In this regular monthly podcast, industry insiders Lindy Hughson and Wayne Robinson provide insight, analysis and commentary on the top news stories shaping change in Australia’s dynamic packaging industry. We review developments in the soft plastics recycling saga, projections for Australia’s recycling targets, and the trialling of kerbside collection for soft plastics as feedstock for advanced chemical recycling. We also discuss the implications of the Qenos plant fire on the polyethylene...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Shane Sullivan, vice president APAC at TIPA, about compostable soft plastics. We get an overview of TIPA’s compostable soft plastic solutions which can degrade to be used to make nutrient rich soil for crops within 90 days. We review the factors involved when composting at home or industrially, and the challenges that consumers face when trying to recycle responsibly.  Through this discussion...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with David Luttenberger, global packaging director at Mintel, about its 2023 Global Packaging Trends. We discuss how Mintel conducts its global research using PESTEL analysis, which gives an important insight into the Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Environmental, and Legal factors that influence consumer behaviours. Through this discussion we explore changes in brand identities,...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Jackson Sobb, CEO, and Colin Farrell, Director-Business Development, from COPAR, about developments in fibre and biopolymer packaging solutions. We discuss how COPAR is developing and testing wheat straw and biopolymer packaging solutions as alternatives to plastic based packaging. Throughout the discussion we review the reduced environmental impact of these packaging materials, and get an...

In this regular monthly podcast, industry insiders Lindy Hughson and Wayne Robinson provide insight, analysis and commentary on some of the top news stories shaping change in Australia’s dynamic packaging industry. We discuss the growing trend of fibre based packaging and how it is being adopted by Nestle and Mars in a flexible format. The podcast also explores the viability and applications of paper based packaging, with consideration to consumer behaviours. We also review Tetra Pak's new...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Bronwyn Voyce, the founder of Civic Futures Lab, about plastic resource recovery and the Great Plastic Rescue project. Bronwyn shares the history of the lab and how the project works with organisations to recover plastic waste from their operations. We get an insight into how the plastic is valued, the challenges faced when commissioning organisations, as well as the shortage of soft plastics...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Professor Edward Kosior of Nextek about their NEXTLOOPP project which aims to provide companies with recycled food grade polypropylene plastics for their packaging. Edward gives us an overview of the project and a detailed review into the regulations, process, and continued development of recycled plastic packaging. We discuss the nuances of different plastics, how businesses can implement...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with William Lebihan, Head of Field Sales for Australia & New Zealand at SMC Corporation ANZ about how clean filtered air can improve factory efficiency and sustainability. William gives us insights about the importance of filtered air, maintenance tips and common issues seen in factories. We also reflect how factories need to be configured to meet their specifications and how implementation and...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Professor Pierre Pienaar, president of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), about his experiences in the industry, packaging education, achieving and recognising sustainability initiatives, and addressing skills shortages. We start with Pierre's entry into the Packaging and Processing Hall of Fame in the United States, then look at some of the international recycling projects that are reducing...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Zaidee Jackson, national business development manager of sustainable packaging for Ball & Doggett, about the role materials suppliers can play in driving sustainability and the circular economy, whilst ensuring they meet their stakeholders’ needs. We discuss Ball & Doggett's extensive range of sustainable solutions and materials, as well as their soon-to-launch education platform...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Cath Cornaggia, Commercial Director of Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials, Australia & New Zealand. We discuss the concept of regeneration as a natural evolution beyond sustainability, which focuses on active replenishment over just reducing the resources we use. Cath Cornaggia tells us how this is accomplished by the digitisation of packaging and further collaboration within the...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Carol Kilcullen-Lawrence, Sustainability Consultant to UPM Raflatac, and Nicholas Rodgers, Packaging Technologist at Ego Pharmaceuticals The podcast explores how the industry is tackling climate change, and its response to the Climate Bill legislative requirements. We get an insight into how UTM Raflatac and Ego are undertaking these positive climate action initiatives ahead of targets,...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Margaret Stuart, Director - Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Nestle, about the company's sustainable packaging goals, successful initiatives, and its drive towards the 2025 National Packaging Targets. Margaret starts the conversation looking at the challenge of creating sustainable Easter egg packaging that ensures the egg makes it safely to the consumer, looks attractive on shelf, and...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Mark Dingley, chairman of APPMA, and Jon Perry, Portfolio Director at Exhibitions & Trade Fairs, about the excitement building for Auspack 2022. We start off by talking about the return of the Auspack 2022 tradeshow and its importance for face-to-face engagements that build trust with suppliers and customers. Naturally, we discuss the COVID precautions being taken before moving on to...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Brett Keen, the Sales Manager from Whakatane Mill Ltd in New Zealand, and Brad Partington the General Manager of Packaging at Ball & Doggett in Australia, about the places they fill in the market as a packaging provider in Australasia. Brett starts off by talking to us about Whakatane's ownership history and its 24/7 operating hours, as well as its position as the only folding box board (AKA...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with managing director of Luminar, Matt Ellis, and the founder of Mingle Seasoning, Jordyn Evans, about short-run digital packaging solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their impacts on the company's growth. Jordyn kicks off the discussion telling us about how Mingle, which started six years ago in her kitchen and was inspired by the lack of healthy seasonings available in the...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Brian Lowe, the CEO of Orora, about their recently posted results for the first half of the financial year. We start the episode with a snapshot of Orora's successful first half results and the key contributing factors, despite the challenge of a reduction in wine bottle production due to tariffs on Australian wine imposed by China. This leads to a discussion of Orora's moves into new sectors of...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Richie Vandenberg, CEO of The Hidden Sea, about the wine company and its partnership with ReSea to fund ocean clean-up based on their sales volume. We start with Richie telling us how he transitioned from being the captain of the Hawthorn AFL team to running a sustainable wine company and supporting plastic-free oceans. We then move on to The Hidden Sea's partnership with ReSea, the funding...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Nerida Kelton, executive director of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), about recognising ANZ packaging innovation & design through the prestigious Australasian Packaging Innovation and Design (PIDA) Awards. The episode starts with a brief history of the awards and their value as a gateway to the global WorldStar Packaging Awards coordinated by the World Packaging Organisation....

