PETpla.net Insider 12 / 2020

TOP TALK PETplanet Insider Vol. 21 No. 12/20 www.petpla.net 11 PETplanet: If we take a look at the North American market: apart from Covid-19, what other trends in bottle sizes and design can you observe here? Eric Roegner: We have contin- ued to focus on sustainable innova- tion and technology as our primary growth levers. It is an area where we have launched on average over 200 products per year. We have been able to develop proprietary technolo- gies that have allowed us to have 170 patent families. If you look at the key products we are launching, they are around design for recyclability, light- weighting, barrier capability, as well as increased use of PCR. Design and size trends will always be built on the brand and the desired customer experience. Our role is to deliver that. This is where Amcor’s innovation engine shines. We have consistently driven innovation that enables sophisticated designs, along with lighter weight packages with more PCR. We design bottles that cater to everything from sample size to elaborate detail that delivers dis- tinction on the shelf - what the most brand - loyal customer craves. PETplanet: To what extent has the Covid-19 pandemic changed your internal processes? And which of these can you foresee implementing in the long term? Eric Roegner: Everything we do at Amcor starts with safety. Given the context around Covid-19, we’ve also focused on keeping our teams healthy as well. As we continue to navigate the additional risk and complexity of operating during the ongoing pan- demic, we remain confident that the health and safety protocols we imple- mented – and continue to evaluate - will enable our co-workers to remain healthy and keep our plants running as they have been thus far. We have successfully navigated and implemented technology plat- forms to lessen the frequency of visits and reduce the potential spread of Covid-19. From the customer visit to our manufacturing plants, our goal is to keep everyone safe. PETplanet: And which of these can you foresee implementing in the long term? Eric Roegner: It’s unclear what a post-pandemic business environment will look like. We’re prepared to meet any challenges with the ultimate goal of protecting the health and safety of all our stakeholders. PETplanet: What is Amcor’s expe- rience with digital exchange? Do you think you will continue this approach in the post-Covid era and are you aiming for a “back to normal” as soon as possible in terms of business travel and customer visits? Eric Roegner: With travel restric- tions reducing face-to-face engage- ment, we’ve changed how we interact with our work teams and customers by incorporating more video confer- encing. This technology has become the backbone of our work-from-home practices, like so many other employ- ers around the world. Almost instan- taneously, our home and work lives have collided, but we’re managing through it with great success. At the same time, I’m very proud of our 50-plus plants that continue to run, uninterrupted, throughout the last nine months of this pandemic. Their tireless effort and unwavering commit- ment to our customers has resulted in the continuous supply of essential packaging during this most critical time in our history. Now, I spend most of my time in virtual meetings – sometimes those meetings include family member cameos. Today, we update profiles, share content, and incorporate the right key words and hashtags so people can find us quickly. Working through the pandemic stay-at-home orders, social media channels have enabled the supply chain to remain “open for business.” Our sales team found opportunities through social media friends and community organi- sation timelines. LinkedIn was where customers offered us virtual “pats on the back” for on-time deliveries and maintaining production schedules and commitments, often to their own local communities. PETplanet: How is Amcor responding to environmental chal- lenges? Eric Roegner: Requirements for packaging are increasing with end- of-life solutions and waste reduction being critical. Consumers want pack- aging to be cost-effective, conveni- ent, easy-to-use, great-looking, and more sustainable and leading to less waste. Responsible packaging is the answer. Amcor packaging is already recyclable or reusable, including more than 95% of the Amcor rigids portfo- lio. The company continues to design packaging that uses less material in the first place. Amcor became the first global packaging company pledg- ing to develop all its packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025, directly addressing a major environ- mental issue with its capability, scale and reach. PET bottles and jars often have the lowest carbon footprint and their production results in up to 70% less greenhouse gas emissions than other packaging materials, according to Amcor’s Asset Lifecycle Analysis. PETplanet: A big talking point cur- rently is 100% rPET beverage bottles. Is it simply a marketing tool or is it a sensible route to sustainability? Eric Roegner: We don’t consider the use of post-consumer recycled materials to be a trend. We have been working with customers to incorporate 100% PCR materials into their pack- aging for over 15 years. Customers are being very strategic and have rec- ognised the importance of a circular economy for all packaging, including PET bottles and jars. We have seen a radical growth rate in the use of PCR. As the industry leader in the use of PCR, we have many commercialised packages in 100% PCR and utilised more than 100 million lb annually over the last 3-4 years. PET, which has rapidly become the world’s preferred packaging material, is lightweight, shatterproof, resealable, reusable, and infinitely recyclable. Amcor is one the industry’s best equipped manufacturers of PCR bot- tles, capable of maintaining high qual- ity and a highly stable and consistent manufacturing process. The company is a leader in advancing the use of PCR in a range of PET and HDPE packaging. Amcor incorporates vary- ing percentages of PCR for its cus- tomers and has invested significant time and resources in developing and securing reliable sources of the high- est quality PCR plastics. PETplanet: Thank you very much Eric! www.amcor.com