40 Years – 40 People
Richard, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“Steel is such a remarkable material, already circular before we even started using the word; it is never a waste, always a resource, because it can be recycled endlessly.”
Viliam, is there something that continues to inspire you about steel packaging?
“There are some elegant engineering aspects – modern steel packaging uses remarkably thin gauges while still protecting contents from crushing, punctures, light, and oxygen.”
Clarissa, is there something that continues to inspire you about steel packaging?
“To me, the can remains a truly fascinating product. Invented in 1810, it continues to evolve even more than 200 years after its invention, making it an enduringly innovative product. My kitchen cupboard is always stocked with cans of corn, tomatoes, and peas.”
Dennis, is there something that continues to inspire you about steel packaging?
“What inspires me most about steel packaging is its unique ability to combine beauty, strength, and sustainability. From premium biscuit tins to luxury fragrance packaging, steel packaging creates products that consumers keep and cherish.
Few packaging materials can be both visually stunning and incredibly durable, while also being endlessly recyclable. That’s a truly remarkable combination.”
Danilo, what item of steel packaging is at the front of your cupboard?
“As a true Italian from the south, I always make sure I have tins of peeled tomatoes, pulses and oil at the front of my cupboard. I love this type of packaging because it preserves the products’ properties over time, enabling me to enjoy the flavours of my homeland”.
Joris, what is the greatest myth about steel packaging that the industry needs to debunk?
“The idea that sustainability is about novelty rather than durability. Steel packaging shows that longevity and circularity often matter more than innovation for innovation’s sake.”
Hugo, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“The endless recyclability of the product, especially in today’s world with strong environmental relevance steel and especially in comparison to aluminum, which requires much more energy for conversion ands lacks the endlessness in the cradle-to-cradle chain.”
Christian, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“When considering the many inspiring attributes of steel for packaging, the first that comes to mind is that steel is not only recyclable, but actually recycled. Steel is recycled because it is a valuable raw material for which there is genuine demand. This economic value is the reason why steel achieves significantly higher recycling rates than other materials, which are often collected merely to avoid landfill, without a real economic incentive for recycling. For this reason, steel packaging represents the best solution for protecting our planet.”
Stephane, what item of steel packaging is at the front of your cupboard?
“My tin of Pastiglie Leone mints — a small object that brings back memories of my time in steel for packaging and my years living in Italy.”
Luc, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“What inspires me about steel packaging is its versatility – spanning countless food and non-food applications while outperforming other materials in its range of uses.”
Michal, what is the greatest myth about steel packaging that the industry needs to debunk?
“The greatest myth is that steel generally, and steel packaging in particular, somehow belong to the past – especially now, when innovation is associated with AI, biotech or robotics. But in circularity terms, steel packaging is one of the most future-proof materials, combining historical industrial tradition with a very modern circular economy story.”
Peter, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“What still inspires me about steel packaging is its true circularity, its exceptional durability, and the continuous stream of exciting innovations that keep pushing the material forward.”
Simon, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“Simplicity, effectiveness, and flexibility. Its ubiquitous presence across all sorts of goods, from affordable packaging solutions for food, to wow-factor designs for high-end products.”
Alexandra, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“What inspires me about steel packaging is the extraordinary human ingenuity behind it. Think about how a can is made: raw materials transformed at immense temperatures, refined, rolled into a thin sheet, coated and shaped into a can we hold in one hand. A steel can is such an everyday object, but each one contains centuries of scientific knowledge and industrial craftsmanship.”
Philippe, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“Its very high recycling rate with 82% today, and that will continue to grow because end of life steel packaging has a value due to its ease of recycling. Its magnetic property is “Magic” to recover it and a simple melt is enough to produce new liquid steel.
Nicole, what is the greatest myth about steel packaging that the industry needs to debunk?
“For me, the greatest myth about steel packaging is that canned foods contain fewer vitamins than fresh, prepared foods. Studies – including those by Tentamus Chelab – clearly show that canned foods can contain higher vitamin levels than fresh, prepared ones — and this is especially true for tomatoes.”
Norbert, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?”
Firstly, it’s the haptic, to have steel packaging in one’s hand steel packaging simply feels good. Secondly, it’s the product protection it provides for a long time.
Canned goods, which have the advantage of being quick to prepare, for example, when you return late from a trip and want to grab a quick bite.”
Tony, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“It is iconic, if you say Heinz beans, or Campbell’s meatballs or corned beef everyone can immediately visualise the can. Secondly it is recyclable so simply so much goes into my metal recycling and so simply the magnet was a great invention.”
Dr Biele, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“Steel for packaging delivers the optimal balance between protection, sustainability and aesthetic potential”
Catherine, what is the greatest myth about steel packaging that the industry needs to debunk?
“That steel packaging is heavy, old fashioned.
Steel’s circularity clearly makes it a material for the future.”
Steve, what item of steel packaging is at the back of your cupboard?
“A can of premium olive oil. It highlights steel’s enduring value. Even if it sits on the shelf for years, the material does not degrade. When finally emptied, it will enter a robust, established recycling system. It will undergo real recycling, ensuring its raw elements are recovered completely and reused over and over without loss of material quality.”
Alexander, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“Steel is sometimes perceived as a basic and modest packaging material. However, steel packaging is more than that. Steel packaging is a highly sophisticated and modern material. It a permanent material -endlessly recyclable, which makes is the perfect material for the future.”
Alexis, what item of steel packaging is at the front of your cupboard?
“Double tomato concentrate – it is indispensable for Italian cuisine.
There is only one packaging that can offer a safe, compact packaging for this product: steel for packaging. My all-time favourite.”
Clare, what item of steel packaging is at the front of your cupboard?
“A very nice biscuit tin I brought back with me from my recent meetings in Tokyo, alongside Lyle’s Golden Syrup – a classic (for Brits anyway 😉)”
Jörg, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“I am inspired by the global nature of the metal packaging industry, supported by the permanence of our material, returning to our factories again and again, to be shaped by precise high-speed techniques into a most modern packaging format.”
Edward, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“I think steel packaging stands out because of its unique combination of versatility, high-strength as well as formability, long-term product protection, and endless recyclability without loss of quality.
And although applied for already more than 200 years, we can still find ways to push the limits by making it even stronger, better formable, more efficient, as well as more sustainable in every way!”
Andreas, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“It’s safe and sustainable – put simply: it’s groovy.”
Michel, what is the greatest myth about steel packaging that the industry needs to debunk?
“That steel is an old-fashioned material for old-fashioned brands, when in fact it’s the perfect packaging to help create a more sustainable food and beverage industry. I’d love to see more far-sighted and premium brands making an enlightened choice in favour of steel for their packaging.”
Evelyne, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“What continues to inspire me is the simple idea behind the message I still see on my cans: “metal recycles forever.” It’s a reminder that steel packaging can be reused again and again without losing quality.”
Jean-Pierre, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“I still love the nice lithography, printing and embossing on decorative cans and speciality packaging”
What item of steel packaging is at the front of your cupboard, Anne?
“Always a handy tin of olives, ready for an apéritif or for dinner time.”
Nicole, is there something that still inspires you about steel packaging?
“We work in a very industrialised setting but we are all consumers of steel packaging without even thinking about it. We touch & feel steel 100’s of times a day and we sometimes take for granted the vital role that steel plays in getting food to our home in a safe manner.”