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Joe Foster, CEO of the newly listed Close the Loop Group on circular integration, take back programs and the group's many engagements and initiatives. We open the episode by discussing the merger of Close the Loop & OF Packaging, leading to the listing on the ASX of the new entity called Close The Loop Group. Joe reviews the group's use of funds from the listing to buy other companies that...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Brooke Donnelly, chief executive officer of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), and sustainability consultant Dr Helen Lewis, about Australia's progress towards the 2025 national packaging targets. We start the episode with a review of the Collective Impact study and its recently released report on Australia's progress towards the 2025 targets. This includes the economic...

Episode Title: How soft plastics can come full circle, with REDcycle's Liz Kasell. Show Notes: In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Liz Kasell, the CEO and founder of REDcycle, a Melbourne-based consulting and recycling organisation that has over the last ten years developed and implemented recovery initiatives for post-consumer soft plastic across Australia with over 1900 collection points, mostly in Coles and Woolworths...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Andrew Manly, Communications Director of the Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association (AIPIA) on the digitisation of packaging We commence with Andrew providing an overview of AIPIA's formation and history before discussing the multiple formats of intelligent, or smart, packaging, including RFID, NFC, printed antennas and digital devices plus even improved QR codes. Andrew...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Dr Kim Borg from the Monash Sustainable Development Institute's research enterprise Behaviour Works Australia, about the recent research into the impact of tailored messaging on consumers' approach to single-use plastics. The research study was led by Dr Borg, along with colleagues Professor Jo Lindsay and Dr Jim Curtis and was conducted among 1,001 Victorian adults to determine how media...

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, managing editor & publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Sam Aloschi, managing director Asia Pacific at Ravenwood Packaging, and Michael Dossor, group general manager at Result Group, about the expanding role of linerless labels in reducing packaging waste. We start the episode with some background on both companies, their partnership and the variety of labels available to Australian packaging companies to suit a broad range of products and...