Weener Plastop is on the ball

Innovation in the bagPrint manager Patrick Meyer (left) and operator Peter Thys show off the old printer that was specially modified to apply the anti-m<strong>is</strong>t layer to the new lettuce bag,saving on both time and new equipment costs.Penpak’s pioneering lettuce bag has put the company firmly on theinnovation highway.Peninsula Packaging (Penpak)has long been a leader in fruitand bread flexible packagingin the Western Cape, and their brieffrom Freshmark, a div<strong>is</strong>ion of retail giantShoprite Checkers, challenged them tor<strong>is</strong>e to new heights of ingenuity.‘Consumers are under pressure –electricity and municipal rates increaseshave cut into the family budget, sogrocery retailers are looking at everyway to ease the burden. And that wasour brief from Shoprite Checkers: tocome up with a more cost-effectiveform of packaging for lettuce thatdoesn’t sacrifice on quality or shelflife,’ says Penpak sales and marketingmanager Paul Dewrance who togetherwith fresh produce special<strong>is</strong>t Lötter V<strong>is</strong>serdrove the project.‘The result has been certified a winneron all fronts. Not only does the newpatented lettuce bag cost less toproduce than the conventionalStyrofoam base and cling wrap butit also extends the shelf life of theproduct, ensuring better colour, betterappearance and better eating qualityfor up to eight days. The new lettucebag <strong>is</strong> going to make life a lot easier forconsumers and save them money.’The new packet may look innocuous,but thanks to input from s<strong>is</strong>tercompanies East Rand Plastics whichprovided the special<strong>is</strong>ed film, andKnilam, there’s some serious technologyinvolved. Knilam <strong>is</strong> a South Africanleader in modified atmospherepackaging (MAP), technology thatallows for the extended preservationof fresh produce without the additionof artificial gases or preservatives. Theinside of the package incorporatesanti-m<strong>is</strong>ting properties that improvethe appearance of the lettuce, andthere’s a built-in re-sealable strip. Allthese innovations combine to create awinning package for the consumer.‘One of the key benefits of a multioperationsgroup like Astrapak <strong>is</strong>our ability to learn from each otherand to ass<strong>is</strong>t when confronted witha packaging challenge,’ says Paul.‘The cross-pollination of ideas andtechnology from three differentcompanies was the sole reason th<strong>is</strong>project was successful in an incrediblyshort development period.’The initial production order was formore than five million bags. Penpak <strong>is</strong>in the process of acquiring additionalequipment to consolidate all aspectsof the production process inhouse.Interestingly, the bag has been atthe centre of an aggressive telev<strong>is</strong>ionadvert<strong>is</strong>ing campaign promotingFreshmark’s high-quality produce.ASTRAPAK NEWS 9