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spectrum of packaged products ranges from fresh food such as meat, fish, cheese to pet food, baked goods, confectionery and coffee. CrystalPE is currently available from 20 to 40 µm, in highly transparent and matte as well as corona-treated on one or both sides. We are also working on other variants, such as tinted white or a version with a barrier.
How did the market respond to the new product? G.D.M.: Just as we anticipated, the major investment in the technology and several years of development work have paid off. Demand for materials for the production of PE packaging solutions is strong. adapa has subsequently invested 5 million euros in building a third MDO-PE production line, which has been in operation since mid-2022. This represents a major milestone in the history of our Group. That’s how we address the upcoming legislative changes in the industry regarding the mandatory recyclability of packaging. As a result, we’re more than ready to meet future requirements. Incidentally, this is just the beginning of adapa Group’s extensive investment strategy aimed at further strengthening its position in a broad range of areas in the flexible packaging arena.
What challenges come with the new EU packaging regulation? G.D.M.: The European strategy for packaging is clear; solutions designed for recycling and the use of recycled materials are in demand. There is currently still uncertainty in the industry because the EU regulations do not provide any precise guidelines, and all European countries still use their own definition of sustainable packaging. As the regulations for food do not yet permit mechanically recycled material in the vast majority of cases due to a lack of traceability, design for recycling is at the centre of attention in the food industry. Our product CrystalPE perfectly meets today’s needs as it allows our customers to replace complex, non-recyclable multi-material composite solutions with single-material solutions. For materials such as CrystalPE, which are based on polyethylene, there are recycling infrastructures available that are better established than those for other materials.
L.B.: There is a great demand for advice on the topic of “design for recycling” in the industry and particularly among our customers. In this area we can provide substantial support thanks to our comprehensive expertise and extensive experience accumulated over five decades. This applies in particular to innovative materials such as CrystalPE, where we provide individual
Left: Giovanni De Martino (Area Sales Manager adapa films Italy) Right: Lorenzo Barnini (Managing Director adapa Italy Florence).
From initial trials to today’s refined product: Giovanni de Martino played a key role in the market launch of CrystalPE.
Thanks to its excellent transparency, viewing windows can be integrated into the final packaging.
Due to its high stiffness and tensile strength values, CrystalPE is even suitable for use on high-speed gravure printing machines.
Lorenzo Barnini is Managing Director of adapa Italy Florence and a visionary in the field of flexible packaging.
advice to help decide whether the material is suitable for achieving the customer’s intended objectives. Our support also means being honest when CrystalPE is simply not reasonable. In such cases, we can often recommend other solutions from the adapa Group’s diverse range, which covers almost the entire spectrum of flexible packaging. Based on polypropylene or polyethylene, with or without barrier, produced using cast or blow extrusion. Our portfolio includes standard films as well as speciality products such as CPP films with an integrated barrier and a remarkably low S.I.T. (sealing initiation temperature) or features such as reclose or easy-peel.
This is where the journey of every CrystalPE film begins: A state-of-the-art blown film extruder
What further developments in sustainable packaging solutions are you considering? L.B.: We’re currently trialling various solutions, from bio-based films to re-use concepts. We maintain a clear focus on “designed for recycling” to address the circular economy for flexible packaging. In this context it is time for us to take action to generate a wealth of know- how in this far-reaching changeover and to ensure sufficient capacity in the market so we will be ready when the new legislation takes effect. But no matter what the future holds, our customers can rest assured that we will continue to innovate and introduce suitable solutions to the market at an early stage.
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March 2024
www.convertermag.com
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