Containers shape Steel, aluminum and plastic aerosol packaging have their say….
The information on plastic and steel aerosol containers was originally presented
at the New York and Paris Aerosol & Dispensing Forums, respectively.
Consumers love aerosols. Year after year, production
and consumption records are broken and innovations
abound. Shoppers enjoy the convenience and efficacy
of spray products, although they may not even consider what
the container is made out of. Versatility, appearance, strength
and recyclability are the qualities consumers are looking for in
a spray package.
Steel, aluminum, plastic—they all have something to offer
when it comes to aerosol packaging. In this feature, the experts
chime in to highlight the benefits of each packaging material.
STEEL
Steel for packaging plays an important
role in the transition towards a more
circular economy in Europe. The benefits
of steel for packaging were, of course,
widely known before the first aerosols
appeared—in fact, steel revolutionized
food packaging when the first cans were
used more than 200 years ago.
The most popular aerosol products
today are deodorants and body sprays,
but aerosols are used for an increasingly
wide variety of applications. There are
approximately 2,000 aerosol brands
on the market
with over 200
different uses.
They are used in
14 Spray August 2018
agriculture
aerosols produce foams, mousses and
creams as well as the wet and dry sprays
that consumers usually associate with
an aerosol. Providing a safe, efficient,
cost-effective packaging format, and
fueled by consumer demand for the convenience
which aerosol products offer,
production continues to rise.
Today, the versatility of steel for packaging
is helping fast-moving consumer
goods manufacturers adapt to changing
demographics and lifestyle patterns.
Steel for packaging is a flexible material
for products sold in a wide variety of
shapes and sizes, and for a diversity of
volumes, intended for consumption in
the home or on the go.
Steel for packaging provides a secure
solution for volatile products due to its
strength. Steel offers enhanced barrier
protection for and from hazardous and
flammable products. It is also impermeable
and solvent-resistant, providing
packaging solutions for paints, solvents
and other combustible products.
Innovation in packaging
As competition between brands in
all market segments increases, new
demands are continually placed upon
packaging materials. The industry has
responded with technical innovations
leading to thinner steels which, when
combined with the material’s
high formability and ductility,
creates the possibility for
unique and sophisticated
designs.
Can makers have also
innovated, implementing
new decorative techniques
to achieve attentiongrabbing
designs across a
wide range of markets from
the personal care, health
and beauty to the food and
beverage sectors.
As consumers look for
differentiated products,
brands are increasingly
using techniques such as
embossing and debossing,
often combined with matte
lacquers applied to high
gloss cans, to create packs
that engage shoppers and
really “stand-out” on store
shelves.
Meeting sustainability expectations
One of the reasons steel has continued
to thrive is because of its high recycling
rates.
The last three decades in particular
have seen not only a significant shift in
the way consumers work, communicate
and shop, but a major change in attitudes
toward environmental issues and
our impact on the world around us.
The move toward a circular economy
is a concept that is supported both by
APEAL and the wider steel industry. The
objectives of the EU Circular Economy
Package (CEP) are to keep resources in
the loop, reduce environmental impact,
create jobs and drive growth. To achieve
this, the CEP includes measures to cut resource
use, eliminate waste and increase
recycling.
A record recycling rate for steel
Last December a final CEP
proposal was announced—the
new steel recycling target for
all EU Member States is 70% by
countries
packaging
material. That means over
2.7 million tonnes of steel have
effectively been recycled and
will be available to manufacture
new steel products.
Magnetic properties make
recycle as there is no need for
permanent material, steel can
loss of quality.
Model for a Circular Economy
Alexis Van Maercke
Maercke, Secretary General, Association
of European Producers of Steel for Packaging (APEAL)
2025. With an average of 79.5%
recycled in Europe (28 EU coun
tries + Norway and Switzerland)
in 2016, a record high, steel is
the EU’s most recycled packag
ing steel easy and economical to
a specific sorting process. As a
also be recycled forever without
Aerosol can in steel
industry, agricul
ture and science
and modern