CCL hosts inaugural Sustainability Day Southeast Asia in Thailand

CCL ASEAN has hosted the first Sustainability Day Southeast Asia event in Bangkok, bringing together industry leaders, innovators and brand owners from the region to exchange ideas and strategies for advancing sustainability in packaging and printing.

Reinhard Streit, vice president and managing director for food and beverage at CCL, opened the event with a welcoming address. The agenda included a panel discussion on Thailand’s direction in plastic management, followed by interactive sessions and demonstrations of sustainable innovations.

Ronnapop Viraratt, general manager at CCL Label Thailand, commented: ‘The main purpose of this event is to show our audiences many aspects of sustainability in packaging, from label raw material to label applicator and from printing plate maker to plastic bottle recycler. Asahi always pushes the sustainability limit of platemaking into the next step. We hope the audiences find the event educational yet interesting as we all contribute to our world.’

A key highlight of Asahi Photoproducts' event contribution was sharing findings from a recent study comparing the environmental impact of flexographic and gravure printing.

The study demonstrated that flexo printing using water-wash plates and water-based inks can reduce carbon emissions up to 35 times more than gravure printing with solvent-based inks. This reduction reinforces the environmental advantages of flexo technology and its potential to drive more sustainable packaging.

According to Asahi, in the packaging market in the US and Europe, flexo printing is prevalent, accounting for 70 percent of the market in the US and about 50 percent of Europe. Despite these advancements, gravure printing is still prevalent in Asia, particularly in China, accounting for more than 90 percent of the market. These findings support Asahi’s long-standing commitment to sustainability through its water-washable AWP plates with CleanPrint technology, eliminating the need for solvents in the platemaking process. This approach aligns with Asahi Kasei’s Roadmap to Solvent Zero, aimed at reducing solvent use in flexo platemaking.

As global regulations and brand owners increasingly prioritize sustainability, Asahi’s AWP plates provide a proven, eco-balanced alternative that supports the industry’s transition toward lower environmental impact.

‘With increasing demand for environmentally responsible printing solutions, our CleanPrint water-washable technology provides a clear path to significantly lower carbon footprints without compromising quality or productivity,’ said Tomohiro Ikawa, marketing director from Asahi Kasei. ‘Our participation in Sustainability Day reflects our mission to deliver sustainable innovations that align with customer needs and regulatory requirements.’

The event also featured key contributions from other partners, including Avery Dennison Thailand, Krones Thailand, Envicco and Kurz, which offered complementary insights into sustainable packaging and recycling.

The day concluded with a guided tour of CCL’s facilities, allowing attendees to witness innovations in sustainable production firsthand. The event concluded on a high note with a compelling closing speech delivered by Geoffrey Martin, chief executive officer at CCL.