‘While the investment is primarily a business decision, it cannot be ignored that it also represents a timeous morale booster in the KwaZulu-Natal province,’ comments Stefan Fageräng, MD of Tetra Pak South Africa.
The investment will add numerous benefits to sectors in the liquid food industry value chain and increase Tetra Pak’s production capacity, allowing it to expand its reach to serve more customers in the southern African region. According to Stefan, the Pinetown factory will be a key production hub for this region and create several indirect and direct jobs.
‘The upgrade will enable an increase to 80% in local packaging content. This will not only assist the local supply chain, but lead times for delivery to customers will also fall considerably,’ says factory director Waqas Ali. ‘If customers need to respond to market changes, we will be able to deliver a quick turnaround. The plant will also enable the production of the latest packaging formats using state-of-the-art technology.’
The new packaging technology will produce fewer CO2 emissions by using less energy and water in processing, as well as use alternative, green sources of electricity. Globally, Tetra Pak intends to be carbon neutral by 2030 and has the ambition to launch the world’s most sustainable package made from renewable materials.
‘Tetra Pak has stepped up its investment and innovation efforts, joining forces across the board to address the need for greater production of food while reducing the impact on natural resources. In South Africa, we are committed to playing our part in making food systems more secure and sustainable. Together with our customers, partners, NGOs and the government, we want to address three key challenges, which include access to safe and nutritious food, reducing food and water loss and building a sustainable food value chain,’ states Stefan.
‘By making this investment in South Africa, we are making it possible to produce breakthrough products locally and to ensure that they get recycled and reused as part of the circular economy. It will also bring closer the possibility of using sugar cane as a raw material for bio-based plastic material, which we hope will soon be locally produced,’ he concludes.
Turning a new leaf
TETRA PAK Pinetown factory director Waqas Ali explains to PPM the significance behind the investment of a creasing tool at the plant and how it represents the company’s commitment to the local market.
According to Waqas, the main advantage of this investment is the capability to produce the Tetra Brik Aseptic (TBA) 200 Slim Leaf package in South Africa. ‘These recyclable packs feature leaf-shaped panels, providing the ideal solution for brands looking for differentiation and additional design opportunities to stand out,’ he explains.
‘Previously, we had to import the TBA 200 Slim Leaf packs, which had an impact on our lead times and ability to respond immediately to market needs. This investment has shortened lead times from 45 to 11 days due to the savings on sea freight, customs and other clearance times,’ he reports.
‘Tetra Pak is seeing tremendous growth in the local FMCG market and our customers need innovative solutions to meet consumers’ demands. We conducted test trials for this creasing tool and were pleased with the results,’ he continues.
Creasing of paperboard is an essential operation to obtain the well-defined shape and strength of the package. The creasing tool consists of a male and female creasing plate. The male plate presses the paperboard into the female plate, creating a visible pattern. Waqas explains these patterns are the creases where permanent deformation and delamination have been initialised.
The tool features the latest creasing and cutting technology with hi-tech digital instruments installed that control the precision of creasing and align it perfectly with the printing design.
The creasing tool is used on the existing printing line and commercial production commenced in April 2021.
‘We’re committed to offering the best solutions with world-class customer service and remain hopeful for every new market opportunity,’ concludes Waqas.
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