Borealis and Bockatech have partnered to develop foam injection moulding solutions for reusable and recyclable packaging.
Image: Corretto is a recyclable, re- usable and returnable to-go cup which uses Bockatech EcoCore and the grades Borealis BH381MO and Borealis Daploy WB140HMS. Photo: courtesy of Bockatech.
The solutions, which will be available for global use under licence, will combine the EcoCore technology of Bockatech with Borealis’ material grades.
The solutions will allow converters to take new opportunities for low cost, high performance and sustainable food packaging.
Bockatech CEO and founder Chris Bocking said: “Combining our EcoCore technology with Borealis materials and expertise in foam will produce viable new applications which offer significant benefits for businesses, consumers and the environment.”
The patented EcoCore solution, when combined with Borealis grades BH381MO and Daploy WB140HMS, presents an eco-friendly way of manufacturing reusable and recyclable packaging.
Foamed mouldings that leverage EcoCore need less material and have faster cycle times to reduce material costs, energy use and environmental impact.
Reusable and recyclable end products made using EcoCore feature a smooth surface finish ready for printing.
Due to its high strength, the material is suitable for deposit return schemes that deliver material recovery rates of up to 94% and decrease the probability of plastics entering the marine environment. EcoCore solutions are 100% recyclable as mono-material packaging.
Borealis head of new business development Andreas Leitner said: “Combining our foam products with EcoCore technology to produce innovative, lightweight solutions is more than an exciting business opportunity: it’s a real step forward for more circularity in packaging.”
Bockatech works with partners to optimize their use of EcoCore and ensure significant return on investment.
Borealis provides solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. With head office in Vienna, Austria, the company currently employs about 6,600 employees and operates in more than 120 countries.
Last month, Borealis had fully acquired the Austrian plastics recycler Ecoplast Kunststoffrecycling.
Based in Wildon, Ecoplast processes around 35,000 tons of post-consumer plastic waste from households and industrial consumers every year, turning them into high-quality LDPE and HDPE recyclates, primarily but not exclusively for the plastic film market.