Reifenhäuser Blown Film has demonstrated the competitive production of recyclable packaging with an 18 μm MDO PE film with market-ready product samples. Courtesy of Reifenhäuser.
MDO units combined with thin barrier resins open opportunities for mono-material packaging, and this innovation is essential under European PPWR. At K-Show, recyclable mono-material packaging gained attention because European regulations are advancing. Therefore, companies urgently explore technologies that enable viable solutions.
You can also read: Pioneering Mono-Material Shoes.
The challenge involves two technological answers: MDO stretch units and high-barrier EVOH resins, which enable PE-based mono-material structures. Manufacturers limit barrier resin levels below five percent. This maintains recyclability while protecting efficiency, performance, and economic profitability.
MDO stretch units increase film stiffness and barrier capacity. Reifenhäuser’s patented EVO Ultra Stretch also demonstrates effective solutions in commercial packaging. In blown film, MDO stretches the material immediately after heating. Therefore, the process becomes stable, and producers reduce thickness without losing quality. Reifenhäuser Blown Film achieved the first stable eighteen-micrometer PE film using MDO, while conventional thickness remains between twenty and twenty-five micrometers.
Stretching orients polymer chains in the machine direction. This enhances strength and allows PE films to replace PET laminates. When applied to EVOH barrier films, MDO improves barrier properties. Therefore, manufacturers use less costly resin and significantly increase competitive performance. Stretching reduces film thickness and material consumption. Moreover, this approach lowers environmental impact while maintaining protective functionality in packaging applications.
“The technological path towards MDO mono-material films is set,” explained Marcel Perrevort, CSO of Reifenhäuser Group, highlighting profitability as the priority.
By applying MDO, producers reduce EVOH content below five percent. As a result, packaging complies with Recyclass guidelines for recyclability. MDO units also retrofit existing cast film lines. Consequently, manufacturers adopt the technology without requiring entirely new processing infrastructure or capital investment.
The MDO unit orients polymer chains in the machine direction by stretching the film, reducing thickness, and increasing mechanical resistance. Courtesy of Reifenhäuser.
At K-Show, Kuraray presented EVAL EVOH resins, which deliver high oxygen barriers while supporting development of recyclable mono-material packaging solutions. One millimeter of EVAL equals a ten-meter LDPE wall. Therefore, ultra-thin structures conserve resources and reduce waste across packaging applications.
New metallization technologies eliminate aluminum while maintaining performance. As a result, sustainable packaging options emerge for snacks, coffee, milk powder, and soup products. Niederweiser Group, Dow, and Kuraray collaborated on PE-rich EVOH vacuum pouches. This partnership produced recyclable packaging that preserves food quality and structural integrity.
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