Women of Plastipak: Paving the way for Future Leaders

February 2024

At Plastipak, we are grateful to have so many dedicated women working at our sites across the globe. Between solving problems, addressing client needs, fostering new talent, and improving our plants, these associates have been key to our success.

We recently talked with some of the women leaders on our team who are making a difference with their work every day. We’re proud to celebrate Julie Beagan, JJ Nuesmeyer and Isiane Pagoto, and share the lessons we’ve learned from their experiences.

Julie Beagan

Julie is the dedicated site administrator at Plastipak Gresford. With over 8 years of experience, she is deeply passionate about her role. In her position, Julie efficiently handles various administrative tasks while also enjoying the opportunity to interact with people, promote well-being, and foster a sense of community. She a vital link that brings everything together and she consistently finds her job intriguing.

One of Julie’s proudest accomplishments is the establishment of a well-being hub at the plant last May. This safe space, accessible 24/7, offers a wealth of resources and information for counseling. Having personally faced difficulties in seeking help outside of work in the past, Julie understands the importance of having such a hub within the workplace. She firmly believes that it is crucial to provide support and assistance to employees, ensuring their well-being is prioritized.

Julie also encourages women who aspire to join the packaging industry to pursue their dreams. She highlights the numerous opportunities available and believes that gender should never be a barrier to success. With her own experiences as inspiration, Julie strives to empower women to follow their passions and make their mark in the industry.

Julie’s advice to her colleagues is simple yet powerful: never settle for unhappiness and always strive to find what truly fulfills them. She firmly believes that everyone deserves to be content in their work and should push themselves to achieve their goals.

JJ Nuesmeyer

JJ works as the site manager for our plant in Alsip, Illinois. For over 26 years, she has called Plastipak home and helped her fellow associates grow in their own careers.

What truly drives JJ is her relentless pursuit of excellence. She is constantly seeking ways to improve processes and help others understand how they can enhance their own performance. JJ firmly believes that her success is intertwined with the success of her colleagues. That’s why she prefers to be on the production floor, working side by side with them. If a task holds significance for her team, it holds significance for her as well.

Throughout her extensive tenure, JJ has undertaken a diverse range of responsibilities. From spearheading the launch of new products to imparting knowledge about our systems in foreign countries, these experiences have shaped her into the professional she is today. Now, she can pass on her wisdom to those under her guidance, empowering them to achieve greatness.

Being part of a company that genuinely cares for its employees fills JJ with pride. Recently, Plastipak received a prestigious safety award, underscoring our commitment to our associates’ well-being. Safety holds paramount importance in numerous ways, and Plastipak’s dedication to it is commendable. It is imperative that we continue to prioritize safety as we move forward.

Isiane Pagoto

Isiane works as an HR specialist at Plastipak in Paulínia, Brazil, keeping the plant running smoothly. During her 12 years at Plastipak, she has grown in her role, successfully learning new skills and helping more people.

Isiane was offered the opportunity to transition careers here at Plastipak, and began working with project management software for our HR team. Now, after twelve years, she takes immense pride in this company and the work she is able to contribute.

We should always embrace the opportunity to learn and tackle new challenges. Isiane encourages women who aspire to enter the packaging industry to join us. Although it may appear to be a predominantly male environment, it is truly gratifying to contribute to the work and make a meaningful impact in our day-to-day tasks.

Every morning, Isiane wakes up motivated by the desire to brighten someone’s day and the knowledge that she can rely on our team, who, in turn, can uplift her. At work, the greatest satisfaction comes from witnessing the growth of her associates, both in their technical abilities and behavior. Being a part of their development fills her with immense pride.

Make a Difference

If you’re searching for a place where you can make a difference at work, we’d love to have you join our hard-working team. To learn more about working at Plastipak and find our available jobs, please visit our careers page.

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.

Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at www.plastipak.com.

Statements in this press release concerning Plastipak’s intentions, expectations or predictions about future results or events are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements reflect management’s current expectations or beliefs, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to vary from stated expectations, which variations could be material and adverse. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the time made, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any such statements.

Life Cycle Analysis: Measuring, Evaluating and Reducing Our Environmental Impact

January 2024

As we kick off 2024, the new year is the perfect time to evaluate the progress we’ve made in sustainability and new opportunities to further reduce our environmental impact. Conducting a proper evaluation of where the packaging industry stands requires capable tools that paint an accurate picture of our progress.

With a firm commitment to following evidence-based practices in our efforts to create a better future, Plastipak relies on scientific data to guide our decision-making process and keep our customers informed. We rigorously test the environmental impact of our processes to ensure that they meet our high standards.

In this blog, we’ll explore life cycle analyses (LCAs), one of the tools we rely on to ensure we’re heading toward a better future for us all.

Understanding LCAs

A life cycle analysis calculates the environmental impact of a product from cradle to grave — from the moment raw materials are extracted from the ground for the production of resins to those materials’ conversion into packaging and beyond. An LCA also takes into account the ultimate outcome of a product whether it ends up incinerated, taking up space in a landfill or recycled and given new life in another product. 

