Packaging firm Mondi is investing approximately €5 million in a new research and development (R&D) facility at Mondi Steinfeld in Germany.
The group hopes the new centre will support customers by helping them to develop solutions that achieve their sustainability goals.
Mondi Steinfeld R&D
Construction of the facility has commenced, and when completed, will include pilot lines for both plastic- and paper-based solutions, from coating, film extrusion and printing to filling lines for multiple products.
The centre will include an analytical laboratory as well as a floor dedicated to a customer experience centre, which will provide an open environment to interact with customers at the early stages in the development of innovations.
The R&D centre will bring together experts with extensive knowledge of different materials and packaging types.
Extrusion coating, aqueous coating, and siliconisation will be available, as will various printing machines.
Filling lines for different materials, including both horizontal and vertical filling, forming, and sealing equipment will allow customers to conduct trials without interrupting their own running production.
The facility will also enable Mondi to work with its customers to develop pilot-scale solutions on-site and accelerate the process from idea to a scaled solution.
Sustainable Packaging Solutions
Elisabeth Schwaiger, head of R&D and IP flexible packaging at Mondi, said, "This R&D centre demonstrates our hands-on approach to developing sustainable packaging solutions at Mondi. We look forward to working with our customers, combining their knowledge with ours to meet their sustainable packaging goals.
"The investment helps to contribute to our own Mondi Action Plan 2030 sustainability goals, specifically our target to make 100% of our products reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025."
The research and development centre will open its doors at the end of 2023 and will complement Mondi’s other research and development centres such as the recycling and food safety laboratories in Frantschach, Austria.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest packaging news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
