First and foremost is the fact that metal cans today require far less raw material than in the past. Soudronic leads the way in the development of the advanced canmaking machines needed to work with downgauged tinplate, i.e. sheet metal stock of as little as 0.01 mm in thickness. Lighter cans mean more containers per ton of tinplate, savings on natural resources and, overall, a significant reduction in the world’s carbon emissions footprint.

Apart from the technological advances that make metal packaging so attractive, steel has countless advantages that put it in an environmental class of its own. In 2009, according to the Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging, the recycling rate of steel packaging in Europe rose by 2 percent to reach an average of 72 percent. Compare this with the rates for plastic, cartons and glass (30, 34 and 67 percent, respectively), and it’s clear that when it comes to multiple use, steel leaves other forms of packaging trailing in its wake. Not only that, cans manufactured with recycled steel use a massive 75% less energy than brand-new ones. Indeed, every item of steel packaging that is recycled reduces CO2 emissions by almost twice its own weight, and that adds up to almost five million tonnes a year in Europe alone. 

At Soudronic, we believe the canmaking industry has a responsibility to enlighten consumers about the largely unperceived ecological benefits of our products. If this helps to change consumer perceptions about metal packaging – and push up recycling rates still further – we will already have taken a major step forward.