A life cycle analysis considers more than just the environmental footprint of a product, however. During the product’s life cycle, we also take into account the impact generated by moving the product from one facility to another, such as the CO2 emissions caused by transporting the product from the manufacturer to the packing plant. In addition, we evaluate other environmental impacts including water and land use, eutrophication — the oversaturation of bodies of water with nutrients, which leads to excessive plant growth and decreased oxygen — and air pollution.

Our Approach to LCAs

While several methodologies exist for conducting LCAs, it’s important to ensure that organizations use the same standard across their tests to ensure consistent, accurate results. At Plastipak, our process for conducting LCAs is based on the Green House Gas (GHG) protocol, the industry standard for measuring emissions. Our approach complies with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)’s LCA guidelines (ISO 14040-44) and the European Union’s Product Environment Footprint (EU PEF) methods. By meeting these standards, our customers can rely on Plastipak to provide them with reliable data on the carbon footprint generated by the production of their packaging. Our customers capture this information in their scope 3 emissions, a total of the emissions produced upstream and downstream in the value chain.

The Value of LCAs

Although our customers could instead choose to rely on emissions factors — average emissions values derived from databases — this approach does not account for various scenarios, such as the use of renewable energy to power the production process. By conducting rigorous LCAs backed up by science, we provide scope 3 emissions data that fully reflect the impact of the production process to our partners. This data allows our customers to measure the impact of sustainable initiatives by the reduction of carbon usage.

We also rely heavily on life cycle analyses internally to analyze and verify the impact of various initiatives on our packaging products. In the past, LCAs have helped us measure the value of a number of strategies that allow our customers to reduce their carbon footprints:

  • Lightweighting: By reducing the amount of resin used in packaging while still achieving the same functionality and performance, our customers can cut down on their greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Recycled content: We’re able to use post-consumer resin (PCR), which has a lower carbon footprint than virgin resin, to create packaging that has a lower carbon footprint, and in turn, decreases our partners’ scope 3 emissions.
  • Renewable energy: Where feasible, we’ve embraced natural resources to power our plants with clean energy that creates zero emissions, compared to the high carbon costs of fossil fuels. This has significantly lowered the impact of producing our packaging. 
  • PPK Natura: We created the world’s first PET resin produced from waste carbon in partnership with LanzaTech in 2023. This material has a proven lower carbon footprint than virgin resin. We anticipate that ongoing research will lead to the commercial development of other lower carbon alternatives, such as bio-based plastics.
  • Reducing transport/secondary packaging emissions: By embracing more fuel-efficient transportation options, organizations have the potential to reduce the environmental impact of their supply chain. Although the overall impact may be significantly smaller, this tactic is still an important part of reducing emissions.

By conducting life cycle analyses, we were able to quantify the impact each of the above initiatives has on a product’s carbon footprint. With each tactic requiring some degree of financial investment, the carbon savings can then be evaluated against financial considerations, guiding our clients as they construct roadmaps to reduce their organization emissions based on science-based evidence.

Another key use of LCAs is to compare the carbon costs of different packaging material types. By knowing how different materials will contribute to their environmental footprint, companies can make the best decision about their packaging.

For example, we produce virgin resin alongside PCR. By conducting a life cycle analysis, we have determined the impact of each of the resin products we produce. Conducting LCAs is crucial because of the prevalence of misconceptions about the environmental value of different materials such as many people mistakenly believing that plastic packaging creates higher emission values during production. However, when comparing PET and HDPE packaging to their equivalents in other substrates — glass, aluminum, etc. — the science shows that plastic packaging contributes the least carbon across its life cycle.

A More Sustainable Future

Life cycle analyses are a reliable, science-based tool that allows us to evaluate the impact our packaging has on the environment. We use the data LCAs provide to calculate organizations’ scope 3 emissions, evaluate the effectiveness of carbon reduction measures and embrace environmentally friendly practices with proven track records of success.

If you’re looking for a partner who can help reduce your carbon emissions and provide the data you need to chart a path toward a more sustainable future, we can help.

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.

Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at www.plastipak.com.

Statements in this press release concerning Plastipak’s intentions, expectations or predictions about future results or events are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements reflect management’s current expectations or beliefs, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to vary from stated expectations, which variations could be material and adverse. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the time made, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any such statements.

Six Ways We’re Creating a Greener Future in 2024 and Beyond

December 2023

As we prepare to close out 2023, we recognize that each new year brings its own set of challenges and opportunities — and 2024 will be no different. We’re excited to continue to serve our clients and communities in the new year as we bring new innovations to the packaging industry.

Looking ahead, we’re confident that 2024 will be a year where industry leaders like Plastipak continue to make strides toward sustainability goals, helping to create a better world for us all. In this blog, we uncover five ways that we expect our sustainability goals to take a major step forward in 2024.

Setting Science-Based Targets

Plastipak is committed to evaluating and ultimately implementing science-based emissions reduction targets as defined by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).  We have validated our emissions and have completed our feasibility study to set our targets for the future.

First and foremost, we’re relying on the ingenuity of our talented associates who work hard each day to make these goals possible. Without the Plastipak team, all of our accomplishments in 2023 would never have happened, and we’re counting on them as we move into 2024.

