Toppan and its Italy-based film manufacturing subsidiary Irplast have inaugurated a new manufacturing line for high-performance biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films, with a ceremony held on 15 September 2026.
An overview of this development will be included at the Toppan stand (East Hall 2, Stand No. 2R10) during Tokyo Pack 2026, to be held at Tokyo Big Sight from 14 to 16 October 2026.
Background and objectives
In its packaging business, the Toppan Group is accelerating the establishment of its global supply network for recycle-ready mono-material packaging to meet tightening environmental regulations – such as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) – and to drive the transition toward a circular economy.
Irplast, a Toppan Group company, is a film manufacturer equipped with simultaneous biaxial orientation technology. According to the company, its expertise in minimizing thermal shrinkage provides BOPP films with heat resistance, mechanical strength, and transparency.
Through the operation of this line, together with existing capabilities, the plant will be able to establish an overall supply infrastructure of up to 30,000 tonnes per year for high-performance BOPP films. This deployment expands the Toppan Group’s production capabilities and enhances manufacturing efficiency, aiming to ensure a stable, local supply to meet demand for sustainable packaging in Europe and beyond.
Features of the new manufacturing line
The films produced on this line offer uniform physical properties and dimensional stability achieved through the LISIM simultaneous stretching process. Leveraging this, Toppan and Irplast plan to develop packaging applications intended to offer durability under demanding conditions, such as retort sterilization.
Utilizing the film’s mechanical strength, development will also be focused toward down gauging, or reducing film thickness. The company said this is intended to enable a reduction in plastic consumption while maintaining packaging functions, supporting resource conservation goals.
Future activities
The new line is expected to commence commercial operations by late 2026, supplying high-performance BOPP films to packaging converters and brand owners.
The combination of Irplast’s BOPP film manufacturing capabilities and the Toppan Group’s technologies and solutions is intended to expand sustainable solutions worldwide by supporting use as a substrate in transparent GL Barrier films, as well as other high-performance, sustainable packaging solutions aimed at supporting a circular economy.
