Mondi is to move to commercial production of its Functional Barrier and Paper Ultimate barrier papers for packaging applications.
It has committed to a €16 million investment at its Solec site in Poland, having assessed that there is demand for a material that has the functionality of a plastic material that has used a metal layer to provide shelf life and prevent oxygen and water vapour ingress to products from dried foods to personal care products.
The product has passed trials with positive results from brands and end consumers. Mondi’s COO of consumer flexibles Dirk Gabriel says: “As a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, we have been focused on the aluminium barrier challenge for some time. We knew that with research, development and investment in new technologies, we would find an effective replacement that would provide the necessary protection for our customers’ food products.”
As well as satisfying these customers the new material has had to meet requirements for recycling without the specialist systems that some packaging materials have required. Mondi says that the product can be recycled in standard paper waste streams across Europe.
The Solec site has specialised in production and conversion of mono films and laminates for cold seal confectionery applications, printing these on gravure presses. Mondi says it plans to convert as well as produce the new material at the site.
Gabriel continues: “Functional Barrier Paper Ultimate helps our existing and new food-producing customers to switch to a more sustainable packaging solution and thus contribute to their sustainability goals. It is a tangible example of our ‘Mondi Action Plan 2030’ commitment to making all our packaging solutions reusable, recyclable and compostable.”
The investment in Poland follows on from a €5 million spend on a new R&D and customer experience centre in Steinfeold in Germany announced last year. This will focus on development of new plastic film and paper packaging substrates created in collaboration with customers. The site will include pilot lines for extrusion and coatings, side and top filling and a range of printing machines to enable customers to carry out trials without having to interrupt their own production facilities.
The new material is expected to be ready for commercial shipments in the first quarter of 2024. This type of product is a key component in the take up of digital printing of flexible packaging and enabling that transition for certain styles of packaging.
