ExxonMobil develops high-barrier laminate and partners with Constantia Flexibles on freezer film

19 Jun 2024 --- ExxonMobil has introduced a high-barrier duplex MDO-PE/PE laminate solution while also partnering with Constantia Drukpol to develop an innovative freezer film for the ready-to-use plant-based food brand Bonduelle. 

Constantia Drukpol is a Polish plant owned by flexible packaging converter Constantia Flexibles. The collaboration led to the development of a monomaterial PE solution designed to replace traditional multi-material metalized films, which can make the packaging easier to recycle and better suited for various vegetables.

The new film can address the packaging needs for both “easy to pack” vegetables such as peas and green beans and “challenging to pack” vegetables like spinach and broccoli, which were the primary focus of this project due to their tougher packaging requirements.

“For our retail Frozen Bag Category, we aimed to replace our historical multi-material metalized film, which can be difficult to recycle. We selected a monomaterial PE solution without adhesives to facilitate easier recycling compared to multi-material solutions,” says Arnaud Warusfel, packaging development manager at Bonduelle Europe Long Life.

Marc Rademacher, executive vice president, Consumer Commercial at Constantia Flexibles (Image credit: Constantia Flexibles).“Throughout the development process, we encountered numerous challenges but successfully overcame them with the technical expertise of Constantia Drukpol and ExxonMobil.”

Lab performance assessment
In the lab, the reinforced solution for “challenging to pack” vegetables demonstrated “superior puncture and tear resistance,” encouraging Bonduelle to conduct a factory trial. 

The film performed “excellently” on Bonduelle’s vertical form fill seal packaging line, showing “robust abrasion resistance” and maintaining high speeds, which were key to its marketplace adoption for the Bonduelle brand.

Constantia Drukpol was selected for its HD Flexography printing expertise and experience in blown coextrusion film, lamination, laser cutting and pouch-making.

“ExxonMobil was responsible for polymer production, and our team at Constantia Drukpol focused on film production and excellence in printing,” explains Marc Rademacher, executive vice president of Consumer Commercial at Constantia Flexibles.

“The results were impressive: The new packaging has also been positively welcomed by the market in terms of quality and aesthetic.”

High-barrier laminate innovation
In other ExxonMobil advances, the company introduces a MDO-PE/PE laminate that offers a high barrier against oxygen and moisture, keeping food fresh for longer. It boasts stiffness and clarity, making it suitable for various applications, from dry goods to liquids. 

The solution addresses the challenge that has traditionally plagued packaging materials: balancing recyclability with essential barrier properties.

Bonduelle freezer films by ExxonMobil (Image credit: ExxonMobil).The MDO-PE/PE laminate comprises several key components. The MDO-PE film is made from a combination of ExxonMobil’s Exceed S, Enable and HD7165Ml PE resins. 

A PE sealant film — created with Enable, Exceed S and ExxonMobil HDPE resins — further enhances the laminate’s properties. Finally, a lamination and barrier coatings layer, which includes printing ink, Loctite Liofol barrier coating and a vacuum-metallized layer, completes the structure.

To craft the laminate, ExxonMobil provided the PE resin, while other industry specialists supplied additional materials.

Hosokawa Alpine contributed a five-layer blown film line with inline MDO technology. Henkel developed the Loctite Liofol BC 1582 RE barrier coating. Nordmeccanica Group employed its Vacuum & Coating machinery (Nordmet 12F Plus/Super Combi 5000) to apply the functional layers. Finally, Univel provided printed MDO film.

The recyclability of the laminate solution depends on local facilities and programs that accept plastic film for recycling.

By Benjamin Ferrer