Ball and Alliance 47 Approach Bio-Packaging

Ball Horticulture Company and French firm Alliance 47 have joined forces to develop and commercialize new bio-packaging options for the horticulture industry, according to a Ball press release.

Under the long-term agreement, Ball has exclusive worldwide rights to the technology that will apply to a wide range of packaging products, including pots, tags, point-of-purchase materials and more. Ball has the ability to license the technology to manufacturers around the world.

Ball Innovations, the group within Ball dedicated to pioneering new approaches for the horticulture industry, will oversee the research and product development work related to the partnership.

As a result of the joint venture, three substrates are now available for possible use in a variety of packaging applications: Two reduce the use of petroleum-based plastic by at least 50 percent, while one completely eliminates it. In place of petroleum plastic, the substrates use natural materials, including mineral compounds and wheat flour. One of the substrates is completely biodegradable, while the other two offer the benefits of recycling or quick degradation, according to the press release.

Packaging products made from the new substrates will be commercially available to horticulture-industry professionals in Europe and North America beginning in 2008. You can get a sneak peek this week during Pack Trials during at the Ball location in Santa Paula, Calif.