Pact Group’s dedication to plastic recycling, reuse, and sustainable packaging has earned it recognition as one of Australia’s most innovative companies for ten consecutive years.

Since 2013, Pact has consistently appeared on the Australian Financial Review BOSS Most Innovative Companies list. Their groundbreaking initiatives include building and operating Australasia’s largest PET plastic recycling facility, creating noise walls from recycled plastic waste, recycling old household garbage bins into new ones, introducing reusable plastic crates for supermarkets, and pivoting to produce hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pact CEO Sanjay Dayal said: “It is a remarkable achievement to be recognised as one of Australia’s most innovative companies every year for the last decade and is testament to the course we have set in plastic recycling, reuse and sustainable packaging.

“We have a vision to lead the circular economy and our people are committed to constantly exploring innovative solutions to challenge the status quo and achieve our goal.”

The prestigious annual list, published by The Australian Financial Review and Boss Magazine, is based on a rigorous assessment process managed by Australia’s leading innovation consultancy, Inventium, along with a panel of industry expert judges.

In 2022, Pact ranked 7th in the Manufacturing and Consumer Goods Category for its state-of-the-art Circular Plastics Australia (CPA) PET plastic recycling facility in Albury-Wodonga. This facility, a joint venture between Pact, Cleanaway Waste Management, Asahi Beverages, and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), was constructed in just 370 days and began operations in February 2022. It provides a closed-loop solution where beverage bottles are collected, recycled into high-quality resin, and used to make new food and beverage packaging.

Cleanaway collects, sorts, and delivers the plastic waste to the Pact-operated facility for recycling. The recycled resin is then used by Asahi and Coca-Cola to manufacture 100% recycled and recyclable beverage bottles, and by Pact to produce bottles and food packaging for brands like Woolworths, Goodman Fielder, Ego, Norco, and Unilever.

“Brand owners and consumers alike are demanding packaging that is recycled and recyclable and we have collaborated with industry partners to create a domestic circular economy and respond to those needs,” Mr Dayal said.

“The world-class PET recycling facility ensures we are taking responsibility for our plastic waste, reducing the need to import virgin plastic resin and minimising harm to the environment for future generations.”

The CPA joint venture is also building a second PET recycling facility in Melbourne, expected to be completed in early 2023 and operational in the first half of the year.

Last year, Pact was recognized for its innovative plastic noise walls, made from up to 75% recycled plastic. These noise walls have transformed approximately 570 tonnes of plastic milk bottles, soft plastics, and other hard-to-recycle materials into panels spanning 32,000 square meters along the Mordialloc Freeway.

“Pact has a laser-like focus on innovating to develop products and services that are sustainable and contribute to advancing Australia’s circular economy,” Mr Dayal said.