Successful integration of Weidenhammer Packaging Group expands portfolio of high-class packaging solutions and services; hall 5, booth 345
HOCKENHEIM, Germany – Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, will present its broad range of packaging solutions at FachPack 2015 in Nuremberg, Germany, for the very first time. From September 29 to October 1, visitors to booth no. 5-345 will see how Sonoco has expanded its European consumer products division following the successful integration of the Weidenhammer Packaging Group (WPG) in late 2014.
“By joining forces with WPG, we have created an integrated packaging solutions company with 175 years of experience, 21,000 employees and 340 locations across the globe. FachPack is the ideal occasion to introduce existing customers and prospects to our expanded portfolio in Europe,” said Séan Cairns, Vice President and General Manager of Sonoco’s European Consumer Products Division. Sonoco now has the broadest range of composite cans on the market, and has greatly expanded its capabilities in high-performance plastics packaging, especially with regards to injection moulding with in-mould labelling.
Extended portfolio of composite cans and plastics packaging
At FachPack, Sonoco will showcase a selection of rigid paper containers. Due to the merger with WPG, Sonoco was able to extend this portfolio by new technologies. The unique non-round technology allows for the production of new shapes that range from oval forms to rectangles. The additional offering also includes new options for ends and closures such as recessed membranes and paper bottoms. Sonoco customers like Nestlé, Unilever, and Lorenz Snack World can choose from a broad variety of shapes to attract consumers’ attention at the point of sale (POS). “Even after the purchase, composite cans deliver excellent branding opportunities,” said Rolf Regelmann, Director Sales and Marketing at Sonoco. “Consumers widely acknowledge their advantages. They especially like the ease of opening and reclosing, as well as the fact that they don’t have to transfer the food to another container.”
Sonoco has also significantly increased its capabilities in injection-moulded plastics packaging. By performing production and labelling in one single process, in-mold labelling (IML) allows for full-body graphics and a wide variety of possible shapes that result in attractive packaging designs. The award-winning FullCover® IML as used by Rügenwalder Mühle, for instance, enables the seamless integration of side and bottom labels without edges. “The positive impact at POS is combined with robust product protection. This makes IML a cost-effective alternative to metal and glass,” said Andreas Rothschink, Sales Director Plastic Packaging at Sonoco. “IML delivers a high barrier in a monolayer structure, is durable and lightweight, and stands out with superior moisture protection compared to traditional multilayer plastic packaging.” The unique PermaSafe® High Barrier IML is ideally suited for canned food with a long shelf life under ambient conditions.
At FachPack, visitors will see some examples from the broad portfolio, such as new IML containers for Iglo’s “frozen herbs”, as well as single-chamber and double-chamber packaging options for dairy products, which have been designed for Emmi’s yoghurt and the “Monte” desserts from Zott respectively. In the non-food segment, Sonoco will showcase newly developed IML lids for tobacco packaging.
True 360° solutions
Together with the former WPG facilities, Sonoco now has the ideal conditions to supply customers in all parts of Europe and globally with market-leading packaging solutions. “By integrating Weidenhammer’s advanced technology and large production capacities in Europe, we are now able to offer an even larger variety of packaging options. This helps us to take a packaging-neutral approach and support our customers with the solutions that fits their specific needs best,” Séan Cairns underlined. “We have combined two leading companies with unique packaging capabilities each to one company with one mission – delivering a 360° solution to our customers.”
When developing new packaging solutions for customers, Sonoco acts as a full-service partner, from packaging development through to the POS. According to their specific needs, customers can outsource different parts of the packaging value chain to Sonoco, including the physical insertion of their product into the package. Once the products arrive at the POS, Sonoco’s award-winning solutions for retail display design and production help to get the attention they deserve. At FachPack, Sonoco underlines its capabilities to provide temporary or permanent creative display solutions.
Sonoco Trident further supports customers with advanced brand and graphics management. Trident’s integrated artwork and workflow management system Zen seamlessly connects with a multitude of other systems used by customers and their suppliers. This results in automated workflows, fast development, as well as high quality and accuracy. Every year, Sonoco Trident creates a third of a million digital artworks in 143 languages for hundreds of the world’s most purchased brands.
The range of products and services offered at FachPack is completed by Sonoco Alcore, the brand that delivers tube and core solutions, as well as the corresponding services. Based on old corrugated containers as main material, Sonoco produces cores and tubes according to customers’ specific requirements, individually calculating the optimum build-up of the core. Customers in various industries use these cores and tubes to transport and store paper, yarns, film, metal and other materials.
Website: www.sonocoeurope.com
