The agenda of the first edition of the Recycling Flexible Packaging event in Europe has been released. Taking place at the Pullman Cologne in Germany on 13-14 December 2022, this event explores the challenges and opportunities of creating circularity through increased recovery and recycling of ‘hard to recycle’ flexible packaging.

With European legislation looking to specify targets for the proportion of plastic packaging waste to be recycled, with brand owners and retailers facing consumer pressure to use more recycled content in their packaging, a big drive towards a circular economy for flexible packaging is currently underway. There is renewed commitment to increasing investments with the aim of accelerating the transition towards circularity, to see higher recycling rates and increase the use of recycled content.

The event provides anyone involved in recycling and circular economy developments for flexible packaging with a forum to focus on the challenges faced, and the solutions being worked on, through high level presentations, interactive sessions and extensive networking time.

Key presentations include:

• “How to achieve a circular economy for and with flexible packaging? An industry perspective”
  presented by Guido Aufdemkamp, Executive Director at Flexible Packaging Europe
• “Circularity in plastic & paper: challenges & way forward”
  presented by Thomas Kahl, Head of Sustainable Packaging Solutions FMCG & Industrial Channels at Mondi Group
• “The flexible packaging of tomorrow in a dynamic European legislative environment”
  presented by Delia Harabula, Sustainability Advocacy Lead EMEA at Amcor
• “Creating and implementing a demand-driven circular economy for flexible packaging”
  presented by Graham Houlder, Project Coordinator and Managing Director at CEFLEX
• “Understanding and improving recyclability of flexible packaging”
  presented by Sebastian Bidmon, Senior Consultant / Packaging Engineer at CIRCPACK by Veolia

In addition to industry presentations, the event features an interactive panel discussion looking at creating breakthroughs in recycling flexible packaging: what needs to happen, how is it funded, and who leads, with panellists from Berry bpi Group, AMI, BASF and CEFLEX with more to be announced. And an ask the expert Q&A session looking at the legislative framework and market incentives that are facilitating and supporting a circular economy for flexible packaging with panellists from Amcor, Keller & Keckman and Borealis.

Alongside the two-day agenda, this event offers plenty of face-to-face networking time, including an exhibition space, refreshment and lunch breaks and a drinks reception on the evening of the first day.

For more information and to book your place, click here. 

Or contact the Event Organiser, Annabel Kerr at annabel.kerr@amiplastics.com or +44 (0) 117 314 8111

This week, we sat down with another Multilayer Flexible Packaging speaker, Dr Gianluca Viscusi. 

Gianluca graduated with a full honours degree in Chemical Engineering from the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Salerno in 2016. 

In 2015, he became a teaching assistant of Fundamentals of Chemistry. In 2016, he applied for the Erasmus Traineeship program, spending 5-month research period at the CSIC centre in Valencia. 

In the two years between 2017-2018, he was a process engineer at Narrando srl company. He took part in the Research and Innovation Staff Exchange of the Graphene 3D project, spending research periods at Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) and Mackenzie Presbyterian University (San Paolo, Brazil). In July 2021, he passed the engineering qualifying exam. 

Since April 2022, he has been a Technical Adviser at the NiceFiller company, in charge of the R&D Laboratory. In 2022 he got his PhD in Industrial Engineering (University of Salerno), which concerns the design, production and characterisation of novel materials obtained from sustainable polymers and hemp fibres. 

He is now an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Salerno.

Read the full interview here. 

Don't forget you can see our expert speakers present their insights in person on 15-17 November 2022 in Vienna, Austria.

AMI has published its 2nd authoritative report on the global Chemical Recycling Industry. New in this edition, the report provides a comprehensive global directory of 181 chemical recyclers and their 449 sites, including headquarter and site level information on

• existing and planned capacities to 2030,
• technologies used,
• types of post-use plastics processed,
• feedstock sources and sourcing models,
• operational details, and
• outputs of the chemical recycling process.

In a unique approach to the industry, chemical recyclers are placed within a value chain context, with the interactive report format mapping industry relationships across the value chain. This allows users to gain a clear understanding of the developing complex partnerships and interactions within the industry and across the wider petrochemical and plastics processing landscape.

Chemical recycling technologies and concepts of key importance for the industry, such as the mass balance approach, are explained, together with a discussion of the key issues of potential competition of chemical recycling with mechanical recycling, and feedstock sourcing. An overview of regional differences in waste management, collection and sorting illustrates the potential for the development of the industry in 10 global regions.

The report identifies a global chemical recycling input capacity of close to 1.2 million tonnes in 2022, excluding facilities processing post-use plastics into fuels. Europe is at present considered to be at the forefront of technological developments in chemical recycling. Over coming years, developments in North America are, however, forecast to accelerate at a faster pace.

