Linpac invests Euro 1.9m in UK site

Linpac Packaging said it is now one of the largest producers of rPET packaging in the UK thanks to a £3m (?1.9m) investment in thermoforming and inline extrusion equipment.

The investment has helped the firm set up its new rPET packaging line Rfresh that consists of rPET sandwiched between virgin PET.

Linpac said its Rfresh line can be used to store fresh meat, fish and poultry for up to 10 days in standard chiller distribution systems.

It added that the site can now create packaging that combines the use of post-consumer waste with its own post-industrial waste.

Linpac said the investment will allow it to exercise more control over the quality of the rPET it produces as it allows the company to extrude and thermofrom on site from flake.

A spokesperson refused to reveal the number of lines installed or capacity but said work started at the beginning of the year. She added that the site was producing Rfresh by May and the range had already attracted customer orders.

Marketing vice president, Adam Barnett, said: “Rfresh was developed to allow retailers the opportunity to offer their customers a sustainable packaging option that still combines all of the traditional qualities associated with Linpac products.”

Linpac said Rfresh will use a minimum of 50% post-consumer recyclate and meets all EU legislative requirements for food contact use.

The company added that the packaging “retains PET’s traditional qualities of clarity and thermal stability, providing the same effective barrier needed to protect and preserve food from damage or contamination”.

It added that Rfresh is compatible with automatic tray denester machinery and can be used for both manual and automatic lid sealing. Rfresh trays are available in a variety of sizes and can be coloured to suit.