Pneumatic Scale Angelus Joins Empac to Reinforce Metal Packaging’s Industry Representation

“We are pleased to be joining such a forward-looking and powerful group that is making great impact both inside the metal packaging sector and beyond,” said Werner Lauwers of Pneumatic Scale Angelus.

1/10/2011 --- European Metal Packaging (Empac), the association bringing together European producers of rigid metal packaging, announced the addition of its fourth associate member, Pneumatic Scale Angelus, rounding off 2010 on a high note for Empac. The association, which this year celebrated the 200-year anniversary of metal packaging, has made considerable headway in further raising awareness around the sustainability of metal packaging.

As a new member, Pneumatic Scale Angelus joins Empac in its tasks to defend and promote the rigid metal packaging industry in Europe by communicating on the sustainability and the many unique advantages of metal packaging. Other associate members include Soudronic, CEPE and SEFA. In addition, Empac has seven corporate members: APEAL, Ardagh Group, Crown Europe, ColepCCL, Huber Packaging Group, Massilly Holding and Vogel&Noot.

Empac’s major milestones for 2010 include the development of an interactive environmental scorecard that calculates the carbon footprint of its members’ metal packaging products. The association also launched a competition this year that calls on students across Europe to come up with sustainable innovations in metal packaging.

“2010 was an important year for the industry and a very busy year for Empac with significant activity and an ever-increasing number of new associate and corporate members. Our increased membership will be an advantage in our attempts to further raise the sustainability profile of metal packaging in 2011. The addition of Pneumatic Scale Angelus represents an important additional step, as we continue to partner with strong players from the metal packaging sector and raise awareness regarding the strengths of our products,” said Gordon Shade, CEO of Empac.

Pneumatic Scale Angelus maintains a major market position in the supply of fillers, cappers, can seamers, labelers, centrifuges and change parts for the pharmaceutical, personal care, food, beverage, canning and household products industries worldwide. The firm is a division of Barry-Wehmiller, a large US-based manufacturing and service company that focuses part of its business on packaging automation equipment and corrugating, sheeting and finishing equipment.

“We are pleased to be joining such a forward-looking and powerful group that is making great impact both inside the metal packaging sector and beyond,” said Werner Lauwers of Pneumatic Scale Angelus. “We look forward to playing our part in further strengthening the industry.”

For 200 years metal packaging has preserved and protected the nutritious value of fresh food while helping to prevent food wastage. In 2008, 70 percent of steel cans and, in 2007, 62 percent of aluminium drink cans in the European Union were recycled while metal packaging accounts for just 1.5 percent of household waste. More than 90 percent of metal packaging in Germany, Netherlands and Belgium is recycled while more than 80 percent is in Switzerland and Austria.

Empac is tasked with defending and promoting the rigid metal packaging industry in Europe by communicating on the sustainability and the many unique advantages of metal packaging. The organisation provides information and support to its members and regulatory bodies in the European Union and disseminates best manufacturing practice and guidelines through technical committees comprising acknowledged experts in their field.