Amcor Ghent Celebrates Century of Packaging Expertise

Amcor celebrated 100 years of packaging excellence at its Belgian site in Ghent. This centenary coincides with the first anniversary of the Amcor Innovation Centre Europe. This dual milestone underscores Amcor’s enduring commitment to innovation and sustainability in the European packaging market and beyond.

For a century, Amcor Ghent has been at the forefront of packaging advancements. The site’s rich history notably includes the invention of easy-peel film technology in 1972, now a global standard for sterile medical equipment packaging and pre-packaged slices of charcuterie and cheeses.

Building on this legacy, last year Amcor Ghent underwent a significant expansion and became home to the Amcor Innovation Centre Europe (AICE), a collaborative space where Amcor experts and brands co-create the future of packaging. In the AICE, materials scientists team up with packaging designers to develop innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of the European market.

“Our team draws on a century of local expertise, combined with Amcor’s global know-how, to help brands to find consumer-friendly and more sustainable packaging without compromising on technical performance.” shares Kris Buysens, Innovation Center and Material Science Center director at Amcor Ghent. “Located in the center of Europe, our team can help brands navigate the sustainability requirements of the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which sets the standard for all packaging sold in Europe. And our marketing experts track Europeans’ specific shopping and consumption habits, which influences their preferences for packaging formats and functionality versus consumers in other regions.”

In its first year, the AICE has hosted more than 100 customer teams, welcoming more than 500 visitors to co-create packaging solutions, run trials, and take part in Amcor University sessions to learn about everything from the technical properties of different packaging materials, to how to improve the recyclability of packaging.

The AICE offers a state-of-the-art Material Science Center, which speeds up packaging development by leveraging Amcor’s analytical expertise and state-of-the-art equipment. It features equipment capable of creating rapid prototypes for concept iteration.

New packaging can also be tested for performance on-site. Eight test filling lines, which mimic customers’ packing lines, allow for runability trials for different food, beverage and healthcare products. The filled pack can then be tested in the Analytical Lab, providing fast feedback to shorten development cycles.