Bobst and Michelman Advance PPWR Compliance with New Recyclable High-Barrier Packaging Progress
- Bobst and Michelman are advancing recyclable high-barrier packaging with mono-material polyethylene and paper-based structures to help converters comply with EU PPWR before the January 2030 deadline.
- OneBarrier PrimeCycle is a recyclable mono-material polyethylene structure combining MDO-PE film, an ultra-thin Michelman primer, and Bobst vacuum metallization; unprinted it contains up to 98% polyethylene, achieves a 98% recyclability rate verified by external cyclos-HTP testing, and matches aluminum foil's oxygen and moisture barrier performance.
- OneBarrier FibreCycle is a paper-based high-barrier structure using an oxygen barrier primer, vacuum metallization, and a heat seal coating applied through two wet coating stages; it reaches an OTR of 0.02–0.1 under tropical conditions while maintaining moisture resistance, with recyclability validated under CEPI harmonized and Western Michigan University protocols.
- These structures can run on industrial packaging equipment at up to 350 pouches per minute with 100% seal performance, and Bobst and Michelman also introduced a proof-of-concept bio-based, plastic-free coating system aimed at EU Single-Use Plastics Directive compliance.
- A further development laminates an ultra-thin metallized BOPP film to a paper substrate as an option to replace aluminum foil barrier layers, and customers can test and develop structures at Bobst's global competence centers and Michelman's global technical centers.
Fresh developments from Bobst and Michelman’s recyclable high-barrier packaging partnership were outlined, with mono-material polyethylene and paper-based structures positioned to help converters comply with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation before the January 2030 deadline.
The two firms have worked together in sustainable barrier packaging for over a decade and shared new milestones for two flagship structures. OneBarrier PrimeCycle is a recyclable mono-material polyethylene format that brings together MDO-PE film, an ultra-thin Michelman primer, and Bobst vacuum metallization. In unprinted form, it contains up to 98% polyethylene, achieves a 98% recyclability rate verified by external cyclos-HTP testing, and provides oxygen and moisture transmission performance on par with aluminum foil.
OneBarrier FibreCycle is a paper-based high-barrier format that uses an oxygen barrier primer, vacuum metallization, and a heat seal coating, applied through two wet coating stages. The final structure reaches an oxygen transmission rate of 0.02–0.1 under tropical conditions while maintaining moisture resistance; its recyclability was validated under CEPI harmonized and Western Michigan University protocols.
The companies also introduced a proof-of-concept bio-based, plastic-free coating system aimed at compliance with the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive. These structures can run on industrial packaging equipment at speeds up to 350 pouches per minute and deliver 100% seal performance. A further development laminates an ultra-thin metallized BOPP film to a paper substrate as an option to replace aluminum foil barrier layers.
Nick Copeland, R&D Director of Barrier Solutions at Bobst, said the same barrier performance must be achieved on more challenging and less capable substrates, and that it has to be maintained at every conversion step.
Thierry Van Mighem, European Sales Director at Michelman, added that working with different stakeholders across the value chain can speed up innovation and reduce time to market.
Customers of Bobst and Michelman can test and develop structures at Bobst’s global competence centers and Michelman’s global technical centers.
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