Artcraft Label, Polymount capture FTA 2017 Sustainability Excellence Award

This year, FTA presents Artcraft Label Inc. of Ontario, Canada, and Polymount International of Newnan, Georgia as the winners.

Artcraft Label Inc., a producer of pressure-sensitive labels and focused on helping to grow small to medium sized brands, has been a member of FTA for six years. Due to an industry-wide movement to improve recovery of PET thermoform clamshell containers in 2012, the facility took on the initiative of creating eco-friendly, ‘cost neutral’ labels. ProPETE enabled the recycling of PET containers–a common resin used in produce, bakery, and nut product packaging in grocery retail.

In 2015, the Association of Plastic Recyclers recognized Artcraft Label’s innovation as being effective and meeting the established industry protocol. The rPET thermoform recycling process is estimated to reduce greenhouse gases by 3.8 million metric tons per year, and is priced 40 percent to 50 percent less than virgin PET resins, resulting in tremendous savings.

Polymount International, is a global operating production and trading company serving 80 countries and has been a member of FTA since 2011. Its latest addition to the sustainability portfolio, the Polymount Film Cleaner is a machine which cleans printed film and enables reuse for the next setup of a new print job. During the three-step cleaning process, the printed film is guided through the washing unit, the after rinsing water tank, and drying unit. The substrate is then wound into a roll, clean and dry, and is ready for immediate use for the next job. Using such a machine to allow for reuse of a start up roll, even one time, can reduce a total amount of startup waste by 50 percent. The average number of times a cleaned startup roll can be used after using the Polymount Film Cleaner is between two and 10 times. The 1300 mm wide Polymount Film Cleaner was launched at Drupa in 2016 and the company will release the larger version, a 1950 mm wide cleaner, in 2018.

Heritage Envelopes Ltd. of Lancashire, UK, received an honorable mention for its ‘boxless’ packaging for envelopes.