Welcome to our series aimed at spotlighting the NLCRC members and partners.
Discover how these companies are addressing pressing challenges around environmental sustainability issues, such as energy, greenhouse gas emission reduction, packaging, product recyclability, and what inspires each of them to include lubricant packaging recovery and recycling into their ESG objectives and how they hope to make an impact in the lubricant value chain.
Company Name: CKS Packaging, Inc.
Connect with CKS Packaging on LinkedIn
CKS Packaging is a privately owned and operated manufacturer and supplier of rigid plastic packaging, headquartered in Atlanta, GA., with twenty-seven (27) manufacturing locations in the United States, As the seventh largest rigid packaging blow molder in North America, and with over 50 years of experience in the plastics manufacturing business, CKS Packaging possesses a unique set of capabilities that have made the company an industry leader for innovative and cost-effective solutions for its customers. Learn more about CKS Packaging’s sustainability initiatives.
What are your long-term sustainability goals, and how do they relate to lubricant packaging?
Our sustainability goals begin with the recognition of the responsibility for businesses in our industry to minimize the impact we have on the environment. We measure and manage our carbon footprint using an enterprise-wide system that captures GHG’s at each location. Scope-1 and Scope-2 energy sources are the focus on continuous improvements which enable meeting our customers’ needs with a reduced impact on emissions. To minimize waste, we capture and recycle resins and other materials generated at our facilities. Recycled plastics (PCR) are used in the manufacture of our products, with content ratios ranging from 15 to 100 percent. At CKS, we are committed to managing toward to lowest feasible environmental impact.
CKS Packaging is continuing to pursue innovative approaches to packaging and educating ourselves on actionable ways to further sustainability. This includes reducing waste in landfills and exploring the use of renewable sources to deliver more environmentally friendly packaging. Our sustainability strategies to reduce our carbon footprint include:
Container light-weighting results in significant reduction in virgin resin usage.
Utilization of Post-Consumer Resins (PCR) in the manufacturing process.
On-site operations - eliminate OTR transports and associated fuel emissions.
Investments in newer generation machinery, process support equipment, and facility lighting resulting in improved conversion efficiency.
Recycling programs in place for all major materials.
We view our membership with the NLCRC as a continuation of our commitment to sustainability. “Our membership in the NLCRC plays an integral part in our commitment to provide solutions that meet the expectations of our customers for products and services that are delivered with continuously improving sustainability.” - Mike Bonsignore, Chief Sustainability Officer
How does your NLCRC membership help your company to meet your sustainability goals and commitments?
As mentioned, our sustainability goals begin with the recognition of the responsibility for businesses in our industry to minimize the impact we have on the environment. With that, we’ve witnessed a steady increase in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and sustainability pressures on businesses from stakeholders. We recognize that consumers are demanding high standards of sustainability from businesses. The coalition supports the achievement of measurable, positive impacts on environmental and social drivers for packaging waste prevention.
Our NLCRC Membership provides us with strategic visibility to developments that affect our business in the lube and auto space.
What do you value most about the collaborative nature and your membership with NLCRC?"
The business landscape is changing with an increasing demand for recycled content (PCR) by brand owners and producers. Additionally, there is new legislation on the horizon, namely Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation as it relates to packaging. Working together as an industry through collaboration is crucial to face the changing legislation horizon in the U.S. and to unite under a unified approach to collaborate and build a path forward to bring the change needed for the recycling of petroleum packaging.
Ultimately, the value we see in the NLCRC is the ability to connect with other professionals who have similar ESG goals and work together toward making a measurable difference.
About NLCRC
The National Lubricant Container Recycling Coalition or “NLCRC” is an industry-led technical coalition established by a committed group of industry leaders in lubricant and associated plastic packaging manufacturing, focused on establishing solutions for post-consumer recovery and recycling of plastic lubricant containers.
NLCRC members include Berry Global, Castrol, Chevron, CKS Packaging Inc., Graham Packaging, Nexus Circular, Pennzoil - Quaker State Company, Petroleum Packaging Council, Plastipak Packaging, Safety-Kleen, and Valvoline.
For more information, visit https://www.nationallcrc.com or connect with NLCRC on LinkedIn and Twitter.