(You can find more information on the IBW/EFRE & JTF programme at www.efre.gv.at)

The idea goes back to company founder Helmut Meininger, who has dedicated himself to the development of biogenic packaging alternatives for more than 30 years and was honoured for his idea with the WorldStar Packaging Lifetime Achievement Award in Australia in 2018. In just a few years, this packaging innovation became “state of the art” in the international packaging industry.

Manfred Kern, Managing Director of Packnatur® Neudau, has been responsible for setting up industrial production. The newest machines, supplemented by test machines for the latest developments, produce around 20 million packaging units per month, primarily for the packaging of fresh fruit and vegetables such as potatoes or citrus fruits.

• Mr Kern, what fascinated you about the idea and what persuaded you to work with Mr Meininger? How does an Austrian production facility stay ahead of the competition?

M. Kern: “About 20 years ago, Mr. Meininger approached me. At that time I was CEO of a large spinning mill. He was looking for a viscose yarn for a new product to substitute plastic packaging. The idea excited me, and together with Lenzing AG, one of the world’s largest fibre producers, we developed the right product, certified for food use, from fiber to yarn, using ‘Lenzing Modal Color.’ After the biodegradable net was successfully introduced to the market, the production capacity for producing the tube netting was very limited. Therefore, the decision was made to establish our own production facility here in Neudau. In the meantime, the fourth expansion phase has already been completed, allowing us to meet the quantity requirements of large retail chains. Controlled highest quality, combined with optimal delivery service, justifies an Austrian production site. Here, a new symbiosis between two fundamental elements – food and textiles – is achieved.”

Markus Kainer serves as the CEO overseeing the international sales branch of Packnatur® Cellulose Tube Netting, which is in demand not only throughout Europe but has also been successfully introduced to markets in the USA and New Zealand. On February 6, 2024, Packnatur® together with its US distribution partner, Jac. Vandenberg, Inc., received the “Best in Class Sustainable Package Design Award” at the international PAC Awards in New York (read more about the PAC Award)

• Mr Kainer, the idea is a return to an “old” process that was previously used to produce dressing materials. The idea is therefore more or less free to use on the market. Within just five years, several productions have established themselves in Europe and are competing with the Austrian idea. How can the Packnatur® brand be successfully positioned on the open market? What is the big difference to plastic, what can biogenic packaging do and how does it benefit the environment?

M. Kainer: “Frankly speaking, it is a confirmation for us that our decision to make our company and our products sustainable and 100% plastic-free was and is absolutely right. As a pioneer in wood-based net packaging, we have spent years laying the foundations from which an entire industry and, above all, end consumers across the globe can now benefit. From research and development, through the first rudimentary test products, to series production, as well as intensive persuasion and marketing work with supermarket chains and packaging companies, especially at the beginning, a long and intensive process has been established as a mass-produced standard. This would never have been possible without our partners and our dedicated employees. Today, we can proudly report that our innovation is successful on the market and is the ecologically and economically sensible alternative to plastic net packaging. Of course, the success of our invention has not gone undetected by competitors and many more or less established plastic producers are also starting to produce cellulose netting. This is only natural and not surprising in a dynamic market environment. “Imitation is the highest form of compliment” comes to mind as a fitting paraphrase. For us, it is above all about offering our partners and customers the highest level of service, delivery reliability and value for money. These facts, in combination with our 100% sustainable product, allow us to look to the future with confidence.”