Podcast
Podcast
Packolution
When we started back in 2016, we wanted to change the packaging world with our disruptive digital heating systems to make it more sustainable.
Since then, we learned that it doesn’t end with the installation of our digital sealing bars on pouch-making machines or the matrix heater on thermoforming machines. Not at all; this is where it begins! We are part of a bigger movement for sustainable packaging material. We at watttron are curious to learn the different perspectives on what sustainable packaging is. This is why we’ve invited various partners from the value chain to have an open discussion about their ideas. The people we spoke with so far had very interesting views on sustainability, so we decided to record them and make a series of podcasts for a broader audience. We have some great, surprising and innovative
perspectives from partners at Suez (recycler), Maag and Constantia (flexible packaging producers), but also end-users like FMCG companies and big snack producers, represented by the European Snacks Association shared their views.
We decided to call this podcast series Packolution, as this says in a nutshell what it’s about. No deep dive into technical details, no public relations for watttron or our partner. No, open, transparent and pleasant conversations on how we all can contribute to a more sustainable environment by looking at the packaging we buy.
Be part of the change and broaden your view by tuning into Packolution and let yourself be surprised. The first episode will be aired in January.
The podcast is hosted by Michaela Wachtel and Ton Knipscheer.
10.05.2024
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of packaging, waste management, and recycling with our special guest, Lucy van Keulen, an industry expert with extensive experience in these fields. She guides us through the challenges and opportunities in creating a functional recycling chain, exploring the hurdles that hinder effective recycling, the innovations in food-grade plastic recycling, and whether biobased materials could be a viable alternative to oil-based packaging. Lucy also discusses the role of legislation in supporting sustainable practices. By the end of the episode, listeners will have a clearer understanding of what it will take to create a more sustainable future for packaging by 2030. Tune in to hear valuable insights, expert opinions, and Lucy's vision for a greener tomorrow.
17.11.2023
Cory Connors is the top voice for sustainable packaging! With his podcast series, he informs his large follower base about all the latest news in the packaging industry. He is also available to us with his knowledge in our podcast series PACKOLUTION: in this episode, he gives us a journalistic overview of many hot topics in packaging and sustainability. He offers us an optimal overview of everything that is happening in the US and worldwide.
06.10.2023
In this episode we dive into the topic of paper packaging - and more specifically, grass paper. Grass paper is the term used to describe a cellulose-based product in which - in addition to virgin fiber from wood or recovered paper - a significant proportion consists of grass fiber (at least 30%). The company Creapaper is a visionary in this field and is revolutionizing the packaging world with this new raw material. Expert Thomas Eicher faced our numerous questions and dives deep into the topic with us.
18.08.2023
In this episode we are honored to be joined by Patrick Poitevin, who has had an extensive career in packaging and will provide us with many insights. In this episode, we explore a new field with questions about the legislation and policies that are in place to drive sustainability in countries, and whether they are being monitored. After a discourse on the impact of crises and policy changes and their influence on the packaging world, we also touch on the topic of packaging personalization and how it affects production.
21.07.2023
In today's episode, we have Holger Grzonka from Siemens AG as our guest. Siemens is the global market leader in industrial automation and already has decades of experience in the packaging world. We get a fraction of all this accumulated experience in our podcast, where we talk about digitalization, packaging materials, customization and much more. Join us for this episode packed with exciting points on hurdles, trends and successes.
16.06.2023
This time we have Ron Puvak, Director at the Contract Packaging Organization of North America, as a guest, who will share with us his extensive knowledge about the engagement of contract packers and manufacturers in the value chain. We cover a wide range of topics, as no questions remain unanswered when it comes to co-packing, world markets, developments in off- and onshoring production, the balance of power between co-packers, manufacturers and retailers, and of course the most important topic of our podcast: Sustainability.
28.04.2023
Mark van der Burgt is chief commercial officer at Vetipak B.V. and an expert in the co-packaging sector. Vetipak provides innovative, scalable, and high-quality co-pack solutions for leading brands and private labels in the field of Fast Moving Consumer Goods. They provide every aspect: from design to processing of the packaging. We are delighted to have him on our podcast as he tells us about the specific experiences and hurdles in his sector. We talk about how early engagement can help companies become more efficient and sustainable, sustainability strategies, secondary packaging, challenging customer requests and much more.
