Precious Sticksters

The renewable Precious Sticksters package is made at Lactalis on horizontal form/fill/seal machines. The package, which holds individually sealed cheese sticks, is made from a lamination of plant-based, renewable plastic and an outer layer made from traditional petroleum-based plastic. This new material, which is 50 percent plant-based, generates up to 35.2 percent fewer greenhouse gases and uses up to 36.8 percent less energy than the conventional petroleum-based materials it replaces. Lactalis made the packaging change as part of its corporate sustainability commitment.

"We're pleased to have partnered with Lactalis to help introduce this new, renewable package for Precious Sticksters," says James Sanfilippo, president/CEO of Clear Lam Packaging Inc. "Clear Lam and Lactalis conducted extensive internal R&D and real-world testing to ensure this material met our rigorous standards for sustainability, durability and print quality."

The finished bags perform well under typical distribution conditions and meet all FDA requirements for food use. It was important to Lactalis that the finished materials had a lower carbon footprint and used less energy without losing production efficiencies or impacting product performance. High-speed sealing was a critical requirement.

"We achieved that and more with this new packaging," says Frederick Bouisset, president/CEO of Lactalis American Group Inc. "We believe that by adopting this new packaging, we are promoting a better future by reducing our energy consumption and environmental impact—a long-term goal to which we are fully committed."

Clear Lam produces the proprietary bio-based layer used in the film from pellets and additives, then the finished film is shipped to a Lactalis production facility where its Precious Sticksters products are packaged on horizontal form/fill/seal machines.

Clear Lam's renewable packaging materials are produced from plant-based bioplastics derived from Natureworks Ingeo PLA (polylactic acid) along with ingredients that enhance performance. These materials are part of the company's Project EarthClear program and replace petroleum-based plastics with biobased ingredients developed to reduce the introduction of fossil carbon into the atmosphere.

For a decade, Clear Lam has invested extensively in research and development to commercialize new packaging technologies that minimize the impact on the environment. These efforts include three product lines developed for Clear Lam's Project EarthClear program: Flexible and Rigid Packaging made from renewable raw materials, bioplastics, cellophane and paper (not petroleum-based feedstocks); Flexible and Rigid Packaging made with recycled plastic or paper; and Lightweighting Materials to eliminate heavy cans, bottles and jars. Clear Lam is one of the world's largest extruders and thermoformers of plant-based Ingeo PLA.

More information about Precious cheese may be found at www.preciouscheese.com.

Ingeo is a registered trademark of NatureWorks LLC
EarthClear is a registered trademark of Clear Lam Packaging Inc.
Precious and Sticksters are registered trademarks of Lactalis Retail Dairy Inc.

Source: Clear Lam Packaging Inc.

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