Kraft Foods to trim the fat from its packaging

(Plastics Today) -- Kraft Foods has launched an initiative to eliminate 100 million pounds of packaging material from its products worldwide by 2015. This commitment was the driver behind delivering the Yes Pack, Kraft's new sustainable flexible pouch for salad dressings to the foodservice industry.

The Yes Pack is a stand-up pouch with dual handles, and a rigid screw cap closure that replaces the traditional rigid plastic container for salad dressings. The company stated the product is more compact than rigid jugs, and flattens when empty, which can provide easier disposal and lower waste-removal costs.

A Kraft Foods spokesperson told PlasticsToday the Yes Pack is a flexible nylon-polyethylene blend film made in house, and it is produced with about 60% less plastic when compared to the rigid gallon container.

Kraft partnered with PE International, a sustainability consulting company, to conduct a Life Cycle Assessment, which quantified the environmental benefits of the Yes Pack. The Life Cycle Assessment is a standardized method of evaluating environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of a product from raw material production, manufacturing and use, all the way through disposal.


"After extensive data collection from our suppliers, technical modeling, and a rigorous third-party critical review of the study, we confirmed without a doubt that our new packaging design was not only better for our customers - in terms of yield and ease - but also in terms of environmental sustainability," the company stated.

MRC

DuPont reported 20% record of fully-year earnings growth in 2011

(DuPont) -- Today, DuPont reported full year and fourth quarter earnings per share (EPS).

DuPont's 2011 earnings, before significant items, were up 20% to a record USD 3.93 per share versus USD 3.28 per share in 2010. Reported earnings per share were USD 3.68 versus USD 3.28 in 2010. Sales of USD 38.0 billion were up 20%, with a 27% increase in developing markets. Excluding significant items and pharmaceuticals, segment pre-tax operating income increased 31% with leading contributions from Performance Chemicals and Agriculture.

DuPont's fourth quarter 2011 earnings per share were USD.35 per share, excluding significant items, reflecting a USD.23 per share year-over-year headwind from a higher tax rate. Prior year earnings were USD.50 per share, excluding significant items. Reported fourth quarter 2011 earnings were USD.40 per share, unchanged from the prior year.


For 2012, DuPont reaffirmed its earnings outlook range of USD 4.20 to USD 4.40 per share, which represents 7 to 12% growth versus 2011, excluding significant items.

⌠We delivered exceptional full-year results in 2011 despite significant market headwinds late in the year, said DuPont Chair & CEO Ellen Kullman. ⌠Our market-driven science continues to meet customer needs in food, energy and protection. Acquisitions in Nutrition & Health and Industrial Biosciences, coupled with robust and disciplined productivity efforts across our businesses, contributed to our successful performance. We remain well-positioned to serve customers and innovate as key markets rebound and global population growth drives new opportunities.

MRC

Lego to build EUR 125m complex in Hungary

(europeanplasticsnews) -- This summer, global toy maker Lego announced, it will start constructing a new EUR 125m factory complex near Nyiregyhaza, Hungary.

The 80,000m? green field complex, being built on a fresh site west of the Danish toy group's existing Nyiregyhaza plant, is due for completion in 2014, according to its Hungarian subsidiary Lego Manufacturing.

In Hungary, Lego's new Nyiregyhaza complex is expected to create 250 new jobs when it is fully operating and have a total workforce of around 1,550.

Details of this plan were revealed in mid January (2012) when Lego, based in Billund, Denmark, formally agreed on a 100 ha. site for its new complex. Lego Manufacturing's chief executive Jens Peter Clausen signed a contract with the Nyiregyhaza city mayor Ferenc Kovacs.

Lego was prompted to invest in a new site, not only in the face of vigorous growth in the toy markets of Eastern Europe, but also because the lease on its present manufacturing site in the city is set to expire in 2015.

The group's choice of a larger site is part of its future business plan in Hungary, allowing for further expansion over the coming 15 years. ⌠The factory investment is based on long term plans, demonstrating that the Lego Group believes the Nyiregyhaza area is the right place for Duplo' production for many years to come, the CEO explained in September last year.

Construction will begin on site with a 13,000m? pallet warehouse due to be completed this year. Work on a product packing unit is due to start in 2013, followed by the construction of the new plastics moulding plant equipped with 450 injection presses, according to Lego.


Construction will begin on site with a 13,000m? pallet warehouse due to be completed this year. Work on a product packing unit is due to start in 2013, followed by the construction of the new plastics moulding plant equipped with 450 injection presses, according to Lego.

When all production is finally switched from its existing site and the new energy efficient plant is finally inaugurated in September 2015, Lego expects to expand its capacity by 30%.

MRC

Faurecia plans to thrive in North America auto market

(europeanplasticsnews) -- Faurecia, a major French supplier of seats, interiors, exhaust systems and exterior parts, is angling for a much bigger share of North American sales.

CEO Yann Delabriere, 61, is counting on strong sales to German automakers, along with fast-growing demand for luxury components, diesel exhaust systems for commercial trucks, and parts for global vehicles such as the Ford Focus and Fiesta to fuel his company's market share growth.

In fact, Delabriere predicts that Faurecia, which ranks No. 9 on the Automotive News list of the top 100 suppliers to North America, will move up to No. 5.

Faurecia sales in North America were up almost 30% for the first nine months, and the fourth quarter could be even better.


Delabriere said: "We have said that we need to build 60 new plants or major expansions of existing plants worldwide through 2015. We already have 42 projects under way. We will spend EUR 2.3bn through 2015."

MRC

Europe and NE Asia petchem and polyolefins producers suffered revenues losses in Q4

(chemmonitor) -- Petchem and polyolefins producers using naphtha and based in Europe and Northeast Asia witnessed a decrease of revenues in Q4 of the previous year.

Producers started to lose margins in Q3, but a larger decrease was observed in October-December.

The situation partially resulted from a high destocking activity towards the end of the year. The overall economic instability and a cautious behaviour of buyers on the back of a bleak economic outlook also impacted the situation.

MRC