05.04.2023
In the previous episodes of our podcast, we have already talked a lot about packaging materials. So it's time to welcome an expert in the field of packaging films to the podcast. Norman Thom is the CEO of Clarus Films, which has been in the packaging films industry for over 40 years and is now Europe's largest independent supplier of unprinted packaging and technical films. Several topics were of great interest to us: What about sustainable films? Will we ever be able to do without packaging films? What needs to be considered in terms of transport and storage? These and many other questions will be answered in this episode.
17.03.2023
In this episode, we venture into a completely new area of the packaging industry: cosmetic packaging. Our expert Dan Coppins, packaging technologist at KMI Brands, gives us an insight into the ins and outs of packaging cosmetics in a safe, sustainable and attractive way. How can you combine sustainable packaging with cosmetic packaging's goal of catching the buyer's eye? What about deceptive packaging? These and many other questions will be answered in this episode.
24.02.2023
Packaging design is an art in itself. That's why Roland ten Klooster, founder of Plato Product Consultants, will enlighten us on the latest trends in packaging and packaging design. Many questions arise when designing packaging. Which consumer emotions should I consider? How does my target group influence the design? What about design for recycling? How can my packaging reflect what my product is all about?The packaging expert sheds light on these and more questions.
03.02.2023
In the 17th episode of PACKOLUTION, we get an insight from an entirely new perspective: Cyrille Filott is Global Strategist Consumer Foods, Packaging & Logistics at Rabobank, multinational banking and financial services company. He talks to us about his perspectives on trends in sales, the consumer psyche, blurring and how they as a bank influence the path to more sustainability in the packaging industry.
13.01.2023
The 16th episode of PACKOLUTION features Karsten Schröder, founder of Innoform, a company that has successfully specialized in coaching on the subject of films, packaging, and packaging technology in the food sector for many years. The episode will focus on food packaging and its specifications. Besides food safety, the differences between different countries, and packaging failures, we also learn how marketing influences the packaging world and how some packaging forms only exist because of it..
02.12.2022
In this episode, we move thematically into the field of packaging for the pharmaceutical sector. Chakravarthi AVPS, Global Ambassador of the World Packaging Organization, goes into the specifications in this particular field and explains to us why packaging is your second physician.
In addition, he adds exciting facts about the packaging market in India: the mindset of the people, the recycling system and India's self-sufficiency.
11.11.2022
This time we welcome Paul Jenkins as our interviewee, the founder of PackHub, a packaging innovation consultancy specialising in the delivery of technical and innovative packaging solutions for brand owners, retailers and packaging suppliers. He shares his knowledge with us about industry drivers, packaging trends and consumer insights.
21.10.2022
In this episode of our podcast, we have John Ryan as our guest, the R&D Packaging Director International at Kraft Heinz. As a global company, Kraft Heinz needs to address packaging issues on a larger scale, so naturally, we were interested in the sustainability strategies and hurdles in different countries. But also the cooperation with the different suppliers, the turnaround in packaging and recycling, as well as reusable and refill systems are interesting topics John elaborates on.
16.09.2022
Plastic waste is an extreme burden on our oceans. There are many initiatives to counteract these mountains of waste. One part of the three Rs approach (reduce, recycle, reuse) is to reduce plastic packaging, with the aim of reducing waste. But what if they were completely biodegradable? Sharon Barak is the founder of Solutum and our interviewee for the twelfth episode of PACKOLUTION. Solutum is developing an innovative packaging material that has the benefits of plastic packaging, but is biodegradable and can even dissolve in water. She tells us all about her unique innovation, all the hurdles and successes.
12.08.2022
Habt ihr schon unsere neuen Werbekarten entdeckt? Seit Ende Juli kann man sich die ein oder andere Karte an einem Edgar-Cards-Standort einstecken – und auch unterwegs verteilen unsere Watttrojaner fleißig vereinzelte Karten. Also Augen aufhalten, vielleicht läuft euch ja die ein oder andere Karte über den Weg!
