Yangi is introducing a new undercut feature for its Cellera industrial dry-forming platform, enabling complex functional geometries in dry-molded fiber packaging. The innovation will be showcased at the Sustainable Packaging Summit, November 10–12 in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Creating precise undercut geometries in molded fiber is technically challenging and requires sophisticated tooling design. Commonly used in plastic packaging for snap-fit connections and secure closures, undercuts enable a reliable mechanical fit between a lid and its container. Yangi’s new capability brings this functionality to dry-molded fiber, expanding the possibilities for replacing conventional plastic packaging.
The feature is demonstrated through Yangi’s new coffee lid, where a precision-engineered undercut delivers a secure, consistent fit with a measured 6 N lid removal force. Tested through 10 simulated coffee pours over 10 minutes, the lid maintains a leak-tight seal and structural integrity when exposed to hot beverages at 93°C.
Beyond coffee lids, the technology opens opportunities for fitted closures across a broad range of applications, snack containers, takeaway containers, dessert and ice cream tubs, confectionery packaging, dry and ambient food containers, as well as personal care, cosmetics and other consumer goods packaging.
“Achieving this level of precision in dry-molded fiber requires advanced tooling and forming expertise,” said Carlo Semeraro, head of commercial partnerships at Yangi. “The coffee lid demonstrates the performance we can deliver today, but the real opportunity is applying this functionality to a much wider range of packaging applications.”
Engineered for industrial production
The new undercut capability builds on Cellera, Yangi’s industrial dry-forming platform powered by its patented FiberIQ fiber-formation system. Designed for high-volume, cost-competitive manufacturing, Cellera combines precise fiber distribution with advanced forming technology to deliver consistent quality and functional performance.
With a 4-second production cycle, the coffee lid application is designed for an estimated output of 300 lids per minute, demonstrating how complex functional features can be integrated into industrial-scale production.
Unlike conventional wet molding, Cellera forms fiber without a water-based forming step, significantly reducing process water and energy requirements while enabling the production of renewable, fiber-based packaging.
“The challenge has never been simply to replace plastic with fiber. It’s to make fiber perform at the level the market demands,” said Johann Kaiser, CEO of Yangi. “Every new capability we develop reinforces fiber’s position as a competitive alternative to plastic by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed to drive the transition toward fiber-based packaging.”
