Sustainable to protect cheese

Considering dairy industry’s need to maintain the shelf life of its products and to advance on the path of packaging sustainability, at Plastilene Group we develop innovative structures for pasteurized and UHT milk as well as for cheese.

Highly recyclable films from the eco-design point of view 

In the case of fresh or ripened cheese separators, we identified a great alternative in foamed polyethylene, as it is a highly recyclable material, which comes close to the characteristics of paper in terms of rigidity and tearing, but differs in efficiency, protecting the product without exceeding its price.

This type of plastic separator, which can be used manually or automatically in the sliced cheese packaging process, does not absorb humidity, is not a fungus source and can be in contact with the product without modifying its pH, texture, odor, etc. It is manufactured in Plastilene, one of our ISO 22000 certified plants.

Replacing (plastic) structures that were previously only available as imported products

Before Novalene acquired a new extrusion technology, it was not possible to produce or supply in Colombia high and medium oxygen barrier structures with high optical properties (brightness and transparency), mechanical properties and excellent performance in thermoforming or vacuum packaging processes.

Today, the start-up of this machine facilitates the logistical process for the local market (by not having to import); it also allows us to provide technical support in design and development and to offer the Andean region, Central America and the United States a complete packaging solution, supplying thermoforming bottoms, lids, bags and cheese separators.

This technology is also used to develop single-material films for fresh cheese, with the option of closing the loop in our company Reciclene.

What’s next

Starting in the second half of 2022, we will begin to locally produce high, medium and no-barrier shrink films for block cheese, thanks to a second shrink film extrusion line at Novalene, a technology that is rare in the region, which allows the packaging to take the shape of the product.