12.08.2022
Habt ihr schon unsere neuen Werbekarten entdeckt? Seit Ende Juli kann man sich die ein oder andere Karte an einem Edgar-Cards-Standort einstecken – und auch unterwegs verteilen unsere Watttrojaner fleißig vereinzelte Karten. Also Augen aufhalten, vielleicht läuft euch ja die ein oder andere Karte über den Weg!
13.05.2022
To achieve a functioning circular economy, it is not only the plastics industry that needs to be revolutionized. Glass plays an essential role in the field of packaging materials, but has its particular hurdles when it comes to reuse and recycling. That’s why we’re happy to welcome Caren McNamara and Bruce Stephens from Conscious Container as interviewees in our tenth episode of #PACKOLUTION.
03.06.2022
Plastic Bank is a social enterprise that fights poverty and ocean plastic through recycling. They are working on creating a worldwide chain of stores where everything from cooking fuel and more is available for purchase in exchange for plastic garbage – which is then sorted, shredded and sold to brands who reuse „social plastic“ in their products. Join us for our ninth episode with David Katz, founder of Plastic Bank, to learn more about their innovative way to close the loop in the circular economy.
29.04.2022
In the eighth episode of PACKOLUTION we have Ron van Hilst as our guest. He is the global packaging technology lead at Cargill, one of the world’s largest food manufacturers. 70% of supermarket products are Cargill products, yet nobody knows them. The topic of this episode is their sustainability strategy and what opportunities and hurdles there are for the different countries, as well as everything around the best before date and how transport influences the design process for packaging.
29.04.2022
In the seventh episode of PACKOLUTION, we welcome Thomas Gröner, director and founder of TG PACK SOLUTIONS as our guest. He has gained a lot of experience in his professional career in the field of mono-material solutions, material composites and pet food packaging and will talk about the hurdles and special requirements in these areas. Special attention will be given to the emotional science behind pet and baby food and he will bridge the gap to food waste. The episode will be rounded off with his outlook on what the future of the packaging world could look like.
29.04.2022
Maag GmbH manufactures flexible packaging and has reinvented itself as a company in recent years when it comes to sustainability. Managing Director Ansgar Schonlau tells us in the sixth episode of PACKOLUTION all about the implemented lean management strategy and how the whole chain has to work together in order to achieve sustainability in terms of ecological, economical and social aspects. According to Maag, „good plastic“ is part of the solution.
05.04.2022
In the fifth episode of PACKOLUTION we talk to Marcel Keuenhof from KIDV, the Netherlands Institute for Sustainable Packaging, about all things sustainability in the packaging world. He goes into packaging materials, greenwashing and the say-do-gap of consumers, but starts off by answering the basic question regarding the different definitions of sustainability.
04.03.2022
Episode 04: Dr. Achim Grefenstein / Constantia
In the fourth episode of Packolution, we talk to Achim Grefenstein from Constantia. He talks about his company’s sustainability concept and new sustainable materials and the impact they bring. He also discusses biobased vs biodegradable and how we can keep the value in the chain when it comes to packaging.
11.02.2022
Episode 03: Sebastian Emig / European Snacks Association
The snack world is in a constant state of flux due to ever-changing industry requirements and customer demands – making snacks healthier and packaging more sustainable. But how does that work?
28.01.2022
Episode 02: Vincent Mooij – Suez / Circpack
A functioning recycling loop is necessary for the sustainable use of plastic. That’s why, in the second episode of PACKOLUTION, we talk to recycling expert Vincent Mooij from Suez / Circpack. He answers fundamental questions about the topic and also clears up a few myths about recycling to make the topic more tangible for consumers.
17.01.2022
Episode 01: Gaelle Leray / Nestlé Lausanne
The first episode of our podcast PACKOLUTION has been released. To kick off the podcast, we talk to packaging expert Anne-Gaelle Leray, Global Packaging R&D at Nestlé Research and Development Lausanne. She is the rigid & flexible plastic packaging lead and answers substantive questions for us such as “Is a world without plastic possible?” and “How do we handle plastics?”.
06.01.2022
Episode 00
A brief overview of what to expect in our podcast.