 But we’re also turning to several tried and true strategies to cut down on our emissions and embrace renewable energy. Pursuing innovative technology like carbon capture, biogas and solar electricity will allow us to meet our science-based targets.

Leading in Carbon Capture

In 2023, Plastipak created PPKNatura, the world’s first PET resin made from captured carbon emissions, in partnership with LanzaTech. By leveraging LanzaTech’s innovative carbon capture technology, we were able to create quality recyclable packaging that meets customers’ demands and reduces greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.

Heading into 2024, we expect more orders to incorporate PPKNatura, giving carbon capture a greater place in the packaging industry. As more clients turn to sustainable solutions like PPKNatura, we’ll continue to reduce our emissions and push toward our science-based goals.

Embracing Solar Energy

Electricity created by fossil fuels continues to be one of the largest contributors to global emissions. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electricity generation, in the United States alone, produced over 1.65 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2022. By embracing more renewable energy sources in 2024, we can continue to cut down on our emissions.

In November 2022, we paved the way for renewable energy in recycling by opening a plant in Toledo, Spain powered by 1,800 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, which cut down on CO2 emissions at the plant by more than 400 metric tons. As we look ahead to 2024, we’re searching for more ways to incorporate solar energy across our operations and educating our employees on the importance of conserving energy.

Innovating with Biogas Energy

Meanwhile, our CleanTech UK recycling plant has embraced a different approach to renewable energy. Through a partnership with neighboring anaerobic digestion facility operator BioteCH4, we’ve been able to create green energy from organic waste.

BioteCH4 converts the organic food and agricultural waste processed at its facility to biogas, which in turn is used to produce electricity with a combined heat and power (CHP) process. Each year, BioteCH4 processes over 90,000 metric tons, preventing the waste from piling up in landfills and powering our plant. As a result, over 80% of the electricity required to power our recycling facility was provided by biogas energy, slashing our CO2 usage by 2.8 million metric tons.

In 2024, we’ll continue to innovate as we look for new ways to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels.

Expanding the Use of PCR

In 2022, 22.98% of the resin we converted was post-consumer recycled resin (PCR) and that number has only grown into 2023. In the year ahead, we expect the number of consumer goods companies using higher percentages of PCR to increase — helping reduce the overall emissions of their packaging.

At Plastipak, we’re prepared to meet this demand.  By sourcing PCR content from our Clean Tech operations, we can fulfill customer requests for packaging with higher percentages of PCR materials so they can maintain product functionality and brand integrity.

Reducing the Industry’s Carbon Footprint

Our efforts to embrace sustainable technology are paying off. In 2022, 100% of the energy consumed at our European and Brazilian plants originated from renewable sources, and seven of our North American plants were certified as emissions-free — leading to a 45.8% reduction to our Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared to the 2019 baseline.

By embracing renewable energy, recycling and reusing PET and conserving energy, we’ve made a serious dent in our annual emissions — but there’s still more work to do. The new year will bring new possibilities, and Plastipak will continue to take strides forward in sustainability. In 2024, We will keep working to reduce our industry’s carbon footprint through innovation and careful stewardship of our planet, creating a better future for all of us.

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.

Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at www.plastipak.com.

Statements in this press release concerning Plastipak’s intentions, expectations or predictions about future results or events are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements reflect management’s current expectations or beliefs, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to vary from stated expectations, which variations could be material and adverse. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the time made, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any such statements.

A New Start: Learning from Plastipak Employees Who Served in the Armed Forces

November 2023

Transitioning from the armed forces to a civilian workplace can be challenging, but if you’re considering making the switch, Plastipak has your back. We’re proud to offer strong support for our veteran associates and give them a community where they can thrive.

We are always listening to our veteran employees to learn new ways to help those who are moving from the service to a new career. We spoke with some of our dedicated veteran associates to better understand their story and why they chose Plastipak.

Jayson Barker

What led you to join the service?
I was born at Clark Air Force Base in The Philippines. My father was a crew chief on C-130 Rescue aircraft supporting the Vietnam War at the time. We were in The Philippines for two years and spent time in Indiana and Virginia before moving to Jackson Center, Ohio. I grew up just a few blocks from Plastipak’s Jackson Center Extrusion Development Center where I now work.

After my father left the Air Force, he joined the Ohio Air National Guard at Rickenbacker Airfield in Columbus, OH. Throughout my childhood, I would go with my Dad to his monthly guard meetings and spent a lot of time around the KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft he worked on. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to be part of that family. As soon as I turned 17, I enlisted in the Air National Guard and attended monthly guard meetings while I finished high school. A few weeks after graduation, I left for basic training and then spent the following eight years in the 160th Air Refueling Squadron in Columbus. It made me proud that while my friends were goofing off after high school, I was serving my country working on airplanes and traveling with them on deployments.

