As a company that seeks to continuously progress through new and innovative business opportunities, Polindo Utama began manufacturing recycled food-grade packaging products in the form of plastic bottles and cups. A pioneer in this specific field in Indonesia, the company utilises a combination of 1 layer of its recycled PET flakes with 2 layers of virgin PET flakes to produce the bottles; currently the products are being supplied to major F&B companies throughout Indonesia. Investing in the latest technology from Germany, Polindo Utama’s recycled food-grade packaging initiative is set to encourage current and potential partners to increase their commitment to the environment through the company’s enhanced manufacturing capabilities.
The recycling process converts washed flakes from post-consumer PET bottles into PET pellets that can be used for food applications. The pellets undergo a drying and crystallisation process before going through re-polymerisation and decontamination — this involves melting and injecting the pellets into performed moulds before being shaped into beverage bottles and cups. This highly integrated recycling method produces food-grade PET bottles that meet food hygiene requirements of regulators in Indonesia; the company implements stringent quality control measures to ensure that all of its product adhere to local and international safety standards.
Polindo Utama’s recycled food-grade packaging service presents an opportunity for Indonesian F&B companies to engage in the recycling system. With the country’s food and packaging industry accounting for 60% of plastic products in Indonesia, there is enormous potential for local F&B companies to utilise more recycled materials in their food packaging. Moreover, Polindo Utama provides clients with novel packaging solutions that assess the impact on recyclability and the sustainability of the products; these measures allow for the application of due diligence during the manufacturing process.