CZECH REPUBLIC – Japanese leader in communication, security, packaging, décor materials, and electronics solutions, Toppan will open a new plant in Most, the Czech Republic, expanding its operations into Europe.
Toppan aims to commence mass production at its first transparent barrier film manufacturing site in Europe by the end of 2024.
With the launch of the new plant, Toppan will establish a market-leading and global supply capacity for transparent barrier films with production bases in Japan, North America (Georgia, USA), and Europe.
Masahiko Tatewaki, Managing Executive Officer of Toppan’s Global Packaging business said: “By taking advantage of the new plant’s location, Toppan will bolster its capacity to supply GL BARRIER1 transparent barrier films to packaging manufacturers in Europe.
“This plant will also employ the most environmentally friendly technologies, such as heat reuse systems, with an emphasis on maximum energy efficiency.”
Due to its superior barrier performance and wide range of products for various uses, Toppan currently holds the largest market share for transparent vapor-deposited barrier films worldwide.
In order to promote a circular economy and society, the global packaging market requires eco-friendly packaging materials that enable effective use, replication, and sustainable recycling of finite resources.
The European Commission has put up a plan to cut down on plastic waste, and legislation is being explored that would forbid overpackaging and require the recycling and reusing of packing materials.
Manufacturers of packaging materials will in theory be forced to design all packaging materials to be recyclable by January 2030 if such requirements are put into effect.
“We welcome the establishment of Toppan’s barrier film factory in the Czech Republic, which will produce eco-friendly and sustainable packaging materials locally with export to Europe and contribute to the development of the Usti region,” said Eva Jungmannova, Director of Foreign Activities and Investments, Czech Republic.
New NFC tag replaces plastic with paper as substrate
Early this year, Toppan developed a near-field communication (NFC) tag label that uses paper material as the substrate for the antenna instead of conventional PET film.
In addition to reducing plastic consumption to zero by switching to paper, the company says that a new circuit fabrication technology ensures sufficient communication performance as an NFC device.
Taking advantage of the properties of paper as a substrate, the NFC tag label is designed to break when it is removed, making communication impossible which prevents fraudulent use through the reattachment of labels.
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