PETpla.net Insider 06 / 2019

BOTTLE MAKING 51 PET planet Insider Vol. 20 No. 06/19 www.petpla.net of digitisation. What approaches are currently being developed in Amcor and what are your hopes for them? Brian Carvill: We are working to develop not just PET bottles and con- tainers in a range of sizes to address the needs of brands and e-commerce, but also e-commerce related services. Transportation and freight costs, dura- bility, and weight reduction remain a key focus of R&D. Our design studio, along with its engineering and manu- facturing teams, work together to develop beautifully branded contain- ers that are lighter than glass, less fragile and less costly to handle. Amcor’s robust stock bottle port- folio has enabled new table sauces entrants to compete with leading brand companies, via e-commerce. PETplanet: We know that prod- ucts on supermarket shelves have to compete for space and attention. Is the e-commerce channel less depend- ent on appearance? Brian Carvill: To thrive in a vir- tual supermarket, food and beverage brands should not only aim to attract the attention of the digitally engaged food shopper, but also package their prod- ucts in a form that can withstand the rigours of an extended supply chain. Logistical considerations aside, a consumer might not select a prod- uct in the first place if it doesn’t look attractive. Since they can’t physi- cally handle the item in the online space, visual appeal plays a vital part in determining whether a food or beverage item ends up in their virtual shopping cart. The end user wants to be able to recognise the brand, even if the packaging might have been designed to cater to other considera- tions. One of the biggest advantages here is the versatility of our materials and the host of options we can make available to meet customer needs. Amcor offers solutions to our customers beyond simply packaging. We are developing partnerships and engaging with customers in new ways so that all parties can take advantage of e-commerce opportunities. PETplanet: What other trends are you addressing in relation to PET bottles? Brian Carvill: Centre stage is innovative design and lightweight- ing of plastic packaging, for a diverse range of end-use applications includ- ing soft drinks/water, juices/teas, food, sports drinks, personal-care, and wine and spirits. Lightweighting capabilities can help reduce resin demands and decrease finished container weight while still producing a highly functional and high-performing container. In addition to enhancing brand equity, using PCR PET and HDPE has several environmental benefits. Recycling reduces the amount of plastic sent to landfill and supports the recycling infrastructure. Using recycled PET or HDPE means that less petro- leum is needed to make new, virgin resin. They materials also require less energy to produce and have a lower carbon footprint (50% fewer carbon emissions) than virgin PET or HDPE. There is no doubt that the funda- mentals of packaging are evolving. Primary packaging for ecommerce is spawning the development of new innovations that bring new value. The connection between package, prod- uct, and consumer is changing, and creating an entirely new generation of packaging. PETplanet: Thank you very much! German Technology Oct 16-23, 2019 Hall 1, Booth C42