Flexible packaging grows exports

The province produces approximately 60% of South Africa's agricultural exports. Nearly 50% goes to Europe and the US, Cape Business News (CBN) reports. But in spite of the slowdown, Robin Moore, the managing director of Nampak Flexible, Africa's leading manufacturer of flexible packaging, is optimistic and upbeat.

Nampak Flexible's bags, pouches and sachets are manufactured at a state-of-the-art facility in Ndabeni near Cape Town. They are, Moore says, "like packaging nirvana for exporters", perfect for fruit, vegetable and wine products, such as dried fruit, nuts and olives, as well as concentrates, juices, oils, purées and wines. Presently, Nampak Flexible makes bag-in-box bags for the wine industry in the Western Cape. According to Moore, about 45% of the bags are filled and packed locally before being shipped to Europe.

Nampak Flexible has the necessary industry accreditations, such as BRC, HACCP and ISO, and it fosters strategic alliances with leading international technology partners. A change in packaging may seem like a big move, Moore tells Cape Business News, but it has the potential to grab attention and grow market share in the short-term, paving the way "for more opportunity as the economies of the developed world start to show signs of recovery in the years ahead," he says.

Read the full article on www.cbn.co.za.