The core mission of the Utz Group is to develop innovative returnable packaging solutions that enable a carbon-neutral, circular economy.
With the slogan ‘rethink, reuse, recycle, create’, Utz exclusively manufactures recyclable, reusable products and is the only global returnable packaging manufacturer to be carbon neutral at all its production facilities.
Sustainability strategy
The Utz Group has been working with the myclimate foundation to develop and implement its climate strategy since 2018 and measuring its carbon footprint since 2019. The importance of sustainability for Utz has been demonstrated by the appointment of Martin Anegg as Global Sustainability Expert.
Utz follows a three-pillar model of sustainability – incorporating economic, ecological and social aspects – but also considers the cultural dimension and its responsibility towards future generations. The group’s sustainability strategy is in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the principles of the UN Global Compact and the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Performance is measured in the annual Utz sustainability report and the organisation is also preparing for group-wide participation in EcoVadis, the sustainability rating platform.
Long service life
All Utz containers are designed for long-term use in the circular economy. “Plastic has outstanding technical properties,” explains Russell Evans, General Manager for George Utz Ltd, “that make it extremely durable, giving Utz products a service life of 20 years or more. This makes returnable packaging much more sustainable than shorter-life alternatives. For example, a wooden pallet has a typical life cycle of only 7 trips and a cardboard carton just 3.”
Recyclable products
Not only do Utz products have a long life, they can also be recycled at the end of it. As Utz uses only unblended grades of plastics, the material can be recycled almost indefinitely. Retired containers and pallets are taken to one of the group’s recycling centres or recycling partners, where the material is shredded and prepared for reuse at Utz facilities. The resulting granulate – known as UIC® (Utz Industrial Compound) – has physical properties comparable to virgin material. The use of UIC® reduces the carbon footprint of an Utz product by up to 60%. Currently, many Utz products feature from 30% to 100% UIC® content, dependent on the application.
Local production
Although a global group, Utz is committed to local manufacturing, with production tools shared across its sites. “Operating 8 factories across 3 continents significantly shortens delivery routes for our products,” says Russell Evans, “thereby minimising our carbon footprint. In addition, the manufacturing processes we employ are state-of-the-art in our industry, using the latest software and equipment to reduce waste and minimise energy consumption.”
Reducing energy use
The Utz Group strives to use as little energy as possible in its production processes and is continuously optimising its energy use across the world. “For example,” says Russell Evans, “Utz is embracing the use of free heating and cooling systems. Here at our UK factory in Alfreton, heat from the production machinery is used to heat the offices, further reducing our energy demand.” Investment in the latest production machines, which are not only faster but also significantly more energy-efficient, has allowed the company to reduce energy use even further. The group also has a global investment programme of fleet modernisation and site engineering improvements to best manage its environmental impact.
Green energy
By switching to energy from renewable sources and increasing the efficiency of its operations, the Utz Group aims to eliminate its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions across all sites by 2030. All Utz facilities already use energy from roof-mounted solar panels and by 2030 Utz will manufacture exclusively with electricity from renewable sources, which is already the case in the UK.
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