Switzerland-based consumer packaging company Amcor has invested around $10mn-15mn in US-based Epac Flexible Packaging, as part of efforts to achieve its 2025 sustainability goals.
The US firm produces food-safe pouches and films for items such as snacks, and frozen and microwaveable products. Its packaging films are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) or biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP).
PE and polypropylene (PP) are widely used in the packaging of food items. But an increasing shift towards sustainable packaging among producers and downstream converters because of environmental pressure to limit single-use plastics has led to the development of recyclable PE and PP for food packaging.
Epac also produces sustainable packaging films. These include 100pc recyclable films made from 100pc post-consumer recycled (PCR) PE. One such offering is linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) sealant web films with 25pc PCR content. Epac also offers compostable packaging ideal for energy bars, snacks, coffee, tea and confectionery.
This is Amcor's "first corporate venture-type investment", according to chief executive officer Ron Delia. The firm aims to cut the CO2 impact of its products to meet its 2025 sustainability goals, by reducing the weight of its packaging and incorporating items such as paper, aluminium and resins into its products to make them more recyclable.
Epac has 18 fully operational manufacturing sites, with five more being developed. Amcor's investment will give it a minority ownership in parent company Epac Holdings. Amcor will also fund one or more of Epac's planned manufacturing facilities.