The critical relationship between steelmaker and filler has already been acknowledged by ArcelorMittal and our customers. The importance of that relationship was reinforced during a visit by Cofigeo to ArcelorMittal’s Florange (France) plant, just prior to the emergence of COVID-19 in Europe.
“When the crisis emerged, ArcelorMittal immediately realised that there would be significant demand for packaging from the food sector,” explains Stephane Tondo, CMO of ArcelorMittal Packaging. “Keeping our workers safe was key to meeting that demand. And we also took steps to limit interruptions to the supply chain.”
As a filler, Cofigeo has seen a strong increase in demand from consumers since the beginning of the pandemic. Vincent Miginiac, consumer offer director at Cofigeo, explains: “We are even attracting consumers who had an outdated vision of canned products. It has been an opportunity for them to rediscover that cans maintain the taste and nutritional properties of food, and that they are convenient, have a long shelf-life, and are 100-percent recyclable.”
Packaging of tomorrow
The purpose of Cofigeo’s visit to ArcelorMittal Florange was part of the company’s long-term vision. “Our ambition is to showcase our metal packaging and its benefits to customers,” says Vincent Miginiac. “To truly understand the positive environmental aspects of steel packaging and its role in food safety, we must understand and master the entire supply chain. That starts with the steelmaking process – a step which takes place well before canmaking.”
The visit also gave Cofigeo and ArcelorMittal an opportunity to exchange information on innovation strategies notes Vincent Miginiac: “We want to create the packaging of tomorrow with the lowest possible environmental impact. ArcelorMittal is a key partner if we are to achieve this goal as they are the leader in terms of innovation and know-how.”
Cofigeo’s motto is ‘Taste for responsible food consumption!’ and steel is the perfect material for this as Vincent Miginiac explains: “Steel preserves the taste of food and its nutritional qualities the longest. It is an ideal fit for Cofigeo as we are committed to delivering our products while preserving the planet. That means using recyclable and recycled packaging. Not only is it a permanent and infinitely recyclable material, steel has a tried-and-tested collection channel (after use) and an effective recycling rate of 82.5 percent in Europe.”
And the highlight of Cofigeo’s visit to ArcelorMittal Florange? “We were very impressed by the R&D Centre!” says Vincent Miginiac. “Both by the tools available and the human resources – there are more than 30 people fully dedicated to packaging innovation! Obviously, that is a major asset and persuades us that ArcelorMittal can be a key player in our future projects. Whether that involves developing more user-friendly packaging, or reducing the carbon footprint of our products while optimising pricing and productivity gains.”
Looking to the post-pandemic future, Vincent Miginiac is convinced that the cooperation between ArcelorMittal and Cofigeo will continue together with other partners in packaging: “Our cooperation will involve the whole sector. We will combine our individual expertise, and our knowledge of customers and end consumers. We are convinced that ArcelorMittal must take part in our development projects from the very beginning, in synergy with our canmakers.”
Copyright: Image courtesy of Cofigeo NeydtStock / shutterstock.com
Cofigeo produces ready-to-eat meals such as the famous William Saurin brand
Cofigeo produces its ready-to-eat meals at nine production sites across France
France is the main market for Cofigeo’s products