Case Histories
Optimizing Environmental and Cost Performance thanks to Cryovac® Vertical Pouch Packaging
Vandemoortele is a Belgian food group of European dimension, supplying soy products, frozen dough products and margarine/fats to the foodservice and retail sectors.
One of the company's goals is to optimize environmental costs in the total logistics chain for all new developments. Vandemoortele thus invested more than €11 million in recent years to include environmental awareness in its daily business.
The company was recently under pressure to reduce costs from one of its main clients of semi liquid frying fats. The objective was to find a packaging alternative to the 10 litre rigid container held in a thick cardboard box. Vandemoortele quickly launched a study to optimise its environmental and cost performance.
The Solution
Vandemoortele opted for 5 litre flexible pouches based on the Vertical Pouch Packaging technology of Sealed Air Cryovac. This concept results in hygienic and highly resistant flexible pouches that ensure prolonged shelf life, convenience and security.
Cryovac® flexible pouches are made of fully coextruded, multilayer, high barrier film. This unique technology provides a pack with no headspace, which is formed, vertically filled, heat sealed and separated into a finished, hermetic, puncture resistant pillow pouch offering high pack integrity. The high barrier materials provide optimal protection and extended shelf life. The chlorine free formulations are compatible with environmental and recycling requirements.
The Benefits
The new packaging fulfils both cost reduction and environmental requirements:
- Direct packaging cost reduction when comparing two 5 litre flexible pouches to one 10 litre jerrycan.
- Increased output of packaging line from 18 to 24 tonnes per team.
- Improved logistics with fewer truckloads: 1) reduced volume of packaging material with 28 fewer truckloads per 1'000 tonnes of finished product; 2) optimised palletisation of finished product with 9 fewer truckloads per 1'000 tonnes.
- Reduced storage capacity with 30 to 35% more efficient space utilisation.
- Packaging waste reduction: less plastic is used and cardboard boxes have been eliminated, resulting in waste reduction of 18 tonnes per 1'000 tonnes produced.
- Chlorine free formulations fulfil environmental and recycling requirements.
And in addition to these economic and environmental benefits:
- Increased convenience: the pouches are easier to handle and empty to the last drop in one single gesture.
- Enhanced security: a firm handle integrated in the pouch seal allows staff to safely empty the semi-liquid fat with no risk of the pouch slipping off their hands.
- Better product quality: the high barrier pouches ensure better product preservation by reducing the fat oxidation process which is frequent after prolonged storage.
The Results
"This project has enabled us to further enhance our image with respect to environmental performance, along with substantial gains in production efficiency", said Mr. Arne Nollet, Packaging Manager for Vandemoortele. "The words cooperation and reaction speed are perfect to define our working relationship with Cryovac".
Vandemoortele was awarded the Eco Efficiency Prize by the Belgian Minister for the Environment, Public Works, Energy and Nature for its replacement of the 10 litre ring container by the 5 litre pouch packaging. With this prize, the jury honoured the creative way in which Vandemoortele consistently pursues sustained development across its logistics chain. The new packaging radically reduces the environmental impact whilst offering clear economic benefits. A prime illustration, according to the jury, of innovation and eco-design rolled into one.
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