L&NW: What have been the biggest trends and challenges for the industry?  

Thorsten Kröller: The past couple of years has seen a surge in energy, raw material, personnel and logistics costs. Our business, like many others in the packaging industry, has been challenged by this series of external factors. 

We anticipate that, in particular, the energy crisis and the cost increase of raw materials will ease but will remain at a high level. However, we have a number of strategies in place to tackle the issues ahead and continue supporting our customers to do the same. 

There have also been some really positive trends  recently, such as a stronger focus across the supply chain on sustainability. This collective effort aimed at creating a more sustainable future for our industry and the planet in general, is a great step forward towards these goals.


L&NW: How has ACTEGA met these challenges or harnessed the opportunities brought about by industry trends?   

Thorsten Kröller: Looking back at 2022, it was certainly a challenging year. Despite these challenges, our commitment to bringing innovative and sustainable solutions to market hasn’t wavered. Sustainability is at the core of ACTEGA’s business. True to the motto “Let us make the world a little bluer”, we want to make the packaging industry even more sustainable. As such, our focus on reducing our impact on the planet, both from a company perspective and a wider, product and industry point of view, combined with our drive to support long-term success for brands and customers, gives us clear direction despite the uncertainty surrounding our industry. We have also continued to invest in our new technologies ECOLEAF and Signite and have achieved our goals focused on supporting their development and adoption. In addition to developing sustainable solutions, the entire organization demonstrates its commitment to increasing sustainability through successful local initiatives, such as investments in climate-friendly solar energy or through new environmental certifications.

We truly believe that our solutions and products allow our customers to bridge the gaps in current business strategies. Our three business lines; Flexible Packaging, Metal Packaging and Paper & Board – offer world-leading solutions, with more exciting solutions currently under development, and which will undoubtedly continue to make a genuine contribution to the business success of our customers.


L&NW: What will be the trends and challenges to watch in 2023?   

Thorsten Kröller: In 2023, we expect challenges to continue in terms of raw material prices and energy and freight costs. We also predict that businesses will continue to develop new products to address today’s key sustainability issues, such as recyclability and global regulatory pressures. At ACTEGA, we are constantly developing new ways to help our customers and brand owners meet their targets.

As consumers continue to increase their awareness of the industry’s role in creating a more environmentally responsible future, the need to create sustainable packaging that still stands out on the shelf will be essential in 2023.  


L&NW: What are the key priorities/focus for the business as a whole in 2023?  

 Thorsten Kröller: As mentioned above, sustainability remains one of our top priorities. The world we live in today is one where sustainability has become a crucial part of our society. For converters, brand owners, governments and consumers alike, sustainability is now high on the list of requirements for print and packaging. There is an unavoidable need for solutions that deliver a step-change in sustainability and environmental protection whilst meeting best-in-class quality levels.  For us, the most impactful solutions need to deliver value to our customers while being responsible stewards of our natural resources. To achieve this, ACTEGA reinvests about 10% of its annual sales into research and development.  

We are committed to further developing our innovative ECOLEAF and Signite technologies and expanding our portfolio of specialty coatings, inks, adhesives and sealants to include products that promote a more sustainable future. 


L&NW: What can the industry expect from ACTEGA in 2023? 

 Thorsten Kröller: You will certainly see a further demonstration of our longstanding commitment to innovation, adding value to our customers’ businesses and the wider industry. ALTANA’s commitment to becoming climate neutral by 2025 is on track and has filtered down into every aspect of ACTEGA, from the culture and working practices to our products. 

In 2023, we’ll accelerate our ambition to expand ACTEGA’s sustainability leadership across all our businesses.  We will make further advances in our aim to create a circular ecosystem and reduce our climate impact. To do this, the power supply at all our locations is to be converted to renewable energy, and we have already made significant progress here by using our own electricity and heat from renewable sources. Our energy transformation journey is also taking positive strides with our first CO2-free production facility in Brazil. Our operations in China have also decreased its CO2 emissions to below 10 tons.  More announcements about our progress and achievements are expected to be shared in 2023.

ACTEGA also plans to bring our latest product news and technologies to some of the industry’s most prominent events, including Interpack, Metpack and Labelexpo. Again, more information about what to expect from ACTEGA at these shows will be communicated soon, but we’re very much looking forward to these opportunities to engage with our customers and prospects. 


L&NW: What is your vision for the year ahead, and what advice would you give to your customers and colleagues?

Thorsten Kröller: Striving for progress is key in every industry. It’s vital to achieve both individual growth and collective advancement as a company. Our vision for this  year is one of curiosity, growth, and open-mindedness: taking advantage of the inspiring technologies at our disposal and learning from each other along the way. We want to encourage our customers and colleagues to stay connected, share knowledge and ultimately drive progress forward. With the right mindset and resources at hand 2023 is already shaping up to be an exciting year!