Tecniprint began life in 1995 producing envelopes for the photo development industry and point-of-sale advertising material before moving into folding boxboard packaging production. Today the company is one of Ecuador’s leading producers of paperboard packaging, and one of its most successful product lines is shrimp packaging.
A booming business
In Ecuador there are close to 1,500 producers and around a quarter of a million hectares devoted to shrimp farming. The country has now overtaken India and China to become the world’s leading shrimp producer, and this growth is set to continue.
“Shrimp has overtaken bananas to become the country’s second most important export behind oil,” explains Diego Viver, CEO of Tecniprint. “There are about 50 exporting companies, and we serve over half of them with our packaging products,” he continues.
Premium seafood demands premium packaging
Metsä Board has been collaborating with Tecniprint since it launched its first shrimp packaging line in 2017. “Tecniprint was one of our first customers in the Ecuadorian market, and today they are a highly valued customer for us in the region,” explains Luisa Torres, Sales Manager at Metsä Board. “They use MetsäBoard Natural FBB with a PE coating for their shrimp boxes. This premium-quality paperboard helps to protect the produce and keep it fresh during transport and storage.”
Tecniprint turns out an astonishing four million shrimp boxes every month, and as Diego Viver points out, using top-quality material has been a priority from the start. “Our customers demand the best for their products. The packages often travel thousands of miles and need to be stored in very cold and humid conditions, often for long periods of time. Metsä Board paperboard is the ideal material because it can cope with these demands, remaining rigid and robust throughout the cold chain.”
This year Tecniprint took home first prize for one of its shrimp boxes produced using Metsä Board Natural FBB in an award ceremony organised by the Chamber of the Graphic Industry of Guayas (CICG). The box was awarded in the ‘Offset printing of folding boxes with special processes’ category. “Together with Tecniprint, we are exceptionally proud of this award as it demonstrates the benefit of choosing premium-quality, sustainably produced fresh-fibre paperboard for these kinds of demanding applications,” Luisa Torres highlights.
MetsäBoard Natural FBB with PE provides superior yield, which has helped Tecniprint lightweight its shrimp packaging without sacrificing quality. They can now produce the same amount of boxes while reducing their carbon footprint and maintaining the integrity and high quality of the finished packaging.
Demand for sustainable packaging materials on the rise
“We consider Metsä Board an important strategic ally for our business,” says Viver. “When we first opened the shrimp packaging line their experts visited us to provide support with how to handle the paperboard and with the die cutting process. We have had very few issues since we have been using MetsäBoard Natural FBB with PE, and if we do need help with something, Metsä Board are always available to support us.
He sees the demand for sustainable packaging materials like fresh-fibre paperboard increasing: “The younger generation is much more aware of the impact of their buying choices, and this is putting pressure on our customers to reduce their use of plastic. The shrimp business is booming in our country, so I am confident that our fruitful relationship with Metsä Board will continue long into the future!”