What lessons did you learn during your time serving?
I learned to be completely committed and focused when it mattered, but never take life too seriously. I try to stay positive when things get rough, but trust that those around me will lift me up when I’m down. During the Gulf War in 1991, my father was deployed to the Middle East for several months. Since we were in the same unit, they didn’t send me overseas, but pulled me to active duty at home, supporting our squadron by servicing aircrafts that were rotated out of service due to maintenance issues. There were times when we were under the gun to get planes fixed and back overseas as quickly as possible. At the same time, I was helping out with things at home while Dad was gone.

I also learned to never let an opportunity pass you by. Chance encounters and new challenges almost always result in new skills learned and new friends and teammates made. On one occasion, I had the opportunity to take a day trip on one of our aircrafts that was flying to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan. I jumped at the chance to fly with our airplane and ended up on the tarmac in Michigan with a broken airplane and no on-base support. By working with the rest of my team, we got the plane repaired and made it back in time to go home with the rest of the weekend personnel. We all got letters of commendation from our base commander for stepping up when it really counted.

What led you to join Plastipak and what is your current role?
In 2006, I began a 12-year career at another facility working on the design of the blow molders and extrusion systems that are built at Plastipak’s EDC in Jackson Center. In 2017, I took the chance to get closer to the equipment I was working on and joined Plastipak as a senior design engineer. I currently design the extrusion systems and portions of the blow molders for new lines and in-plant upgrades and focus the rest of my time on development and innovation.

What is your favorite part of working at Plastipak?
I’ve never been in a situation where I needed support at Plastipak and someone didn’t step up to help me out. There are people who are going above and beyond to keep machinery running and bottles going out the door every day. I’ve also had times when I needed help with a project at home and coworkers gave their time to come help out. I’m grateful for all the people I work with and consider several of them as some of my closest friends.

What I enjoy the most about the work is the technology that we put into our equipment and processes. People say that we “just make plastic bottles”, but they have no clue about the state-of-the-art technology that we get to bring into what we do. The wall of patents at our corporate headquarters is just the tip of the iceberg of the innovation that has come from within Plastipak. And this innovation is not just coming from engineers. Many of the best improvements and innovations start with our associates on the floor who see a problem and help develop a solution.

Do you have any advice for other veterans who are considering joining the Plastipak family?
Regardless of what branch of service you are coming from, if you have a positive attitude and can work as part of a team, there is a place for you at Plastipak. If you need a challenge, we have plenty of those, and your hard work will not go unnoticed.

Ricky Sears

What led you to join the service?
In my junior year of high school, I was in an auto shop program. I really liked it, but I was interested in working on diesel trucks. When I learned that the Army has nothing but diesel engines, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to learn more about them.

What lessons did you learn during your time serving?
My time in the Army taught me to be more confident in myself, as well as to be more comfortable trying new and challenging things. It definitely made me grow out of my shell. The leadership opportunities that I have had also taught me what it is to be a leader and how to build relationships and trust among my team members.

Another big lesson was that not everything bad that happens is the end of the world. It is just a bump in the road. With the right people, you can get through just about anything.

What led you to join Plastipak and what is your current role?
I joined Plastipak in 2018 after meeting my current boss at a golf league. After taking an interest in my experience in the army, he told me about the opening and asked if I wanted to apply.

My boss and I started to talk about the job more, and it sounded very exciting. I love working with my hands, so working on the blow molding and injection machines was right up my alley. There is definitely a lot more that goes into research & development than I ever thought, but it’s awesome to see your work getting put on store shelves.

I’m currently an engineering technician at the Medina Packaging Development Center, tending to and programming blow molders and other downstream testing equipment for the development process. I am also a part of the Food Safety Team.

What is your favorite part of working at Plastipak?
I’ve made some great friends here, and we all work well together. I also enjoy being able to run and work on multiple different machines we have, either in injection or on the blow molding side. I truly enjoy that every day is different. There is always something new to learn and keep you busy.

I feel very lucky that Plastipak picked me. It has been an amazing place to work, giving me the flexibility and support I need as I’m still in the national guard.

Do you have any advice for other veterans who are considering joining the Plastipak family?
Do it! There is plenty of support from Plastipak itself and other organizations that help. Getting out of the military or starting something new is never as bad as it seems. The opportunities for veterans in the workplace are endless. 

Looking for a New Start?

At Plastipak, we offer the chance to grow and challenge yourself through your work while earning a good living. We’re always looking for committed workers who want to connect with their coworkers and solve problems together. If you’re interested in working for us, visit our careers page to view our open positions.

 

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at its website www.plastipak.com

Building Stronger Communities Together

October 2023

Dedicated to supporting and enhancing the communities in which we operate, Plastipak seeks to make a difference around the world through a variety of charitable and community engagement initiatives — particularly those focused on supporting education, improving health and wellness and uplifting our neighbors.

