Our sustainability concept
At Fernholz, around 220 employees process 2,000 tonnes of plastic granulate each month to create approximately 2.5 billion units of packaging each year. So it goes without saying that sustainability is a key element of everything we do. We are strongly committed to the production of green packaging, with a keen focus on minimising the environmental impact. Organic and recyclable plastics, coupled with responsible use by consumers, are vital to the establishment of a sustainable packaging industry.
Continuous investment in research and development are indispensable too. Over the past few years, we have worked closely with our customers to optimise and significantly reduce packaging weights and film thicknesses as a means of preserving resources. But it is at least equally important to ensure that existing packaging can be reliably returned to the recycling loop. At Fernholz, for example, all skeleton waste from thermoforming and edge trim waste from film manufacturing is ground down and reused. This is done in strict compliance with quality guidelines.
Energy management is another important aspect of our sustainability strategy. Increasing efficiency and achieving a general reduction in consumption – we achieve these goals by investing in the latest cooling technology and effective thermal recovery or in the expansion of regenerative processes for power generation.
As a company that produces sustainably, we are determined to act as pioneers in a viable industry. With Fernholz, you are picking a strong partner that combines sustainability with quality. Our infographic gives you an impression of what we are already doing to make our production more sustainable.
We are aware of the challenges involved in creating a sustainable packaging industry. That is why we have collaborated closely with our customers to develop proprietary, marketable and sustainable plastic packaging and materials, which we would like to present to you on this site.
Packaging consisting of several different materials causes problems in the recycling process. Cups with sleeves are a typical example. But there is still considerable reluctance to do without colourful, decorated cups. We offer you high-quality colourful products that are nevertheless easily recyclable.
Desto®-cup
The less plastic, the better – that’s DESTO!
The Desto®-cup combines the benefits of plastic and paper. An ultra-thin plastic inlay is covered with cardboard or paper up to the sealing edge. This cover gives the cup the necessary stability, despite the reduced share of plastic. The cardboard is easy to detach from the inlay, so the cup can be recycled according to type.
Single material cups
Direct printing for reliable closed-loop recycling
Manufactured from PP, PS or PET depending on the application, our single material cups are printed directly after thermoforming. We have succeeded in implementing direct printing procedures that match the quality of conventional labels or sleeves in terms of colour fastness and brilliance. But unlike sleeves, the thin layers of colour on the surface are completely ignored by NIR detectors during recycling in waste sorting plants. The near infrared detector simply analyses the material based on the infrared spectrum, and the cups are sent to the right location for recycling.
Single material solutions for tray packaging
Single material packaging is easier to integrate in closed-loop recycling
Fernholz single material solutions made of PP, PS or PET are genuine alternatives for trays as well. The peeling behaviour of the top and bottom sheets can be adjusted if necessary. They feature outstanding recyclability, coupled with excellent machine runnability and unbeatable mechanical properties: Also available with built-in barrier property.
NFM-cups
Fernholz NFM cups reduce the percentage of fossil resources by up to 50%
Our NFM (natural filled material) cups are made of up to 50% talcum, a raw material that is natural, versatile and cost-efficient. This allows us to reduce the amount of fossil resources in a standard cup by up to 50%, while also using less energy to produce the cups. The talcum we use is mined in northern Europe and mixed with the polypropylene. This significantly cuts the CO2 emissions compared to cups made from pure polypropylene.
Recycled polystyrene
Recycled polystyrene (r-PS) is attracting significant national and international interest. In the rPS-process, post-consumer waste is dissolved in a solvent. This allows contaminants and additives in the polymer to be removed, and creates a PS polymer containing recycled post-consumer materials.
layer 1 & 3 | new PS
Functional barrier, for example, 100 µm thick (before deep-drawing): PS new goods in the well-known and tried-and-tested recipe | product touching
layer 2 | recycled PS
PS with the known mixing ratio, but the PS portion has been partially replaced by rPS