Futamura investing in capacity expansion for future growth

Consumer appetite for eco-friendly and sustainable products remains as robust as ever, driving a steady increase in sales of the company’s flagship packaging solution, which was launched 20 years ago. The new casting machine will boost the production site’s capacity by around 25%, reducing Futamura’s lead times, while increasing the quantities of film that it can offer the marketplace.

The construction of an additional casting line is unlike many conventional plastic producing assets, says Futamura. It’s a unique tailor-made machine – not a turnkey investment. The extra capacity has been a year in the making and will give Futamura a cutting edge in response to the growing demand for environmentally responsible packaging like NatureFlex.

Andy Sweetman, sales and marketing director at Futamura, comments: “NatureFlex films are ideally suited to applications where recycling is problematic – small wrappers, laminate structures, fruit and vegetable labels to name a few – and often adopted where they complement the brand’s ethos.”

Following its launch in 2002, Futamura’s NatureFlex range of films has been adopted by many brand owners. The materials are designed to meet the growing demand for environmentally responsible packaging. Not only are they derived from renewable cellulose, they also meet all the global standards for industrial composting, including BS EN13432, and are certified home compostable.

Using a renewable and compostable film gives brand owners an unparalleled opportunity to speak proudly about their packaging. The challenge then, is to ensure that consumers are aware of the special nature of the packaging used.

The current composting infrastructure in countries such as the UK should be able to cope with the compostable packaging on the market. Policy makers and stakeholders need to make sure an adequate collection and labelling system is put in place so products end up at their destined end-of-life – an industrial compost site, or a community or home composter.

In many countries, mandatory food waste collection will come into play shortly and this will provide the perfect vehicle for the collection of compostable packaging. This will boost recycling rates and ensure that less waste will be condemned to landfill.

Futamura’s NatureFlex films are used in over 100 countries worldwide. The films have become part of the packaging, labelling or overwrap solution for some of the world’s best-known brands across a wide variety of everyday consumer goods from fresh produce to tea and coffee, sweets to cereal bars and personal care.