The move revolves around a commercialization agreement which will see Ecology Coatings supply Wisconsin-based WS Packaging with its EcoQuick coatings for labels and packaging products.
Michigan-based Ecology Coatings says that in working with WS Packaging it is targeting the ‘savvy early adopters’ of more ecologically sound packaging solutions by providing them with greener coatings.
WS Packaging provides packaging solutions for a variety of consumer-based industries, including the personal care category, in both the United States and Mexico.
Pressure to reduce environmental impact
Suppliers to the packaging industry are now required to provide packaging manufacturers with increasingly environmental solutions on the back of both government and consumer pressure to reduce the environmental impact of packaging.
This means that manufacturers are looking for materials that are free of potentially harmful chemicals such as solvents and phthalates in order to make both the manufacturing process cleaner and to increase the recylability of the product.
Coatings are a key area
Coatings are a key area that many packaging companies have identified as a means of reducing their environmental footprint, as many such products on the market use harsh ingredients that packaging companies now try to avoid.
At the same time, eco-friendly coating solutions still have to provide adequate protection against the threat of damage from water and other liquid chemicals.
Although labels and printed products are just a small aspect of the total packaging market, it still adds up to a sizeable market and is currently estimated at a value of $20bn in North America alone.