Metal: The Packaging for the 21st Century!
'Impress:10th Anniversary Book' was launched at the Environmental Resources Management (ERM) offices, Cavendish Square, London, on Friday, 15 February 2008 with presentations, a film premiere and a microwaveable can demonstration.
Francis Labbé, Impress CEO, opened the innovative event, which was attended by a number of journalists from the food and packaging press. Members of the Impress Senior Executive team provided presentations. Gordon Shade, VP Corporate and Industry Affairs, briefly covered the creation, development and organisation of Impress, talked about Impress products and customers and gave a geographical overview. Philippe Gimenez, Head of Impress Research and Development, discussed innovations by shape, weight reduction, convenience and openability. Everyone then enjoyed the very first viewing of an Impress Environment film, produced by Ken Wood, Group Risk and Excellence Manager, in conjunction with ERM. The film, which takes place in a supermarket and a home, emphasises the advantages of the can, in today's more conscious world of carbon footprints. The food can generates little or no food waste, needs no refrigeration and is convenient to handle throughout the supply chain. The modern food can is an innovative, lightweight, premium packaging that does not need labels and can be microwaved. Metal, with its built in safety features, the best recycling rates of any packaging material today (steel 66% and aluminium 50%) and set to increase, meets the needs of the today's consumer. Metal is the easiest material to collect, separate and recycle so it has a positive impact on our daily lives by reducing the burden on landfill sites. The message is clear, "If you can, can."
A demonstration of the microwaveability of cans followed, illustrating the potential of a new range of modern metal packaging.
Finally, Francis Labbé presented the Impress 10th Anniversary Book, which outlines the past, present and future of both Impress and the can industry. The can has been everywhere, to war in the early nineteenth century, to the arctic with Scott, art with Andy Warhol, comic strips with Popeye and there are tins in TinTin. "The can is a beautiful product, difficult to fault," says Francis Labbé, adding that the European Metal Packaging organisation, EMPAC plays an increasingly important role in the integration of sustainable development into European Community policies enabling contributions from the industry so that economic, environmental and social objectives can be met.
"We can confidently promote our own messages and strengths,'' said Mr Labbé giving signed copies of the book to all those attending.
Impress is a global market leader in the consumer metal packaging industry. It is the worldwide leader in the seafood can market , European and Australasian leader for aerosol cans, European leader in cans for Paints and Coatings and European leader in cans for Infant Formula and Nutritional Powders. Impress is also the second largest supplier of heat processed food cans in Europe and Australasia. Impress is based in Deventer, the Netherlands and had worldwide sales of approximately €1.5 billion in 2006. It employs approximately 8,600 people in 60 facilities in 21 countries in Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Seychelles and Morocco.
For further Information please contact
Ysabel Noel: Talents et Compagnie :Tel: +33 1 56 89 56 52 Fax: +33 1 56 89 56 50 e-mail: noel@talents-compagnie.com
Mary Chapman: Mary Chapman Communications: Tel: +44(0)1452 720208 Fax: +44(0)1452 723724 e-mail: marychpm@aol.com
Discover Impress at: www.impressgroup.com
