As more and more fresh produce companies strive to be more sustainable, manufacturers have to get creative with the products they supply to the industry.
The Sirane Group manufactures many different products for different industries. They are best known for their absorbent pads within the fresh produce industry. The company has recently developed the Earthpad, a recyclable paper-based absorbent pad that can also be used for seafood and meat, as well as fruit.
“We have been working on the Earthpad together with a retailer for a few years, and it went into full-scale production at the start of the year,” explains Mark Lingard from Sirane.
Earthpad absorbent pads are a cellulose absorbent layer bonded to a paper-based top or bottom layer with a bio-polymer coating. The pad is compostable and can also be recycled through the paper stream. Earthpads are available in any size, shape, or configuration, including slit rolls. Currently available in white and black, with a range of colors available soon. Absorbency grades are available of 800cc/M2, up to 10,000cc/M2.
“The idea behind this product was that it should be easily recyclable in the waste paper stream while having all the same absorbent properties as our other pads. While it is up to the customer and the packers how they present this to the consumer, it is easily identifiable as paper so should go in the paper bin, but if it does end up in landfill, it will easily decompose.”
According to Mark, it has been very well received, especially in countries that are more environmentally minded, such as the UK, Europe, and Australia.
Sirane has its manufacturing base in the UK but also manufactures in Mexico to supply the fruit trade there.
“Later this year, we will be opening a site in Texas. We already supply a lot of our paper products to the US, and the Earthpad will fit in there nicely, and it will be great to have our own manufacturing base locally.”
For more information:
Mark Lingard
Sirane
Tel +44(0)7487 729769
mark.lingard@sirane.com
www.sirane.com