Berglandmilch, Austria’s premier dairy company, is taking a significant step in the realm of sustainable food and drink packaging by becoming the first in Austria to adopt SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier. This innovative solution is the world’s first full barrier aseptic carton packaging material that eliminates the aluminum layer. As a result, Berglandmilch will offer white milk under its premium brand “Schärdinger Formil” in SIG Terra MidiBloc Alu-free + Full barrier, achieving a reduction of 22% in carbon footprint compared to standard SIG aseptic cartons1. The environmental benefits will be highlighted directly to consumers on the packaging, enhancing transparency.
SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier marks a major advancement toward decarbonizing the food and beverage industry. By omitting the aluminum layer found in traditional aseptic carton packs, which helps protect contents like milk and oxygen-sensitive products, SIG has streamlined the materials from three to two. This new packaging predominantly comprises paper, reinforced with ultra-thin polymer barriers that shield products from oxygen, light, moisture, and aroma loss. It maintains a product shelf life of up to 12 months and offers the same protective capabilities as standard full-barrier materials that utilize aluminum, while significantly mitigating the carbon footprint. Although aluminum constitutes only about 5% of a standard aseptic carton, it can represent up to 25% of its overall carbon footprint in full-barrier packaging. Therefore, its removal is crucial for enhancing environmental performance.
Josef Braunshofer, CEO at Berglandmilch: “At Berglandmilch, sustainability is at the core of everything we do. Choosing SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier packaging material is a clear step forward for us. It helps us to lower CO₂ emissions without compromising on product protection. We believe in partnering with companies like SIG that share our commitment to innovative, responsible packaging solutions.”
SIG has been at the forefront of aluminum-layer-free cartons since 2010, having sold over 4 billion alu-layer-free packs to date. By opting for SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier—the most advanced aluminum-layer-free full barrier packaging material from SIG—Berglandmilch gains significant flexibility to utilize it across a wide array of products, including those sensitive to oxygen. Being the first company in Austria to adopt this packaging innovation positions Berglandmilch with a distinct competitive advantage.
“We are very proud that Berglandmilch has chosen our SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier solution,” said Viktoria Uhl-Pochman, Head of Sales Austria & Switzerland at SIG. “With a high renewable material share and no aluminum layer, combined with the same trusted barrier performance, this innovative packaging significantly reduces CO₂ emissions. Berglandmilch is the first dairy to leverage the advantages of SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier for its 1-liter cartons, empowering consumers to make more sustainable purchasing choices.”
The packaging material fully integrates with existing SIG filling lines. Designed as a “plug-and-play” solution, it ensures optimal performance at high speeds—up to 24,000 packs per hour for small-size cartons and 15,000 packs per hour for multi-serve formats—with minimal, cost-effective adjustments needed.
Looking forward, SIG plans to progressively roll out SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier across all its core aseptic carton formats and across various beverage and dairy categories. These initiatives mark significant progress in SIG’s mission to create an alu-layer-free, full barrier aseptic carton made with at least 90% paper content, including the closure, by 2030. This commitment aims to enhance renewability, further reduce carbon emissions, and simplify the recycling process by requiring only the separation of paperboard and polymers.
1based on an independent ISO-compliant life-cycle assessment: https://go.sig.biz/l/251992/2025-07-15/7s4grv/251992/1752591448sah1vmYy/LCA_SIG_Terra_Alu_free_Full_barrier_and_SIG_Terra_Alu_free_Full_barrie.pdf
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