Heidelberg and Solenis Partner on Barrier Coatings

The collaboration between Solenis and Heidelberg addresses growing demand for sustainable paper packaging solutions.

Solenis, a leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals, is partnering with Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, an innovative technology company with a leading position in the global printing industry, to develop a more cost-effective way to integrate barrier coatings for paper packaging directly into existing flexographic printing processes.

With this innovation, packaging manufacturers can use Heidelberg's flexographic machine portfolio to print and apply Solenis barrier coatings. This extends opportunities for better product performance and improved production efficiency for flat sheet and inline web-fed flexo applications.

Solenis' specialty print-applied coatings include barrier coatings for the production of board materials, flexible packaging and single-use cupstock, as well as anti-slip technical coatings for industrial, shipping and container applications.

Barrier coatings for corrugated packaging used in fresh food and e-commerce can be applied by printing to avoid traditional polyethylene (PE) lamination and paraffin wax use. This facilitates recycling of the material.

For single-use cupstock production, barrier protection with overflow coatings for cold and hot cups can be applied on existing equipment and eliminates the need for PE lamination to increase efficiency. Solenis' patented heat-seal coating is easily applied on conventional cup conversion lines to reduce material consumption and lower costs.

This collaboration addresses growing demand for more sustainable paper packaging solutions that reduce plastic use through environmentally friendly alternatives with advanced barrier functionality.

William Kuecker, Senior Director Strategic Marketing at Solenis, stated, "Packaging companies face increasing pressure to optimize processes while achieving ambitious sustainability targets. Our collaboration with Heidelberg is pushing boundaries for packaging manufacturers. With this combination of the latest printing technology and innovative, high-performance specialty coatings, packaging producers can increase operational efficiency and product performance while meeting growing demand for sustainable products and processes."