Page 45 - Plastics News July 2023

Interpack Reveals Sustainability Trends Key Global Packaging
flexible packaging markets.

The breakthrough technology Bicor
12MB100 is a high stiffness OPP film
with low shrink for broad PET re-
placement applications to help brands
in their “light-weighting” journey.
For more specialized applications
when designing PP-based retort bar-
rier laminates, Bicor 25MR100 and
25MR103 are being proposed as print
outer webs. MR100 and MR103 were
designed to help minimize the shrink-
age and visual distortion during both
the heat-sealing step and the steam
he world’s largest packaging trade Companies of all sizes and across autoclave sterilization step.
Tshow lived up to its reputation for the whole value chain are sharing re-
showcasing leading-edge technolo- search and development and joining Since nothing beats a live demo, Jindal
gies — as these new developments in forces. Collaboration is not just a buzz organized live tests with 11 industrial
machinery partners using PP mono-
mono-material flexible packaging and word; it is helping companies achieve
paper packaging prove. their sustainability goals. material solutions on more than 20
packaging machines, covering four
The massive interpack show took (R)evolution in mono-material films commonly used flexible packaging
place early May in Düsseldorf, Ger- and flexible packaging. formats — vertical form-fill-seal, hori-
many. In the six-year gap since last The trend toward mono-material zontal form-fill-seal, overwrap, and
edition (due to the COVID-19 pan- packaging remains obvious. pouches (lay-flat and standup). Most
demic), packaging has become a cen- of these types of machines were typi-
tral topic for many brands. At the cally previously running non-recycla-
show, 2,800 exhibitors, 140,000 visi- ble structures. These live demonstra-
tors (with one third foreigners), and tions aim to prove the versatility of
18 halls were there to remind the im- polypropylene films, with a balance of
portance of the sector. mechanical, barrier, optical, and heat-
As we’ve seen globally, packaging sus-
tainability is a concern for consumers
and, often, a headache for many brand
owners whom sourcing and end-of-
life scenarios for the packaging mate-
rial have become decisive criteria. Jindal Films displayed its new polypro-
The major packaging producers also pylene (PP) mono-material to help re-
have net zero paths to achieve. The place polyethylene-based laminates.
European regulations for all packag- The global leader in specialty films
ing in the European Union (EU) to be showcased its Bicor oriented poly-
reusable or recyclable in an economi- propylene (OPP) films designed to
cally viable way by 2030 — in line with facilitate the switch from non-recycla-
the EU Green Deal and the EU Circu- ble laminates (that is, containing PET,
lar Economy Action Plan — is putting aluminum/foil, or paper, for example)
huge pressure on packaging manufac- towards mono-material mechanically seal properties unequalled by other
turers. recyclable PP-based laminates for materials.

PLASTICS NEWS 45
July 2023