UPM Specialty Papers, Henkel, and Koenig & Bauer have collaborated to create a digitally printable, sustainable confectionery pouch. The new ‘doypack’ concept is heat-sealable, recyclable within existing fibre recycling streams, and safe for food contact.
The project centers around UPM’s Asendo™ barrier paper, optimized for digital printing on Koenig & Bauer’s RotaJET press. Unlike traditional printing methods, digital printing allows for small batch production, making it ideal for tailored marketing purposes. Henkel’s AQUENCE EPIX BC 6134 FL coating was applied to enhance the packaging’s resistance to moisture and grease, as well as improve sealing properties. This makes the pouch suitable for products like confectionery, frozen food, and baked goods.
“The collaboration between UPM, Koenig & Bauer, and Henkel highlights advancements in digital printing and sustainable packaging,” said Aleksi Pekkanen, Senior Researcher at UPM. “The materials are designed for high runnability and consistent quality across different processes.”
Pack Company produced the final pouches. According to Jaana Hakkarainen, Director of Sales and Production at Pack Company, the UPM barrier paper performed efficiently on their packaging line. “Now that we’ve learned to run heat-sealable barrier papers, it works just like other commercial materials,” Hakkarainen noted. She added that paper’s dimensional stability surpasses plastic, reducing waste during production.
This partnership demonstrates how UPM’s barrier papers, including Asendo™, Asendo Pro™, Solide Lucent™, and Prego™, can be further enhanced with coatings to meet various food packaging requirements.