In 2023, Plastipak, with the help of our global team of associates, supported numerous organizations that help amplify our contributions to our communities here and around the world, including:

  • Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) — Our associates participated in the organization’s annual walk to raise money for research in 2023 and raised more than $5,000 in donations.
  • Detroit Cristo Rey High School — We continued our partnership with the high school by offering real-world job experience through an immersive work-study program at Plastipak to the school’s underrepresented students. Plastipak has supported 36 students through the program since beginning our partnership in 2013.
  • Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars (DRDFS) — With our support, the DRDFS program was able to work toward its mission of providing academic support and scholarships to local students pursuing a post-secondary certificate or degree.
  • The Young Family Foundation — Together, with the Young Family Foundation, we award scholarships to the children of our associates through the Foundation’s Sons and Daughters Scholarship program. Since 2004, the Foundation has donated nearly $1.5 million to more than 180 students to help them continue their education.

Beyond our corporate-sponsored activities, Plastipak encourages each facility and our associates to support causes that are meaningful to them within their own communities. This year, our teams demonstrated their commitment to our culture of giving by supporting a range of nonprofits, local charities and other worthwhile causes including:

  • Fleece and Thank You —Michigan associates volunteered at Fleece & Thank You and made 105 blankets. The blankets made were donated to hospitalized children, providing the essential comfort they need as they face extended stays in the hospital.  
  • Friends of the Rouge — We partnered with Friends of the Rouge to help them clean up a local park. Our team picked up over 847 pounds of trash and removed invasive plants from the area.
  • Forgotten Harvest — Plastipak’s Global Business & Technology Center in Plymouth, Michigan, hosted a food drive in partnership with Forgotten Harvest. The team collected food which was donated to the organization at the end of the month, helping them provide families in need with fresh and nutritious food free of charge. 

Looking back at our efforts to give back over the past year, we recognize that our impact is stronger when we act together. As we look to the year ahead, we’re prepared to close out 2023 on a high note by continuing to support the causes most important to our associates and our organization through philanthropic contributions and volunteering.

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.

Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at www.plastipak.com.

Four Ways We’re Making a Difference with Energy

September 2023

With our core focus on sustainability, Plastipak is committed to taking decisive steps to continue to reduce our environmental impact. We’re proud to better the communities we serve by cutting down on waste, embracing renewable energy and conserving our precious natural resources. We’ve continued to make strides forward in four key areas over the past year.

Solar-Powered Recycling Center

Plastipak Opens New Solar-Powered Global Recycling Center in Spain

In November 2022, Plastipak celebrated the opening of our newest recycling center at our manufacturing site in Toledo, Spain. The facility converts PET flake into food-grade recycled PET (rPET) pellets suitable for direct use in new preforms, bottles and containers.

The recycling plant produces 20,000 metric tons of food-grade recycled pellet per year and eliminates recycled resin transport-related emissions because it is co-located with Plastipak’s current preform manufacturing site. The opening of the Toledo facility – our fifth global recycling center – supports Plastipak’s commitments to invest in the circular economy, help our customers meet their sustainable packaging goals and reduce their Scope 3 carbon emissions.

The state-of-the-art facility incorporates advanced energy-saving technologies and equipment, including the rooftop installation of over 1,800 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. The PV panels are expected to generate more than 1,339 MWh of electricity per year consumed entirely on-site, saving more than 443 metric tons of CO2 per year that would be associated with electricity from the national energy grid. This emissions reduction is in addition to the CO2 savings resulting from the 20,000 metric tons of recycled resin produced annually, which takes the place  of virgin resins that would require more grid energy to produce.

2022 Renewable Energy

Plastipak continues to evaluate and adopt a variety of renewable energy projects. This includes pursuing a combination of on-site and off-site power purchase agreements as well as the use of certificates of guarantee of origin.

In 2022, 100% of the energy consumed at our European and Brazilian plants came from renewable sources, and the electricity consumed at seven of our North American plants was certified as emissions-free.

The use of renewable energy for electricity contributed to our 45.8% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared with our 2019 baseline.

Biogas

Converting Organic Waste to Green Energy for Clean Tech UK

Clean Tech UK, Plastipak’s bottle-to-bottle PET recycling plant based in Hemswell, U.K., signed a long-term partnership in June 2021 with neighboring anaerobic digestion facility operator BioteCH4. Through the partnership, BioteCH4 converts organic food and agricultural waste processed at its facility to biogas, which in turn is converted into electricity using a combined heat and power (CHP) process. We then use the green energy to power our Clean Tech UK facility.

BioteCH4 processes more than 90,000 metric tons each year – waste that would otherwise find its way to a landfill. In 2022, BioteCH4 delivered over 80% of the electricity required to power Clean Tech UK, cutting our CO2 usage by 2.8 million metric tons.

Energy Reduction Teams

Approximately 84% of our Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions (using the location-based method) arise from the electricity used for production. As a result, we continually assess our plants for opportunities to lower our energy usage.

Our Energy Reduction team focuses on developing and implementing energy use best practices, which are then rolled out to specific locations as applicable. We have identified these operations as the most significant areas of opportunity:

  • Refining our resin drying processes
  • Improving injection molding procedures
  • Further modernizing our chilling plants and pumping systems
  • Enhancing how we monitor our use of compressed air

Plastipak’s automated, proprietary energy management system provides energy usage information at the production line level, so we have specific, real-time data to inform important decisions. This information enables us to benchmark manufacturing line performance within sites and across the company to help identify areas where further improvements may be possible.

