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EPS-Free Packaging Passes the Test for Heavy, Fragile VELUX Windows

The shift to paper-based packaging from EPS for sustainability purposes is common these days, but it’s noteworthy in this case since the products are notoriously heavy, unwieldy, and highly breakable glass windows and frames.

The new pack format eliminates the use of Extended Polystyrene plastic, formerly a fixture in the company's sloped roof window packaging profile.
The new pack format eliminates the use of Extended Polystyrene plastic, formerly a fixture in the company's sloped roof window packaging profile.

Tina Mayn, Senior Vice President of Products, Innovation, & R&D at global window and skylight manufacturer VELUX, talks with PW about a recent pack format shift away from EPS, and toward corrugated.Tina Mayn, Senior Vice President of Products, Innovation, & R&D at global window and skylight manufacturer VELUX, talks with PW about a recent pack format shift away from EPS, and toward corrugated.

Window manufacturer VELUX Group is converting 90% of its sloped-roof window [skylight] packaging to a plastic-free, paper-based single material in all its most popular SKUs. This will save up to 900 tonnes [992 tons] of plastic per year, the company says, and the new format will consist of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) -certified corrugated.

This transformation has led to a 13% reduction of the carbon footprint for the skylight product range and is key to delivering on the company’s overall sustainability strategy target to make its packaging single material, zero plastic, and 100% recyclable by 2030. It also marks the first step in an extensive sustainable transformation of how the VELUX Group does business and what products and solutions it brings to market. Packaging World spoke with SVP Tina Mayn about the project.

Packaging World: 
What kinds of plastic had been prevalent in your packaging, and are now being removed?

Tina Mayn:
The main type of plastic used in our legacy window packaging was expanded polystyrene (EPS), which was by far the biggest plastic contributor in our roof window [skylight] packaging portfolio.

There are also other small plastic components being removed, for example plastic tape is now replaced by paper tape, the screw bags used to be of plastic and now they  consist of paper bag, and our beipacks [extra packs for components and bracing within the larger package structure] previously made of PET are now made of corrugated. 

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