The world behind the pack
In the final part of our World Behind the Pack series, we recap all our stories so far to reveal the engineering, science and innovation in every pack
Throughout our series, we’ve told the story of what it takes to create an aseptic carton pack. We know our packs might look simple but it takes a whole range of specialised processes and technology to create safe, sustainable and convenient packaging. Here’s a series rundown to show the beginnings, life and journey of every pack…
More than meets the eye
Since the dawn of mankind, packaging has been an essential part of daily life. And it’s now so ubiquitous that most of us won’t really think about a food or drink pack – it’s simply opened and used then discarded. But an SIG pack is so much more than a product container with a whole world of engineering and innovation inside.
Back to the source
Strip a typical SIG carton pack down to its bare essentials and you’ll find three core materials – paperboard, polyethylene and aluminium. Where these materials came from and how they were produced is a story of responsible and sustainable sourcing – from fully-certified and industry-leading suppliers around the world.
In good shape to succeed
Meeting consumer needs isn’t only about creating packs that are convenient to use, transport and drink from. It’s also about creating the right kind of packaging material structure for the products they want – whether it’s milk, juice or liquid food – while ensuring they’re suitable for a whole range of price points and demands.
From paper to packaging
At SIG packaging plants around the world, we produce billions of preformed carton sleeves a year. Creating these sleeves takes a lot of expertise, effort and specialised processes. And they’re completely unique to SIG – ensuring an extremely high level of quality, precision and consistency as well as a very low waste rate.
Bringing products to life
With SIG filling machines, a flat carton sleeve becomes a filled pack in seconds. These machines use aseptic technology that ensures the highest food safety standards and quality. This helps retain nutrients, flavours and colours, and results in a product with a shelf life of up to 12 months without refrigeration.
Packs that keep on giving
Once a filled pack leaves a filling line it’s ready for the journey to retailers. Carton packs enable efficient and space-saving transport without the need for chillers, meaning less costs and carbon emissions. Their large printable surface helps brands stand out and, once used, all materials can be recovered and recycled.
Innovation never stops
A whole world of benefits is packed into every SIG pack. But we know there’s always more to innovate and improve. So we’re continuously looking at ways to better meet new demands from consumers and producers.
Take the growing demand for plastic-free packaging, which drove us to create our paper straw for beverage carton packs – the first market-ready solution of its kind. Or the demand for more product information and interactive packaging, which we’re answering with our range of Connected Pack solutions – driving more product transparency and brand engagement.
It’s with products and solutions like these that we can be sure to offer the right packaging structure, format, size and experience for every product.
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- May 29, 2020