Tube L'Oréal "Wonder Water"

L’Oréal combines beauty and responsibility

L’Oréal Paris is launching the “Wonder Water” format, a new hair coloring product. Developed in partnership with SOMATER, via its subsidiary Plastuni, this 100% recycled PET bottle has a 25% weight reduction compared to market standards.

This new eco-responsible packaging is part of the “L’Oréal for the future – ambition 2030” agenda, in favor of the circular economy, with a dual objective:

  • make 100% of packaging recyclable and recycled ;
  • reduce the weight of packaging by at least 20%.

SOMATER, thanks to the support of its Development and Operations team, plays a key role in supporting its customers in their eco-design initiatives, by providing them with solutions that combine environmental responsibility and industrial performance.

Seduced by “Wonder Water”? Find out more about it thanks to the influencer NikkisSecretx on TikTok 😉

New line dedicated to the manufacture of tubes

Performance and respect for the environment

SOMATER inaugurated in 2020 a new line dedicated to the manufacture of tubes for effervescent tablets. ISO 15378 certified, it offers high throughput. It incorporates polymer injection, offset printing of rigid tubes, bagging, cardboard packaging and palletization.

The new line allows us to:

  • Multiply the production yield by two,
  • Divide energy consumption by two,
  • Automate packaging and palletizing operations,
  • Dedicate our teams to quality control.

350 million printed tubes were thus produced in 2020, responding in particular to the additional needs linked to the COVID crisis. By improving the efficiency of our production processes, we are pursuing several objectives: reducing our carbon footprint, increasing the performance of the company and ensuring the satisfaction of our customers.

Recyclass certificate for our new PBL tubes

Recyclass certificate for our new PBL tubes

We are particularly pleased to announce that our new D4R laminated tubes have just obtained the European Recyclass certification. This certifies, according to current market conditions and knowledge, that the entire pack constituting this new product (skirt, collar and cap) is fully compatible with the existing European industrial recycling processes for HDPE containers.

Developed in our PLASTUNI LISSES factory in an eco-design approach in partnership with our supplier HUHTAMAKI, these new tubes demonstrate innovative characteristics: even smaller thickness of 220 microns and use of HDPE for the skirt, the collar and the cap.

The result is a further reduction in weight compared to other PBL tubes as well as an increase in the degree of recyclability, which allows this tube to be able to join the current recycling channels for HDPE bottles.

This achievement represents another proof of our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint as well as further progress towards the circular economy. Next step: integration of PCR (Post Consumer Recycled) with certification for food use, in a lightweight laminate.

To be continued !

Somater EcoVadis Silver

SOMATER awarded by EcoVadis

For the third year in a row, SOMATER has obtained the “Silver” rating from EcoVadis, a benchmark organization for CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) performance. The score of 59 points is a continuation of SOMATER’s efforts to meet environmental and social requirements.

We are particularly proud to be once again among the top 16% of companies in these areas. We thank all our employees without whom this result would not be possible.

In its synthesis, EcoVadis highlight notably the following strengths:

  • Environmental policy on certain issues related to water, materials, chemicals, waste and the end of product life
  • Measures put in place to offset GHG emissions (e.g. purchase of verified carbon credits)
  • Eco-design measures to make products lighter
  • Products designed for easy recycling
  • Responsible purchasing policy on both environmental and social practices of suppliers

You can find more information about EcoVadis and its evaluation methodology at the following address: www.ecovadis.com.

SOMATER's D4R tubes noticed by ETMA

SOMATER’s D4R tubes noticed by ETMA

We are happy to share an article which has just appeared in the latest edition of “Tubes & Trends”, the online magazine of ETMA (European Tube Manufacturers Association). This refers to our commitment to sustainable development with the highlighting of our D4R (Design For Recycling) tubes. These new single-material PBL tubes available in 3 versions (all PP, all PE and PE Green) have been developed by SOMATER in cooperation with the entire industry (raw material suppliers, cosmetic and pharmaceutical brands, recyclers). They present as key factors weight reduction and recyclability. More details in the article.

Technologie Zero cooling

New Zero Cooling technology at SOMATER

The SOMATER group is always striving to do more in the fields of eco-design and sustainable development. The approaches in this area are found even in the manufacturing process with the acquisition of a new technology called “Zero Cooling” and developed by our partner Nissei ASB. This technique used in the production of ISBM bottles is characterized by a shift of the preform cooling step from the first station (injection molding station) to the second station (packaging station). This change allows the use of smaller, thicker preforms with higher draw ratios as well as better material distribution.

The associated benefits are as follows:

  • lower energy consumption
  • reduction in raw material (up to 10% less weight)
  • better resistance to vertical compression

By offering our customers solutions that meet the current challenges of eco-design and reduction of the carbon footprint, we are pleased to be able to support them in their responsible and sustainable growth strategy.

Best Manufacturing Practice

SOMATER, compliant with good hygiene and manufacturing practices

The continuous efforts undertaken by the SOMATER group in the implementation of good hygiene and manufacturing practices in its factories have been rewarded with several certifications:

  • ISO 15378 in 2019 for health-related industries
  • BRCGS and FSSC 22000 in 2020 for food industries

Compliance with quality, safety and efficiency criteria throughout all levels of manufacturing processes helps control the risks of contamination and thus guarantees the delivery of safe and compliant packaging for drugs and food. As a recognized player in the market of packaging solutions, we pride ourselves on complying with the most demanding standards of the industry. This reflects the group’s strong commitment to control processes in order to meet our customers’ requirements, guarantee the integrity of their products and thus ensure the protection of the end consumer.

Plastuni Normandie has been awarded the MORE 2019 label

The Plastuni Normandie site, a member of the SOMATER group, has just obtained the MORE 2019 label. This distinction comes as further proof of the group’s desire to enhance its CSR policy and highlight its innovations linked to the circular economy. Developed by the “Fédération de la Plasturgie et des Composites”, this brand new label rewards manufacturers who use recycled polymers in their manufacturing process. It is allocated each year on the basis of declarations of the volumes of recycled raw materials consumed over the previous year. You can find more information on the MORE label here. We are very pleased with this new recognition which salutes our commitments to develop eco-design and reduce the environmental footprint related to the production of our products. Of course, we want to make our approach sustainable and keep this label for the years to come, but also to ensure that it is awarded to other group entities.

Carbon Disclosure Project, SOMATER obtains a “C” rating

The latest Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) report for 2019 assigned SOMATER a rating of “C”. Only 21% of companies in the “light manufacturing” category achieve the same score. This result encourages us to pursue our commitment to sustainable development in a spirit of transparency, sincerity and continuous improvement.

The CDP is an independent non-profit organization based in the United Kingdom. Since 2002, it has been helping businesses and cities to declare the environmental impact of their activities with the aim of transparency and reducing their ecological footprint. The evaluation of the data is carried out according to the own methodology developed by the CDP. More than 8,000 organizations around the world actively participate in this process. The CDP thus offers a valuable analytical tool to decision-makers in the supply chain. For more information on this organization, visit their website.

Information Covid-19

COVID-19 information

In the context of the coronavirus pandemic that has affected us for several weeks, SOMATER had to adapt and reorganize to cope with this unprecedented situation.

Despite reduced production capacities, we ensure business continuity while respecting health regulations in order to guarantee the protection of our employees at all sites.

We are actively involved in the production of bottles for hydro-alcoholic gels (as illustrated in the photo above) and in the manufacture of packaging for medicines (paracetamol and vitamins in particular).

SOMATER remains engaged and attentive in order to best respond to your requests in these unusual circumstances.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

The SOMATER team