Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors presented by Atlantic Packaging
Join industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers as we explore the future of packaging through the lens of sustainability. Hosted by Cory Connors, an industry expert with over 25 years of experience, and presented by Atlantic Packaging, the leader in innovative sustainable solutions, we dive into what’s working (and what’s not) from cutting-edge materials to circular design strategies that can reduce waste and protect our planet.
Each episode blends real data, expert insights, and a dose of fun to help you stay informed and inspired. Whether you're in the packaging industry or simply passionate about sustainability, this podcast is your weekly go-to resource for making smarter, greener choices.
I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.
This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.
Cory Connors:
Welcome to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors . Today's guest is Mr. Georges Bouille , the CEO of Adwatis , and we are live from Paris Packaging Week. Thank you for joining me, sir. I appreciate it. Thank you
Georges Bouille:
so much. Happy to be here. Yes.
Cory Connors:
We're, we're honored to be a part of this event and this show, and thrilled to be interviewing you. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and, and your company?
Georges Bouille:
Yeah. My name is Georges Bouille, so I am basically I was involved in the aerosol field over the last 30 years. I was the co-founder of EP spray company, promoting the bag valve using air as a prop, propellant. It was really new back to the nineties, and then the company was sold to Aptar. I used to be a consumer president for innovation. And then I set up a company about six, seven years ago, Ava which primary mission is not only to come with new packaging, but with have new content, ah, more sustainable content using basically based on water technology, right? Ionize, mineralized water with unique properties. We need to combine the words, right, the active itself, the content. Yeah. And the packaging towards a new goal, the
Cory Connors:
new mission. Right. And like you said, sustainability is such a key to all of what we're doing here. And long term, it's the most important thing we're doing. Can you tell us a little bit about what your company's doing to improve the sustainability of your
Georges Bouille:
packaging? Hello? I am in the meantime. Consultant for Lin Lindell is one major. Iol valves, Anders suppliers worldwide. We are focusing on sustainable solution today, of course. Refill is important today. PCR material, recycled material, bio source. So there is a panel, white panel of solution. In the meantime my company Adwatis . We are also, as I said, focusing on the content itself, on the active ingredients basically to bring, as I said, the best solution ever in terms of packaging and formula. Mm-hmm. formula is key . Yes. Usually we speak always about packaging, but formula talking in terms of sustainability. Right. Less chemical.
Cory Connors:
Great points. Yeah. Very important to remember the sustainability of the ingredients as well. Not just the packaging. Right. Even
Georges Bouille:
the ink, you know? Right. We speak always packaging, but the ink today we speak more and more about ink. Yes. And the effect on ink on the environment. Yes. Just to say that it's a global approach. There is no matrix solution. Definitely not , but I think this kind of platform is easy. Fair. This is a place where people meet, speak, exchange. And this is the best way to, to, to progress at the end. Yes.
Cory Connors:
I've been amazed by the team at EZ Fairs Josh Brooks, mark Christelle , the, the team is incredible. They're spot on with all the details. I got here about eight 30 to, to make sure we're all set up and they were here. Hey, do you need anything? Just an amazing experience to be at Paris Packaging Week, and I wanted to speak a little bit about you being a judge here. Can you, can you talk about that as I
Georges Bouille:
had a jury, right? Yeah. The Julie, yep. Yeah, the jury . During meeting is with a team of about 15 people and we assess innovation within the aerosol industry and the dispensing industry. That's why adf, uhhuh and dispensing. Yes. So we see that it's not only about aerosol but the dispensing. So meaning we review numbers of solution innovation. Mostly of course it's a condition being marketized on the market. Right. And we also judge about different platform. And this brings tons of ideas, new concept, innovation , and basically product on the market. So it's realty. It's not something just virtual,
Cory Connors:
right? It's an amazing time in the world of packaging, people are taking big steps and big chances. Are you, are you seeing anything that you are really excited about for the.
Georges Bouille:
You see the future is based on what we think, what we do. Yeah. How we what kind of beliefs or values. Yeah. Packaging industry, I mean, it's a, it's a major one. We know and, and use a lot of plastic. So by the way, plastic and sustainability, we see that we need to. Reuse. Yes, we need to reduce, yes, but we need to rethink and the future is about based on our thoughts. So we need to rethink the future. Yes. By rethink the future, it goes through education. The way the child, the way the new generation acts, the way they understand, the way we live the lifestyles. Right? So I think we need to integrate a lot of different data to make sure that we give the right product to the right consumer. Yeah. We have a survey, for example, recent survey based on about 80,000 people, consumers. The question was how do you think about recyclability? Yep. And biodegradability. Mm-hmm. Because it's always a question. Yes. Should we go to recyclability of Biodegradability? Right. And it was very interesting to see that about 52% of the interview says they would go for recyclability. Mm-hmm. and 48% for Biodegradability . Wow. Sustaining that. The surprise questioning in some cases, some confusion. Yeah. Because Bio Sun's very good. Right. But we know it's, yes. The only Biodegradability a hundred percent to recyclability.
