Moulded Fibre Packaging

Agenda

Pre-conference workshop - Tuesday 26th May 2026 Conference Agenda - Wednesday 27th May 2026

1:45pm

26 May 2026 | Workshop: Functional Barriers for Moulded Pulp Packaging: Material Structure, Lamination and Coatings

Functional Barriers for Moulded Pulp Packaging: Material Structure, Lamination and Coatings

Workshop speakers: Alexey Vishtal, Head of Cellulose, Capsul’in Pro and Alexander Leo Bardenstein, Business Manager, Danish Technological Institute

This half‑day workshop gives a high‑level but technically comprehensive overview of how to design and implement functional barrier systems for moulded pulp packaging. Building on industrial case studies and the latest R&D, we will cover the role of moulded pulp substrate properties (density, smoothness, porosity), the choice between lamination films and coatings, and how substrate–coating interactions affect barrier performance, recyclability and cost.
Participants will learn which barrier levels are needed for different food and non‑food applications (water, water vapour, oxygen, grease/oil, mineral oil, aroma), how to build up barrier stacks using coatings, laminates and hybrid concepts, and what is realistically achievable with compostable and “plastic‑free” chemistries today. We will also discuss process technologies for 3D objects (spray, dip/flow coating, drying, plasma coating (PECVD)) and typical defect mechanisms such as pinholes and poor coverage.

Key takeaways:

How to match barrier requirements (WVTR, OTR, grease, water) to specific product and shelf‑life needs
How moulded pulp properties influence coating, lamination and sealing performance
Trade‑offs between plastic films, dispersion coatings and “plastic‑free” / bio‑based chemistries, including recyclability and compostability
Practical strategies to build robust barrier stacks on 3D moulded pulp
Typical coating and lamination defects and how to avoid them in production

The workshop is aimed at packaging developers, converters, brand owners, and material suppliers who want a realistic, commercially oriented view on barrier solutions for moulded fibre.

Registration & welcome refreshments

2:00pm

Welcome & Workshop Introduction

Objectives, structure, and how the content links to the main conference

2:10pm

Session 1 – Barrier needs & role of the substrate

Which barriers are needed, and what makes moulded pulp different?

Barrier functions and typical targets: water, water vapour (WVTR), oxygen (OTR), grease/oil, mineral oil, aroma
Barrier requirements for different food types (dry, fatty, chilled, frozen, MAP, reduced shelf life vs. long shelf life)
How moulded pulp differs from paper/board: grammage, thickness, density, porosity, 3D geometries
Impact of substrate smoothness, fibre network and forming process on barrier layer build‑up and pinhole formation
First interactive poll/discussion: participants’ main product groups and barrier pain points

2:40pm

Session 2 – Barrier technologies: Plastic film lamination vs. Liquid coatings

Lamination films and “wet” barrier coatings for 3D Moulded Pulp

Overview of barrier options and performance ranges (mono‑ and multilayer laminates, wet coatings, dispersion coatings, vacuum deposition)
Laminated barrier films on moulded pulp:
- Film types (PE, PP, PLA, PBS, EVOH multilayers, emerging bio‑films)
- Surface requirements: roughness, mechanical anchoring, plasma/corona pre‑treatment
- Thermoforming lamination, uniformity in complex geometries, digital/zone heating
- Impact on recyclability, fibre yield and visual impurities
Electrostatic dry powder spraying and fusion of polymer particles (e.g. PE coating):
- Emerging technology where charged polymer powder is deposited and then fused into a film, giving very homogeneous coverage on complex 3D shapes without a separate drying step
- Strongly limited by the thermal properties and process window of the chosen polymer and currently far less established than film lamination or liquid coatings
Liquid barrier coatings:
- Spray, dip/flow and rotational coating on 3D shapes
- Drying technologies (hot air, IR, microwave, vacuum, ultrasound‑assisted) and their effect on defects
- Typical coating defects (pinholes, poor coverage, blistering, cracking, fibre rising) and mitigation

3:20pm

Refreshment break

3:35pm

Session 3 – Chemistries, “plastic free” options and hybrid concepts

From dispersion coatings to “plastic‑free” and high‑barrier hybrid systems

WVTR and OTR barrier design with “wet” coatings:
- Polyolefin and similar dispersions; pre‑coats vs. multi‑layer stacks
- Sensitivity of barriers to defects and humidity; importance of gas‑tight sealing
PFAS‑free grease and water barrier strategies: wet‑end and surface treatments
“Plastic‑free” / SUPD‑compliant coatings:
- Waxes, polysaccharides, proteins, rosin/shellac, natural rubber, nanocellulose
- Performance limits, film formation, odour, migration, supply‑side constraints
- Recyclability and compostability vs. barrier and heat‑seal performance
Sol‑gel and PECVD / plasma‑assisted coatings as emerging enhanced barrier options:
- Sol‑gel coating surface functionalisation for grease and water/oil resistance
- SiOx PECVD as gas‑barrier primers and in hybrid stacks on moulded pulp

