Packaging Competence Center: Six steps to sustainable packaging

The great social importance of the topic of sustainability and the stringent requirements of the European Green Deal make our Packaging Competence Center a sought-after point of contact for the development of new sustainable packaging for solids and parenterals. With our decades of experience and a holistic approach to consulting and development, we will guide you safely through the process, no matter what stage of packaging development you are at.–

End-to-End Services: From initial idea to finished product

We support you from the exact definition of requirements and the selection of packaging options through life cycle assessment, prototyping and testing to product validation and machine updating or purchase. One service that our customers at the Packaging Competence Center particularly appreciate is our test center, with its comprehensive range of machinery. Here we can test prototypes of the packaging solution on the exact packaging lines you use under real conditions – without interrupting your production.

Materials, machines and processes – with the consulting and development services of our Packaging Competence Center, we can create sustainable packaging solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into your production processes.

1. Requirements workshop

Our packaging experts work with you to find the best solutions. We analyze your needs and requirements for the required solution in our workshop.

We guide and support you step by step and

• conduct a comprehensive inventory,
• analyze the business requirements in terms of product, process and machine,
• evaluate the technological and operational changes, and
• develop practical concepts.

The next steps on the way to a reliable, efficient packaging solution are also discussed and the appointment is documented.

Depending on whether the workshop takes place at your premises or ours, our experts will take the opportunity to gain an initial impression of the production process on site, or you will have the chance to meet all contact partners and project participants.

2. Research suitable materials

Thanks to our strategic partner network, we can find exactly the right packaging options available on the market for you. Whether mono-PP, mono-PET, mono-PLA, mono-HDPE, mono-aluminum, paper or cardboard, our specialists follow clear criteria such as environmental compatibility, cost-effectiveness, product safety, functionality and process reliability when making their selection. We are also happy to consider your own material suggestions for the selection.

Here you will find an overview of the options for sustainable packaging solutions.

3. Practice-oriented life-cycle assessment (LCA)

In our life-cycle assessment, we provide you with a compact report on the environmental impact and energy balance of potential new packaging solutions over the entire product life cycle – from raw materials and production to disposal and recycling.

The fact-based screening takes into account a total of 16 parameters, six of which are most relevant for packaging:

• Effects of greenhouse gases on global warming,
• Health effects of particulate matter,
• Acidification of water and soil,
• Effects on drinking water,
• Water consumption and
• Land usage due to the cultivation of the raw materials used.

The assessment model also considers a range of other information, e.g. on product design, raw material origin, composition, country of production, certification quotas and logistics infrastructure.

The resulting standardized assessment (based on the rules laid down by the European Commission) gives you a clear picture of which packaging concept is demonstrably best suited to a particular product and its strategic orientation. You can compare different solutions in detail and make an informed decision.

4. Comprehensive test operation at Uhlmann

We clarify whether the newly developed packaging concept proves itself in practice with thorough tests under realistic conditions. Benefits for you: None of your systems need to be taken out of production for this. Our in-house test center with all relevant machines from the last 30 years gives you the opportunity to carry out tests on equivalent systems.

You can choose to use your own format sets, specially produced for the product, or existing format sets from Uhlmann. In Uhlmann's technical center, in addition to tests on the processability of packaging materials, we also carry out leak tests on blisters, test the wall thickness distribution of cavities within blisters, the expansion of aluminum cavities and provide you with samples (with or without your product) for your stability tests.

5. Validation of the tested packaging solution

Thanks to quality-assured tests, objective data and careful documentation on durability, safety and functionality, we create the basis for the rapid validation of your new packaging solution.

6. Support for a successful start to production

Once the new, sustainable packaging solution has passed all the tests, we will of course also support you in implementing it in your production process.

We always take into account the optimization of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and cost efficiency. Regardless of whether you need a new machine or an upgrade package for an existing system in order to process the mono-material optimally, our experts can help. And they'll support you until production can be put into operation on your premises.