Treofan to launch customer magazine at Interpack

The company, which makes BOPP films for packaging, labels, electronics, and tobacco, said the magazine is another way to communicate with customers and includes topics such as trends, challenges and opportunities with external opinions from industry experts.

'Ideal platform'​

Peter Vanacker, CEO, Treofan, told FoodProductionDaily, Interpack is the ideal platform for presenting this ‘new tool’ for the first time to create a ‘continuous dialogue’ with customers.

The company will be publicizing its €30m production line in Neunkirchen, Germany, at the show - a five-layer-extrusion line for one billion square meters of packaging and label films per year. It is expected to go into production next summer.

The 8.7-meter line has been designed for Treofan by Andritz and will allow the company to manufacture films with a range of thicknesses and densities.

Provisions for a possible extension of the plant and the addition of further processes and products, including outside the food industry, are already built into the design.

Vanacker took the helm at Treofan in September 2012 after moving from Bayer MaterialScience where he was executive VP and chief marketing and innovation officer.

He said the focus during the first one-and-a-half years was outlining a corporate strategy, and getting the necessary financing in place.

“Change never comes without hard decisions to be taken. We had to let go of people, and we’re still in a phase where we need to become slimmer, faster and more efficient​,” he said.

“Treofan has a long history. This of course is a great asset overall. But it also brings along some habits that are not so easy to change – but they have to change, as a precondition for long-term success​.”

BOPP film potential​

Vanacker said he sees a lot of potential for BOPP films across many categories that may have been untouched yet.

“In the packaging industry, demographic change in the Western world and globalization of food habits are major trends that are going to be even more important in five years’ time​,” he added.

“For example, over here we’re going to need packaging that is more flexible in terms of size and portions for an increasing number of single households, and easy opening or better readability of information for older people​.

“In the emerging markets, it’s more about starting to protect food altogether, as a majority of food products, today, never even makes it to the consumer​.”

He added the next big thing is the development of frontier markets due to the recent over-investments and underperformance of the major emerging markets, as well as their long-term perspective.

Treofan will have a booth in hall 9, booth no. 9J27 at Interpack, Dusseldorf, Germany from May 8-14.