INTERPACK REVIEW


packaging development will require closer integration between converting technologies,


machine parameters,


recyclability targets and end-of-life material recovery systems. Particular emphasis was placed on


mono-material packaging development and the


reduction of unnecessary


material complexity. Peter summarised the design philosophy succinctly: “Less packaging whenever possible, but paper whenever impossible.” However, the session acknowledged that fully mono-material structures are not


always technically


adapted for integration into continuous industrial production environments. The wider significance of both projects


lies in their attempt to address one of the packaging sector’s most persistent technical conflicts: balancing product protection, machinability and shelf- life performance against increasingly restrictive recyclability criteria. Peter


repeatedly stressed that viable,


particularly where barrier properties, sealing performance or mechanical stability remain critical. In response, Fraunhofer IVV presented several hybrid packaging concepts intended to retain functional performance while improving recyclability outcomes. Among the most notable developments


discussed was “Bond on Demand” (BoD), a research project investigating autonomous material separation within hybrid packaging systems. The concept is designed to remove responsibility for material separation from the consumer by


enabling packaging components


to separate automatically during the recycling process. “What if the mechanism is not in the hands of the consumer, but in the hands of the producer?” Peter asked. The technology employs adhesive


systems engineered to deactivate under defined recycling conditions, allowing fibre and polymer layers to separate independently within the correct waste streams. According to Peter, the objective is to preserve the functional advantages of hybrid structures while significantly


improving sorting and


recycling compatibility. The project reflects a broader industry


shift away from consumer-dependent recyclability toward packaging systems engineered for automated recovery processes. Peter noted that the research included potential analysis, requirement profiling, recyclability assessment and consumer acceptance testing, alongside evaluation of structural performance and compression resistance within the hybrid systems. The


presentation also explored another Fraunhofer development known


as “Pacura”, which seeks to eliminate additional sealing materials within fibre- based packaging by using laser-assisted joining technologies to bond paper substrates directly without introducing foreign substances. “We wanted to join paper without adding sealing layers,” Peter explained. The process utilises thermal and laser


treatment methods to create direct fibre bonding while maintaining recyclability within existing paper recovery streams. According to Peter, the technology is currently being


extended producer responsibility should not be viewed solely as an industrial obligation, but as part of a broader systemic shift involving manufacturers, consumers and waste management infrastructure alike. “Extended producer responsibility


sounds very nice as long as you are not the producer,” he remarked, before adding that responsibility for packaging waste ultimately extends across society as a whole. For an interpack audience navigating


the accelerating transition toward circular packaging systems, the presentation reinforced the growing reality that future packaging development will depend not only on material substitution, but on sophisticated engineering approaches capable of integrating functionality, processability and recyclability within a single packaging architecture. As PPWR implementation progresses,


technologies enabling autonomous material separation and additive-free fibre bonding may become increasingly important in determining which packaging formats remain commercially and legally viable within the European market.


MAY 2026 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • 23


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