1st-Case Commercialization of a New Green Packaging System

Angelini Technologies–Fameccanica – a company of Angelini Industries, an Italian industrial group active in the health, industrial technology, and consumer goods has designed and commercialized its first machine for the automated production of eco-sustainable packages made entirely of recycled cardboard based on Greenpackt® technology. Patented in Europe and the United States, this technology makes it possible to reduce CO2 emissions* by about 50 percent compared to the production of equivalent plastic packages such as polypropylene. (*Considering 1,42 kg CO2eq/kg for recycled cardboard and 3,13 kg CO2e/kg for polypropylene.)

The plant, designed by Angelini Technologies-Fameccanica, was chosen by BlueSun, a Spanish company with 500 employees and 200 million in sales that produces detergents, fabric softeners, bleach, room fresheners, and related products under 12 brand names in 26 countries. Greenpackt® boxes made of recycled cardboard fibers that offer an environmentally sustainable alternative to the plastic packaging found on supermarket shelves today.

Boxes and stand-up pouches.

The Greenpackt® packs are recyclable and feature a patented child-resistant opening system with a secure locking mechanism. The closure is certified to the standards of AISE, the International Association for Soaps, Detergents, and Maintenance Products.

Related:New Green Packaging for Single-Use Detergents

The automated system adapts to different packaging sizes and types.

BlueSun will use Angelini Technologies-Fameccanica's production facility to make packages for single-use detergent capsules in supermarkets in Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and other European countries.

The automation process for in-line packaging making is based on an independent trolley system that gives maximum flexibility. A flexible process structure allows the machine to adapt to different package types, reducing waste.

Single-use detergent packs inspired Greenpackt® technology.

Angelini Technologies-Fameccanica designs and builds numerous automated production systems for consumer goods. The company, for example, has developed a platform called S15 for the production of the types of single-use detergent capsules already used by large international companies producing these items. This production pays special attention to sustainability with an innovative and patented robotic detergent dosing system and vision-based quality control system that minimize production waste and maintain high production speeds up to 1,500 capsules per minute. With these technologies patented and developed in Italy, this system is now ready for global production of both detergent capsules and the packages containing them while meeting sustainability criteria.

The Greenpackt® system produces recycled paper packs with high speed (up to 100 packages per minute) and flexibility on their size: boxes can hold from 15 to 60 single-use packs with dimensions ranging from a minimum of 150 x 95 x 95 millimeters up to a maximum size of 240 x 170 x 185 millimeters.

The machine occupies a small space (6.2 meters x 5.6 meters), can be customized to the specific needs of the manufacturing company, and allows for customization of the package by simply modularly replacing one or more functions of the forming process.

In developing Greenpackt®, the research and development department was dedicated to sustainable packaging, and a team of highly specialized engineers in mechatronics played an essential role.

More information on this technology for producing boxes and pouches was previously presented at Packaging Digest in the article, New Green Packaging for Single-Use Detergents.

Angelini Technologies-Fameccanica - part of Angelini Industries Group - with more than 600 employees in Italy, USA, and China, more than 1100 patent titles, operates in the Converting and Automation & Robotics sectors.