è News NextFilm™: biodegradable and compostable (Ticinoplast) New standards in stretch film production for PCR material

NextFilm™: biodegradable and compostable

Green commitment for the Milanese company Ticinoplast which presents the NextFilm™ product range: a new generation of packaging films, an expression of the company’s commitment to the circular economy and sustainable development.

The first family of new packaging solutions proposed by Ticinoplast is represented by biodegradable and compostable MATER-BI films, compliant with the international standard UNI EN 13432, for lamination or for single use in the packaging of food and suitable products to compostable packaging. The result of the collaboration with Novamont, the new films have been developed thanks to a joint work of research, development, industrialization and tests on printing machines, laminators and packaging lines, which lasted almost 3 years. In total, these are five films, already OK Compost certified, characterized as follows: • 2 print media and 3 sealing films. Rolled together, they guarantee mechanical and welding characteristics suitable for production on any packaging machine. The printing supports can be worked on both gravure and flexographic lines. The sealing films can be used both in lamination and as single films, depending on the applications, and can be printed. Thanks to the collaboration with Saes Coated Film, the printing substrates of the NextFilm™ line can be subjected to surface treatments to increase the properties of high barrier against humidity and gases (CoathinkTM technology), in order to guarantee functional characteristics comparable to those of the traditional packaging systems. In the coming months, in addition to compostable films, the NextFilm™ line will also be enriched with polyethylene film obtained from PCR resins from chemical recycling - therefore suitable for food contact- as well as with Biobased polyethylene film. For this reason, Ticinoplast has started the ISCC+ certification process, thus updating its position in the circular economy and sustainable development.

IN BRIEF Active for over 50 years, Ticinoplast extrudes polyethylene bubble film for food packaging and other applications. With its 10 extrusion lines from 1 to 5 layers, it is one of the main technological leaders in the blown extrusion sector and is recognized globally as one of the most innovative companies in the flexible market NEW STANDARDS IN STRETCH FILM PRODUCTION FOR PCR MATERIAL

Colines®’ R&D department keeps making decisive steps forward on the path of recycling: the tests ran over by the Italian company in cooperation with ExxonMobil on the ALLrollEX® “family” lines delivered important results. «We performed very high quality reels - said Nicola Lombardini, R&D Manager of COLINES® - both with a wide range of thicknesses and percentages of recycled materials. We reached up to 400% ultimate pre-stretch value (ultimate strain) on a standard film production. Even when using a very high grade of recycled material, the reels offered good optical and mechanical qualities, perfectly suitable for today’s new market requirements. This is impressive if we consider that we used up to 60% of PCR (post consumer recycled) material. Our cooperation with ExxonMobil provides us with the confidence to achieve further milestones in the near future».

The left roll has been made from 60% PCR, while the right roll has been made from 100% virgin resins

The new standard set by Colines® is related to the use of post-consumer recycled materials, in place of more commonly used post-industrial recycled ones: «After having made perfect reels with up to 90% of PIR (post industrial recycled) material, we had a further proof of the extreme flexibility of our ALLrollEX® lines in production» said Eraldo Peccetti, Colines®’ Executive President and co-founder. ALLrollEX® lines are equipped with the latest developements in terms of technology, such as our brand-new-designed GDS (gel down screw) screws or the proprierty in-line refeeding system BigMouth®. Also, the frost-line was perfectly managed thanks to the chill-roll unit and vacuum-box we realized and our patented edge-pinning system allowed us to have a highest-quality-reels and consistency in production.