Packaging Gateway

Daily Newsletter

09 August 2023

Daily Newsletter

Alpla and PTTGC JV celebrates first food-grade rPET bottles in Thailand

The bottles have been produced from one of the largest recycling plants within Asia.

Envicco, the joint venture (JV) between ALPLA Group and chemical company PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC), has achieved a milestone with the launch of the first food-grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles in Thailand.

The high-quality post-consumer recycled material has already been adopted by beverage brands Pepsi and Mineré, the natural mineral water brand under Nestlé’s (Thai) Water Business Unit, for its plastic bottles in the Thai market.

Alpla's corporate director for Circular Economy & Recycling in Asia Bernd Wachter said: “Investing in the circular economy is a win for everyone. The environment, economy, and society benefit from the careful and efficient recycling of used plastics, creating sustainable, affordable, and innovative products, as well as generating new jobs.”

The Envicco JV was originally established by the two companies in September 2019. PTTGC owns 70% of Envicco, with ALPLA holding the remaining 30% stake in the partnership.

In September 2022, an advanced food-grade recycling plant, jointly owned by the JV partners for bottle-to-bottle applications, opened in Thailand.

This plant is said to be one of the largest recycling operations of its kind in Asia, with an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons (t) of rPET and 15,000t of recycled high-density polyethylene terephthalate.

Both Pepsi and Mineré are running campaigns to generate public awareness about the new eco-friendly bottle format.

For Mineré, Nestlé partnered with supermarket chain 7-Eleven and PTTGC's waste management platform YOUTURN to promote the 'Bottle made from Bottles' slogan.

Wachter added: “Raising awareness about the value of recyclables is central to promoting the circular economy. Consumer engagement increases collection rates, reduces waste, and ensures an adequate supply of materials for recycling.”

Generative AI remains an untapped potential across the consumer industry

GlobalData estimates the total AI market will be worth $909 billion in 2030, growing at a CAGR of 35.2% between 2022 and 2030. The consumer goods, foodservice, and packaging sectors are undergoing digital transformation, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and changing consumer preferences. AI can help companies operating in these sectors by significantly reducing costs and production times. In Nestlé's 2022 full-year results, the company announced a renewed focus on digitalization to drive growth. Financial and reputational pressures associated with supply chain disruptions and sustainability concerns are also driving interest in the digitalization of supply chains. Data science and ML are strong investments across all areas. However, the sectors cannot stop at AI-powered data analytics applications. They must also explore computer vision (CV), smart robots, AI sensors that automate manufacturing and distribution logistics, and generative AI tools that increase efficiency across corporate departments and customer service operations and enable innovation in product design. For the most part, the consumer goods, foodservice, and packaging sectors will not play a significant role in creating and developing AI hardware or platforms. Instead, these sectors will help scale up the adoption of AI technologies, such as CV, conversational platforms, and smart robots. This adoption will be driven by the financial benefits and potential cost savings AI automation delivers across global supply chains.