Meat packers in the US sign up to Klöckner Pentaplast’s MAP tray

15-Jul-2019 - Last updated on 15-Jul-2019 at 11:01 GMT

The Elite MAP tray. Photo: kp

Klöckner Pentaplast (kp) has created a fresh protein modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) tray, being used by several meat packers in California.

kp’s Elite MAP tray has a de-nest (the separation of products which are nested together) design which allows for 33% more trays per pallet and more trays per truck.

Elite MAP tray

Based on an annual volume of 20 million US 3-2.0 size trays, it can fit 4,400 Elite MAP trays per pallet, compared to the North American market standard of 3,300 trays per pallet.

For businesses this means 24% fewer pallets used per year; saving on transportation costs, pallet costs and storage.

“The product was designed in the UK in 2014 to address the needs for a recyclable tray and has since been through several updates and revisions to meet customer and retail needs for a fresh protein tray,” said Craig Hardwick, new product development manager UK & Northern Europe, Klöckner Pentaplast.

“This latest de-nest standoff innovation is one of the design improvements that was done in the UK and brought to North America. This version is now being manufactured in Montreal as of Spring 2019 and is being use by several meat packers in California.”

Recycled PET

Joan Fowler, marketing communications manager Americas, Food Packaging, Klöckner Pentaplast, added the Elite MAP tray is made from up to 95% post-consumer recycled PET which can be recycled again into protective food packaging, creating a closed loop process for tray-to-tray recycling.

Founded in 1965 kp has 32 plants in 18 countries and employs over 6,400 people serving customers worldwide in over 60 locations.