A Global Vision for Food Packaging
Interview with Alex Noake, Managing Director of Sabert Corporation Europe SA
The Food-and-Beverages market is often at the center of attention when it comes to further optimizing packaging materials in terms of their sustainability record. The multinational Sabert group has exciting solutions ready, which it consistently continues to develop together with its customers.
When Alex Noake, Managing Director of the 100 million EUR European arm of the global Sabert Corporation, discusses the central corporate vision, he often cites the highly personal mission of the founder Albert Salama: "Albert has taught us all that sustainability is not a trend, but a responsibility. His personal mission continues to inspire the legacy that we are building at Sabert." In Europe alone, Sabert operates four plants aiming to get closer to this goal every day: with sustainable packaging solutions for the entire breadth of the food and beverage market from take-out to convenience meals. "In principle, we approach this in a material-agnostic manner and offer solutions made from recycled PET, paper, and many other materials. We innovate not only at our sites in Belgium, Poland, and the UK, but of course also in our branches in the USA and China. In each of these markets, we have a broad production footprint – this is important to us," explains Alex Noake the central strategy, which in recent times and near future also extends to culturally and technically complementary acquisitions.
Innovations for a future with circular packaging
For the challenges presented by the upcoming PFAS ban in the European Union, Sabert has already initiated many further developments, including Pulp Ultra, an innovative coating solution for sealed food containers that replaces plastic laminations and is double oven capable. Another microwave- and oven-proof product is meanwhile being developed based on cardboard. "Our goal is always to exceed legal requirements in order to prepare for the challenges of the future today. At the same time, we want to not only convince but excite consumers," Alex Noake reflects on a central innovation driver. To this end, Sabert also offers a broad spectrum of highly adaptable solutions that are consistently developed according to the individual requirements of specific customers: including complex hybrid solutions from different substrates.
In the future, one can envisage Sabert engaging even more broadly further up and downstream in the value chain to more effectively press for the closure of the material cycles - "but at the end of the day, it is politics that is called upon. Because compostability is meaningless if the necessary infrastructure is lacking - and this can vary not only from country to country but sometimes even from municipality to municipality," explains Alex Noake. However, this does not dampen Sabert's optimistic aspirations: "We have a fantastic team that is passionate about our solutions, customers who appreciate our expertise and reliability, and consumers who want to contribute themselves: ideal conditions for a successful future," says Alex Noake.