PakTech, an international producer of sustainable packaging, has established a contract manufacturing facility in Victoria, working with Visy on a ‘proprietary partnership’.
The organisation stated that through this partnership, PakTech will fulfill its vision of producing packaging ‘made in Australia, recycled in Australia, and repurposed again into new PakTech products in Australia’ as part of a closed loop system.
PakTech’s Australian operation is predicted to have the capacity to manufacture 100 million recycled injection moulded packaging handles for cans, bottles and other containers each year. In the Australian drinks industry, PakTech is already working with Hawkers Brewery, Billson’s of Beechworth and the Apple Press.
PakTech handles, often seen clipped on to six-packs of craft beer, are made from totally recycled HDPE, or High Density Polyethylene. According to the company, ‘almost one billion milk jugs have been recycled, 120 million pounds of plastics saved from landfills and oceans,’ since using 100 per cent recycled materials. PakTech says this works out to ‘almost 50 acres of land saved from landfill waste by repurposing recycled containers.’
PakTech CEO, Brandon Rogers, said an increase in local demand drove the company’s decision to enter Australia.
“Australia’s buying habits are very similar to ours in the US. We’ve seen significant organic growth in recent years; and we forecast that will continue in the coming years. Establishing an on-the-ground local footprint in the region is incredibly exciting; not only for PakTech, but for our customers and everyone in Australia who cares about sustainability and our impact on the environment.”
Laws and guidelines are also increasing the importance of recycled packaging for producers.
“Through our launch in Australia, we’re helping our customers meet not only their customer needs, but also regulatory requirements too,” Rogers said.
“As ESG pressures and the need for transparency increases, many companies are setting internal sustainability goals to meet regulatory mandates or customer or shareholder demands. But rather than setting goals of 25 per cent recycled content by 2025, PakTech enables businesses to use 100 per cent recycled content today.”
There’s still a long way to go for recycling in Australia, as a recent report from environmental consultancy firm Eunomia Research and Consulting and the European Environmental Bureau testifies, with Australia’s recycling rate of 41.6 per cent ranked at 21 out of 25 developed countries – ahead of only Finland, France, Hong Kong and the United States.
“We’re incredibly excited by this potential, and joining an Australian market. There’s work still to be done, but we’re humbled to be able to play our part,” Rogers said.
“Conscious consumerism is flourishing, and pressure from consumers around the world is forcing brands and retailers to rethink their approach to sustainable packaging. Sustainability and the circular economy is no longer a competitive differentiator, it’s an expectation,” the CEO concluded