Pass the … Mustang? A Look into the Ford/Heinz Collaboration

So, what are they looking at using from the tomato skins that are normally wasted in ketchup-making by H.J. Heinz? The fibers that make up the skin. The dried tomato skins will become things like wiring brackets or even storage bins that hold small items. There is more good news to come with that as well. If successful, this will reduce the use of petroleum-based plastics used in our cars.

“We are exploring whether this food processing byproduct makes sense for an automotive application,” said Ellen Lee, plastics research technical specialist for Ford. “Our goal is to develop a strong, lightweight material that meets our vehicle requirements, while at the same time reducing our overall environmental impact.”

“We are delighted that the technology has been validated,” said Vidhu Nagpal, associate director, packaging R&D for Heinz. “Although we are in the very early stages of research, and many questions remain, we are excited about the possibilities this could produce for both Heinz and Ford, and the advancement of sustainable 100 percent plant-based plastics.”

While we may not see this right now, as Nagpal indicated, the reduction in petroleum-based plastics is something that Heinz has been doing for some time. In fact, many of the plastic products used by Coca-Cola, Nike, and Procter & Gamble are using plant-based plastic over petrochemical plastic. The future use in cars is looking brighter, and Ford is continuing to be the leader in new technologies and innovative products.