Consumers’ demands for sustainability, as well as a societal drive to “go green,” have impacted the beverage industry in many ways. As companies within the beverage market increase their awareness and actively push to make their products and facilities more eco-friendly, suppliers across all areas of the industry have accommodated, and conveyors are no exception.
Of the sustainability trends that have impacted the industry’s conveyor systems, continued movement toward more sustainable packaging has posed particular challenges. “Reduction in packaging materials continues to be a concern with conveyor choice,” says Bryan Boyce, product manager at Intelligrated, Mason, Ohio. “We are seeing not just a reduction in primary packaging material, but secondary packaging is also being reduced. A popular packaging change now is removing the bottom fiber boards or trays from shrink-wrapped packages.”