There is no seedbed for packaging innovation quite like the grocery store. When
I walk down the aisle at my local
Kroger,
my eyes are always drawn to the rows upon rows of food and how it's packaged.
Even now, in 2024, after so many sustainability initiatives, I'm constantly
surprised by how much of it sits behind a layer of single-use plastic that will
soon find its way to a landfill. The thought is concerning, but it’s also
motivating and inspiring. It spawns questions such as Do these packages
need to be plastic? How many could be fiber-based without losing any of
their functionality?
Answering questions like these lies at the heart of innovation here at
WestRock. It's what drives every step of our
process — from initial experiments in our state-of-the-art Innovation and
Design Center to a new product's launch and implementation. Our company's
purpose statement begins with the mandate to
"Innovate Boldly;" and when I started my job as the Chief Innovation and Science
Officer, I knew I was joining a team of people who were doing just that:
passionate innovators who were motivated to solve critical problems and willing
to push the boundaries of what's possible — all with the goal of creating a more
sustainable, fiber-based future.
Through packaging innovation, we aim to create fiber-based alternatives so that
no one walking down a grocery store aisle must choose between function and
sustainability.
We’re constantly asking ourselves how we can make paper stronger, last longer
and do more — exploring ways to achieve the functional benefits of plastic
without sacrificing the renewable attributes of paper.
Approaching innovation through a multi-faceted lens
When we think about what innovation means, the first thing that usually comes to
mind is new products. And while that's certainly a critical piece of the puzzle,
true innovation happens when we push the limits and think boldly about every
level of the packaging process. This includes materials science — working
with the fiber itself and manipulating it to extend its functionality; digital
innovation — embedding data and intelligence into packaging to solve key
customer problems; design innovation — rethinking and experimenting with
packaging design; and automation innovation — building machines that drive
efficiency and increase
sustainability.
All four pillars are critical to our success; and the real magic happens at the
integration of these capabilities, where we can create truly innovative
solutions that tackle a problem from every angle.
Cleaning up beauty's ugly impacts
Join us at SB'24 San Diego as Victor Casale — co-founder of Pact Collective and co-founder and CEO of MOB Beauty — shares insights from ongoing collaborations with materials innovators to create fully compostable, refillable, plastic-free, and easier-to-recycle packaging alternatives for beauty and wellness products.
For example, we’re constantly exploring ways to utilize the powerful attributes
of different types of wood fiber. Through proprietary methods, we combine the
strength of softwood fibers and the printability and smoothness of hardwood
fibers to create products that are durable and attractive, and that use the
fewest materials possible without compromising quality. But our job doesn’t end
when a product makes its way to a store shelf. We’re always designing with a
product’s post-consumer life in mind — engineering the ability to recycle,
recover and
reintegrate
this material back into the packaging cycle. That’s a different kind of
innovation than creating a new product; but it still represents what’s possible
at the intersection of our materials science, design and automation
capabilities.
Another consideration we always keep in mind is the importance of pace and
acceleration — the ability to move ideas quickly through our pipeline so that we
can be reactive and solve pressing industry problems and customer needs. We're
proud to have team members across the world; and we work together to create
solutions that are effective globally. For example, our Tczew, Poland
facility embraced innovation to scale up capacity (and capability) to produce
EcoPush®
— a push-up tube made with paperboard that can help customers in the region
achieve plastic-replacement or -reduction goals.
Innovation and its connection to sustainability and circularity
Sustainability is at the center of
our mission. In fact, that “Innovate Boldly” in our company’s purpose statement
is immediately followed by “Package Sustainably.” As we strive to create
innovative solutions for our customers’ greatest challenges, sustainability is
always part of the equation; and with sustainability comes a focus on
circularity.
Fiber-based packaging is made from trees — a recyclable and renewable resource.
Given the need to reduce waste and reliance on virgin fiber globally, we’re
driven to center much of our work on how we can return fiber to the supply
chain.
One of WestRock’s sustainability targets is that 100 percent of our
products will be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025. As of 2022, that
number was 97.8 percent — and we’re working to close what remains of that gap
and to solve problems in the most sustainable way possible.
Our commitment to circularity goes all the way back to responsible forestry,
which is why we’re committed to supporting the certification of 1.5 million
acres (about twice the area of Yosemite National Park) of forestland to
recognized forest-management standards.
Ultimately, our goal is to create solutions for our customers that allow them to
offer more sustainable outcomes for their customers.
Bringing the theoretical to life
Innovations occur every single day — in our labs, yes; but also in our
operational facilities, mills and converting sites — and it’s exciting when that
work takes shape to produce real-world results.
We have so many exciting products in the pipeline, including tangible solutions
that you may be able to spot on that next trip down the grocery store aisle.
This includes
CanCollar®, a
fiber-based alternative to single-use plastic six rings for beverages — a
pragmatic solution to a real problem faced by our customers and their customers.
We’re also always working to develop fiber-based containers that are
microwaveable or oven-safe, and are durable enough to stand up to real-life
tests. This year, we launched products including
WetTech®
— a recyclable, fiber-based packaging that is moisture-resistant, and ideal for
protein and produce; and
EnduraGrip™
— an alternative to plastic clips and shrink wrap used in multi-packs found in
big-box retail stores, which was recently named Innovation of the
Year
at the 80th Annual North American Paper and Packaging Board Competition.
Looking ahead
Innovation is one of our strongest tools in the fight for a more sustainable
future; and while those walks around the grocery store once represented
uncharted territory, they now excite me — because we’re exploring them. Every
day, I see more fiber-based packages on the shelves than I did the last time and
more fiber-based solutions to critical sustainability challenges are hitting the
market. The world looks a little brighter in light of these innovations; and
with WestRock's capabilities, passion and our drive to solve problems, we're
poised to tackle even the biggest challenges.
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Chief Innovation & Science Officer
WestRock
Published Mar 5, 2024 2pm EST / 11am PST / 7pm GMT / 8pm CET