Multilayer Films Breakthrough for Food Contact Market

This development enables customers to move confidently into more sustainable packaging solutions and opens significant new market opportunities for Cardia Bioplastics, which extend from commodity packaging into the food packaging industry.

15 Oct 2009 --- Cardia Bioplastics has lodged new provisional patents to protect this innovative technology, which expands its extensive patent portfolio. Cardia Bioplastics Managing Director Dr Frank Glatz said the multilayer film technology provides the food industry with excellent clarity, and mechanical and processing properties.

“This development enables customers to move confidently into more sustainable packaging solutions and opens significant new market opportunities for Cardia Bioplastics, which extend from commodity packaging into the food packaging industry. The sustainability benefit of Cardia Biohybrid multilayer film also offers food marketers packaging solutions with a competitive edge for their products,” said Frank Glatz.

The packaging industry has an estimated value of US$180 billion annually, of which a growing percentage is renewable and sustainable packaging. It is expected that growth in this industry will be significantly fuelled by consumers, regulators and brand owners who insist on packaging with a reduced carbon footprint and with environmental benefits.

Manufacturing plant to double capacity

Interest from international brands in Cardia Compostable and Cardia Biohybrid resins has resulted in the company’s decision to expand its manufacturing facility in Nanjing, China. The relocation to a larger site will effectively double the company’s manufacturing capacity.

Although Cardia Bioplastics focuses on resin development and manufacture, the new facility will also provide for the manufacture of finished goods in the Cardia Bioproducts range. “We can help customers trial Cardia Compostable or Cardia Biohybrid materials through our product design, development and delivery service for finished film and bag goods,” he said.

New Global Application Development Centre

In addition, Cardia Bioplastics has opened a new Global Application Development Centre at the company’s Melbourne, Australia headquarters. This facility focuses on the application of Cardia Compostable and Cardia Biohybrid resins to customers’ specific products.

“We work with many international customers to develop compostable products that meet strict regulatory requirements and biohybrid products that combine renewable thermoplastics with polyolefins that reduce customers’ dependence on finite oil resources,” said Frank Glatz. Frank Glatz said interest in sustainable resins is now growing consistently as international marketers seek a streamlined path to technologies that meet more demanding environmental solutions for their packaging and plastics products.