As we continue to adapt our process and move toward a greener future, Plastipak is always looking for ways to serve our community better. From reducing CO2 usage to conserving energy, we’ve made some great progress in 2022 and 2023, and we’re already looking ahead to 2024 to identify more opportunities to protect our planet and create a better tomorrow for us all.

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at its website www.plastipak.com

Plastipak & PVG LIQUIDS Develop Lightest 375g Preform for 20L Stackable Containers in Europe

ELIMINATING ROUGHLY 200 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS YEARLY

August 2023

Breakthrough will lead to 500-ton reduction in PET usage over the next five years

Plastipak, a global leader in the design, manufacturing and recycling of plastic containers, announced today the creation of the lightest preform solution for a 20 liter stackable container in the European market, which will eliminate around 200 tons of CO2 emissions each year. As partner in the project, PVG Liquids carried out the validation of the light weight stackable container.

“At Plastipak, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Our research and development team has been tirelessly searching for effective solutions to reduce our carbon footprint along every step of the supply chain,” said Filip Petrovic, the business development manager for Plastipak Europe. “Creating light-weight solutions that require fewer raw materials and carbon emissions to produce is just one of the many ways we safeguard the planet for future generations.”

Plastipak, in partnership with PVG Liquids, engineered this innovative packaging solution to require significantly less PET per container, leading to a 500-ton reduction in PET usage annually compared to the original 500g preform.

Annual Carbon Savings: Reducing from 500g to 375g

Based on 4m Blown Bottles including End of Life

270,102,498
smartphones charged

Carbon sequestered by 36,648 tree seedlings grown for 10 years

9,149,345 kilometres driven by an average passenger car

The new stackable container weighs only 375 grams, beating Plastipak’s previous record of 390 grams, and outpacing the industry standard — a 480-gram container.

Plastipak originally developed a 500 gram preform to serve its client’s needs more than a decade ago. As part of a broader plan to increase sustainability across the supply chain, Plastipak and PVG Liquids began to refine the product and search for ways to reduce the material used without compromising the product’s utility and quality. A breakthrough in the geometric design of the package allowed the company to create a 375-gram package in April. Thanks to the expertise of PVG Liquids of blowing and management of big containers, the packaging has been successfully validated across the entire supply chain, surpassing PVG’s rigorous storage, stability and transportation tests and trials.

“At PVG, we have been working since 2006 on the improvement of packaging, searching the best way to use the least material possible,” stated PVG’s actual CEO, Kristin Gehre. “Changing to PET was a huge step in 2008 when I was leading the project.  Since then, we’ve brought improvement after improvement to our market. Thanks to the partnership with Plastipak, we’ve been able to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging in a substantial way.”

The best-in-class preform requires low-crystallinity resin to guarantee the high quality of the final product, which is produced at Plastipak’s Verbania, Italy plant. In order to prevent excess emissions from transporting the resin to other facilities, the Verbania plant houses the entire production process for these preforms. Additionally, the solution’s advanced geometric design makes the preform a strong candidate for post-consumer resin. Plastipak has already successfully created the 375-gram preform using 10% recycled PET. The preform itself is also a great candidate for Plastipak’s low environmental impact resin, PPKNatura, developed by leveraging LanzaTech’s Carbon Capture and Transformation technology, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint and fossil fuel usage of the final packaging, and contributes to reducing the partner’s scope 3 emissions.

Although Plastipak originally created the lightweight solution in partnership with PVG Liquids to use as a container for combustible fluids, the new preform can be broadly used across multiple industries. For example, because the lightweight preform is built using food-grade PET and has a 63 mm neck finish, the packaging is well-suited for use in industrial kitchens such as for storing olive oil. Plastipak is willing and able to accommodate a variety of client packaging needs for similar lightweight solutions for organizations looking to reduce their environmental impact.

If you have any questions or inquiries, please contact Filip Petrovic at FPetrovic@plastipak.eu

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.

Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at www.plastipak.com.

Statements in this press release concerning Plastipak’s intentions, expectations or predictions about future results or events are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements reflect management’s current expectations or beliefs, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to vary from stated expectations, which variations could be material and adverse. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the time made, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any such statements.

A World of Opportunity:
Tim Eppinga’s Journey from Intern to Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Technology

July 2023

At Plastipak, we’re committed to fostering an environment that values the personal and professional development of our associates through continuous education and training. 

Tim Eppinga is a prime example of this commitment in action. Today, nearly 30 years after starting his career at Plastipak as a sales intern, Eppinga sits on our leadership team as the Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Technology. Like him, countless associates have found opportunities to flourish personally and professionally within the organization.

Tim Eppinga

Senior Vice President Global
Sales & Technology

Setting A Foundation

Alongside two younger brothers, Eppinga grew up in Grand Ledge, Michigan. His father owned and operated a successful family business, where he experienced firsthand the challenges of keeping a small business alive—igniting his interest in pursuing a career with a family-owned enterprise.

In pursuit of his passion, Eppinga enrolled at Michigan State University with his heart set on earning a degree in business. But, in the second semester of his freshman year, he decided to switch his major and landed in MSU’s School of Packaging because of his ability to use his mathematical skills, but with a marketing spin. 

