Leading the way with SIG Terra Alu-free Full barrier

SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier for aseptic cartons – which offers equivalent barrier properties to our standard aseptic cartons, but with no aluminum foil layer – made its commercial debut in 2023 with China’s two largest dairy companies adopting this innovative packaging solution.

Sustainability partnership

In China, sustainability is gaining importance as a key differentiation factor. Yili, the largest dairy company in the APAC region, is a frontrunner in taking up this challenge. SIG’s partnership with Yili goes back more than two decades and has been based on our technology and service strengths. Now, that partnership is helping Yili to pursue its goal of carbon neutrality.

Yili sets standard in China

Yili Group, China’s largest dairy producer, was the first to adopt SIG Terra Alu-free + Full Barrier for its flagship Satine Pure Milk in early 2023, to be followed in the second half of the year by “Green” Yili Pure Milk. The launch supported its Green Asian Games commitment and answered rising consumer demand for more environmentally responsible packaging – made possible with SIG Terra.

Mengniu: innovation and impact

Mengniu, China’s second-largest dairy producer, chose to go alu-free for its unique Zhenguoli yogurt drink with coconut chips. This milestone brought together two of SIG’s leading innovations – SIG Drinksplus for added texture and SIG Terra for reduced environmental impact – offering a unique product experience.

A critically reviewed life-cycle analysis shows that SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier cuts the carbon footprint of our cartons by 25%,5
compared with our standard structure for SIG MiniBloc 200 ml packs in China.
Removing the aluminum layer also offers the potential to simplify the recycling process for beverage cartons, with just two materials to separate (paperboard and polymers) instead of three.
Customers can use existing SIG filling machines, with a modification kit, for both our standard structure and the new SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier material with no aluminum layer.