Kremsmünster, September 17. Barrier packaging made of plastic is becoming increasingly relevant. This makes it an attractive alternative, thanks to its numerous benefits, to packaging made out of glass or tin, for example. Plastic packaging is light, thereby saving on transport costs and emissions when compared to conventional packaging. “Plastic packaging with barrier effect completely shields the filling from external influences — such as oxygen — or the migration of the package contents into the filling”, says Bettina Schrenk, Project Supervisor and Manager of the R&D Department of Greiner Packaging GmbH. This extends the food shelf life without the use of any preservatives. New low migration plastics, which do not include Bisphenol A or phthalates, ensure that the plastics are even safer than the legal standards. “The production of efficient and safe food packaging is a key technology of the future,” stresses Bettina Schrenk enthusiastically.

Utilize Synergies for quick, comprehensive results
The aim of Competence Headquarters, founded by Greiner Packaging, is to further develop essential plastic processing technology for the manufacture of multi-barrier technology packaging with minimal migration. The concept here is based on achieving a barrier effect by combining different materials. Greiner Packaging GmbH is investing over €2 million in this effort in the coming year. One of these processes is the innovative Kavoblow technology. This involves an injection blow-molding procedure, co-developed by Greiner Packaging, that allows the creation of plastic bottles in the most economical way possible. A new pilot plant was set up at the Wartberg/Krems site specifically for the project. As part of the project, the Institute for Polymer Extrusion and Compounding (IPEC) of JKU Linz is investing in a co-extrusion barrier foil system to further develop barrier foil extruders. Recendt (Research Center for Non-Destructive Testing) is focusing on developing barrier layer thickness measurement using OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) technology. The interdisciplinary collaboration enables the demands in specific sub-projects to be met and addressed in parallel.

Kick-Off on the 16th of September
The starting gun for the 3-year project sounded on September 16 as part of a Kick-Off event. Attendees included Peter Burgholzer (CEO Recendt), Jürgen Miethlinger (Head of IPEC Institute, JKU), Franz Reitbauer (CEO Greiner Packaging Austria) and Bettina Schrenk (Manager of the R&D Department, Greiner Packaging Austria). Aside from visiting the Greiner Packaging GmbH plant, the event provided all of the parties involved with an opportunity to become better acquainted with the objectives of the project.