Approaching the last quarter of 2022, the chemical recycling industry has reached a significant threshold. Following many years of developments and announcements the first commercially active facilities are operating, and a significant number of plants are scheduled to start fully commercial operations imminently and during 2023. Even larger capacities are in the pipeline and scheduled to become operational during the forecast period to 2030.

Read the full press release here: The chemical recycling industry is at a pivotal point in a volatile market environment 

Multilayer Flexible Packaging opens its doors next month on 15-17 November 2022 in Vienna, Austria. In the lead-up to the event, we have spoken to one of our speakers, Daniele Borin from Taghleef Industries.

Daniele earned his master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Padua (Italy) and his PhD in Nanotechnology at the University of Trieste (Italy).

He worked as a Packaging Technologist at Reckitt Benckiser, and in 2019 he joined Taghleef Industries, where he is currently working as a Product Manager for Flexible Packaging Films.

He is focused on PP-based High Barrier and Specialties portfolios, passionately supporting customers in the redesign of their packaging structures to turn them into recyclable and high-performance solutions.

Read the full interview here.

AMI has published its 4^th authoritative report mapping the global Single Serve Capsules industry. The report aims to support the development of robust participation strategies by equipping industry players and investors with a comprehensive understanding of scale of potential for future development, growth dynamics per system, market drivers and competitive pressures.

Over 80 billion capsules were filled in 2022 globally, both aluminium and plastic formats. Single serve capsules are a dynamic market segment with a complex value chain. The changes in this industry are fast, and driven by growing sustainability pressures and end-of-life scenarios, brand positioning as well as organic consumption trends. 

Read the full press release here: Capsules growth is slowing down and competition intensifies in aluminium

AMI, Bristol, 30/09/22 – AMI, the leading provider of market intelligence and events for the global plastics industry, has released the agenda for the 14^th edition of the Multilayer Flexible Packaging event in Europe. Taking place at the Hilton Vienna Park Hotel in Austria, on 15-17 November 2022, this event explores the advances in multilayer film design and processing for enhanced packaging performance.

Flexible packaging is a dynamic and constantly evolving market, and the way in which consumers view and interact with packaged products is changing.

With a growing focus on sustainability, value and convenience, traditional packs continue to be substituted for innovative and flexible options designed to meet emerging consumer needs.

Sponsored by the Mitsui Chemicals Group, the event uncovers the latest technical developments and market trends in this dynamic sector through high level presentations, interactive sessions and extensive networking time.

Read the full press release here: Agenda launched for the Multilayer Flexible Packaging event

AMI, Bristol, 26/09/22 – Our new report Collation Shrink Film Europe 2022 provides critical insight and analysis of the current state of play and future outlook for the collation shrink film market in Europe. The report reviews the supply and demand picture by country and gives an in-depth update on end use application trends, resin developments and their influence on growth dynamics.

Traditionally utilised to fulfil a secondary transit packaging role, recent years have seen collation shrink develop a strong point of sale presence to provide customer convenience when buying multiple items as well enhancing on-shelf appeal with full face printing opportunities.

Packaging for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages is by far the largest end use application for collation shrink film, followed by food. However, film suppliers to these categories are facing growing competition from cartonboard alternatives for point of sale packs which several major brand owners have switched to in the face of continuing consumer anti-plastic sentiment. For the same reason, for some products collation shrink films are being removed entirely, with a multi-buy discount applied at the till point. The report explores how these factors and others are influencing market demand by application.

Read the full press release here: Collation shrink film market boosted by emerging use of post consumer recycled resins

The European market for hot and cold water pipes showed strong growth in 2016-2019, which was followed by a significant contraction in 2020 when COVID-19 began to take effect in the region. In this extremely atypical year, the European economy saw a 6.3% decline in GDP in 2020. Construction activity was impacted initially but recovered in the second half of 2020 albeit suffered from supply-chain disruptions some of which continue into 2022.

The new edition of AMI Consulting’s detailed study, “Plastic hot and cold water pipe systems in Europe 2022”, reports that the installation of plastic hot and cold water pipes is expected to top 1.1 million kilometres by the end of 2026. Since 2021 the market has been recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to maintain momentum over the next 5 years.

Read the full PR: Construction recovery and metal replacement drive hot and cold water plastic pipes demand in Europe

We are excited to announce an exclusive interview with Alison Keane, President & CEO of Flexible Packaging Association, who is presenting at the Stretch and Shrink Film event on November 30 – December 1, 2022, in New Orleans, LA, USA.

Alison is an environmental attorney with over 25 years of experience in the private and governmental sectors. She is the President and CEO of the Flexible Packaging Association, representing U.S. converters of film, foil, paper and other materials into packages. Before FPA, she served first as Counsel and then as Vice President for Government Affairs for the American Coatings Association. Alison has her BA in Biology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and her JD from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

Read the full interview here.