VOID Technologies has launched its VO+ PE 1300 Series voiding agent to serve the ‘rapidly growing’ demand for recyclable opaque films.
The firm said the resulting voided polyethylene (PE) film structures are compatible with existing PE recycling streams and meet the requirements for a range of recycle-ready packaging applications including laminates, wicketed bags, labels, and flow wraps.
VO+ PE 1300 Series is being used to develop voided machine direction oriented (MDO) HDPE films that offer a combination of low density and high opacity that is not feasible with mineral pigments like TiO2. The innovation is said to position a new PE-based recycle-ready alternative to pearlised biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), which is not widely recyclable and offers a growth opportunity for PE film converters.
James Gibson, VOID Technologies’ CEO, said, “VOID is seeing strong demand for its new VO+ PE 1300 Series product because it enables the recycle-ready packaging designs that brand owners and converters are seeking. VO+ PE 1300 Series is designed for MDO lines and can produce a Store Drop-Off recyclable HDPE alternative to pearlised BOPP, offering PE converters a very significant growth opportunity without cannibalising existing PE product lines.
“Commercial quantities of VO+ PE 1300 Series are available to meet growing demand and our customers are already conducting end-to-end supply chain trials in support of their plans to launch new packaging designs at scale in 2024.”
VO+ PE 1300 Series is based on a formulation using polymeric cavitation agents, eliminating the need to use minerals that are abrasive on expensive equipment.
The product is described as compliant with direct food contact standards in Europe and North America and has passed ‘key’ recycling standards outlined by the Association of Plastic Recyclers and RecyClass.
“As converters continue to invest in MDO, there is a need to develop a new generation of MDO applications to address both plastic reduction and recycling targets,” James Gibson added. “Our new VO+ PE 1300 Series addresses four key challenges facing packaging producers today – MDO production performance, in-use package performance, material reduction targets and recyclability.”
