Sustainable Converting
Corrboard encourages converters to consider sustainability from source
By Rob Burgin from CorrBoard UK. I
n recent years, sustainability has become an increasingly important topic within the packaging industry. Companies are mindful of the environmental impact that manufacturing can have and the need to make collective changes in order to reduce the negative effects the sector is having on the planet.
CorrBoard, the sheet feeding specialist based in Scunthorpe, has worked alongside CorrBoard BioEnergy, the independent anaerobic digestion plant, to help to work towards its objective to become a net zero manufacturing facility. Becoming intrinsic partners, CorrBoard benefits from the £7m invested in CorrBoard BioEnergy and its ambition to promote a true circular economy. Effectively, the business is tackling the sustainability of the manufacturing process at source.
With a link between food process waste, energy generation, packaging material manufacture and then back to food processors in the form of packaging and around again, the model adopted by CorrBoard BioEnergy shows how the manufacturing process can change to significantly reduce the environmental impact it has. The by-product of the anaerobic digestion process is PAS110 certified fertiliser used to grow crops and enrich grazing land for livestock. The nutrient rich material, known as digestate, is as efficient as commercially manufactured fertiliser, more economical and with less carbon. Although the benefits are clear for all to see, not least having access to a sustainable electricity
supply, the willingness to accept, invest and embrace change is where, for some companies, there can be resistance.
Rob Burgin, managing director at CorrBoard comments: “It is no secret that the manufacturing sector needs to place greater focus on sustainability. After all, this is the only way that we can all collectively reduce the impact that we are having on the environment.
“Leaving the hard work to someone else isn’t an approach we were comfortable with and so we have made it our mission to encourage everyone at the business to look harder at ways in which we can adapt and change for the better. “Although we benefit from the sustainable sourcing of our electricity, we still have steps to take before the same can be said of our gas. This will require further investment, time and resource from both CorrBoard and CorrBoard BioEnergy. “What makes the partnership so progressive is that we are all working towards the same objectives. As well as focusing on meeting with our net zero targets, we also want to share our experiences and to become a benchmark for others to do the same.
“Collectively, we could become an example of best practice both in the UK and throughout Europe, but we need more organisations to share a willingness to change, which can be difficult, particularly for companies that have worked in a particular way for years.”
CorrBoard UK has won several awards for its sustainability efforts and is using this as an
opportunity to encourage others to look into new ways of working. It has also delivered seminars to share its journey and to explain that whilst a lot has been done, sustainability is a moving target and ambitions such as achieving Net Zero take time.
As well as the partnership with CorrBoard BioEnergy, CorrBoard UK also has a Fosber 2.8mm fast order change corrugator at the heart of its operation. Making the production process as straightforward and innovative as possible, it means the team can be more flexible to customer requirements.
What’s more, the plant is built to support its sustainable vision. This includes the Fosber’s eco enclosure reducing energy consumption by up to 40% and state-of-the-art computerised conveyors and palletisation systems, which handle materials in the most effective, efficient, and sustainable way possible.
Mr Burgin concludes: “If we can encourage other companies within our sector to consider sustainability from source, we can have the collective impact that we are all hoping to achieve. I have yet to meet with anyone that says they don’t care about the environmental impact that they have.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we all want to do as much as we can to be as sustainable as we can, it is just going to take our time, effort and money to get there.”
Xwww.corrboarduk.com
36
October 2022
www.convertermag.com
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