APPE (Wrexham / UK; www.appepackaging.com), the packaging division of La Seda de Barcelona (Barcelona / Spain; www.laseda.es) has formed a strategic partnership with Nissei ASB (Europe, Düsseldorf / Germany; www.nisseiasb.co.jp/en), the European subsidiary of Nissei ASB Machine (Nagano / Japan). The collaboration has been established to develop and supply hot fill and pasteurisable wide mouth plastic jars for the food market in Europe and Turkey.

Through the agreement, the two companies will work together to develop Nissei’s double blow wide neck system, with APPE taking delivery of the first two systems in Europe during 2012. APPE is currently developing the technology and expects the first market introductions to launch later in 2012.

The partnership will aim to develop the capability to produce plastic jars and bottles to meet the needs of products including sauces, tomato based foods, jams, pickles and vegetables. Its focus is to develop high performance packaging solutions that offer light weight, safety and improved environmental impacts compared to existing formats.

Mike Hanratty, business development director of APPE/LSB, said: “We are confident that the long-standing partnership between Nissei ASB and ourselves will enable this exciting technology to be developed to meet food customers’ requirements and provide consumers with safer and more sustainable packaging.”