Chimay beers sold in newly designed sustainable crates produced by Schoeller Arca Systems

Aug. 14, 2012 - PRLog -- The Trappist brewery Chimay recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. To mark the occasion, it opened a museum, published a book and put a new beer on the market – the ‘Spéciale Cent Cinquante’. This is a one-off and has been available since June from restaurants and drinks outlets specially selected by Chimay. (http://www.chimay.com)

Chimay plans to keep up the momentum. From August 2012, Chimay beers are sold in newly designed crates produced by Schoeller Arca Systems bv, a subsidiary of a world-scale manufacturer of reusable plastic packaging. Chimay's order is the result of an innovative printing process developed by Schoeller Arca Systems.

“Our company is the first to incorporate ‘in-mold’ labels on crates”, says sales director Ludo S.C. Gielen. “This technique allows illustrations and information to be printed on plastic packaging with photographic quality. The innovativeness of the design is unmistakable. The combination of mat and gloss finish lends the crates depth and perspective, and the rounded corners give them a smaller and lighter look. The crates are also highly eco-friendly. It was a combination of these factors that clinched it for Chimay.”

The first 400,000 crates are currently in production at Schoeller Arca Systems.

Schoeller Arca Systems:

The name Schoeller Arca Systems may not ring a bell at first, but this Dutch multinational is a world leader in durable, reusable plastic packaging and some of its products are very well known. Examples are crates for brands such as Jupiler, Carlsberg and Heineken, as well as the blue and green vegetable crates and display pallets used in shops for chocolate and other food products .

Schoeller Arca Systems has a single mission – to encourage companies to switch from disposable packaging to durable, reusable plastic.

It also supplies a range of reusable plastic packaging for use in the automotive industry, the postal services and in agriculture, including large and small foldable containers. These are crates that are easy for suppliers to fold up and stack for reuse.

Large crates are used in the automotive industry to transport components, while the smaller folding crates have made inroads primarily into the vegetable and fruit retail sectors. The packaging is robust and easy to clean. It is ideal for reuse and therefore much more sustainable than wooden or cardboard boxes that are thrown away.

Durable crates:

Durability is becoming more and more important, both for suppliers and for end users.
In the end, everybody wants to do his bit.

Businesses can make key savings by integrating durable plastic packaging into their logistic processes. The biggest savings versus one-way packaging are due to reusability, but lighter weight and strong, safe material are additional advantages.

Jérôme Goffinet, marketing manager at the Chimay Trappist brewery, is highly satisfied with the new durable crates. “We wanted to use this change to bring together the quality of the contents and the quality of the external presentation. It's vital for the packaging to live up to the superior quality of our beers, which are based on a long-standing tradition. Thanks to the new Schoeller Arca Systems crate, we have succeeded beautifully.”

More info:

Henk-Jan Regeling
Business Development Manager Europe
henk-jan.regeling@schoellerarca.com

Ingrid Noten
Corporate marketing
ingrid.noten@schoellerarca.com