Montréal, QC, Canada, and Chicago, IL, USA, March 7, 2019 – As part of the 2019 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition, TC Transcontinental Packaging is thrilled to announce that it has won the Gold award for Sustainability for a second year in a row, as well as the Gold award for Packaging Excellence and the Silver award for Technical Innovation for the Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders pouch. The new flexible loose tea pouch is one of the first-in-market, 100% recyclable, multilayer barrier stand-up pouch. It was designed to meet Harney & Sons’ commitment to sustainability while still protecting the flavor and the freshness of the product.
“These awards pay tribute to our promise of creating value for our customers and developing innovative solutions that meet their evolving needs. They also celebrate our commitment to sustainability as we strive to design products that take into consideration the environmental impacts of the product during its entire life-cycle, said Todd Addison, Vice President, Business Development at TC Transcontinental Packaging. “We salute Harney & Sons for driving this important initiative and thank them for trusting us in this entire process. It is a great honour to be recognized by our industry colleagues for, once again, setting the bar high in packaging innovation and sustainability.”
Developed in collaboration with Dow and Charter NEX Films, the Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders pouch hits all notes: 100% recycle ready for in-store drop off, EVOH barrier for product preservation, seal strength, and durability. Fine tea packaging requires a multilayer, co-extruded package to protect the product’s natural oils that give tea leaves a smooth flavor and finish. EVOH delivers outstanding barrier to gases, organic vapors and moisture, preventing deterioration of the product and extending its shelf life. The challenge with barrier films from a sustainability perspective is that it is not easily broken down and recycled, therefore hindering its reuse and contribution to positive environmental change. Dow’s RETAIN™ resin technology provides the solution to this concern by compatibilizing the barrier, thus allowing for a multilayer film to be fully recyclable and attain sustainability goals.
In 2018, TC Transcontinental Packaging also won the Gold award for Sustainability at the annual Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition with its compostable peanut bag. The flexible bag was designed using certified compostable materials to support arenas and stadiums’ green initiatives and help sports teams, venues, and leagues achieve the next level of landfill waste diversion.
TC Transcontinental Packaging is committed to driving innovation and developing eco-responsible packaging solutions to support its customers’ own sustainability journey. It is determined to make strides towards a circular economy benefiting not only the packaging industry, but also the communities in which it operates. Driven by a long-term vision, TC Transcontinental wants to leave behind the legacy of a responsible corporate citizen and strives to integrate corporate social responsibility best practices for its people, products and operations, including its growing Packaging Sector.
The annual Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition is conducted by the Flexible Packaging Association and showcases the industry’s innovation and the advances that have changed packaging. This year, 54 packages were submitted in the competition, for a total of 140 entries (some packages were entered into multiple categories). Fourteen packages were honored with 26 Achievement Awards in various categories. All entries were judged by an independent panel of experts.
About TC Transcontinental Packaging
TC Transcontinental Packaging, the Packaging Sector of Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A TCL.B), positions itself as leader in flexible packaging in North America, and also has operations in Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, United Kingdom, New Zealand and China. This sector has over 4,000 employees, the majority of which are based in the United States. Its platform is comprised of one premedia studio and 28 production plants specializing in extrusion, lamination, printing and converting.
TC Transcontinental Packaging offers a variety of flexible plastic and paper products, including rollstock, bags and pouches, shrink films and bags, and advanced coatings. This sector services a variety of markets, including dairy, coffee, meat and poultry, pet food, agriculture, beverage, confectionery, industrial, consumer products and supermarkets. For more information, visit TC Transcontinental’s website at www.tc.tc.
