Kéan Coffee to support the reCUP, a new paper coffee cup, engineered for recyclability

Coffeehouse leader in sustainability to address the paper cup recycling issue for Orange County, and as a model for the coffeehouse trade globally Costa Mesa, California – November 4, 2016 --In December of 2005, Martin and Karen Varese Diedrich opened the doors of Kéan Coffee in Newport Beach, California – a state-of-the-art, cutting edge coffeehouse that would bring back the community gathering place feeling, coffee connoisseurship, and cultural atmosphere of their early Diedrich coffeehouses, as well as embrace a values ideal that businesses should model community and global responsibility and awareness, both environmental and social.

In 2007, Martin Diedrich received the Zero Hero Award for his outstanding commitment to “Zero In On Zero Waste” from the Earth Resource Foundation. In 2009, Kéan Coffee was named by the OC Metro as one of Orange County's "Green 15" for its dedication to operating Kéan Coffee with a focus on sustainability. Most recently, Kéan Coffee was presented with the Eco-Award for "Most Sustainable Restaurant / Retail" in 2014 from the Orange County Green Building Council.

And now in 2016, Kéan Coffee looks again to take a leadership position in sustainability, this time addressing the issue of the lack of paper cup recycling for the coffeehouse trade.  Kéan Coffee will be introducing a new paper cup that is engineered for recyclability, and participating in a closed-loop collection process to ensure its paper cups are getting recycled, thereby setting a new sustainability standard for coffeehouses globally.

Traditionally, paper cups are coated on the inside with polyethylene plastic to hold the liquid contents and form the cup.  However, the polyethylene coating makes the traditional paper cup material very difficult and expensive to recycle, and therefore, in the US, 15 billion paper coffee cups annually are typically sorted out and sent to landfills.

Smart Planet Technologies of Newport Beach has created the reCUP, a new type of paper cup that is engineered for recycling.  With a special coating that does not interfere in the recycling process, the cups become a valuable material to collect, and therefore profitable to recycle.  The reCUP will also be used on the Orange Coast College campus, collected and baled by the Orange Coast College Recycling Center in Costa Mesa, CA, with the bales then sold profitably as premium paper grade materials to a recycled paper mill.  This closed-loop process will demonstrate the economic model to recycle paper cups profitably, while reducing the amount of waste sent to a landfill, with the revenues used to fund a scholarship at Orange Coast College.

“At Kéan Coffee, we believe that businesses large and small, bear a responsibility to support issues and model practices that promote greater well-being for the local community and the global community,” said Martin Diedrich, Founder of Kéan Coffee.  “We are thrilled to introduce an innovation in paper cups that provides the recycling industry with a better cup to recycle.”

“With Martin’s support, a major step has been taken in improving the recycling rates of paper cups globally” said Todd Gasparik, Director of Marketing at Smart Planet Technologies.  “As a leader in the coffeehouse trade, Martin Diedrich and Kéan Coffee can encourage the transition to a recyclable paper cup by other coffeehouses, increase the participation in the paper cup recycling program, and ultimately provide the model for paper cups to be recycled globally”.

About Kéan Coffee’s Community Values Beyond providing the finest coffeehouse experience, a mission of Kéan Coffee is to make a difference, be an example, and help to create greater social, environmental and global awareness. We offer our coffeehouses as community gathering places for social connections, discussions, and initiating positive change.

About Smart Planet Technologies Inc. Smart Planet Technologies is a materials engineering company providing advancements in packaging technology such as reCUP™ and EarthCoating®, to address sustainability goals for the packaging industry.  Our solutions are focused on conserving precious natural resources while providing high quality, environmental packaging solutions across a wide variety of applications.

Matthew Vella joins Smart Planet Technologies’ Board of Advisors

Addition of accomplished Board level executive further enhances intellectual property position in sustainable packaging solutions NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA – October 3, 2016    Smart Planet Technologies Inc., an engineering and intellectual property company with breakthrough innovations in sustainable packaging, is pleased to announce that Matthew Vella has joined its Board of Advisors.

