Panara will support Alpla to boost its activities in the research field of alternative and sustainable raw materials for packaging
Panara has expertise in the development of bioplastics. (Credit: ALPLA Group)
Austrian plastic packaging manufacturer Alpla Group has purchased a minority stake in Slovak bioplastics developer Panara for an undisclosed sum.
Panara is involved in the development of fully bio-based and biodegradable plastics. Since 2006, Panara has been carrying out research in the area of biopolymers.
Panara will help Alpla to boost its activities in the research field of alternative and sustainable raw materials for packaging.
Alpla chairman Günther Lehner said: “Panara has a lot of experience in the area of bio-based plastics. In acquiring a stake in the company and partnering with Panara, we want to leverage this expertise and make the transfer of knowledge possible for our applications and customers.”
To support its research activities, Panara already partnered with the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava and the Centre for Applied Research of Environmentally Friendly Polymeric Materials (CEPOMA) in Nitra.
Recently, Panara launched a bioplastic under the brand name Nonoilen, which is produced using renewable resources.
The recyclable, stable and temperature-resistant bioplastic can be completely industrially composted at the end of its life cycle
Alpla corporate research and innovation director Christian Zmölnig said: “As a technology leader in the area of packaging materials, we engage in ongoing work with partners to develop new raw materials that will minimise carbon dioxide emissions as well as resource consumption.”
Alpla stated that the acquisition of the stake in Panara is in line with the company’s focus of increased investment in the circular economy.
Alpla is already working with Paboco on the development of paper-based bottles. It also unveiled a home-compostable coffee capsule.
In October last year, Alpla launched carbon-neutral recycled polyethylene terephthalate (recycled PET or rPET), which is claimed to be the first of its kind in the world.