Heidelberg and Solenis work to integrate fiber-barrier coating into flexographic printing

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG and Solenis announce a collaboration in the field of paper packaging to develop a cost-effective process to integrate barrier coatings for fiber-based packaging directly into the existing roll-fed, flexo-printing process with the Heidelberg Boardmaster. Barrier coatings help prevent water or water vapor, hot and cold liquids, oils and fats from leaking out of or penetrating into paper packaging.

“The growing global demand for sustainably produced, cost-effective, recyclable and compostable packaging makes the flexible-paper sector an attractive growth market for us,” says Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology & Sales Officer at Heidelberg. “Our new Boardmaster web flexo-printing press, with its production speed of up to 600 mpm and an availability of up to 90%, offers the conditions for this. In our collaboration with Solenis, we are aiming for the cost-effective production of packaging solutions for the food industry that are geared toward efficiency and sustainability.”

Breakthrough expected for cost-effective barrier coatings

The cost-effective application of barrier coatings plays a key role in the quality and safety of flexible-paper packaging. The collaboration between Heidelberg and Solenis is about optimally coordinating the individual components of the Boardmaster, the chemical composition of Solenis barrier coatings and the entire process technology and making them available to packaging producers. The overall package should enable converters to expand their range of applications in the flexible-paper sector with improved barrier functions. The result is cost-optimized applications that are predominantly reusable, recyclable, renewable and compostable.