Cory Connors:
That's a very, very good point. It's so confusing to the consumer and a lot of what we talk about on this show is education and not just education for the packaging industry, but education for the, the person that's gonna buy your product. What do they do with it? And are you riding on , the packaging, here's what to do with this material when it's empty. And that's so key to the future of sustainability. Like you mentioned, for our children and their children. We have to explain it to people and like you said, is biodegradable good? Yes, of course. But what does it. You know, everything is biodegradable, eventually. I, I'm impressed with what you're doing and what, what you're saying here. Thank
Georges Bouille:
you. And we have so many stim. I mean, you and me, we have about 10 to 15,000 stim per day. Yeah. So we capture everything. Yeah. And it. Everyone is not a packaging engineer. Right. So it's not easy to understand quickly. Yeah. The message. So we need also to structure the message as we said, we need to educate we need to, to coordinate also many different technology together. Yeah. At the end, we need sense, we need something which makes sense. Right? And this is exactly what we're looking at. Is it Easyfair . Try to find a sense in things and to make sure that OV will be better than yesterday for me is the commission.
Cory Connors:
That's it. That's, and , it's exciting., it's happening. I'm seeing it for the first time in my career. It's actually progressing towards sustainability. You know, remember the green movement, remember the environmentally friendly movement? It. A good start and a lot of great ideas came from it, but not as much action as we need. Right. And I feel like, and I think you're, you're saying the same as me we're actually taking action now towards sustainability. Correct.
Georges Bouille:
Fundamentally, it's always the same. Reduce waste. Conserve resources, energy. We need to conserve energy. Yes. This is a key point today. The greenhouse gas is emission. Mm-hmm., it's a key. And people knows about that. I mean, we wonder, and then of course decrease pollution. Yeah. And, and, and finally this is the action again. Reduce, reuse, rethink.
Cory Connors:
Right. I love that. Rethink. That's an additional r that we need to add in there. Thank you so much.
Georges Bouille:
Anything. Is it fair? ADF for me helps us to rethink things. Yes. A different vision,
Cory Connors:
like you said. So many innovations come through these shows , and then six months later we see 'em in, in fruition in the uh, in the, the wild as we say, . Okay. It's an exciting time. Anything that you're particularly looking forward to at the show?
Georges Bouille:
There is a lot with material. Mm-hmm., I mean, material is a key point to the material in terms of, as we said by the recyclability, the refill system. Mm-hmm. the concept around the refill. Yes. So we need, I, I need, we are looking always for a simple solution. Yeah. Again, people are not engineers always not packaging engineers. Right. So, make it very simple, easy, easy to refill, easy to use, safe, yes. And and of course relationship people. People. Mm-hmm., I mean, people, people to find the, the right connection with people. Connecting the dots, as we said, always . And this definitely brings you to what you need. Exactly.
Cory Connors:
And do you think that consumers are ready to adopt new kinds of packaging where they have to be more involved, like a refill system? Yeah, it's a
Georges Bouille:
good question. It's always. The trend is always driven by a minority of people. Yeah. So we need to help also the minority to express themself. Right. We need to be an example to other, yes. As I said, there is always different channels. Some channels are dedicated to the refills. Some channels are dedicated to the one use, single use. But I mean the big players, the big group ships company, they will definitely help in terms of fulfilling recycling. Yes, and because they have the power, they have the communication. Right. This goes through communication.
Cory Connors:
It's an interesting point that you make the large companies have the funding, whereas maybe a smaller company can take a risk and have a smaller effect if it's bad Exactly. Exactly. But I'm very impressed with companies like Unilever Dermalogica. They're making huge advancements winning awards for sustainability. and trying out new things even though the public isn't sure about them yet. Very exciting.
Georges Bouille:
It's always a question. I mean, it's a blend. It's a blend of many things, right? And it's also a bet a bet in the future. Either you are too early or too late. You need to be early the end if you want to succeed, right? Don't wait for the other Tacoma solution. We are the actors of the, of the prison and in the, in the future. Definitely.
Cory Connors:
That's it. Well said. Anything I didn't ask you that you wish I would've?
Georges Bouille:
No, I think it's okay.. I need, I have plenty of meetings now. Yeah.. I know we have only two days. I mean, it's very cold, right? Very. So I have to make sure that I have long legs. It's okay., but I need to see so many people here. Well, thank you so much
Cory Connors:
my honor to meet you, George.
Georges Bouille:
Pleasure you, sir. Thank you, tofa.
Cory Connors:
What's the best place to get in touch with you in your company? Your website or uh,
Georges Bouille:
hello? We have a website. Yeah, we have a website at Advantage LinkedIn and of course the Lindel website, of course the Lindel website. It's fantastic tool to configure your own design, your own arch Oh, wow. With your picture on. So we company Lindel invested so much in terms of communication to make life easier for the markets. Great. To visual. The project, the packaging. That's
Cory Connors:
excellent. Yeah. Thank you sir. Thanks, honor to meet you.
