Unipac: High Performance Agrochemical Packaging

Usted puede encontrar la versión en español de este artículo aquí. 'Unipac: Empaque de alto rendimiento para pesticidas'

Providing varied added-value products and services, such as high performance rigid packaging, supply security, and service personalization through innovative and sustainable projects while utilizing new technologies are part of the work of the Packaging Division of Unipac, which is a Grupo Jacto business unit and market leader and is one of the most advanced and complete polymer transformation industries in Brazil, being a reference for national and international companies. 

Unipac has a fundamental role in Brazilian agribusiness and guarantees pesticide safety and integrity during transportion, from the production line to the use in the field. Through its technical competency, transparency and professionalism, it supports the development teams of its customers from the packaging conception stage to design, application and product adaptation for each filling line. The company allocates the highest quality resources to ensuring consistent mechanical structure and packaging weight, with the aim of achieving the best cost to benefit ratio. 

Unipac's packaging products utilize monolayer technology and can be used in water-based product classes. They also feature “barrier technology” suitable for use in solvent-based product classes, and are available in Coex versions (internal coating with EVOH [ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer] or Nylon), Fluorination (barrier using chemical treatment based on fluorine) and Nanocomposites (nanoparticles acting as a barrier and preventing gas permeability). 

The company's complete product portfolio includes 250ml bottles to 20-liter packaging, as well as self-sealable covers, ensuring greater security for products packaged during transportation. The company has the capacity to design complete sets, both packagings and covers, in line with Brazilian and international standards. Through its many successful products, Unipac has become a supplier for major agrochemical manufacturers in Brazil.

Circular economy

Being committed to and aligned with the concept of the circular economy, Unipac maintains several projects in different segments, within the ideas of conscious product design and utilizing more sustainable technologies and materials. 

In terms of the agrochemical packaging market, Unipac has invested in creating a portfolio that offers customers packaging options that can be recycled for different classes of pesticides, which will increase the rate of recycling within the logistics process system established by the National Institute for Processing Empty Packaging (inpEV). 

The company recently attained approval for the lightest packaging available in the Brazilian market, which is a 20-liter monolayer that is 13% lighter compared to the market reference. From the point of view of sustainability, the company has several initiatives in progress, including producing packaging with recycled resin known as postconsumer resin (RPC).

In-house: Complete customized solutions for customers

In addition to its technical capacity in packaging production, Unipac has considerable experience as an in-house supplier. Since the 1990s, the company has operated under this format, providing customized service with efficiency and competitiveness to leading companies in the Brazilian market. 

This operational model requires a long-term and integrated business vision with greater synergy and flexibility. The company's in-house operation ranges from production line to packaging supply according to a customer's needs. Among the partner industries using this business model are Syngenta (Paulínia/ SP), Sumitomo Chemical (Maracanaú/CE) and Alimentos Wilson (Regente Feijó/SP).

Agrochemical market in Brazil

Brazil's agribusiness sector has positive prospects despite the current economic slowdown, and Unipac is forecasting growth in packaging demand in the coming years, based on an increase in planted area in Brazil and higher productivity through the use of new technologies and solutions to overcoming resistance to fungicides and herbicides. 

The company will continue to focus on customers and present competitive and innovative value proposals supported by its search for operational excellence, and will constantly invest in the acquisition of lastest generation of blowers and other technologies used in the production process, to offer reliability and flexibility to customers with whom it maintains strategic alliances.

Unipac's Profile

Celebrating its 44th anniversary in 2020, Unipac is part of Grupo Jacto, which is composed of major companies operating in the sectors of agriculture, polymer application technologies (automotive, packaging and handling), transportation and logistics, cleaning and sanitation services, and medical solutions. Founded in 1948 and present in five continents, the group is 100% Brazilian and recognized worldwide for its reliability, transparency and integrity, as well as its compliance to laws, regulations and requirements agreed with employees, customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders. 

Unipac's modern research center for the advanced engineering of materials and processes, in partnership with other research centers, such as Jacto Agrícola, and in synergy between the company and its customer, has enable it to anticipate market trends, suggest innovative solutions, and utilize the best technologies in its products.

www.unipac.com.br

facebook.com/pages/category/Local-Business/Unipac-238208189556840/ 

linkedin.com/company/unipac 

instagram.com/unipac_polimeros

Sales information: 

Mauro Fernandes (Sales Director) 

mauro.fernandes@unipac.com.br 

+55 14 3405-2279

Press information: 

Public Road Communication 

Sheila Diez: 

+55 (11) 3473.0255 - 98540.7777 

sheila@viapublicacomunicacao.com.br 

Regiane Damasceno: 

+55 (11) 99527.6601 - 3562.5555 

regiane@viapublicacomunicacao.com.br 

Inês Cardoso: 

+55 (11) 3562.5555 - 99950.6687 

ines@viapublicacomunicacao.com.br 

This article was initially published in AgroPages '2020 Latin America Focus' magazine. Download it to read more articles.