The coextrusion barrier foil facility at IPEC (“Institute for Polymer Extrusion and Compounding” of JKU Linz), co-financed by Greiner Packaging, is helping to further develop barrier foil extruders. The facility was established as part of the Competence Headquarters initiated by Greiner Packaging, the objective of which is to further develop essential plastics processing technologies for the manufacture of low-migration, multi-layer plastic barrier packaging (multi-barrier technology). Effective immediately, the coextrusion facility is available for testing and research.

Longer shelf life – with no preservatives at all
“Barrier packaging made of plastic is increasingly gaining importance, since its numerous advantages make it an attractive alternative to packaging made of glass or tin plate. Plastic packaging is particularly light. Compared to conventional packaging, this saves on costs as well as emissions occurring during transport,” says Bettina Schrenk, project manager and head of the R&D department at Greiner Packaging GmbH. Plastic packaging with a barrier effect also protects the filling against outside influences – such as oxygen – or against the migration of the packaging contents into the filling. Barrier packaging can significantly extend food shelf life in this way without adding any preservatives. New low-migration plastics that have done away with Bisphenol A or phthalate are making plastics safe well beyond the legal requirements. Bettina Schrenk is convinced that “the manufacture of efficient and safe food packaging is a key technology of the future.” And this will mean expanding the core competencies of the company ? from the manufacture of single-layer packaging for food with a short shelf life to the manufacture of thin-walled multi-layer packaging to achieve a long shelf life.

Utilizing synergies for fast, comprehensive results
Greiner Packaging GmbH is investing over 2 million Euros in this research project in the next few years. “The market for plastic packaging with barrier properties is growing in Europe at up to seven percent each year. Our objective is to establish and ensure Greiner Packaging’s position as the innovation leader in the market in the long term. Moreover, the knowledge gained from the project should also help create jobs for highly qualified employees at our competence center for barrier and material development at the Kremsmünster site,” says Franz Reitbauer, Managing Director of the Greiner Packaging GmbH. Aside from IPEC, Recendt (Research Center for Non-Destructive Testing) is also involved in the research activities. This interdisciplinary cooperation with partners from the scientific community is making it possible for Greiner Packaging to come up with synergistic solutions to meet requirements in individual sub-projects and to work on them in parallel.

Inauguration of the new production facility
The coextrusion facility was officially opened in the presence of the Governor’s representative Thomas Stelzer, Alexander Egyed, the JKU Vice-Rector for Research, Franz Reitbauer, Managing Director of Greiner Packaging GmbH, Bettina Schrenk, head of R&D at Greiner Packaging GmbH, SML CEO Karl Stöger, and Jürgen Miethlinger, Director of IPEC.

 

Source : greiner-gpi.com

Report Abuse