Industries, Inc., Dow Inc., Comexi Group Industries, S.A.U., Sakata Inx Corporation, and SGK Japan (Schawk Japan K.K.) have jointly announced the development of a groundbreaking surface printing mono-material film packaging technology. This innovation is in compliance with the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, which aims to promote a low-carbon, circular global economy. The material is intended for use in a wide range of applications for food and daily necessities.
Flexible film substrates are crucial in various applications such as food packaging and detergent refill pouches due to their lightweight, transparent nature, and ease of processing. With the global population increasing, the demand for film packaging is projected to grow by 4% to 5% annually from 2023’s level of 33 million metric tons. However, a significant issue with many existing film packaging materials is their challenging recyclability, as they are often made by laminating films from different materials to meet functional and shape requirements.
To address this challenge, the European Union has set a mandate for all packaging materials to be recyclable by 2030. In April 2024, the European Parliament adopted the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation to reduce packaging waste and enhance sustainability. This legislation requires packaging to be designed with recyclability in mind, minimizing the presence of non-recyclable materials.
Responding to these advancements, Toray, Dow, Comexi, Sakata Inx, and SGK Japan collaborated to develop a surface-printed mono-material film packaging technology. This innovation aims to reduce plastic consumption, lower CO2 emissions from printing processes, and meet the EU’s recyclability criteria. Additionally, the technology is expected to reduce costs and shorten delivery times due to streamlined manufacturing processes.
Toray contributed its RESOLUCIA™ flexographic plate for film packaging printing, which uses water instead of organic solvents during development to ensure high print quality. Dow designed and produced a polyethylene film suitable for surface printing, incorporating a thin gas barrier layer and high-performance materials like INNATE™ and AFFINITY™ resins for required abuse resistance and seal performance. Sakata Inx provided electron beam flexo inks and varnishes, utilized in printing on a Comexi electron beam flexo press known for its high productivity and ease of use. This technology involves printing only on the surface, reducing the number of film layers required. SGK Japan’s design approach minimizes ink usage while maintaining aesthetic quality.
The companies are collaborating to advance printing technology and standardize film packaging for food and daily necessities, ultimately reducing the environmental impact of the film packaging industry and promoting a sustainable economy.
