Henkel and UPM Specialty Papers have collaborated to address the growing demand for sustainable packaging options in the food industry. Together, they have introduced two recyclable paper solutions that provide heat-sealable alternatives to conventional plastic packaging.
These new coating technologies for fibre-based packaging push the performance of barrier papers to an unsurpassed level of grease resistance. By combining Henkel coatings with UPM packaging papers, the combined solutions offer fully recyclable alternatives for food applications. The jointly developed creations ensure that essential characteristics for packaging food items, such as heat sealability and barrier properties against grease, can be provided using paper.
These innovative solutions were presented at a dedicated Happy Hour at UPM Specialty Papers’ Interpack stand. The solutions incorporate Henkel’s Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE with UPM AsendoTM 90 g/m2 paper and barrier coating Aquence EPIX BC 6134 with UPM AsendoTM Pro 90 g/m2 paper.
Mika Uusikartano, Senior Manager of Product Portfolio Management at UPM Specialty Papers, said, “At UPM Specialty Papers, we are working closely with innovative partners to create transformative solutions that reimagine the future of sustainable packaging. Working alongside Henkel, we have co-created a recyclable, heat-sealable packaging material that is compatible with existing packaging lines.”
These paper coatings by Henkel can be used on various substrates, enabling easy recycling and fibre recovery to support a circular economy. According to Christin Noack, Market Strategy Manager Europe at Henkel, “As the packaging industry and wider society work to take on urgent environmental challenges, it is essential that we collaborate across the value chain to rapidly deliver solutions.”
Together, Henkel and UPM Specialty Papers have enabled paper to achieve unmatched barrier performance while meeting the demand for more sustainable packaging. These paper innovations provide packaging manufacturers with turn-key solutions to significantly reduce their own development time when bringing new products to market. The collaborative spirit and close partnership between both companies have led to the successful presentation and reception of these paper solutions at Interpack.