While he knew packaging was the right fit for him, he could never quite put his finger on what path he wanted to take his career in. After a lengthy discussion with one of his packaging professors during his Junior year, he realized that he could use his packaging degree to become a sales person for a packaging provider — the ‘aha moment’ that would set the tone for his career at Plastipak.

Understanding The Vision

In 1990, Eppinga graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Packaging Engineering. Eager to start his career, he embarked on a search for internships. However, most packaging companies were only interested in recruiting engineers for operational roles.

Determined to secure an internship with the sales department at Plastipak Packaging, Inc., Eppinga met with Thomas Busard, Plastipak’s talent recruiter — now the Chief Polymers & Recycling Officer and President of Clean Technologies. After Eppinga explained his ideal training experience, Busard encouraged him to pitch his vision to Ron Overbeck, who served as Plastipak’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the time. Overbeck agreed to create a sales intern role and welcomed Eppinga to work as a full-time associate for two years.

Defining Success 

After completing his sales internship in 1990, Eppinga received news of an upcoming sales territory opening. Excited about the opportunity, he and his wife packed their bags and headed to Chicago, where Eppinga would assume the role of a Sales Representative. The position taught him the importance of patience and preparation in the sales industry. “In sales, you get a lot of “no’s”, but you just need to keep going back. It is a game of odds and the more opportunities you are pursuing, the more chances you have at success,” said Eppinga.

As time went on, Eppinga continued to grow at Plastipak — taking on various roles such as Beverage Technical Service Manager, National Account Manager and District Sales Manager. In 2000, he returned to Michigan to work at Plastipak’s Global Business and Technology Center, where he held several Corporate Sales Management roles.

Looking back, Eppinga is grateful for the opportunity to have worked closely with William C. Young, President and CEO of Plastipak. Over the years, Mr. Young taught him many valuable lessons, like the importance of earning a customer’s business. He is proud to work for a company built on family heritage and that recognizes the value every customer holds — whether they’re a major corporation or a small family-owned business. 

Eppinga’s advice for young professionals? Being a good listener, staying open to different perspectives and remaining persistent can take you far. It’s exactly what landed him in the role he’s in today and his inspiring journey at Plastipak is one of many.

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at its website www.plastipak.com

Four Seconds to Safety:
Building Plastipak’s Culture of Safety

June 2023

With the fast-paced, high-pressure nature of plant work, manufacturers have a special obligation to ensure their employees are kept safe. From properly maintaining facilities to implementing adequate training, employers can take a number of key steps to protect their workers.

At Plastipak, we’ve continued our unwavering commitment to safety since our founding in 1967. Even though our commitment has stayed the same, we’ve routinely reviewed and enhanced our approach over time to strengthen our safety policies and practices.

Engaging all of our associates in Plastipak safety program is the cornerstone of our success. Our safety data is a leading indicator that transcends all business metrics. For example, over 80% of our global workforce is actively engaged in our safety program. Whether this be through a safety conversation or a near miss/observation, we value the feedback of our workforce and use these as opportunities to learn from and improve our processes.

2022 — Our Safest Year Yet

The most well-thought-out safety policy isn’t worth much if it doesn’t get results. That’s why we judge our programs and policy changes by objective data to see what’s working and what needs to be changed. We put our latest round of safety revisions through this same review process, and by every metric, our latest enhancements to our safety programs are working.

In 2022, we recorded our lowest number of injuries since Plastipak was founded over 50 years ago, including historic lows for serious injuries. Our injury rates continue to fall well below what’s common in the plastics manufacturing industry.

At the core of these stellar results is our associates dedication to our strong safety values and high levels of engagement with the safety program throughout the company. Our leadership at every level, has a strong commitment to workplace safety and supports the effective policies we’ve put in place to embody this vision.

Adapting Our Approach

Last year, we made a strategic shift in our overall safety philosophy, switching from merely a compliance-based approach to focusing on the work that is actually getting done and the people that are doing it. This new approach is guided by the principles of Human and Organizational Performance (HOP), through which we seek to understand and influence our associates’ actions and choices to facilitate safer working conditions and practices.

Instead of merely writing rules and expecting our associates to follow them, we now focus on the real-life tasks getting done on the manufacturing floor and the people behind that work. For example, we updated our injury investigation process to reflect this new mindset. We’ve also started to assemble learning teams that proactively address potential safety issues within our company.

To keep safety at the forefront of all we do, we intentionally set up touch points between supervisors and our newest team members to encourage additional learning opportunities and allow for opportunities to ask questions. We also pair our new associates with mentors to help them safely integrate into their new roles and encourage them not to do more than they were trained to do.

Key Safety Tips

Our safety motto at Plastipak is “Four Seconds to Safety” because we know many workplace injuries can be prevented by simply taking just a few seconds to stop, think and assess before you react. Rushing is one of the greatest causes of injuries in the workplace. Our “Four Seconds to Safety” mindset seeks to address that.

