Israel-based compostable packaging producer Tipa is looking to grow its presence in what it describes as the ‘booming Italian compostable materials market’. To that end, the company has hired its first Italian sales director, who is tasked with leading its expansion into Italy, generating partnerships with players across the entire packaging supply chain to promote the transition to compostable packaging.
The new sales director, Annalisa Nissola, brings to her new role extensive experience in flexible food packaging and sustainable development, said Daphna Nissenbaum, founder and CEO of Tipa.
“TIPA is leading commercial developments and compostable solutions on a global scale, and expanding into the Italian market due to the readiness of its composting infrastructure and strategic geographic location. Annalisa brings a raft of expertise in sustainable flexible packaging that will be crucial to this expansion.”
For Tipa, Italy is a geographically strategic location with a highly developed compostable materials market where consumers value sustainable alternatives to conventional plastic.
According to figures released by Assobioplastiche, the Italian association for biodegradable and compostable materials, the volume of compostable packaging produced in Italy grew by more than 150% in just seven years, rising from 39,250 tons in 2012 to 101,000 tons in 2019. Demand continues to be strong.
“TIPA’s technology is primed to respond to this demand,” noted Annalisa Nissola.
Tipa produces high-performance compostable films and laminates that can be disposed via Italy’s existing composting infrastructure and that decompose back into the soil as organic waste. The company’s solutions are ‘plug and play’ that are suitable for existing industry machinery and manufacturing practices and easily fit into existing packaging supply chains.
“TIPA’s expansion into Italy couldn’t come at a better time,” added David Newman, managing director of the Bio-Based and Biodegradable Industries Association in the UK, and former General Secretary of Assobioplastiche Italy.
“The rest of the world can learn a lot from Italy’s attitude towards compostable materials over the last decade. There is a real opportunity to enhance the quality of food waste collections, which account for more than 40% of all recycling in Italy, and slash plastic waste contaminating food waste collections on a global scale if governments follow Italy’s lead and introduce collections and composting infrastructure at scale.”