MDO PE films for sustainable and recyclable flexible packaging

To supply the market with fully recyclable packaging solutions, the RKW Group lanches RKW Horizon®, the new generation of sustainable PE plastic films based on state-of-the-art MDO technology.

The RKW ECORE® sustainability portfolio has been expanded to include mono-axially stretched PE films (MDO PE), which are marketed under the brand name RKW Horizon®. It includes highly transparent MDO films and print carriers, with oxygen barrier if desired, as well as white opaque variants. When MDO PE films are laminated with a functional PE sealing film, the result is packaging made from a single raw material: polyethylene. Unlike many conventional pouch packaging, these are single-grade and therefore fully recyclable.

« Especially as a manufacturer of high-quality plastic films, we are aware of our responsibility. That’s why we have bundled our development resources and created a product portfolio that provides optimum protection for food, » explains Luc Hermans, Director Sales Consumer Packaging, adding, « We are developing materials that meet the requirements for a smaller carbon footprint, improved recyclability and increased use of recycled plastics. »

RKW Horizon® films meet the high requirements of flexible packaging manufacturers in terms of tear resistance, transparency, gloss, printability and good processability. In addition, the films feature excellent machinability on conventional packaging equipment.

MDO films can be used for a wide variety of packaging forms, such as stand-up pouches, gusseted pouches, pillow pouches and sachets or as lid films. Areas of application are mainly the packaging of confectionery and snacks, coffee and tea as well as frozen foods, but MDO films can also be used in the non-food sector for the packaging of pet food, personal care products or cleaning and detergents.

At the RKW site Petersaurach, one of the largest investments in new multilayer blown film lines was made for this purpose. A new five-layer extrusion film line and a new nine-layer extrusion line significantly expand the production capacities for high-quality sealing films and MDO-PE films. The Petersaurach site is ISCC+ certified and offers sustainable MDO films as well as bio-based films and films with a high recycled content (PIR and PCR) for a wide range of applications.