Kick off of Demo 9 in Hungary
Article written by Lili Schweitzer, International Project Officer at MGFÜ.
On 22nd of October 2024, the Hungarian Consortium partners – Ugrinpack, MGFÜ and Innoskart Cluster – of Circsyst held a successful kick-off meeting focused on the Hungarian demonstrator project: eco-design of food contact packaging through simplification (Demo 9) – applying monomaterial solutions instead of multimateral versions resulting in increased recyclability and through testing innovative packaging materials (e.g., bio-based polymers, PHA, PLA).
The objective of the event was to get on board food producer companies with whom the Hungarian partners could work throughout the whole project. The event brought together over 20 representatives from various companies, industry leaders, researchers, and sustainability advocates to discuss collaborative strategies for sustainable packaging solutions. During the workshop they were able to identify the barriers most SMEs are facing in the packaging industry nowadays and the possible cooperation between the parties.
This initiative centered on aligning with Hungary’s innovation goals, aims to make a lasting impact by transforming the environmental footprint of the packaging industry.
Setting the Stage for Eco-Design and Innovation
The kick-off began with a warm welcome and introductions, setting a collaborative tone as attendees shared their backgrounds and commitments to sustainability. Eszter Balogh-Tanka, international project manager from the Hungarian Economic Development Agency (MGFÜ), outlined the project’s scope, timeline, activities and how companies could join the work within the aforementioned work package.
Andras Ugrin, owner and CEO of Ugrinpack highlighted the importance of eco-design as a tool for reducing environmental impact throughout the whole lifecycle of packaging. He emphasised that the objective is to offer real sustainable solutions for the partner companies that are economically viable and could also be replicated within the Hungarian manufacturing sector.
Spotlighting Hungarian Good Practices
A core component of the meeting was showcasing the future of Hungarian innovations in packaging with a strong emphasis on bio-based and recyclable materials. Representatives from various companies shared case studies demonstrating how Hungarian companies already try to meet the eco-friendly criteria and in what aspect they could evolve their practices. Some of them have successfully introduced sustainable packaging option in order to meet the standards EU regulations has set in the region.
Factory Visit
After the presentations, attendees had the opportunity to get a glimpse of the daily operation of Ugrinpack and their packaging factory. Andras thoroughly explained how they revolutionised the Hungarian packaging sector with sustainable packaging options and how they continue the work towards creating new formulas and better products.
Next Steps
The meeting concluded with a schedule for the project, laying out short-term goals for the coming months and long-term aspirations for the next years. This kick-off meeting marked a strong start to an initiative that could place the Hungarian partners at the forefront of eco-design innovation in packaging.
The high level of engagement and willingness to share knowledge signals that there is a strong need for the work Hungarian partners will carry out during their Circsyst demonstrator project. We managed to involve those food producer companies with whom we could initiate a meaningful, sustainable change.
We look forward to further collaboration and are excited to see the positive impact these joint efforts will bring to the environment and the economy.