Eastern promise
current initiatives from RPC division Bebo Polska, whose three
sites in Poznan, Piaseczno and Kruszwica are continuing to make
inroads into the expanding Eastern European food industry.
A new custom-designed margarine tub for Russia is one of several current initiatives from RPC division Bebo Polska, whose three sites in Poznan, Piaseczno and Kruszwica are continuing to make inroads into the expanding Eastern European food industry. RPC is just the latest in a series of Western European-based packaging groups to see the potential in the East.
The new polypropylene tub has been designed and developed for the recently-formed Russian brand Vkusnaja Poczta. The packaging features an illustration of an envelope, with a yellow background and red lettering. The meaning of the product name is rather hard to translate literally, but means something along the lines of delicious mail. This development helps to illustrate how the marketing and branding of commonplace foodstuffs is taking hold of the Russia.
The thermoformed tub is printed using RPC Bebo's pioneering Bebo-Print technology, where the sheet is printed before forming. The resulting photographic-like print finish covers the entire container including the rim.
In addition to its custom design and decoration service, RPC Bebo Polska offers a wide range of standard containers for a variety of applications including salads, fresh foods, delicatessen and ice cream. The division is currently working with its parent company RPC Bebo Plastik in the development of a range of MAP trays. And the RPC site in Piaseczno is also extending its range of wholesale standard containers available in smaller quantities from stock.
RPC`s developing business in Poland has also received a boost with the selection of the Eclipse 2 multi-layer polypropylene bottle for leading manufacturer WSP Spolem`s new mayonnaise Majonez Kielecki. The Eclipse 2 bottle was developed by RPC`s technical team in the UK, and has entered full scale production at RPC Kutenholz.
Now with increased demand, RPC Corby is tooling up to produce the bottle on a multi-cavity machine, demonstrating the flexibility of RPC`s co-extrusion facilities in the UK and mainland Europe to provide a pan-European supply service. The lightweight bottle is proving increasingly popular in French and Polish markets, particularly for its upside down design, which enables the bottle to stand inverted on shelf.
"The Eclipse 2 bottle was ideal for our product, not only for its excellent barrier properties, but for its convenience and on-shelf appeal," said Michal Mius, vice-chief of logistics at WSP Spolem. "We were also impressed that RPC could provide good local technical support."
The RPC Group is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of rigid plastic packaging. It operates blowmoulding, injection moulding and thermoforming facilities at over 30 autonomous sites in 10 countries, employing in excess of 5,600 people. RPC services a range of customers including the larger European manufacturers of consumer products such as Unilever and Nestlé.
