Smart Molding International 2-2021

IML & IMD 28 smart_molding international 2/2021 U p until now, all 500 g tubs of SalzburgMilch premium yo - ghurts, pudding and sour cream have come with fitted with disposable plastic lids. Although they perform the job just fine, these lids generate several tons of plastic waste every year. Taking a huge step towards a sustainable fu - ture, SalzburgMilch have recently of - fered a special promotion. Instead of each 500 g tub coming with a plastic lid of its own, they were topped with high-quality, dishwasher safe, and envi - ronmentally friendly reusable lids. The promotional lids look fantastic thanks to in-mold labelling (IML). This means their customers continue to enjoy the same delicious products whenever they like, while generating less waste and contrib - uting to a greener world. ‘We wanted to offer our customers an environmentally friendly and hassle-free alternative. The reusable lids don’t just function well, they look amazing!’ says Prok. Florian Schwap, Marketing Manager at Salz - burgMilch. ‘With their own lid conve - niently on hand, it’s easy for customers to keep their dairy products fresh at home. There’s no need for each tub to come with its own disposable lid.’ Custom-fit, complete solution To bring their vision into reality, SalzburgMilch approached Greiner Packaging – a worldwide packaging company with 60 years of experi - ence. Greiner Packaging specialises in resealable packaging options that extend the shelf life of food while en - abling it to be handled in a safe and secure way. There are some important factors to consider when designing a reusable lid. Firstly, it needs to be a perfect fit, meaning the seal must be secure so the food is kept fresh. Sec - ondly, it needs to be easy to clean. Greiner Packaging’s multi-use lids are structurally stable, dishwasher safe and maintain their integrity wash after wash. ‘Our multi-use lids can be used over and over again,’ explains Thomas Knoll, Key Account Manager at Greiner Packaging. ‘They’re made from polypropylene (PP) using in - jection molding and decorated with IML. This combination ensures they’re dishwasher-safe, and when they even - tually need to be disposed of, they’re completely recyclable. Less plastic is used overall and more of it is kept in circulation.’ Dishwasher-safe IML labels on the lids Achieving the perfect label is no easy feat. ‘Greiner Packaging pushed us to our limits,’ reflects Peter Mertens, re - gional Sales Manager for Central and Eastern Europe at Verstraete IML. ‘They asked us to design IML labels to suit dishwasher-safe lids in both white and super-clear versions. Technologi - cally, this meant aiming extremely high! But we worked together to pull it off. And quite quickly. The product went to market only months after the first idea was floated.’ SalzburgMilch are absolutely de - lighted with the finished product. Having just launched the promotion in Austria, they’ve received fantas - tic feedback from regular customers. ‘The lids fit perfectly, and our cus - tomers are quite willing to make this change. People are very aware that we need to reduce the amount of plastic we use. Reusable lids offer a wonder - ful and simple way to contribute to a greener future. The path is now paved for similar sustainable initiatives in the future. And the beautiful design of the lids is like the cherry on top!’ says Prok. Florian Schwap, Marketing Manager at SalzburgMilch. Greiner Packaging www.greiner-gpi.com SalzburgMilch offers a reusable option to single-use plastic lids Photo: SalzburgMilch For dairy-lovers, being able to grab a spoonful of creamy goodness from the fridge at any time is one of life’s greatest pleasures. And when purchasing your favourite yoghurt or pudding, the largest tub is the most appealing and economical choice. Whether you’re grabbing a sneaky spoonful, or serving up a larger amount, it’s unlikely you’ll be eating 500 g of dairy in one go. A snap-on lid is an absolute necessity.