Hordijk Verpackungen GmbH was a first-time exhibitor at this year's Fruit Logistica. The Dutch parent company has over 100 years of experience in the manufacture and marketing of packaging for a wide range of applications, several production and distribution sites, and well-known customers throughout Europe. One of the most important growth markets is PET packaging for convenience products such as cut fruit and vegetables and ready-to-eat salads, confirms Michael Giesse from the German subsidiary based in Heusenstamm.
The German GmbH is primarily dedicated to the distribution of innovative PET packaging in the DACH region and Central Europe. Although Hordijk Verpackungen GmbH already cooperates with well-known convenience manufacturers, the selection of fresh-cut products in Germany remains limited compared to the Netherlands, observes Giesse. "I could imagine that expanding this selection would also open up new, additional customer groups. There are still many consumers who may not eat fruit and vegetables today, or only eat very little, because they simply don't feel like preparing them. However, if they are offered ready-made products, this could potentially change. I see huge potential for the future here."
Impressions of the new plant in Zaandam.
Composite instead of PET packaging
A hot topic in the field of food packaging is the PPWR Packaging Regulation. Giesse: "According to the regulation, packaging should be designed for recycling so that consumers can easily recycle it in everyday life. However, this is precisely what we already do with the production of PET packaging made from monomaterial. This contrasts with so-called composite products, which are to be recycled and broken down into their individual components. We consider this chemical recycling to be of little use, as recycling is essentially adapted to the product in question and not vice versa. Despite the high energy consumption associated with this recycling process, it is sold to consumers as sustainable, which, in our opinion, is simply not the case." In addition, consumers can hardly recognize that the packaging does not belong in the paper waste.
Michael Giesse represented Hordijk Verpackungen GmbH at this year's Fruit Logistica in Berlin.
However, according to Giesse, it remains to be seen whether the PPWR regulation will have a negative impact on demand for PET in the long term. "PET products must also contain a PCR content of 30 percent recycled material by 2030. Except for water bottles, PET packaging is currently not considered recyclable by the German Federal Environment Agency, not because it is technically impossible, but because there is no recycling stream for it, and recycling companies are not geared towards it. New PET is much cheaper than recycling old, used PET, and as long as there are no specific requirements, few companies will bother because it is not lucrative from the recycler's perspective. If nothing fundamentally changes, we will, in the worst case, start importing waste or recyclates from non-EU countries in 2030, which will then be classified as post-consumer, but this will be almost impossible to control in practice. Some of those who have switched to composite cartons in recent years will also return to PET."
For more information:
Michael Giesse
Hordijk Verpackungen GmbH
Tel: +49 (0) 6104 76 88 915
m.giesse@hordijk‑pack.de
https://hordijk.nl/de/