Sustainability: JBS recyclable can factory starts production

The plant, located in the São Paulo hinterland, received investments exceeding R$ 80 million

JBS has just inaugurated a can factory at Guaiçara, in the São Paulo hinterland. The production process of plant, which received an investment exceeding R$ 80 million, is pervaded its entirety by sustainability. All energy feeding the production lines that manufacture metal packaging for aerosols, both steel (tin plate) and aluminum, is provided by Biolins, the JBS electricity production unit that uses 100% of raw materials from renewable sources, such as sugarcane bagasse and wood chips from reforesting.

Also, the entire tin plate packaging production cycle follows the system of reverse logistics and 100% of the material discarded in the production process is shipped to JBS Ambiental, which re-introduces it into the sector through steel mills. This ensures that unutilized tin plate is recycled within the chain itself.

Zempack, the flagship division of the JBS metal packaging business, is also signatory to the Packaging Sector Agreement and the Prolata Program – an initiative by the Brazilian Association of Steel-based Packaging (Abeaço), which operates in the country’s five regions. Prolata, which the Company has supported since 2012, and was involved with at the outset, operates on three fronts: centers that take delivery of huge volumes, cooperatives of recyclable materials collectors – for social inclusion – and voluntary delivery points for end consumers. Today, there are more than 50 associated cooperatives operating throughout Brazil and, by the end of last year over 31,000 tons of steel had already been recycled.

Where food is concerned, metal packaging has the benefit of preserving the product’s natural properties, protecting the food for more than two years in adverse conditions of climate, transport and handling. It is also worth drawing attention to the fact that all packaging produced by the Company is 100% recyclable, as well as being light and resistant and of high quality and strength.

With the inauguration of the unit, Zempack is expanding its annual aerosol production capacity to over 220 million cans, also intended for the cosmetics and deodorant markets. “The new plant at Guaiçara marks the beginning of our operations in the aluminum can segment. Besides expanding our production capacity and strengthening our position as one of the industry’s key players, we can certainly say that we will have one of Brazil’s most modern plants”, says Marcelo Jorcovix, executive officer of Zempack.