Ultra-High Barrier Paper-Based Solution
Mondi, a leading global packaging and paper company, is making a €16 million investment in new technology to develop a packaging range called FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate. This innovative paper-based solution offers an ultra-high barrier for food packaging, meeting the increasing demand for sustainable packaging that supports a circular economy.
The addition of FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate expands Mondi’s existing portfolio of FunctionalBarrier Papers, which already provide high-barrier paper-based packaging for various food products, such as dried foods and powdered milk, as well as applications in the home and personal care industry.
These products require packaging that can protect against water vapor and oxygen, ensuring a long shelf life. Current industry standards for achieving this level of barrier protection often involve non-recyclable plastic or aluminum-lined solutions.
However, Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate range is designed to be recyclable within paper waste streams across Europe, while still providing the necessary product protection.
Initial trials of the FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate range have yielded positive results, with both customers and end consumers expressing a preference for the paper-based solution over non-recyclable alternatives like aluminum and plastic.
This investment, taking place at Mondi’s Solec plant in Poland, will enable the company to produce the high-barrier functional paper on a large scale using the latest technology and efficient processes.
Leveraging its unique integrated value chain, Mondi can offer a complete solution in-house, from production and coating to printing and converting into the final packaging product. This provides customers with an efficient packaging solution that meets their specific needs.
Dirk Gabriel, COO Consumer Flexibles at Mondi, explains, “As a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, we have been focused on finding an effective alternative to aluminum barriers for some time. Through research, development, and investment in new technologies, we have developed FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate, which provides the necessary protection for our customers’ food products.
This solution helps our existing and new food-producing customers transition to a more sustainable packaging option, aligning with their sustainability goals. It is a concrete example of our Mondi Action Plan 2030 (MAP2030) commitment to making all our packaging solutions reusable, recyclable, and compostable.”
Industrial-scale production of the FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate range is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2024.
