Interest in sustainability from every member of the flexographic workflow, all the way to Consumer Product Companies and end customers, continues to grow.
The number of entries vying for the 2024 FTA Sustainability Excellence Award—the largest in the competition’s 20+ years—is the latest data point to support that observation.
These innovations in sustainability and sustainability programs show flexographic printers and suppliers putting sustainability front and center in their business’ day-to-day operations, in the products they produce, in their go-to-market strategies and in how they approach solving problems.
The award winners and honorable mentions in this year’s record-breaking competition are:
- Asahi Kasei: Winner, Innovations in Sustainability
- Chespa: Winner, Sustainability Programs
- Miraclon: Winner, Innovations in Sustainability
- MacDermid Graphics Solutions: Honorable Mention, Innovations in Sustainability
- Sun Chemical: Honorable Mention, Innovations in Sustainability
- Tempo Flexible Packaging: Honorable Mention, Sustainability Programs
“This year’s FTA Sustainability Excellence Awards have seen an unprecedented number of entries, showcasing the industry’s dedication to sustainability like never before,” said FTA Sustainability Committee Chair Justin Green of Comexi. “The sheer volume is matched only by the outstanding quality of submissions, reflecting the commitment of companies towards environmentally conscious practices. It underscores the vital importance of sustainability in our industry, driving innovation and responsible stewardship for a better future.”
Tempo Lives in Circular Economy
Tempo Flexible Packaging’s focus on environmentalism and sustainability serves as an example of best practices for other flexographic printers. It has made significant investments in developing and manufacturing mono-material, recycle-ready flexible packaging and ensuring that it can meet the quality specifications and material standards required across a wide range of verticals.
Tempo took key steps in three areas of the business: product, manufacturing process and industry partnerships. Specifically:
- Through the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC), it voluntarily elected to join Operation Clean Sweep. OCS certification supports achieving zero plastic resin loss
- More than 30% of print jobs leverage extended gamut (EG) in place of traditional spot printing. The EG process delivers better solids, minimal trapping, faster changeovers, increased machine uptime and capacity and reductions in SKU set up time
- During extrusion, all suitable trim and other excess film products are re-pelletized and re-introduced to the production process, reclaiming 300,000 lbs. of resin waste annually
- Changing its resin supplier, afforded transitioning to a 100% PFAS-free (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) resin, moving from truck t to rail and reducing transportation GHG emissions by 55%
“When my father co-founded Tempo in 1970, he and his partner prioritized continuous improvement and innovation as the foundation for the company’s growth. Today, this translates into a strong focus on sustainability, in both our products and manufacturing practices,” stated Lee-Anne Giglio, COO. “Having FTA recognize our growing commitments to the environment, our team and our communities, validates that we’re doing the right thing for the future of the planet.”