Packaging, an important part of the food industry, is getting a bigger role in food safety. Contamination prevention, conforming to the shelf life and preservation of the quality of the food are the basic requirements of food packaging.

More than 100 players are present on Russian market of disposable eating utensils with 5-8 companies operating in high-price segment and controlling almost half of sales. This group first of all comprises "Huhtamaki Group", the largest manufacturer of disposable utensils and package globally – client list of this manufacturer includes "McDonald’s", "Pepsi" and "Nestle", – and also "Master Cup" LLC with such companies as "Inteko" CJSC, Company "Artplast" and PTG “Mysteria (Mystery)” (Moscow, plant "Diapason") in its client list.

With total production of about 10.5 billion tubes the member companies of etma achieved growth of 10 per cent and a new record in 2010. Following the dip in demand in the difficult year 2009, the tube industry has thus successfully hit the ground running again.

PET is the only plastic material which can be recycled into high-quality form for reuse. Taking that fact into account, Austria’s Starlinger & Co. Ges.m.b.H. at this year’s K will focus on PET treatment and the processing of rPET in innovative packaging solutions.

Starlinger & Co. GmbH has developed an Easy Open feature for the patented PP*STAR® pinch bottom bags. For the first time it is now possible to use this consumer-friendly opening feature on packaging made of BOPP laminated polypropylene tape fabric, a very lightweight but strong packaging material.

The next generation of combiSmart, the screw cap for small carton packs from SIG Combibloc, is now available: the new combiSmart has little ‘wings’ on the sides of the screw cap, making it even easier to open.

Giampaolo Herrmann, general manager of Eurovetrocap, told us about the new products, Russian clients and plans for the future.