Taghleef Industries, in collaboration with the University of Parma and the University of Chile

Plastic and Sustainability: is it possible to move towards the use of mono-materials?

Collaboration is always at the center of Taghleef Industries' culture, making diversity and research a way to continue pioneering and setting new standards for future generations.

The first of the webinars promoted by the Master in Packaging of the University of Parma in collaboration with Taghleef Industries took place on Thursday, 1 July.

Prof. Antonella Cavazza, Researcher at the Chemical Sciences Department, Life and Environmental Sustainability of the University of Parma, opened the meeting by welcoming the speakers and participants. Afterward, Prof. Humberto Palza - Coordinator of the Diploma in Packaging Technologies of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Materials of the University of Chile - shared the courses, workshops, and opportunities offered by the departments of the Faculty of Chile. Professor Palza explained the data supporting the research developed in the field of packaging and started the discussion on the topic: is it possible to move towards mono-materials?

Monica Battistella, Product and Sustainability Manager at Taghleef Industries, presented the new trends in the packaging sector and explored Sustainability, explaining to the participants the complexity of the roles and responsibilities of those involved in the supply chain. "The attention of consumers today is not directed only to the content, but also to the type of packaging, even if the differences in material and the real possibilities of recycling are not yet clear".

Among all materials listed during the presentation, plastic is the only one that can offer the most significant advantage over the entire life cycle of the products - when compared with paper, aluminum, and glass. This aspect refers to the resources used for its production, compared to other materials, and then the effects on logistics: in fact, flexible packaging takes up less space and, for the same vehicle used, allows to transport a greater number of units of product.

Daniele Borin, Product Manager for Flexible Packaging at Taghleef Industries, proposed an excursus on the evolution of consumption and the market's new needs in terms of packaging. Therefore, industrial reality has entered the academic world by explaining the characteristics of the different packaging materials, demonstrating how complex and interesting the challenges that the market offers today. These complexities are not only of Sustainability but also of compliance with regulations, the performance of materials, and customer needs.

To conclude the webinar, Chiara Iannello, Junior Product Manager for Flexible Packaging, explored Taghleef Industries' approach to reDESIGN™. Chiara explains how Taghleef offers its customers the opportunity to explore and switch to more innovative and sustainable solutions aligned with the Circular Economy standards. She showed several examples of reDESIGN™ solutions designed with customers and different stakeholders to show students the importance of collaboration and rethink packaging that is equally performing but with a lower impact on the environment.

To learn more about biopolymers, catch the second webinar organized by Taghleef Industries and Master in Packaging this Thursday, 8 July, at 2 PM CET.