Fresh produce packaging has changed since the pandemic, says Marcin Śpiewok, CEO of Polish packaging manufacturer, Silbo: "The market is moving away from single-use plastic. Today, in our industry, as Silbo, we are able to replace any plastic packaging with plastic-free packaging. The pandemic has changed the world. This is a global trend that has added value to packed products as consumers pay more attention to packaging hygiene.
"However, this doesn't mean that the ecological value of packaging has ceased to matter. On the contrary, it's a parallel trend that is growing, and nothing can stop it. Consumer awareness is increasing in many aspects. Therefore, manufacturers must provide packaging that is fair, optimal, barrier-matched to the product properties, and at the same time takes into account the principles of eco-design."
Silbo's equipment has the capacity to generate power on its own, and the company has saved on materials and energy ever since its foundation. "Our philosophy has been to reduce energy consumption and minimize the use of raw materials from the very beginning. Now, in times of rising costs, we especially benefit from this approach. We have been saving for years, not because of the economic crisis, but to protect environmental resources.
"Our production plant and machine park were designed almost twelve years ago to ensure the highest degree of energy optimization and even self-sufficiency in some aspects. We continue to modernize our factory in this regard. Our machines not only consume energy but can also generate it themselves. Our lighting and heating in the production hall are modern, high-energy-saving systems. For environmental reasons, our packaging is designed so that the consumption of raw materials is as low as possible. Today, our customers appreciate our Minisil packaging line, where we limit the essential raw material to the minimum necessary."
While the coronavirus was holding the world in its grasp, Silbo decided to focus on implementing new IT systems, Śpiewok explains: "The pandemic was a time for us to focus on IT developments within the company and this year. We will present the effect of these activities. Our goal is to provide customers with as much information as possible that will improve both the purchasing processes and the service. To minimize the use of cartons for packaging our products, we have invested in an automatic paper palletizer. Thus, we have rejected the common stretch film."
"We plan to open our more commercial departments in European countries, besides the one we have in France. We're preparing to increase the market share of flexible paper packaging. Our expectation is that, following France, other European countries will introduce a ban on plastic packaging, switching to packaging from renewable sources," Śpiewok concludes.
Silbo will be exhibiting during Fruit Logistica. You can find their stand in Hall 21/F-24.
For more information:
Marta Paprocka
Silbo
Tel.: +48 3242 29610
Email: mpaprocka@silbo.pl
www.silbo.pl