4:15pm

Session 4 - Building barrier strategies & interactive Q&A

How to choose a barrier strategy for your application

Step‑by‑step roadmap from product requirement to barrier concept:
- Define barrier targets, shelf life and end‑of‑life (recycling, composting, “plastic‑free”)
- Choose between film lamination vs. coating vs. hybrid; process constraints (3D geometry, line speed)
- Typical “good enough” solutions vs. “ultra‑high barrier” niche strategies
Case examples (anonymised) connecting back to participants’ sectors (food service, MAP trays, dry goods, etc.)
Interactive Q&A and group discussion

4:45pm

Wrap Up

Summary of key learnings and decision criteria
Quick checklist: “What to ask your supplier / what to measure in trials”
Outlook and potential link to talks during the main Conference

5:00pm

End of workshop

8:00am

Registration and welcome refreshments

8:35am

Smithers welcome

8:40am

Chair’s welcome

8:45am

Session 1: Market outlook and drivers for change

The Future of Moulded Fibre: Evolving market demands and global outlook

Global market outlook by region: EU, NA, APAC and ROW
Global market outlook by type and end use
Key trends, drivers and challenges
Latest innovations and case studies
Where next for moulded fibre?

Ciaran Little | VP, Global Consulting, Information Division, Smithers

9:10am

Closing the gap between small-scale prototypes and industry-scale production of hollow shapes made of moulded pulp – A success story for collaboration

Collaboration between material science, fibre engineering, and automation sectors addresses challenges associated with manufacturing complex hollow shapes at scale.
Solution combines fibre preparation processes with automated production systems to produce bottles, containers, and tubes from moulded fibre from industrial hemp
Designed for industrial production, the system enables stable cycle times and industrial-grade quality at high volumes.
Products are fully recyclable and compatible with existing waste streams, aligning with PPWR requirements
It demonstrates that fibre-based packaging can compete with plastics in cost and volume, encouraging industry-wide adoption

Tahsin Dag | President, European Moulded Pulp Producers Association - EMPPA

9:35am

Pulp-molded packaging on EU supermarket shelves: cross-country insights and growth potential

Sergii Rudkovskyi | CEO, SEM ECOPACK

10:00am

Session 2: Moving forward – production scale ups and application case studies

From pilot to production: What it takes to scale paper fiber-based packaging

This session focuses on how structured collaboration across the packaging value chain has been used to enable successful commercialisation of paper fiber-based packaging. Rather than presenting a theoretical framework, the talk will highlight practical examples of how collaboration between technology, process, and downstream partners supports performance validation, risk reduction, and the transition from pilot to stable industrial production.
Anna Altner | Founder, Yangi

10:25am

Networking refreshment break

11:10am

Unwrapping Future Packaging; Molded Fiber for Tony's Chocolonely Advent Calendar

This presentation presents a real-world case study on the transition to a molded fiber inlay for Tony’s Chocolonely Advent Calendar, developed under strict seasonal deadlines, high volumes and zero tolerance for supply chain disruption.
It explains how molded fiber was selected and industrialized not as a showcase material, but as a fully functional packaging solution, capable of meeting operational, regulatory (PPWR) and sustainability requirements simultaneously.
The session covers key challenges and decisions in design, tooling and production ramp-up, including co-packer integration, line performance and the need to adapt assumptions under time pressure.
Finally, the presentation shares concrete learnings and recommendations for scaling molded fiber in demanding applications, highlighting why operational excellence, flexibility and value-chain collaboration are critical for successful adoption at scale.

Alexander Heinsdijk | Business Development & Marketing Manager, SFA Packaging BV

11:35am

Pulp bottles: possibilities, opportunities, limitations

Free-formable pulp bottles resp. fibre-based bottles:
The vision for new sustainable beverage packaging is biobased, biodegradable and recyclable.
The challenge is to reconcile this solution with consumer expectations and various constraints, and to industrialize it.
The technology for the production and the processing of each individual pulp bottle throughout the entire process, including the downstream for cleaning, filling and secondary packaging, is crucial for scaling up to relevant market figures.

