Proseal Australia has landed a prestigious award, the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) Award of Excellence, for its berry packaging line.
In the Customer Collaboration category of the awards, the company was rewarded for its work with its customer Fresh Berry and packaging partner CFK of Canada, in delivering a solution that reduced the amount of plastic packaging for strawberries by as much as 96 per cent.
The replacement of clam-shell punnets with top film sealed varieties has become commonplace in many markets, particularly Europe and North America, as it reduces the amount of plastic by around 35-45 per cent.
The Proseal Australia solution, already proven by its sister company Proseal America, uses a punnet from CFK made from a wood pulp blended material. As well as a 95 per cent drop in the amount of plastic used in the packaging, the punnet is both recyclable and home compostable, offering a strong environmental profile.
Top seal packs also offer a number of additional benefits over clam-shells, including extending the shelf-life of products, reducing overpacking, eliminating spillage and providing effective tamper-evidence.
In addition, they reduce storage and transportation costs, and the combination of these many benefits can deliver a ROI of less than two years for growers.
“It was Proseal Australia who introduced us to the top seal concept, and throughout our dealings with them we have found them highly professional and flexible,” said Jenny Briggs of Fresh Berry. “They provide incredible backup support with training and servicing to ensure their equipment is always working effectively and efficiently.
“We find the application of top seals for our strawberry punnets quick, clean and simple,' she added. 'The seal is non-resealable ensuring tamper-evidence is easily identified. Top sealing film has significantly reduced our plastic usage and storage requirements compared with conventional clam-shell packaging.”
