Arla Foods has appointed leading plastic packaging producer Alpla to manufacture bottles on site at its new one billion-litre dairy in Aylesbury in the UK.
Arla intends the Aylesbury dairy to be the most environmentally advanced in the world, and Alpa will support the company’s aim of delivering a zero carbon facility with zero waste to landfill at the site.
Austria-based Alpla is also targeting an “industry first” recycled HDPE material content of 50% in all bottles for Arla, and has already designed a new range of lightweight HDPE bottles, which will deliver a weight saving in excess of 20% compared to Arla’s current milk bottles.
Lars Dalsgaard, director of supply chain at Arla, said: “The appointment of Alpla supports our sustainability strategy and commitment to become Closer to Nature.
“Alpla will blowmould and handle plastic bottles for Arla with the lowest energy consumption possible, which will assist our zero carbon ambition.
“It will also provide our customers with the lowest carbon fresh milk packaging available in the UK.”
Alpla will work at the Aylesbury dairy through a ‘hole-in-the-wall’ operation. Although on site bottle production is currently used at a number of Arla’s other sites, this will be the first on this scale in the dairy industry, the company says.
Guenther Lehner, CEO of Alpla global, said: “Our continuous effort to develop plastic container manufacturing processes and packaging designs with utmost environmental and economic efficiencies in mind has resulted in Alpla being a perfect match for Arla in this exciting project.”
Founded in 1955, Alpla now employs 12,000 people in 134 plants in 37 countries, manufacturing bottles, performs, caps and tubes for products in the food & beverage, beauty care, home care and oils & lubricants sectors. In 2010 the company had a turnover of €2.56 billion.
Arla Foods is one of the UK’s leading dairy companies, processing fresh milk and manufacturing a number of products including cottage cheese, fresh flavoured milk and butter. With dairies in Lockerbie, Settle, Leeds, Ashby, Oakthorpe and Hatfield Peverel, Arla Foods UK is home to some of the UK’s leading dairy brands including Cravendale, Lurpak and Anchor.
Artist's impression of the new Arla Foods dairy at Aylesbury, UK
