Thursday, March 30, 2023, 03:19
In an increasingly competitive business environment, reaching a quarter of a century is a success that should be commemorated. Celebrating its 25 years is precisely what Walki Plasbel is doing, a Murcian company dedicated to the production of sustainable ‘packaging’, recycled and compostable bags that has managed to anticipate future trends and has taken measures to diversify its portfolio and adapt to a future more sustainable. With the union in 2021 of Walki, a multinational of Finnish origin, it reinforces its commitment to a future with zero waste.
The history of Plasbel begins in 1998, when the Murcian entrepreneur Francisco Beltrán opted to improve the offer of bag solutions in the market. Since its inception, Francisco Beltrán had a very clear vision in the market: offer a quality product, respect the environment and be committed to all the company’s employees. “At that time, single-use plastic bags were the most sustainable solution. Of course, today we see it differently, but then it was an interesting product that became a booming business”, explains the secretary of the company’s Board of Directors and son of the founder, Antonio Beltrán.
The new knowledge about other materials and the evolution of the sector led to a change in Plasbel, which since its foundation has opted to diversify its products and prescribe the most sustainable solutions for its customers. For this, the company is committed to constant investment and innovation in its production facilities in Alcantarilla. In the 2017-2022 period, its investments reached 25 million euros, which has allowed its plant to be at the forefront of productive technology at a national and international level. All this has generated a catalog of products based on three pillars: the belief in the circular economy, the promotion that packaging should help prolong the useful life of perishable foods and the obligation to always prescribe the most sustainable materials based on the end use. For this reason, right now they have five types of items: reusable products for retailers and supermarkets (handle bags, raffia bags, and mesh bags for fruits and vegetables); with a high recycled content (garbage bags, handles and Lamibel Recycled, designed for automatic packaging); compostables (commercial bags and fruit and vegetable bags); special films aimed at the main packers in the country, and flexible paper-based solutions, which is the latest launch of the firm.
From the ‘Dream team’ to the ‘Green team’
In 2021 Plasbel found an essential partner to maintain the level of quality and environmental requirements that laid the foundations of its activity. The Murcian company and Walki merged to promote a business model based on the circular economy and zero waste. The general director of Walki Plasbel, Juan Pedro Hernández, highlights the way in which these companies “complement each other perfectly”. “Although fiber-based solutions are important for a sustainable future, the use of well-designed plastic material for subsequent recycling will continue to be essential,” he indicates, while noting that both companies “put the customer at the center of their agendas , as well as the safety and well-being of its employees. At Plasbel, the belief in the satisfaction of all our customers, employees, suppliers, society and property, in that order, is a maxim », he underlines.
sustainable solutions
With its actions, Walki Plasbel not only aligns its products towards sustainability, but also tries to drive a change in the whole industry to achieve a future without waste in its operations and thus motivate a circular economy. In this regard, the company is proud that its efforts have yielded positive results. In 2021, 24,646 tons of recycled materials were used, an increase of 37% compared to the previous year.
This effort has been possible thanks to new technologies and processes to reduce the environmental impact of its activities. Among the main advances, Lamibel®MDO stands out, a sheet made of PE designed to promote the use of a single material in packaging that “we can make the most of, use and then recycle in the manufacture of other products”, explains the director of purchasing and R&D, Diego Mendoza. When monomaterials are used in packaging, easy recycling is guaranteed, which is a fundamental pillar of the circular economy.
Human capital
All these advances would not have been possible without the human team that the company has. “We are proud to have a team of highly trained and motivated professionals who share our vision of quality and excellence in everything we do”, highlights the director of Human Resources, Cristina Saura, while the founder of the company, Francisco Beltrán, He classifies as “a pride” to have since the beginning of Walki Plasbel “the constant support of all those who have been by our side along the way. The merit that I have had has been the whole of my employees, faithful and sacrificed », he concludes.
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