Will Lorenzi, President of Smart Planet Technologies says, “We are thrilled with the addition of Matt to our Board of Advisors.  Matt is a highly regarded Board level executive and former CEO with a proven track record in the field of intellectual property.”

“As recognized during his tenure as CEO of Acacia Research, Matt brings tremendous experience in intellectual property rights licensing and litigation.  Matt's knowledge and experience will be valuable contributions as we grow the commercialization of applications based upon our intellectual property assets.”

About Matthew Vella Matthew Vella has held a number of leadership positions with Acacia Research, the latest being the office of Chief Executive from August 2013 through December 2015.  Previously, Matt held the positions of Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President, and Vice President of Licensing since 2006.

Earlier, Matt was a Senior Intellectual Property Counsel for ATI, and Lead Patent License Counsel for Nortel Networks.  Matt has a degree in Intellectual Property Law from Toronto Law School.

About Smart Planet Technologies Smart Planet Technologies is a packaging technology company with intellectual property focused on advancements in sustainability for the packaging industry.  Its innovative technologies are engineered to conserve precious natural resources and provide high quality, environmental alternatives across a wide variety of packaging applications.  EarthCoating is a registered trademark of Smart Planet Technologies. For more information, please visit the website at www.SmartPlanetTech.com

Contact: Todd Gasparik, Director of Marketing Todd@SmartPlanetTech.com

OCC Adds Recyclable Paper Cups in Fall 2016

Cups Will Reduce Waste, Create Revenue at Costa Mesa CampusStudents arriving at Orange Coast College on the first day of the Fall 2016 semester might notice something a little different about their morning brew.

The College is introducing a new type of paper cup that can be efficiently and profitably recycled in an effort to reduce waste on campus. Traditionally, paper cups in the United States are coated on the inside with polyethylene coating, making them very difficult and expensive to recycle. In the U.S. alone, 58 billion paper coffee cups are destined for the landfill annually.

OCC’s new reCups, invented by Smart Planet Technologies of Newport Beach, have a special inside coating that will not only make them easier to recycle, but also will make them profitable to recycle. “This is a great closed-loop system,” says Coast Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Mike Carey. “Now that cups can be made for recycling, there is a market to sell the paper cups we collect.”

The reCUPs used by OCC’s food services and catering programs will be collected and baled at the College’s Recycling Center, which remains open while a new center is being built nearby. The revenue generated from selling the cups to a recyclable paper mill will fund a student scholarship.

“We’re taking a cost center and generating revenue that we will donate to students,” says Carey.

OCC is no stranger to sustainability, and has taken several steps to reduce waste and conserve energy on its 164-acre campus, including installing water bottle filling stations, solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations and drought tolerant landscaping. With this new recyclable cup program, the College hopes to serve as an example to other schools.

“We believe our efforts within our College and Recycling Center will provide a blueprint for recycling cups globally,” says Carey.

Orange Coast College, founded in 1947, is one of the nation's top transfer schools. With a student population of 25,000, OCC provides exemplary programs leading to Associate degrees and 130 career programs. The college's 164-acre campus is located in the heart of Costa Mesa.

Contact:

Juan Gutierrez, Director, Marketing and Public Relations (714) 432-5725

Mike Carey, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, Administrative Services (714) 432-5128

Gel Communications and Smart Planet Technologies partner in designing sustainable packaging using innovative materials.

BURBANK, Calif., July 14,2016–Gel Communciations (Gelcomm) has partnered with Smart Planet Technologies to enhance Gelcomm’s environmental packaging design services for Fortune 100 companies Gelcomm provides design services to incorporate new innovations in environmental materials that address needs long sought by the market given the limitations of current materials.  Gelcomm has built a cutting-edge approach to design practice embracing the latest materials to advance complete package solutions optimized for environmental gain.  Gelcomm builds partnerships with innovators to develop a broad knowledgebase in materials within Gelcomm, and optimize supply chain availability.

