Packaging partnership to develop compostable lidding

Wood fibre material innovator Fiberdom is entering a partnership with packaging machinery and moulding technology Kiefel to accelerate the development and commercialisation of fibre-based, fully recyclable and home-compostable packaging.

The collaboration combines Fiberdom’s Duranova material with Kiefel’s dry fibre forming technology to deliver plastic-free packaging solutions. The partnership will initially focus on solutions that are suited to dry forming technology, requiring high material strength and formability in 3D structures, as well as low weight and material efficiency; for example, certified home-compostable beverage cup lids, margarine container lids and single-use cutlery. Several market-ready applications are already possible, with final testing and fine-tuning currently underway.

“The partnership with Kiefel is a strong endorsement of our material technology and shows we’re ready to scale up with major partners taking on the critical sustainability challenges the packaging sector faces today,” said Tomi Järvenpää, General Manager of Fiberdom.

Packaging applications with complex shapes and high-performance requirements are traditionally produced using a wet forming process to prevent cracks and wrinkles during forming. However, Kiefel’s dry forming technology offers advantages for certain types of packaging applications, providing a solution for products with specific geometric requirements. .

Sven Engelmann, Vice President - Technology at Kiefel, said: “This strategic partnership allows us to offer market-ready dry forming solutions that support recyclability, compostability and cost-efficiency for applications where this technology excels, while maintaining our full spectrum of forming technologies to serve the complete range of packaging requirements without compromising performance.”