TPU1000 paves the way for sustainable packaging

Every year, the German Packaging Institute dvi honors groundbreaking packaging ideas and machines in a contest that encompasses all industries and packaging materials. This year, one of the coveted prizes went to the TPU1000 paper forming machine from Syntegon. According to the jury, the form, fill and seal machine for paper-based packaging material paves the way for new, sustainable packaging solutions that meet the trends towards replacing petrochemical plastics and individualization. “The TPU offers brand owners with high demands on sustainability and aesthetics completely new packaging options for food, cosmetics and non-food products,” says Matthias Klauser, sustainability expert at Syntegon Technology. “We are therefore all the more pleased that the dvi recognizes our innovation and sustainability efforts.”

Sustainable and unique

The module-based TPU1000 forms environmentally friendly “Shaped Paper Pods” with a filling volume of ten to 100 milliliters, which are suitable for single-portion packs and small-format products that are normally packaged in blisters. The material fed from the paper roll is formed into the desired shape at a speed of up to 15,000 packages per hour. This enables high quality packaging designs and embossing for a variety of products and filling techniques.

“In combination with BillerudKorsnäs' 3D formable FibreForm^® paper, the TPU1000 produces unique packaging with a special feel that meets both brand manufacturers' needs for an individual look and feel and their sustainability efforts,” says Klauser. FibreForm^® allows for up to ten times deeper embossing than regular paper. This results in unique 3D effects that differ from existing packaging solutions on the market. Various types of barrier layers can be applied to ensure the necessary protection of the respective product. The jury of the German Packaging Award praised the innovative material: “This highly stretchable paper allows wrinkle-free processing from a roll and a detailed reproduction of small embossing elements.”