In its product range, the adapa Group, which specialises in flexible packaging solutions, highlights its responsibility to combine the best packaging performance with careful use of resources. This is supported by high-performance R&D which customises all details of the various packaging solutions in order to meet specific customer requirements, as the example of the Vergeer cheese ripening company demonstrates impressively. The Dutch family business Vergeer is one of the most important cheese suppliers in the Netherlands and sources its products from various partners. The products are then portioned and packaged at Vergeer at different stages of ripeness. Customers of their huge range of cheeses include food retailers, the catering trade and food services. Cheese maturing takes place at the ultra-modern headquarters in Bodegraven using high-quality and sustainable processing methods. When the packaging of sliced Gouda for a major customer from the discount segment was to be modified in accordance with the discounter’s Designed for Recycling specifications, Vergeer placed its trust in adapa’s packaging expertise.
Holistic development: all requirements under one umbrella
The requirement catalogue for the project was as diverse as it was detailed. For the base film of the new packaging, an existing mono APET material was to be used. This called for a top film with reliable sealing properties and an additional reclose function to preserve maximum freshness of the product even after opening. Furthermore, the film should enable attractive printing for presentation in retail stores, the overall packaging should be designed to be as resource efficient as possible, and the productivity of the machinery should remain undiminished. The latter point, based on the experience of the flexible packaging specialist, is one of the greatest challenges when switching materials on existing machinery. In close collaboration with Vergeer, adapa tailored the innovative top film FlexiClose(re) AMX until the top film perfectly fulfilled the desired properties.
Innovative Solution: FlexiClose(re) AMX
FlexiClose(re) AMX is a top film based on polyolefins that allows for reliable sealing against the mono APET base film. The composition of the film ensures that it can be removed from the packaging evenly and without tearing or rolling, while still allowing for reclosure. The weight of the top film has been reduced by almost one gram per square meter overall. Despite changes in specifications, the material can be efficiently processed on Vergeer’s packaging machines, thus maintaining high productivity. Along with adjustments to the base film thickness and packaging dimensions, Vergeer has been able to reduce the material usage for its Gouda packaging by 26 to 30 percent overall. The recyclability of the single-material base film is also supported: with a density of less than 1 g/cm3, the printed top film can largely be separated in recycling plants using the float-sink separation process, allowing the mono APET to be recycled again.
Successful project, high levels of satisfaction on all sides
The “Gouda Packaging” project, completed with high levels of satisfaction by all parties involved including the customer, is just one part of the partnership between adapa and Vergeer. Frank van Leeuwen, Purchase Manager at Vergeer, confirms: “We look forward to continuing our proven partnership with adapa. Together, we are committed to creating first-class packaging solutions for our customers while optimizing quality and sustainability.” To achieve this, adapa’s R&D department continuously works on new resource-efficient packaging solutions. The project with Vergeer has already benefited from an improvement: compared to the outset of the project, the thickness of the top film has been reduced without sacrificing quality or performance. Benjamin Leviez, Product and Application Specialist Manager at adapa, concludes: “To meet the requirements of modern packaging, true specialists are necessary. Nowadays, retailers set specific packaging goals that food manufacturers like Vergeer must meet. Consumers also expect providers to address sustainability concerns. However, divergent recycling systems make it difficult to design packaging that is equally recyclable in different European countries. With our comprehensive expertise, we will support Vergeer in the future, as well as our entire customer base, in developing efficient solutions for the highly dynamic conditions in the European market.”
