Aquapak Polymers Ltd, which specialises in polymer-based material technologies that can deliver both performance and environmental responsibility at scale, has today announced the appointment of Tom Barrett as Chief Operating Officer based at the firm’s main manufacturing site in Birmingham, UK. He will be responsible for supporting the expansion of Aquapak as it develops its portfolio of products and their applications, which provide a planet-friendly alternative to conventional plastics.
Tom has a successful track record in operations having worked for multi-site businesses with international supply chains. He held the Director of Operations role at aerospace business, Sigma, for 15 years, and was at Rical Group for six years. He also has experience in the plastics sector as Operations Manager of WHS Plastics Ltd, based in Birmingham.
Commenting on Tom’s appointment, Mark Lapping, Chief Executive Officer, Aquapak, said:
“Aquapak has enjoyed rapid growth and as our product development continues, the complexity of our supply chains and the number of partners we work with will increase. Tom has a fantastic track record of managing multi-site businesses and ensuring they operate efficiently and cost-effectively. We welcome him to the team.”
Tom Barrett, Chief Operation officer at Aquapak, said: “Aquapak is an innovative business with a very exciting proposition in Hydropol™ which has been developed as an alternative to conventional plastics. I am pleased to be part of the growth journey and look forward to working with Mark and the team to help the business realise its full potential here in the UK and as it expands globally.”
HydropolTM enables product design to provide its much-needed functionality whilst increasing recycling and reducing plastic pollution. When extrusion coated onto paper, HydropolTM adds strength and barriers to oxygen, oil and grease, and its solubility allows 100% paper fibre recovery through paper recycling mills.
Notes to editors
Aquapak develops and manufactures a range of adaptive polymer-based material technologies that
deliver both performance and environmental responsibility at scale. For example, it has developed
Hydropol, an enabling technology for the circular economy, which is biodegradable, compostable
and marine-safe, and used in a range of packaging materials. Aquapak’s HQ and manufacturing
centre is in Birmingham, UK, with its main geographical markets in the US, EU and Asia.
About Hydropol TM – Accelerating the transition to the Circular Economy Hydropol™, developed and produced by Aquapak, is a highly functional, specialty environmental polymer that allows product design to support the circular economy – by enabling recycling and delivering multiple end-of-life options. It is designed to be an alternative to traditional plastics, offering their versatility and functionality but without harming the environment.
Hydropol™ is soluble, non-toxic and marine safe. Products made with Hydropol™ are safe for existing recycling processes and are fully biodegradable, leaving no trace or plastic pollution should
they enter the environment.
As an enabling technology, Hydropol™ can be used on its own or in combination with other materials to enhance recyclability, compostability and end-of-life options. Its material properties
allow for scalability into diverse types of products and its solubility makes it easy to separate from
other materials when recycling. For example, it can be extrusion coated and laminated onto paper or board giving strength and barrier properties against oxygen, oil and grease then made into alternative mailing bags, dry pet food sacks, window patch boxes and packets etc.
To dispose, consumers can simply put the packaging into their household paper waste. The Hydropol layer is formulated to ‘wash off’ (dissolve) during the paper repulping process and then either biodegrades in the waste water system or turned into clean energy if the plant has an AD system.
Who is using Hydropol?
Consumers and businesses are increasingly concerned about plastic pollution and environmental
sustainability. Packaging producers need solutions. Aquapak has partnered with a growing base of
clients in apparel, fashion, hospitality, healthcare, food packaging, logistics packaging, industrial,
nonwovens, and other packaging.
What is Hydropol made from?
The base plastic is currently used for dishwasher tablets, ingestible pill casings and soluble
stitches. Hydropol TM ‘s resistance to low temperature solubility and high barrier to elements adds
functionality, providing a wider range of uses. It can be recycled, re-pulped, composted and
is distinctively compatible with anaerobic digestion. Furthermore, if unintentionally released
into the natural environment, Hydropol TM – which is non-toxic and marine safe – will dissolve and subsequently biodegrade, leaving no trace.
What is Hydropol being used for?
Extrusion coatings and laminates for paper/board applications are commercially available and in
customer production trial stages, including a number of home delivery and ecommerce applications, packaging for dried pet food, snacks, cooked meat and convenience food applications.
Blown film products commercially available and made from Hydropol TM include garment bags, ESD bags, organic waste disposal bags and laundry bags for infection control. These can be disposed of at home by the consumer in hot water or added to the recycling where they dissolve during the recycling wash processes.
Other applications under development with customers and development partners include injection
moulded parts such as golf tees, nonwoven fibre for applications such as flushable wet wipes and
cellulose combinations for thermoformed trays.
