Nano-enabled films prompt European interest - Danaflex-Nano

By Mark Astley

- Last updated on GMT

Nano-enabled films prompt European interest - Danaflex-Nano

Related tags Packaging

Demand for nano-enabled packaging film is on the rise in Europe, with the high-barrier packaging film sector showing potential for huge growth, said one of Russia’s largest flexible packaging company.

According to Danaflex-Nano, a proprietary nanotechnology process for the improved manufacture of flexible packaging material is expected to be extremely popular within the European market.

The company, a subsidiary of nanotechnology investors RUSNANO, spoke to FoodProductionDaily.com after the official opening of its new 2.45bn rubles (€60m) Kazan-based factory, where nanotechnology will be used in the production of packaging film.

The company intends to manufacture a high-barrier polymer film and related flexible packaging materials mainly for across the packaging sector, including food packaging.

Better properties, lower price

A Danaflex spokesperson told FoodProductionDaily.com: “Nano-enabled packaging film brings added value to the more general segment of high-barrier packaging films. Nanotechnology gives us a new way to manufacture high-barrier packaging film, but with better properties and a lower price.”

“Higher barrier packaging now takes about 18% of the flexible packaging market of Russia, but it is growing faster than other market sectors – at about 10-15% per year.”

“We’ve just started the production of this kind of films, but our European partners are already interested in packaging films of Danaflex-Nano.”

The new factory will produce films for food packaging using nano-technology that contain 17 layers – ensuring high-barrier properties and extending the shelf-life of foodstuffs.

The development of high-barrier properties may also reduce the amount of preservatives used in the packaging of foodstuffs - providing a potential replacement for traditional tin cans.

Production of the 17-layer film, which can be used with products such as meat, canned fruit and vegetables, milks and baby food, will be reduced from 14 days, the traditional cycle, to two days.

6bn rubles sales

According to the spokesperson, RUSNANO, the company behind the Danaflex-Nano project, chose to invest in several promising areas of growth, including the development of nano-enabled high-barrier flexible packaging materials in the new Kazan facility.

The factory has an output capacity of 46,000 tonnes per annum, through which the company has forecasted sales of more than 6bn rubles (€145m) in 2015.

The spokesperson added: “As an investor, RUSNANO is searching for companies with technologies that could bring products with nano-based competitive advantages in the domestic and worldwide market.”

Speaking at the opening of the Kazan-based facility, RUSNANO managing director Dmitry Pimkin said, “Danaflex has held the lead in the Russian flexible packaging market for many years. We took notice of the project when its team proposed using nanotechnology to improve characteristics of the packaging materials, a product with a growing market.”

Related topics Food Safety & Quality

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