An innovative, energy-efficient two-step manufacturing process, EcoForm, to produce CPET (Crystalline Polyethylene Terephthalate) trays for use in the food packaging industry.

Project Information

EcoForm

Grant agreement ID: 683891

DOI

10.3030/683891

Project closed

EC signature date 29 May 2015

Start date 1 June 2015

End date 31 October 2015

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Nanotechnologies

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

GR8 ENGINEERING LTD
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EcoForm (An innovative, energy-efficient two-step manufacturing process, EcoForm, to produce CPET (Crystalline Polyethylene Terephthalate) trays for use in the food packaging industry.)

Reporting period: 2015-06-01 to 2015-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The incumbent thermoforming process used to produce rigid packaging for the food industry dates back over 60 years, has very high energy use, a very large footprint and relatively low output. The UK ready meal market currently uses 1.3 billion containers, yet CPET tray design and manufacture has not changed in over 30 years. Packaging is dominated by one main supplier in Europe. Therefore, consumers, retailers, brand companies and food processors have limited choice of both suppliers and tray designs, with prices and availability dictated by suppliers.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

GR8 has created a better solution. We have proven that injection moulded preforms, produced at one site and transported to another, can be converted into containers. All major packaging materials, aPET, CPET and PP, have been successfully tested on our prototype EcoForm machine. Results clearly demonstrate that considerable energy savings are achieved, at all stages of the process. For example, EcoForm is 50+% more energy efficient than traditional thermoforming and saves approx. 10-20% in material wastage, resulting in lower material, transport and storage costs; a compelling case for the food processing industry. The containers are enhanced by biaxial orientation, unique to EcoForm, increasing mechanical strength by up to 20% allowing still further reductions in materials. The process does not compromise recyclability at all.

Transporting preforms to food processors allows manufacture of containers on-site, significantly reducing transport and warehousing costs and improving speed to market. Additionally, EcoForm allows the production of new, innovative shapes for packaging, currently uneconomic to transport.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Further development is now required to build a full production machine, to be tested both inhouse and at a food processor’s site. The route to market has been clearly identified as through major retailers influencing their food processors to adopt EcoForm machines on site. Already a major British supermarket chain, the leader in ready meals, have declared their intention to work with EcoForm and have an agreement with their ready meals supplier to install an EcoForm machine at their food processing site.

When complete, this project will significantly alter the plastic packaging supply chain of processed and prepacked foods: reducing material quantities, energy, transport and warehousing costs. EcoForm shortens the supply chain, making it more responsive to consumer demands, enabling less waste.

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