SIG has won the coveted Green Packaging Star Award for its pioneering SIG Terra MidiBloc Alu-free packaging solution. SIG Terra Alu-free is the world’s first aluminum-free packaging material for aseptic carton packs. The annual Austrian Green Packaging Star Award has been recognizing the most sustainable packaging innovations for nearly 20 years.

Gmundner Dairy is the first company in Austria to opt for the innovative packaging solution, reducing the already low carbon footprint of SIG standard carton packs even further, thanks to a unique composite structure with no aluminum layer. Since launching dairy products in carton packs with SIG Terra Alu-free packaging material last year, Gmundner has saved more than 160 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The prestigious sustainable packaging award was presented in a ceremony at Fachpack in Nürnberg on 25 September. With a spotlight on sustainable packaging and recycling, as well as packaging-related environmental improvements, the Green Packaging Star Award is bestowed annually by Kompack magazine and the Austrian Research Institute of Chemistry. By winning the award, SIG now qualifies for the WorldStar Award, presented by the World Packaging Organization (WPO).

Vanessa Bogner, Marketing Manager D-A-CH at SIG: “It’s a great accolade for SIG Terra Alu-free packaging material to be recognized as an outstanding innovation in the field of exceptional sustainable packaging solutions. Our SIG Terra portfolio is part of our continuous progress in this area, as we strive to develop an aseptic, alu-layer-free packaging material with full barrier protection, and a paper content of at least 90% by 2030 – with an interim target of at least 85% by 2025.”

The jury at the Green Packaging Star Award recognizes SIG’s industry-first solution for reducing the already low carbon footprint of SIG standard packaging material by up to 23% (based on independent ISO-compliant life-cycle assessments cradle to grave for Europe). SIG Terra Alu-free packaging material is made from up to 82% FSCTM-certified renewable paperboard, with ultra-thin polymer layers to protect products over long periods of time without the need for refrigeration.

Christoph Engl, Managing Director of Gmundner Dairy: “As the first producer in Austria to bring shelf-stable milk to the market in an aseptic carton pack without an aluminum layer, we celebrate this outstanding award with our partner SIG. Together we continue to set a new benchmark in the field of sustainable packaging, by offering aseptic carton packs with no aluminum layer – a milestone in sustainability not only for our company, but also for retailers and consumers, who increasingly demand lower carbon, more sustainable packaging solutions.”