Michelman, a global developer and manufacturer of environmentally friendly advanced materials for the industry, offering solutions for the coatings, printing and packaging and industrial manufacturing markets, participated for the first time at Pamex held between 6 and 9 January 2020 in Mumbai. At the event, the company focused on its range of paper products which are meant for the paper industry. “We are highlighting our solutions for paper cups, take-away containers, paper bags, paper trays etc. which needs to be food compliant,” said Shailesh Nema, vice president and managing director, Michelman India.
The company also highlighted its new innovative product which eliminates the use of polyethylene or wax in conventional paper cups. The new recyclable water-based coating solution not only eliminates the plastic lining used in conventional paper cups but also eases the recycling and repulping process. The product is designed to be both flexo and gravure applicable.
“Michelman has over 70 years of expertise in water-based coatings. And since inception, we have been into water-based coatings which are compliant with food contact regulations. In India, the government has announced that single-use plastic will be phased out by 2022. Plastic is a crucial part of packaging which is even reinforced in paper-based packaging. Once we replace single-use plastics, we will need alternate solutions in place which will require food contact compliant coatings. So, we have given special emphasis on coating products which are complaint to direct food contact,” said Nema.
Michelman Innovation Centre for Coatings
Michelman inaugurated its state-of-the-art packaging incubator in Mumbai on 31 January 2018. The new packaging incubator, the Michelman Innovation Centre for Coatings (MICC), is strategically designed to assist immensely the flexible packaging converters, film producers, paper converters and brand owners in innovating a sustainable future for packaging and allow for fast and efficient development of sustainable packaging solutions.
The centerpiece of the MICC is a Kroenert pilot coater laminator that allows packaging manufacturers to test new concepts without stopping their production lines. Additionally, collaboration with Michelman’s technical and market experts allows brand owners, film producers, converters, universities, and others involved in the research and development of packaging produce more sustainable solutions. “A packaging converter or brand owner can walk into our premises – can ideate with our packaging experts and design packaging structure in our premises. We can measure the various barrier properties associated with the packaging structure, and if the structure needs to be redesigned to achieve a specific property, we can do that then and there. This brings down significantly the entire investment and prototyping cycle while at the same time expediting the innovation process,” Nema said.
Michelman towards recyclability
Coatings play a vital role in building a packaging structure, though it comes at a later stage in the packaging supply chain. “So, we are talking to brands which have pledged to make its packaging 100% recyclable – for example Nestle, Unilever, P&G, J&J – by 2025. We are also in direct communication with some brands, and are helping them to change their existing packaging structures that are non-recyclable to a packaging structure that is 100% recyclable,” said Nema.
“Recyalibility is the most talked about topic today. When it comes to banning plastics, we also need to understand the extent of the problem. India’s population is four times the population of America, while its land area is three times less than America. This means, the per-capita land availability is also low in India compared to America – and our population is growing, and hence the consumption of packaging products as well. Unless we have products, which can be recycled, the problem of waste mountains seen outside almost every city today is going to get multiplied. So, while we need to find a solution for the existing waste, we also need to find ways to stop adding to these waste mountains. The absolute need of the hour is to design packaging structures which are 100% recyclable,” Nema concluded.
