Toppan unveils high-barrier transparent film for pharma and food applications

12 Apr 2022 --- Toppan is bolstering its GL Barrier series of transparent barrier films with a new grade that provides high-barrier performance combined with light-shielding. The “GL-ME-RC” solution expands the series’ scope of applications and is available for markets in Japan and overseas from this month.

The Japanese company is a global leader in communication, security, packaging, décor materials, and electronics solutions. GL-ME-RC takes advantage of GL Barrier’s vapor deposition and coating technologies and demonstrates “outstanding” flex-resistant barrier performance, challenging to achieve with conventional aluminum vapor-deposited films.

The solution is suitable for packaging pharmaceutical goods and food that require high-barrier performance, light-shielding, and flexibility, which until now has required aluminum foil. The eradication of the aluminum foil means that the volume of CO2 emitted during packaging manufacture can be reduced by 15% compared with flexible packaging using aluminum foil, says Toppan.

Environmental considerations
With growing global momentum behind consideration for the environment and resource-saving, including the Sustainable Development Goals, attention is focused on reducing packaging’s environmental impact.

“Sustainability efforts are now essential, and packaging is required to preserve content and extend shelf lives while also lowering impact on the environment by, for example, reducing CO2 emissions or enhancing recyclability,” says Toppan.GL-ME-RC is suitable for packaging pharma goods and food requiring high-barrier performance and light-shielding.

In 1986, Toppan developed the GL Barrier, a barrier film with the potential to address social issues like the need to reduce food loss and save resources.

Toppan has leveraged its proprietary vapor deposition technologies and applied special coating techniques to enhance GL-ME-RC’s light-shielding and flex resistance, meaning that it can be used as an alternative to aluminum foil for this purpose.

Barrier performance
GL-ME-RC’s “outstanding” barrier performance is achieved by a two-layer structure consisting of an aluminum vapor-deposited layer and a barrier coating. It provides approximately five times the oxygen barrier performance of conventional aluminum vapor-deposited films.

The company says it also boasts “excellent” stretch-resistant barrier performance, demonstrating roughly 500 times the oxygen barrier performance level of conventional films of its type after stretching.

“With GL-ME-RC, we have taken advantage of our unique technologies to develop a compelling alternative to packaging that uses aluminum foil to protect contents that are sensitive to light,” says Masahiko Tatewaki, managing executive officer of Toppan’s Global Packaging business.

“It not only delivers the required functionality but also offers greater environmental performance for packaging as we work to contribute to sustainable societies throughout the world.”

Recent launches
Last year, Toppan launched a barrier-coated paper called GL-X-P that provides high water vapor protection and “outstanding” flex resistance for dry food and non-food applications.

The company also supplies tamper-evident paper boxes with integrated NFC and ultra-thin-walled injection-molded containers.

Edited by Joshua Poole