GROUPE SPHÈRE

The Sphere group is the European leader in household packaging. For more than 30 years, it has been committed to reducing the environmental impact of its products. This strategy is being deployed in Europe for its Alfapac (France), Frio (Italy), Vita (Denmark) and Propsac (Benelux) brands. The French brand has obtained the Origine France Garantie certification for the Vegetal Origin bin and freezer bag ranges.

History. Sphere was founded in 1976 by John Persenda. In 1983, the group undertook a 30 % reduction in the thickness of its bags. Ten years later, in 1994, its founder was one of the promoters of NF Environnement standards in his sector. Sphere has thus been a driving force in the definition and adoption of environmental regulations for its industry. It is the first industrial company to have been awarded the NF Environnement label for waste bags and the NF Qualité label for sliding-bond bin bags.

In 2000, the group launched its Bio-Compost range, biodegradable bags for municipal green waste. In 2005, by acquiring a stake in Biotec GmbH, the European leader in bioplastics research, and in 2007 in Féculerie Haussimont, Sphère took its environmental strategy even further. In 2006, Alfapac 100 % biodegradable was launched, a range of biodegradable potato starch-based bin bags.

2011 marks the year in which Sphère is committed to the end of all-oil for its flexible plastic products. Almost all of the fossil plastic applications of its Alfapac brand, made from petroleum-derived polyethylene (PE), using a bio-based plastic composed up to 95 % of vegetable polyethylene. This plant EP is a green revolution in itself. It is produced from ethanol derived from sugar cane and offers the same performance as fossil PE. It is equally resistant and its material is suitable for food packaging. This new generation of vegetable plastic, called Alfapac Vegetal Origin®, is the first range of household packaging that reduces _CO2 emissions by 95% compared to packaging made from fossil materials.

In just a few years, the group's strategy has changed from "Take less to reject less" to "Maximize our use of renewable materials. "From now on, vegetable raw materials are at the top of the company's agenda. For 2020, Sphère aims to offer a 100 % plant offer for all the group's flexible plastic applications.

The products. Sphère processes, manufactures and markets waste bags, freezer bags, plastic films and food papers, aluminium trays and rolls and industrial films. The Alfapac brand offers 90 references in its two product families: bin bags and food contact packaging.

Employment. More than 1,450 employees and a turnover of 600 million euros.