Global plastic packaging specialist ALPLA has just released its third sustainability report, which includes detailed insights into the company's development strategy. The report describes the progress of sustainable development from 2016 to 2018, and based on this, set ambitious goals for 2019 to 2022.
In the past three years, the company has reduced the ratio of energy consumption to production by 6.6% and the ratio of fresh water consumption to material consumption by 40%. The company went far beyond its goal of using recycled materials: demand rose sharply during the reporting period. Christoph Hoffmann, director of corporate strategy, sustainability and circular economy. "ALPLA has more than 25 years of experience in recycling, including in the manufacture and processing of recycled products. That is why we are able to provide our customers with solutions that work for both parties."
Linda Mauksch, ALPLA's sustainable development officer, said that although the company failed to significantly reduce its carbon footprint as planned, part of the reason was that the company grew more than expected in carbon-intensive power producing countries. Global goals can only be achieved with the efforts of all regions.
ALPLA has 178 plants in 46 countries. 72 of these factories are internal, which means they are directly involved in the operations of customers. This approach reduces transportation and carbon emissions. Many factories plan and implement their own sustainable development projects. Sustainability reports outline successful examples of projects like India, Brazil and Portugal.
As a leader in innovation, ALPLA can also point to several leading projects in product development, from bottles made entirely from recycled and home degradable coffee capsules to HDPE bottles that are 60% lighter than standard bottles. The company hopes to bring at least three innovations to the market each year by 2022. Its goal is still to reduce the absolute carbon footprint by 10%, even with an expected annual growth rate of 3%.
In 2018, another Wolfen partner in Germany joined three PET recycling plants in Mexico, Austria and Poland. The four sites can recycle 70,000 tons of food-grade PET annually.
ALPLA's high-quality packaging is used in a range of markets, including food and beverage, cosmetics and personal care products, household detergents, pharmaceutical products, and engine oils and lubricants.
The company said that with its global commitment to the new plastics economy, ALPLA promised to produce 100% recyclable products by 2025 and invested 50 million euros to expand recycling activities. During this period, the amount of post-consumer recycled material processed should increase to 25% of the total material used.