Dr. Joerg Zacharias | Senior Expert, KRONES AG

12:00pm

Session 3: Recycled and plastic free materials and environmental analysis

Circularity and food safety are a great match!

Environmental footprint assessment of moulded fibre packaging solutions
Food safety regulatory framework
Fibre recycling process
Possible contaminants conflicting with food safety requirements
Risks and opportunities of the use of recycled pulp in food packaging applications

Johannes Klumpp | Director Refined Fibre Business & B2B , WEPA Group

12:25pm

Advanced Plastic-Free, Natural Fibre Materials for Dry-Moulded Packaging: Enabling High Performance, Cost Competitiveness, and Scale

Duncan Mayes | Chief Technology Officer , Fiberdom

12:50pm

Networking lunch break

1:50pm

Environmental analysis of rigid packaging manufacturing process: a prospective life cycle assessment to compare wet- and dry-molded and plastic thermoforming food trays.

The objective of the study is to evaluate and contrast the environmental characteristics of wet and dry molded processes in comparison to plastic packaging manufacturing. The application of this study is directed towards the domain of food trays. To this end, a prospective life cycle assessment has been conducted. This LCA facilitated a comparative analysis of the processes' steps and the impact of raw materials from alternative fibre sources. It also enabled a comprehensive assessment of the environmental consequences of microplastic release from all stages of the life cycle.

Mathilde Bernard-Catinat | Research Engineer, Grenoble INP - Cellulose Valley

2:15pm

Session 4: Barriers for moulded fiber packaging : challenges and solutions

A Fully BfR XXXVI-Compliant Wet-End Oil and Grease Resistant Solution for Molded Fiber Packaging: Ready to Go?

Molded fiber packaging industry has long sought a fully BfR XXXVI–compliant wet-end OGR solution. The question remains: are we ready?
An innovative, bio-based wet-end OGR technologies as viable alternatives to fossil-based chemistry has been developed by Solenis.
These solutions deliver equivalent or superior barrier performance while preserving the sustainability advantages of paper and molded fiber packaging and meeting stringent direct food-contact regulatory requirements.
Validated through multiple customer trials, this technology addresses a critical market gap by providing a high-performance, bio-based wet-end barrier solution that fully complies with BfR XXXVI

Chuantao Zhu | Global Application Expert - Molded Fiber, Barriers & Coatings, Solenis

2:40pm

100% Cellulose Barrier: The Future of Sustainable Food Packaging?

Current technologies for applying MFC barrier
MFC barrier by double dipping technology
Performance of MFC barrier against oil and water and future outlook

Otto Soidinsalo | Business Development Manager, Borregaard

3:05pm

Networking refreshment break

3:35pm

PFAS - free bio-polymer based pulp additives and bio-based dispersions as sustainable barriers in (moulded) fibre packaging

Bio-based barrier systems vs. SUPD / PPWR
Non-modified bio-polymer dispersions
Bio-based wax emulsions
PFAS-free / (Micro) - Plastic-free
Circular economy
End-of-Life requirements

Jochen Schlegel, Managing Director, JOS Consulting GmbH and Peter Roggeman, Managing Director, EURIKAS BV

4:00pm

Session 5: Technology updates for moulded fiber packaging

How to build the business case for fiber-based packaging

Technology Portfolio to produce Rigid Fiber Based Packaging
Groundbreaking technological innovation in 2026
What's next in the field of technology
The world's largest consortium as your partner
How to build the business case for fiber-based packaging

Jörg Hommel | Sr. Business Development Manager, OPTIMA

4:20pm

Process Heat as a Design Variable in Molded Fiber Manufacturing

This presentation reframes process heat as a critical design variable in molded fiber manufacturing rather than a fixed utility. It explores how heat transfer modes, heating architecture, and thermal contact directly influence cycle time, part quality, surface finish, barrier resistance, and process consistency. Attendees will gain practical insight into designing thermal systems that improve productivity, yield, and scalability in molded fiber operations.

Christopher Stevens | President & Chief Solutioning Officer, Dalton Electric Heating Co.

4:40pm

Ai-Driven Visual Inspection: Revolutionizing Post-Molding Efficiency and Quality Control in Moulded Fibre Packaging

Achieving 80% Cost Reduction in Cup Lid Inspection & Packaging through AI Automation
Detecting Subtle Lamination Defects with AI Beyond Human Visual Capability
Optimizing Molded Fiber Production Yield via AI-Driven Process Control

Jin Xilin (Bill) | General Manager , Lvran Tech

5:00pm