UK food packaging firm PFF Group has deployed a £2m ($2.6m) thermoforming system at its Sedgefield site as part of a £4m ($5.3m) funding program in process technology for dairy industry packaging. 

The system, which was developed in partnership with German manufacturer Illig GmbH, will be used to produce PFF’s recyclable, food-grade packaging, IMPACT-T. 

Illig, utilised its expertise in developing and manufacturing high-performing thermoforming machines along with a PFF technical team to design a precision engineered system to produce rPET hybrid pot with a card wrap in a single process, offering a large reduction in the carbon footprint of a product. 

The joint project between PFF Group, Illig Gmbh and PFF’s development team was led by CEO Andy Bairstow. He said: “IMPAC-T is a technological breakthrough for the manufacture of food-grade packaging in the UK. As a business, our core values are innovation, sustainability and creativity, and this system meets each of these attributes, it’s been fantastic to see both companies work closely together to deliver the project.

“PFF’s bold strategy to invest in advanced technology once again demonstrates our commitment to the complete recycling process. Using rPET gives industries like the dairy sector an opportunity to switch from traditional polypropylene to circular economy packaging.

“Our IMPAC-T product has the potential to revolutionise not just dairy, but all other food sectors where sealed-in freshness is essential and where reduced plastic and lower carbon footprint are sought after by consumers.”

Matthew Revels, sales and marketing manager at Illig said: “We took on this exciting development project in partnership with the team at PFF nearly two years ago and this week we have the pleasure of consigning this brand-new technology to the UK market."