Mondi, a global provider in packaging and paper, is investing 16 million Euros in new technology to produce a new packaging range called FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate. This ultra-high barrier paper-based solution for food meets growing customer demand for sustainable packaging that contributes to a circular economy, the company said.
The new addition expands Mondi’s existing portfolio of FunctionalBarrier Papers, providing high-barrier paper-based packaging for food products such as dried foods and powdered milk as well as for applications in the home and personal care industry. These products require packaging that offer protection from water vapor and oxygen and can ensure a long shelf life.
The current industry standards to achieve this level of barrier protection are unrecyclable solutions made of plastic or lined with aluminum. Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate range is designed to be recyclable in paper waste streams across Europe while providing the necessary product protection, the company says.
Initial trials of the FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate range have shown positive results for both customers and end consumers, indicating that the paper solution is widely accepted and preferred over non recyclable aluminum and plastic-based alternatives.
The investment at its Solec plant in Poland, enables Mondi to produce the high-barrier functional paper at scale using the latest technology and efficient processes. Mondi offers the complete solution in-house: from production and coating to printing and converting it into the final packaging product.
“As a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, we have been focused on the aluminum 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. FunctionalBarrier 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 (MAP2030) commitment to making all our packaging solutions reusable, recyclable and compostable,” says Dirk Gabriel, COO Consumer Flexibles, Mondi.
