15 ERIK KAAG, SALES MANAGER REFUSE BAGS, TRIOPLAST NYBORG “Actually, I had no idea about what to do, but I was so certain that we could solve it, so I took on the task,” says Erik Kaag, Sales Director of Refuse Bags at Trioplast in Denmark.   And, of course, Trioplast solved the challenge. Using accu- mulated expertise, knowledge and experience, plus a large measure of determination, an innovative product began to take shape and all of INFINITUM’s requirements were ful- filled. The product was called, naturally enough, StandAlone – a sack that stands firmly on the ground because of its welded bottom and its vertical welded edging. In addition, it can be sealed easily so that any liquid left in the deposit cans and PET bottles will not leak out. With its smart lifting handle, it is easy to move around, simple to stack and also takes up less space than the sacks and cartons used previously. This does a lot to minimize the number of trips involved in transportation.   “In general, the StandAlone sack can completely adapt to the space available and leaves no space unused. It’s important to fill up as much of the truck’s capacity as possible to reduce the number of trips required for transportation and thus de- crease CO2 emissions,” says Erik. “We are satisfied when the customer is satisfied” However, product development did not finish in 2012, as since 2014 Trioplast has fitted every sack that leaves production with a unique bar code and RFID. This was a requirement from ­ INFINITUM, which wanted full traceability for sacks through- out the system – a safe and more administration-friendly way to ­ ensure the deposit ends up at the right shop.   “It was a customer request, so we solved it. At Trioplast, we are not satisfied until the customer is satisfied”, says Erik. Old sacks become new sacks Consideration for the environment was another important parameter throughout the innovation process that produced Stand­ Alone. It was self-evident that the product would be re- cyclable and be a part of a closed cycle in production terms,” states Erik.   “The sack for half-pallets is 100% made out of recycled ma- terial. For us, it has been important to think from an environmen- tal perspective throughout the chain,” he says.   The EU has set high requirements for increased recycling, not least concerning plastic, which is to be recycled and not end up littering the land or sea.   “Scotland, England and Spain are in the process of building up a deposit system and our customer INFINITUM is the recycling company with the highest percentage of recycled material. This has a positive ripple effect for our common environment and it feels good that Trioplast can be a part of that,” says Erik Kaag. It all started with a collaboration between the recycling indus- try and a company called INFINITUM. The company, which among other things handles the recycling of deposit cans and PET bottles, had a problem at the time with paper cartons that were both unstable and leaky. The company wanted a sack that could stand up, even when it was full of deposit cans, and their hopes were pinned on Trioplast. The year was 2012. FACTS: STANDALONE THE PRODUCT • Leak-proof and smart seal • Strong quality • Available in two sizes – for half-pallet and pallet (can also be produced in other sizes on request) • Flexible and easy to handle • Strong and stable • Option to print on the sack FOR THE ENVIRONMENT • Made of 100% recycled material • Reduces the number of trips in transportation by filling the truck’s entire capacity