The company said that a new crystallised polyester terephthalate (CPET) technology has been used to produce the Encompass Lite 1 trays which are suitable for applications requiring temperatures from -40º to 400ºF. The properties of the product also mean it can easily move from freezer to microwave or oven to table.
Curwood alleges its Lite 1 trays also offer up to 15 per cent source reduction through “process and material improvements”.
The trays are recyclable where the infrastructure is available and certain applications will also be able to incorporate post-consumer recycled content.
Sustainability
“At a time when sustainability claims are coming under close scrutiny, Lite 1 trays deliver the true sustainability processors are looking for, with the substantiating data to back it up,” said Paul Vanden Heuvel, director of marketing for Curwood. “This is the first time this level of light-weighting is available in a CPET tray while maintaining the outstanding performance of a heavier tray.”
According to the company, the Lite 1 trays are impact-modified to prevent breakage at low temperatures and FDA-approved for high-temperature use and bake-in applications.
The product also features an inherent oxygen barrier, which Curwood said will “protect freshness and flavour”.
Curwood is a supplier of packaging materials and systems for food, beverage, household, industrial and personal care industries.
As part of the Bemis family of companies, the supplier has manufacturing and service centres throughout North America, South America and Europe, with its headquarters in Wisconsin, US.