Heidelberg and Solenis present new process for barrier coated flexible paper packaging

Packaging Solutions

With regard to a functioning circular economy, flexible paper packaging as a substitute for plastics is becoming increasingly important. Flexible paper packaging is predicted to grow by 4.5% annually until the end of the decade.

However, the big challenge is to find suitable materials that act as a barrier to water, water vapour, hot and cold liquids, oils, and fats, while also fulfilling the sustainability principle of a circular economy. Until now, however, paper packaging, which had to fulfil important barrier functions for food, beverages, cosmetics, and certain non food items, had reached its technical limits.

Heidelberg, together with Solenis, a leading manufacturer of barrier coatings, has now achieved a breakthrough. The results will be presented at Fachpack 2025 in Nuremberg.

The jointly developed process enables the industrial, partial and therefore cost effective application of barrier coatings to paper packaging.

Heidelberg has integrated Solenis' technology into the flexographic web printing process with its Boardmaster. During the ongoing process, the barriers are transferred to the paper web with precise registration only at the necessary points. The aim of the collaboration is to leverage the advantages of the individual Boardmaster assemblies for applying Solenis barrier coatings in order to make the process technology quickly and easily available to packaging producers.

‘Economic innovations are crucial if we are to replace plastic packaging with recyclable or compostable paper packaging. By collaborating with Solenis to develop coatings and inks and produce coated paper packaging in line, Heidelberg is reinforcing its claim to be a strong driving force behind paperisation,’ said Dr David Schmedding, CSO at Heidelberg. ‘We are thus acting as a full service provider of end to end solutions in the growth market of mass production of fibre based packaging solutions.’

At this year's Fachpack (September 23 to 25 in Nuremberg), the two companies will present the innovative process at their joint booth 4A-342 in hall 4. Visitors will receive samples to take away so they can test the results of the coating process for themselves. Experts from Heidelberg and Solenis will be on hand to talk to interested parties about the future of sustainable paper packaging production.