Amcor launches five platforms to grow its flexibles packaging business
Marco Hilty, VP, marketing and R&D, Amcor Flexibles Europe & Americas, said there is no change in the organization but it wants to grow in its area of speciality and streamline its business following a number of acquisitions.
Shrink wrap film for aluminium cans
N-Gage is for high barrier lidding film for fresh foods and medical products that seals directly to APET trays, without the need for an adhesive layer; AmFlow is a flow wrap for dried products with low barrier; AmPET is a metallised laminate with a medium barrier and AmLock is a foil laminate for products needing high barrier.
Some recent Amcor products offer a different approach to traditional packaging including VisualCan, a shrink wrap film for aluminium cans with an easy twist off top. VisualCan protects the can’s top during distribution and the printed wrap film can be customized for brand owners to run promotions.
“Since the acquisition of Alcan, Amcor Flexibles is on a simplification journey. We have grown through acquisitions, and to remain competitive, we needed to standardize and streamline our own supply chain and production processes,” said Hilty.
“It is not an easy journey, but we’ve seen significant benefits in the form of better product quality control, streamlined processes, and cost savings.
”Getting its own house in order allowed the business to put an even greater focus on new product development. We know many of our customers are also on a simplification journey, and we can offer them a portfolio of products that supports those goals.”
Alcan Packaging
The Australia-based company acquired Alcan Packaging Food Europe, Alcan Packaging Food Asia, and its global pharmaceutical and tobacco operations for US$1.948m in 2010.
More recently, it acquired Bella Prima Packaging, an Indonesian flexible packaging business for US$23m in May.
Bella Prima has two plants in Jakarta specialising in the shrink sleeve, label and lidding business.
Each of the five material platforms cover a range of packaging applications such as barrier properties, simplified product specification and management processes, improved performance on customers’ packing/filling lines, and shorter lead times.
“Customers are seeing the value in our platform approach,” added Hilty.
“For example, we helped a customer transition their confectionary business from over 90 packaging material specifications to just four with AmFlow.
"This allowed the customer to standardize aspects of their own production process and realize cost savings. That is much easier when you have only four materials to set up on your machines around the world, instead of 90.”