A key safety concept to move with your eyes before you move your body. We train our associates to make sure there are no hazards in the way before moving their hands and feet. We also stress the importance of checking any areas associates may place their hands into or rest their hands on to make sure they are safe.

By taking the time and reminding our associates of a few common-sense safety provisions and carefully taking their feedback into account, we are building a strong workplace culture of safety.

If you’re interested in joining a team that takes your safety seriously, visit our Careers page to learn more about our available positions.

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at its website www.plastipak.com

LanzaTech & Plastipak Partner to Produce World’s First PET Resin Made from Waste Carbon

May 2023

Chicago, IL (May 18, 2023) – LanzaTech Global, Inc. (Nasdaq: LNZA), an innovative carbon capture and transformation (“CCT”) company that converts waste carbon into materials such as sustainable fuels, fabrics, packaging, and other products that people use in their daily lives, and Plastipak Packaging, Inc. (“Plastipak”), a global leader in the design, manufacture, and recycling of plastic containers, announce they have successfully produced PPK Natura, the world’s first polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin made from captured carbon emissions. The resin is suitable for food, personal care, and pharmaceutical packaging, as well as other non-packaging applications.

Introducing PPK Natura

PET is a polymer that is molded into plastic bottles and containers for packaging foods and beverages, personal care products, and many other consumer goods. PET resin comprises 30% monoethylene glycol (MEG) traditionally derived from petroleum. PPK Natura leverages CarbonSmart™ MEG from LanzaTech’s CCT process. It retains the technical properties of virgin fossil PET while carrying a lower carbon footprint.

PPK Natura resin reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and its production process does not require land or food resources. In addition, packaging made out of this material can be fully recycled at the end of its life, keeping the carbon in a circular material cycle.

Leading Swiss retailer Migros and its subsidiary Mibelle Group were the first to use this PET in in-house brand packaging, including in creating PET bottles for smoothies and the containers of household cleaners that also contained LanzaTech ethanol as a key ingredient.

“LanzaTech’s commercial technology is designed to enable our partners in diverse industries to reduce their carbon footprint and overall environmental impact,” said Jennifer Holmgren, Chief Executive Officer of LanzaTech. “Our partnership with Plastipak is critical to demonstrating what is possible today. Today we are producing food- and pharmaceutical-grade packaging and are well on our way to creating a more sustainable future for all.”

Producing PET with Lower Environmental Impacts

LanzaTech’s CCT technology works like a brewery in which proprietary bacteria consume pollution and convert it into CarbonSmart chemicals. Those chemicals are then turned into products ranging from clothing and laundry detergent to sustainable aviation fuel. Using a variety of waste feedstocks, LanzaTech’s technology platform is creating a future where consumers are not dependent on virgin fossil inputs for everything in their daily lives.

“We are delighted to partner with LanzaTech to achieve early progress in our ambition to produce PET with lower environmental impacts. The use of CarbonSmart MEG is a first and important milestone in our journey toward this goal, and combined with use of renewable electricity in the production process, has contributed to significant progress in indicators such as carbon reduction and use of fossil resources. PPK Natura resin is one element of Plastipak’s ESG program, which among other initiatives, targets the extension of our product circularity with the intent of supporting customers in reducing their Scope 3 emissions. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership with LanzaTech as we work together to achieve our long-term goals.” said Pedro Martins, Executive Managing Director Europe of Plastipak.

“The use of fossil fuels must be avoided. Where this is not possible, it makes sense to include greenhouse gases in products so that the gases do not contribute to global warming and climate change,” says Christoph Meili, a specialist in life cycle assessments at WWF Switzerland.

Business Development Europe | Plastipak

Filip Petrovic
Business Development Manager, Europe
FPetrovic@plastipak.eu
Media Contact | LanzaTech

Kit McDonnell
Director of Communications
Kit.McDonnell@lanzatech.com
Investor Relations | LanzaTech
Omar El-Sharkawy
Director, Corporate Development
LanzatechIR@icrinc.com

About Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak is also a leading recycler of rigid plastic packaging, producing food-grade post-consumer recycled resin for inclusion in new packaging. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world. Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at its website www.plastipak.com

Statements in this press release concerning Plastipak’s intentions, expectations or predictions about future results or events are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements reflect management’s current expectations or beliefs, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to vary from stated expectations, which variations could be material and adverse. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the time made, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any such statements.


About LanzaTech
Headquartered in Skokie, Ill., LanzaTech transforms waste carbon into materials such as sustainable fuels, fabrics, packaging, and other products. Using a variety of waste feedstocks, LanzaTech’s technology platform highlights a future where consumers are not dependent on virgin fossil feedstocks for everything in their daily lives. LanzaTech’s goal is to challenge and change the way the world uses carbon, enabling a new circular carbon economy where carbon is reused rather than wasted, skies and oceans are kept clean, and pollution becomes a thing of the past. For more LanzaTech visit https://lanzatech.com.


Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding LanzaTech based on the beliefs and assumptions of its management. Although LanzaTech believes that its plans, intentions, and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, LanzaTech cannot assure you that it will achieve or realize these plans, intentions, or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. You should not put undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. LanzaTech undertakes no obligations to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.