• International mission to Colombia within the framework of the Green Impackt project
• Green Impackt has connected companies in the packaging sector in Europe and Colombia to promote the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions.

Green Impackt has connected packaging companies from Europe and Colombia to promote the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions.

From March 10th to 14th, the Packaging Cluster arrived in Colombia as part of the Green Impackt project, an initiative aimed at providing SMEs with access to tools and knowledge to strengthen their skills and adopt more sustainable practices in the packaging sector. Based on cooperation with European suppliers, the project has enabled the exchange of best practices and the development of strategies tailored to the challenges of the sector.

The project consortium, made up of ANDI (National Association of Entrepreneurs of Colombia), CLEAN Cluster, and Packaging Cluster, has worked to identify the sustainability needs of Colombian SMEs and facilitate their connection with European suppliers, primarily from Spain and Denmark.

During the mission, the participating entities – Trading Films, EC Convert, TAI Smart Factory, Oscillum, Leitat, AIMPLAS, Eurecat, Kleen Hub, Digi Eye, Sabbia, Circular Momentum, and WRAP – had the opportunity to delve into the context of the circular economy in Colombia and meet local companies committed to sustainability. These included Esenttia, focused on the sustainable transformation of society; Reciclene, specialized in the development of mineral-filled materials and the recovery of post-industrial waste; and Biocírculo, focused on the manufacture of HDPE packaging for cleaning applications.

Before beginning the visits, the Packaging Cluster delegation had the opportunity to meet with ACCIÓN Colombia, as well as several Catalan entrepreneurs established in Colombia, such as Daniel Fernández Acelga (Internet Security Auditors), Jordi Martínez Pujol (LIVISTO), and Josep M. Albert (EY), who shared key experiences and advice on the Colombian market, providing a strategic vision for the success of the mission.

More than 50 B2B meetings were held with local companies such as Sackprom, Ecoremi, XICLO, CIKLO, Reciclando Un Mundo Mejor, Kuiica, Volver, ASOREPCOL, and Biocirculo. These meetings served to identify synergies and new opportunities for business collaboration.

A session was also organized to co-create sustainable solutions with Colombian SMEs to address four major challenges facing the sector: Access to and quality of recycled materials; Technological and innovative solutions; Regulatory and quality standards; and Social and labor challenges.

Within the legislative framework, the European delegation learned about the implementation of regulations inspired by European regulations on packaging and packaging waste in Colombia, including Law 2232 of 2022, which prohibits certain single-use plastics, and Law 2277 of 2022, which establishes a tax on plastic placed on the market.

The mission concluded with a conclusions session where lessons learned were shared and opportunities for improvement in technological, social, cultural, and economic aspects were identified. The delegation agreed on the need to continue working together to boost the sustainability and competitiveness of the packaging sector in Colombia and encourage the incorporation of circular economy solutions.

The results of the initiative have provided an understanding of the context of the collection, separation, and recycling of plastic packaging in Colombia and the social, economic, and technological challenges it presents. Furthermore, Green Impackt has promoted direct exchanges between European companies and Colombian organizations, facilitating the joint development of innovative solutions that respond to the challenges of the sector and leverage the knowledge of both regions.

The Packaging Cluster

The Packaging Cluster is a non-profit organization founded in 2012 by several Catalan companies and currently brings together 150 active members, including companies, knowledge centers, and organizations representing the entire value chain of the packaging sector. The main objective of the entity is to help the companies that comprise it improve their competitiveness, in order to solve the challenges of the current context, promote innovation and generate new business opportunities.