LINDAR: Forming Sustainability in Manufacturing

At LINDAR, we believe that sustainability in manufacturing is more than just a buzzy phrase—it is the future of our industry and our planet.

We’re committed to continuously pursuing and implementing sustainable manufacturing solutions that work for our customers, their products, and the environment. Read on to learn more about our ongoing sustainability efforts.

Sustainable Materials

For LINDAR, sustainability in manufacturing starts with our choice of materials and processes. We make a conscious effort to utilize materials that are not only user-friendly and visually appealing, but also highly recyclable. PET (polyethylene terephthalate, the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family) is the material of choice for food packaging solutions and is the most frequently-recycled material in the industry. 

The LINDAR team is dedicated to meeting the needs of both our customers and their product requirements, so we are proficient in forming all PET blends: 

• APET
• REPT
• Post-consumer PET
• Bio-PET
• Compostable plant-based PLA

Our partnership with Good Natured Products empowers us to offer our clients green alternatives to petroleum-based polymers, including Good Natured Products’ proprietary blends of compostable PLA and curbside recyclable bio-PET. 

All excess plastic remaining after the forming process is ground into fine chips by a large-capacity grinder to be recycled. 

Sustainable Production Processes

When we say we’re invested in sustainable production processes, we mean it. LINDAR continues to invest in new green technologies, like energy-efficient machinery and equipment, for our thermoforming facilities. Sustainable production and recycling are literally built in to our manufacturing process: More than half of our roll-fed machines now feature integrated equipment specific to our sustainability efforts, including conveyor belts and in-line grinders. 

Our dedicated, on-site plastic recycling equipment and green production processes have helped LINDAR recycle over 4 million pounds of plastic annually. But our sustainable manufacturing solutions don’t begin and end with the “Recycle” portion of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” We are constantly reviewing our operational practices and identifying new areas of reduction, from energy consumption to waste to excess materials.

Better For Our Customers, Better For Our Planet

Is it possible to deliver products that are 100% recyclable while still meeting the client’s needs and performance requirements? LINDAR is living proof. We won the Parts Competition at the 2019 SPE Thermoforming Conference—the same year we were awarded Thermoformer of the Year—with a recyclable food packaging container made of PET. 

We were approached by a customer interested in tamper-obvious packaging to merchandise single-serve bakery items. The customer presented us with several unique challenges: They wanted to utilize production automation and automated label application, and also needed the packaging to hold the product in place even when turned upside down. The resulting award-winning design is innovative, aesthetically pleasing, exceeds every customer and food industry requirement—and just happens to be 100% recyclable. 

By choosing sustainable materials whenever possible, we do our part to contribute to a greener future without sacrificing product quality or performance. It is just one of the many ways LINDAR is working to form products that are better for our customers and better for our planet.