Siegwerk supports the Vietnam & Asia Flexible Packaging Summit 2019 to raise awareness for packaging safety

Siegwerk, one of the leading providers of printing inks for packaging applications and labels, is a silver sponsor of the Vietnam & Asia Flexible Packaging Summit 2019. The summit is an international business and technical gathering for flexible packaging, films, printing, converting and extrusion taking place from September 26 - 27, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. As one of the region’s largest conferences aimed at the flexible packaging industry, 150 experts and professionals from around the world will meet to discuss emerging trends and to share ideas for new developments which will shape and expand the future of the flexible packaging market in the region. 

According to Smithers Pira, a worldwide authority on the packaging, print and paper supply chains, the Asia Pacific region is still the largest emerging market for flexible packaging with China, Vietnam and India showing the highest growth rates. The demand for flexible packaging solutions which offer convenience and superior product protection at a minimum total cost and a low environmental impact will drive the future development of the market. The increasing demand for sustainable packaging solutions with optimized recyclability will shape the future of the industry while calling for close exchange and collaboration along the whole flexible packaging value chain. This includes manufacturers, converters, brand owners, raw material suppliers and ink providers as well as specialized recycling companies. At the same time, product safety will remain the top priority particularly for food and pharmaceutical products.

“The summit is a good platform to learn about experiences from various sectors of the printing and packaging industry enabling attendees to exchange ideas, expand their knowledge and gather inspiration to further shape the future of flexible packaging in the region,” describes Jane Manley, General Manager Southeast Asia North at Siegwerk. “For Siegwerk it is a great opportunity to further raise our local profile as the expert for safe and sustainable inks while highlighting the general importance of safety and compliance in food packaging.” In addition to local packaging associations and various global experts across the supply chain Jatin Takkar, Head of Product Safety and Regulatory at Siegwerk, will deliver a presentation about safe packaging inks giving insights into challenges, legal requirements and future needs. Concerns over food safety and the critical role of ink as a potential influence on product and consumer safety will be the focus of this presentation. Takkar will raise awareness of the potential risks originating from packaging inks which contain different chemicals, some of which may be harmful if they migrate and come into contact with packed food. Toluene, a chemical known for its unfavorable toxicological and organoleptic properties has recently been faced with regulatory bans as well as renewed requirements of global brand owners banning toluene as an ingredient for food packaging applications. Takkar will present a case study on toluene inks and their impact on consumer’s safety, society and the environment to better illustrate the need of safer packaging inks. Siegwerk has implemented a full ban on the usage of toluene and other raw materials containing toluene in its ink formulations intended for nutrition, pharma and hygiene packaging applications following the company’s insistence on offering the safest ink solutions in the world.

Siegwerk has always been committed to sustainability and product safety and has made ink safety one of its key guiding principles. Today, the company is a global leader in providing product safety guidance and has an expert team exclusively dedicated to this area. Siegwerk’s product safety guidance includes global regulatory compliance, brand owner requirements and risk assessments ensuring that products are safe for the end-use applications. The company continuously supports various customers and brand owners to minimize migration and therefore reduce food contamination risks finally avoiding potential regulatory problems. 

For more information about the Vietnam & Asia Flexible Packaging Summit 2019 please visit http://www.apexevents.cn/va-packaging/