Close collaboration, innovative solutions and far-reaching protective measures are all making it possible for Novamont Group to remain open and fully operational, the company reports. All sites are open and running, both in Italy and abroad, as the activities of the bioplastics manufacturer have been classified as essential under the March 22 decree of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
Novamont is continuing to support its clients and partners as far as possible. Remaining open, however, has demanded adopting unprecedented safeguards and measures, the company said.
“We had to rethink our system and organization quickly and give absolute priority to the health and safety of our people, aligning as much as possible their needs with those of our production,” the Group said in a statement yesterday.
To that end, the group is strictly adhering to the guidance provided by the authorities, regarding hygiene and safety measures. This includes limiting all contact with others internally and externally and reducing the number of employees on location. All non-essential activities have been suspended.
“We are following strict sanitisation protocols in all areas, including production, packaging and shipping,” the company stressed.
However, there is a ‘renewed sense of solidarity and awareness that no one can get out of this emergency alone’. “That’s a great strength that we believe characterises us not only as a company but also as an entire value chain,” says the Group.
Meanwhile, the company has also launched a new Mater-Bi grade extrusion coating and extrusion lamination on paper, board and other substrates. Industrially compostable in accordance with the UNI EN 13432 standard, it can be used to produce disposable products such as cups, dishes for catering and thin board for food use, thus solving problems associated with limited availability of some raw materials. Novamont says the new grade, which is market ready, offers an ‘appreciable improvement’ in process stability, coating thicknesses and a processing speed comparable with LDPE, in addition to excellent adhesion to different substrates. The coating is food-contact approved, is suitable for microwave use and provides excellent resistance to oils and fats.