Smart Planet’s EarthBoard is a unique folding carton material comprised of 100% recycled fiber content with a revolutionary coating, “EarthCoating”, providing a bright, white, opaque premium print surface, with barrier performance to moisture and oils, and is fully recyclable and repulpable.  EarthBoard serves the need for premium packaging material from 100% recycled fiber content that is recyclable.  EarthBoard is available in soft touch and glossy finishes.

“We look at the package components and source materials that are recyclable, compostable, recycled and/or carbon-reducing while still maintaining the premium look for the brand image,” said Gelcomm Principal, Patricio Fuentes.  “The materials engineered by Smart Planet are so compelling towards these goals that we knew we could best serve their customers with a partnership with Smart Planet”, said Fuentes.  In addition to environmental packaging design services, Gelcomm provides brand strategy and market research in the space of Consumer Package Goods.

“Gelcomm is providing a valuable service to brand owners looking to achieve improvements in sustainability measures in their packaging,” said Todd Gasparik, Director of Business Development, Smart Planet Technologies. “Our partnership will optimize the opportunities for use of Earthboard in that equation, and give brand owners the best package designs that support their priorities.”

Press Contact Name: Patricio Fuentes Company: Gel Communications Inc. Phone: (818) 551 6891 Email: patricio@gelcomm.com

Smart Planet Technologies Announces Availability of EarthBoard

Newport Beach, CA  – January 22, 2016– Smart Planet Technologies, Inc. announced the market availability of EarthBoard®, containing Hansol Paper’s Hi-Q SC and Hi-Q SI recycled paperboard base stock. EarthBoard is a waterproof, grease proof, bright white sheet designed for consumer and food packaging applications. EarthBoard delivers a brilliant, unique white appearance and high performance barrier properties that optimize performance and cosmetic appeal for many types of consumer folding carton packaging.  EarthBoard is a comprised of EarthCoating®, a mineralized barrier coating, applied to recycled content papers and paperboards. The EarthCoating line of mineralized resins are innovative, high performance coatings.  EarthCoating resins are heat-sealable, engineered for recyclability, FDA compliant for food contact, and provide an excellent print surface.

Mr. Sang-Hun Lee, CEO of Hansol Paper: “Since the declaration of Hansol Environmental Charter in 1993, Hansol Paper has taken the lead in adoption and early settlement of a green management framework.   Consistent with our Vision 2020 master plan, Hansol looks to expand development of eco-friendly product lines.”  Offering EarthCoating, Hansol plans to continue expanding its offering of more eco-friendly solutions including high-performance coated duplex board for their markets.

About Hansol Paper Hansol Paper is the largest subsidiary of the Hansol Group. The company was spun from the Samsung family in 1991. Having operated for over 50 years, Hansol Paper is Korea’s largest paper manufacturing company with annual revenues over USD 2 billion and total assets of USD 3 billion as of Dec 2013. Hansol Paper has made strategic plant and equipment investments and recently has become one of the top 3 thermal paper manufacturers with a global outreach.

Annually, Hansol Paper is producing approximately 2.3 million tons of Printing & Writing Paper, Duplex Board, Container Board, Specialty Paper, Thermal Paper and specialty technical paper grades.

Hansol Paper has strategically grown to become a leading, global paper manufacturer. Hansol Paper exports more than 50% of its products to world-wide markets. Its mid-term goal is to generate sales revenue of USD 3 billion by 2016 through differentiated, value-added products and services.

About Smart Planet Technologies Smart Planet Technologies is a packaging technology company with intellectual property focused on advancements in sustainability for the packaging industry. Its innovative technologies are engineered to conserve precious natural resources and provide high quality, environmental alternatives across a wide variety of packaging applications. EarthCoating is a registered trademark of Smart Planet Technologies. For more information, please visit their website at www.SmartPlanetTech.com