the help of Syntegon, has developed a sustainably sourced paper certified by the international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which can be processed using paper-ON-form on existing packaging machines. From the outset, the project not only focused on the environment, but also on the customers: the packaging should be as easy as possible to recycle and should not incur any additional costs.

Far more than packaging

Sustainability does not stop at the packaging material, however. Syntegon offers a wide range of other modernization options to help customers make their production processes more sustainable and save resources in production. For example, manufacturers can easily retrofit their flow wrappers with a knife system for film splicing. The precision cutting unit facilitates a seamless transition to the new film reel and can be integrated into machines that are already equipped with automatic film splicers. When the current film reel comes to an end, the system ensures that the process continues without interruption and with minimal material loss. 

Material savings are also possible with case packers, in this case through glue. By modernizing the glue head, manufacturers can switch from bead application to dot application and reduce glue consumption by up to 60 percent. This not only saves material, but also leads to significant cost savings and higher yields. In addition, dot application increases the adhesive strength and thus the safety of the packaging due to better heat distribution. 

A sustainable outlook

Last but not least, digital solutions such as software upgrades can increase the sustainability of processes. The “Uptime” and “Empower” packages of the cloud-based solution Synexio, for example, offer an evaluation of energy consumption and waste volumes as well as their impact on CO₂ emissions and overall equipment effectiveness. On this basis, optimization potential can be identified more quickly and in a more targeted manner. So-called life cycle assessments (LCA) provide a further lever. With its software-based calculation model certified by the German TÜV (Technical Inspection Organization), Syntegon can evaluate energy consumption and emission values along the entire machine life cycle. 

Of course, there will always be a need for new machines, especially when a modernization would incur similar costs as a new machine, or an older system can no longer be updated. Nevertheless, it is always worthwhile for manufacturers to take a closer look at the relevant parameters together with a partner like Syntegon. After all, modernizations often offer good opportunities to continue operating existing machines for many years to come – sustainably and in compliance with regulations, while optimizing performance.