UPM, Michelman and BOBST: bio-based paper packaging concept aligned with EU packaging rules

To help brands navigating the EU packaging rules, such as the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), UPM Specialty Materials, Michelman, and BOBST have joined forces to develop two validated paper-based packaging concepts.

How co-creation helps to renew the everyday 

The concepts deliver functional performance while supporting recyclability and, where relevant, compostability across selected applications.

UPM’s fibre-based packaging papers
Michelman’s bio-based coating technologies
BOBST’s application and processing expertise

“Fulfilling strict expectations demands scalable solutions. Our base papers are developed to support co‑creation and reduce unnecessary complexity. Combining them with the right chemistry enables partners to arrive at fit‑for‑purpose packaging solutions faster,” says Mika Uusikartano, Senior Manager, Product Portfolio Management, UPM Specialty Materials.

Solution 1: Paper-based packaging for applications within SUPD scope

The EU's Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) requires that certain packaging categories, such as single-use packets and wrappers for food, move away from single-use plastic. The rules are in force, and brands are actively looking for alternatives.

The concept is designed for dry food applications which fall under the scope of SUPD.
The concept is based on UPM Prego with Michelman's Bio-based Nuvita Life coatings, applied by BOBST. Both are independently certified as SUPD compliant according to PTS.
The structure is heat-sealable across a wide sealing window. That matters in practice, because wider windows mean more stable production resulting in less waste and fewer rejects.
The concept is recyclable according to (Cepi/4evergreen v2).

“There is a growing market demand for SUPD-compliant packaging solutions. At the same time, barrier performance must remain equivalent to existing market solutions, and proposed materials must be fully compatible with current packaging lines, without the need for major equipment modifications,” says Iulia Mihai, Senior Scientist at Michelman.

Solution 2: Packaging concept with bio-based coating

The second concept is also designed with a bio-based coating, but it goes further on barrier performance.

Designed for products which tend to get stale when exposed to oxygen, like chocolate and single-packed biscuits.
The concept offers an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of 140 cc/m2*day, measured at 23 degrees Celsius and 50% relative humidity, helping safeguard shelf-life.
The second concept is built on UPM Asendo^TM barrier paper, with the same bio-based Nuvita Life coatings from Michelman, applied by BOBST.

What co-creation offers you?

UPM, Michelman and BOBST each contribute a distinct area of deep expertise, from fibre-based packaging papers, to bio-based coating chemistry, to application and process technology.

A simple way to understand the collaboration is to think of baking a cake. The paper, the coating and the process are the key ingredients. Each requires its own specialised knowledge, and the final result depends on how well they work together as a complete system.

What makes this approach different is that these elements were developed and validated together from the start. UPM ensures the right paper structure and performance base, Michelman optimises the coating chemistry, and BOBST aligns the application parameters and process conditions.

Because the “recipe” is created jointly, converters do not need to figure out how to combine the pieces themselves. The material, coating and machine settings are already designed to work together, enabling smoother implementation, stable performance and efficient production.

“When materials and application parameters are developed together, packaging converters can implement new solutions more easily while achieving stable performance and production efficiency,” says Luca Nespolo, Competence Center Manager, BOBST.

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