Page 33 - Plastics News August 2020
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Arkema Invests in Continuous Composites Sonoco acquires sustainable paper packaging
company Can Packaging
rkema, a leader in high-performance materials for
Acomposites and photocurable liquid resins for iversified packaging
additive manufacturing, is strengthening its Dcompany Sonoco has
partnership with Continuous Composites, creator of enhanced its sustainable
Continuous Fiber 3D Printing technology (CF3D®). solutions portfolio with
Arkema has invested in the American start-up to the acquisition of Can
rapidly advance the development of 3D composite “We
Packaging. Based in
are delighted to strengthen our strategic partnership
Habsheim France, Can
with Continuous Composites, which has an agile,
Packaging specialises in
reliable team with a d e s i g n i n g a n d
v e r y s t r o n g manufacturing sustainable
entrepreneurial spirit.
paper packaging and
Our investment is a
related manufacturing
testament to our belief
equipment. The company
i n t h e m a r k e t
operates two paper can manufacturing facilities in
opportunity of CF3D®.
France. It also has a research and development
This collaboration will
centre, which designs and builds patented packaging
a c c e l e r a t e t h e machines and sealing equipment. It employs
d e v e l o p m e n t o f
innovative materials approximately 60 associates. Sonoco president and
a n d d i s r u p t i v e chief executive officer Howard Coker said: “This
strategic acquisition provides us many new
m a n u f a c t u r i n g
innovations, including patented technology to
t e c h n o l o g y, " s a i d
produce a recyclable, high performance all-paper
Sumeet Jain, Senior
package, that can be made round, square,
Worldwide Director of
3D Printing solutions by Arkema manufacturing, a rectangular, oval, oblong or triangular. “These
groundbreaking innovation for strong, lightweight innovations will complement our global Rigid
structures. Continuous Composites is a pioneering Paperboard Container franchise and add to our
technology company that has reinvented composite EnviroSense sustainable packaging portfolio.” The
manufacturing techniques using their extensively transaction is valued at €41.7m. Can Packaging is
patented CF3D® technology with a complete solution expected to generate sales value of approximately
including software, hardware, materials, and motion €23m in 2020. It will expand sustainable paperboard
platforms. Having signed a Joint Development packaging offerings to various consumer food brands
Agreement (JDA) in September 2019 the two serving Europe market. Sonoco European consumer
companies have already succeeded in hitting key products division vice-president and general manager
milestones with the ongoing co-developments focused Sean Cairns said: “Adding Can Packaging's innovation
on progressing N3xtDimension® photocurable resins centre, intellectual property and proprietary
for the CF3D® process. This co-innovation has enabled manufacturing capabilities will allow Sonoco to
the production of customized and large-scale leverage and enhance our strong material science and
composite parts with high performance mechanical engineering capabilities to develop more recyclable,
properties for applications in aeronautics, automotive, mono-material paper packaging solutions that will
and energy sectors, among many others. Current have a wide range of food barrier properties for our
development projects include collaborations with customers in Europe.”Following the deal, Sireix will
Lockheed Martin (US), Air Force Research Laboratory continue as a consultant to Sonoco, and Guillaume as
(US), and Siemens. The company's core technology is the company's European Consumer Products Division
driving a fundamental shift in composites design and innovation leader. Last month, Sonoco announced
manufacturing capabilities utilizing high-performance plans to upgrade its corrugated medium machine in
thermosets resins. N3xtDimension® is part of the 3D Hartsville, South Carolina, US, with an investment of
Printing Solutions by Arkema platform. $83m.
August 2020 31 Plastics News
