The firm claims it meets the same performance specifications as non-renewable petroleum-based polymers.
Adhesive tie layers are special polymers used in multilayer films that bond together dissimilar resins that otherwise would not adhere to each other.
The extrusion grade is suitable for blown or cast multilayer film structures that use common barrier resins like polyamide (PA) and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH).
Yparex announced it will “be the first of many more green innovations”, if the trial with the film producer is successful.
Help industry
The Netherlands-based company said the bio-based version of its brand adhesive tie-layer resin for multilayer barrier-packaging producers was produced to “help move packaging to the next level of sustainability”.
“In monolayer packaging or coated/laminated packaging we see many initiatives, which we all salute,” Wouter van den Berg, general manager, Yparex B.V told FoodProductionDaily.com.
“In co-extrusion multilayer packaging we believe we are the first to develop a material for bio-based tie layers.
“I expect the demand to be limited at first, but as the concept picks up this will slowly but surely become a major thing in the packaging industry.”
The firm said the material will be available globally eventually pending interest.
Resin price
When asked about pricing of the resin, he added: “At this moment, this bio-based tie resin comes with a premium over oil-based tie resins, absolutely.
“The message is that the pricing of the bio-based material is not dependant on the volatility of the petrochemical industry (oil, gas, naphtha, etc.).”
Yparex resins are used in flexible packaging for meat, sausage, cheese, fish, liquid packaging for juice, milk and containers and bottles for products such as sauces.
Van den Berg added: “We have been considering this for quite a long time already, as we saw many initiatives in making packaging more sustainable.
“We realized that multi-layer packaging faces extra challenges with regards to developing “green” concepts (all layers have to be considered), so we decided to help the industry by making “green” tie resin available.”
