Neste and Jokey, a leading international manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging, have started collaborating with a target to develop the market for rigid packaging from sustainable renewable and recycled materials for food and non-food applications.

By promoting the use of more sustainable materials in packaging, such as those produced with Neste’s hiqh-quality drop-in hydrocarbons produced from renewable and recycled raw materials, the partners wish to help other companies using such rigid plastic packaging to meet their materials-related sustainability targets. The joint aim of Neste and Jokey is to work towards a future with an increasing share of renewable and recycled materials and a plastics economy built upon solid circular value chains.

Jokey produces rigid plastic packaging, such as buckets, boxes and trays, which are up to 100 per cent recyclable. Its packaging for food and non-food goods stands for the highest level of quality, hygiene, ease of use and innovation. Neste’s product for plastics production consists of renewable and recycled components derived from biomass, such as various waste and residue oils and fats, as well as chemically recycled plastic waste. It is very well suited for high-quality rigid packaging applications. The plastics produced with Neste’s renewable and recycled feedstock are compatible with existing production and recycling infrastructures, and their quality is identical to conventional plastics  –  they can be used safely even in sensitive applications, such as in healthcare and food packaging.

Neste renewable hydrocarbons and polymers

“With the Jokey Eco Concept 2.0, we are setting ourselves a sustainable development guideline. Our packaging is already designed to meet the requirements of a circular economy. We always look forward to exploring new paths and to inspiring insights with Neste, which will make our future even more sustainable,” said Michael Schmidt, Chief Procurement Officer at Jokey.

“We see a great match between Neste’s and Jokey’s solid commitments to sustainability. We are inspired by the opportunity to support Jokey in its mission to offer their customers packaging solutions based on sustainable materials from renewable and recycled sources. We are equally delighted to join forces with Jokey to contribute to the industry’s transformation towards a circular plastics economy,” said Mercedes Alonso, Executive Vice President, Renewable Polymers and Chemicals at Neste. While aiming to deepen their collaboration, Neste and Jokey are inviting other value chain partners to join in their mission.

Neste, Covestro combine

Meanwhile, Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel refined from waste and residues, and Covestro started a strategic cooperation in Europe to promote the use of sustainable raw materials in plastics production.

Covestro, among the world’s largest polymer companies, will be supplied with material from renewable sources to replace a significant portion of the fossil raw materials used to date in the manufacture of polycarbonates. This type of a high-performance plastic is used, for example, in car headlamps, LED lights, electronic and medical devices and automotive glazing. Over the short term, the collaboration aims to replace several thousand tonnes of fossil raw materials in the production of polycarbonates with raw materials produced with Neste’s renewable hydrocarbons.

“The polymers and chemicals industries will play a major role in the circular economy and fight against climate change. That is why Neste is committed to supporting the industry forerunners like Covestro on their sustainability journey,” said Neste’s President and CEO Peter Vanacker.

“With this collaboration we are emphasising our intention to make our production more sustainable and to drive forward the change to a circular economy. Using alternative raw materials more intensively as we are doing is an important basis for this,” said Covestro’s CEO, Dr Markus Steilemann.