October 2025 Blow Molding Blog
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October 15, 2025
Coveris is Pioneering Circularity In Medical Packaging With Partner SABIC
Coveris is Pioneering Circularity In Medical Packaging With Partner SABIC
Plastic waste from hospitals is often treated as disposable, even when it isn’t contaminated. Across Europe, more than 1,700 kilotonnes of recyclable polyethylene and polypropylene are incinerated each year, a practice that highlights the tension between safety standards and sustainability.
Coveris has chosen to challenge that status quo. Partnering with SABIC, Zuyderland Medical Centre, Artivion, and others, the company has proven that medical packaging can be part of a circular economy. The collaboration is built around SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE™ program, which transforms hospital plastics into pyrolysis oil and then into certified polyethylene suitable for sensitive medical applications.
The journey begins at Zuyderland Medical Centre, where clean plastic waste is collected in distinctive pink bags. SABIC converts this feedstock into TRUCIRCLE™ resin, which Coveris Halle extrudes into film. At Coveris Rohrdorf, the film becomes sterile pouches that Artivion uses to pack vascular surgery guidewires. Those products return to Zuyderland, completing a closed loop in which packaging now contains 25% material sourced directly from hospital waste.
For Coveris, the initiative embodies its No Waste vision—a commitment to eliminating waste across products, packaging, and operations. Segment Director Jan‑Willem Bruijsten calls collaboration the key to making circularity real, while SABIC’s Khaled Al‑Jalawi points to the untapped potential of non‑contaminated medical plastics as valuable feedstock.
This project demonstrates how systemic innovation and strong partnerships can reshape healthcare sustainability. Learn more about this topic here.
Coveris has chosen to challenge that status quo. Partnering with SABIC, Zuyderland Medical Centre, Artivion, and others, the company has proven that medical packaging can be part of a circular economy. The collaboration is built around SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE™ program, which transforms hospital plastics into pyrolysis oil and then into certified polyethylene suitable for sensitive medical applications.
The journey begins at Zuyderland Medical Centre, where clean plastic waste is collected in distinctive pink bags. SABIC converts this feedstock into TRUCIRCLE™ resin, which Coveris Halle extrudes into film. At Coveris Rohrdorf, the film becomes sterile pouches that Artivion uses to pack vascular surgery guidewires. Those products return to Zuyderland, completing a closed loop in which packaging now contains 25% material sourced directly from hospital waste.
For Coveris, the initiative embodies its No Waste vision—a commitment to eliminating waste across products, packaging, and operations. Segment Director Jan‑Willem Bruijsten calls collaboration the key to making circularity real, while SABIC’s Khaled Al‑Jalawi points to the untapped potential of non‑contaminated medical plastics as valuable feedstock.
This project demonstrates how systemic innovation and strong partnerships can reshape healthcare sustainability. Learn more about this topic here.
October 31, 2025
Tide Brings Laser Marked Caps for Easy-to-Read Dosing
Tide Brings Laser Marked Caps for Easy-to-Read Dosing
Procter & Gamble has introduced a breakthrough in packaging design with the launch of laser‑marked caps on Tide Ultra OXI Boost liquid detergent. The innovation, developed in partnership with LasX, replaces traditional molded dosing bars and printed indicators with high‑resolution, permanent graphics created directly on polypropylene closures.
The technology, known as LaserSharp Marking, represents the culmination of a four‑year collaboration between P&G and LasX. By pulsing lasers millions of times per second, the system produces fine‑detail markings at full production speeds. This allows dosing guidelines and brand logos to be etched directly onto the cap, ensuring clarity for consumers while eliminating inks, adhesives, and labels.
Because the process is digital, artwork can be changed instantly without tooling adjustments. Lot coding, serialization, and even anti‑counterfeit features can be integrated seamlessly, offering unmatched flexibility for fast‑moving consumer goods. Tom Weigman, VP of Technology at LasX, describes the system as “game‑changing,” enabling bold graphics and rapid changeovers with minimal disruption to existing packaging lines.
Beyond functionality, the innovation aligns closely with P&G’s sustainability goals. The mono‑material caps meet recyclability criteria set by both the Association of Plastics Recyclers in the U.S. and RecyClass in Europe. By simplifying supply chains and reducing waste, LaserSharp Marking strengthens P&G’s design‑for‑recyclability profile.
With Tide’s caps now in 24/7 commercial production, the partnership demonstrates how precision laser technology can merge consumer usability, operational efficiency, and environmental responsibility. P&G and LasX see this as only the beginning, with potential applications across multiple packaging formats and product categories. Learn more about this topic here.
The technology, known as LaserSharp Marking, represents the culmination of a four‑year collaboration between P&G and LasX. By pulsing lasers millions of times per second, the system produces fine‑detail markings at full production speeds. This allows dosing guidelines and brand logos to be etched directly onto the cap, ensuring clarity for consumers while eliminating inks, adhesives, and labels.
Because the process is digital, artwork can be changed instantly without tooling adjustments. Lot coding, serialization, and even anti‑counterfeit features can be integrated seamlessly, offering unmatched flexibility for fast‑moving consumer goods. Tom Weigman, VP of Technology at LasX, describes the system as “game‑changing,” enabling bold graphics and rapid changeovers with minimal disruption to existing packaging lines.
Beyond functionality, the innovation aligns closely with P&G’s sustainability goals. The mono‑material caps meet recyclability criteria set by both the Association of Plastics Recyclers in the U.S. and RecyClass in Europe. By simplifying supply chains and reducing waste, LaserSharp Marking strengthens P&G’s design‑for‑recyclability profile.
With Tide’s caps now in 24/7 commercial production, the partnership demonstrates how precision laser technology can merge consumer usability, operational efficiency, and environmental responsibility. P&G and LasX see this as only the beginning, with potential applications across multiple packaging formats and product categories. Learn more about this topic here.
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