The downturn in the economy led to a decline in new product launches last year, which had many packaging manufacturers seeing green. Not in terms of memories of greener pastures of the past, but turning to green efforts to expand their business. From cartons to glass to cans to plastic, each industry is addressing sustainability to better appeal to beverage companies and green-minded consumers.
“Sustainability and innovation overlap somewhat because a certain amount of innovation is required to move forward on sustainability,” says Bill Wight, business manager in the PET business at Eastman Chemical Co., Kingsport, Tenn.