ExxonMobil, Henkel and partners create monomaterial PE pouch

ExxonMobil Signature Polymers has partnered with Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H), B&B, and Henkel to develop a monomaterial PE pouch solution to address regulatory pressures on the packaging industry.

The partners used W&H’s Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) technology to produce an ultra-thin 25 μm PE substrate said to have “outstanding stiffness, optical quality, and printability, comparable to conventional BOPP films.”

The monomaterial PE pouch features a five-layer sealant web formulated using ExxonMobil Signature Polymers’ resins and laminated with Henkel’s recycling-compatible PU adhesive.

B&B converted the laminated film into “high-performance” stand-up pouches on its STBB 8K equipment to deliver process efficiency and consistent package quality.

The main resins used in the MDO PE substrate and sealant web include:

• Exceed HD 6107 — for high stiffness and processability in MDO applications
• Exceed Stiff+ m 0238 & m 0820 — provides bubble stability, stiffness, and process stability
• Exceed Tough+ m 1019 & m 0814 — offers toughness and durability
• Exceed Flow+ m 0938 — presents balanced stiffness and processability
• Exceed Stiff+ m 0926 — optimized balance between stiffness and toughness
• Exxtra Seal POP 2008 — offers low sealing initiation temperature, enabling a broad sealing window
• ExxonMobil LD 07523 — for improved sealant performance.

Other key benefits of the monomaterial pouch are said to be its downgauged 90–115 μm sealant web for seal strength and package integrity, its 100% survival in 2-meter bag-drop tests, confirming robust mechanical performance, and that it is designed to enable efficient conversion and process optimization.

Addressing industry needs

ExxonMobil says that the collaboration aims to address the packaging industry’s move toward a circular economy and solutions designed for recyclability without compromising performance.

“Traditional multimaterial films — such as coextruded PP,PE, or BOPP-based laminates — deliver stiffness, optical clarity, and print quality, but they are often difficult to recycle and do not support downgauging,” the company adds. 

“This challenge is further amplified by evolving regulations, including the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, which emphasizes the need for recyclable packaging that maintains structural integrity and shelf performance.”