A new food compliant Co-Polyester with sparkling transparency and high heat resistance

The packaging industry is a challenging segment continuously pushed to deliver new innovative, high performing and sustainable packaging solutions - but at a price that is still competitive to old solutions. Consumers are demanding transparent food packaging, and brand owners are looking for shelf stand-out. This has been challenging for hot food applications since there have been no good transparent alternatives. Today there are very few sustainable plastic materials meeting these demands. There is a ban on the usage of polycarbonate in infant articles in Europe (since 2011) and in the US (since 2012). Polystyrene as foamed polystyrene either has been or is about to be banned in several cities in the US, such as New York and San Francisco. The trend continues as France will impose a ban on plastic single-use cups, plates, knives and forks throughout the country in 2020. But there are not many alternative materials.

This is a challenge addressed in Europe by Perstorp through the introduction of a new innovative polyester called Akestraâ„¢. It is produced by MGC (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical) in Japan and Taiwan and brought to Europe by Perstorp. Akestraâ„¢ is a unique material that offers a sparkling, glass-like appearance with much better heat resistance and transparency than PET. It is an amorphous alternative for hot-fill packaging where transparency is important. Akestraâ„¢ can be co-extruded in an A/B/A (10%/80%/10%) sandwich solution with recycled PET in the B-layer. This results in a sustainable, high performing material that can be used as a new alternative to polystyrene, comparable both in terms of price and performance.

Akestraâ„¢ can be used as an alternative to polystyrene in thin wall packaging; as an alternative to polycarbonate in durable plastic items; and even as an alternative to glass in a variety of food packaging. In this webinar, you will discover how your company can become more innovative and competitive, increasing your addressable market or get that long anticipated shelf stand out. All these benefits can be reliased without any investments, but by using existing processing equipment.

So if you are interested in knowing how you can come out as a winner by gaining a competitive edge, addressing the needs of today and challenges of tomorrow please join us for this webinar.