UPM, Felix Schoeller launch customisable fibre-based barrier for snack wrappers, chocolate bars

EUROPE – UPM Specialty Materials and Felix Schoeller have introduced a recyclable barrier material for flexible food packaging, using UPM Solide Lucent paper as the base with a customisable coating that can be adapted to individual product requirements for oxygen, moisture, grease, and sealing performance.

The food-contact-safe, fibre-based product is designed to help packaging manufacturers prepare for recyclability rules set out in the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which mandates that all packaging placed on the EU market must be recyclable by 2030.

The material is offered in several grammages for different application needs, including wrappers for chocolate and snack bars.

Customisable by Design, Not by Compromise

Andreas Bergmeier, head of innovation and technical sales packaging at Felix Schoeller, explained that the company always starts with the customers’ needs.

Instead of relying on fixed technologies or standard barrier levels, they design customisable coating solutions that deliver the protection required, whether against oxygen, moisture, grease, or for sealing and mechanical performance.

He noted that UPM Solide Lucent has proven to be an excellent base material, running reliably on coating lines, offering well-balanced mechanical performance, and delivering outstanding printability.

The Base Paper Advantage

UPM Solide Lucent is described as having an especially smooth and dense surface, which enables reduced coating weights while maintaining the strength required for dependable operation on high-speed manufacturing lines.

For converters, this means less coating material is needed to achieve barrier performance, lowering both material costs and environmental impact.

For brand owners, it means packaging that meets performance standards without compromising recyclability.

A Response to PPWR Pressure

The PPWR’s 2030 recyclability deadline is driving rapid innovation in fibre-based packaging, particularly in applications where plastic laminates have traditionally dominated.

Chocolate bars, snack wrappers, and other flexible food packaging formats have been difficult to replace with paper due to the need for oxygen barriers (to prevent rancidity), moisture barriers (to prevent sogginess), and grease barriers (to prevent oil stains).

The UPM-Felix Schoeller collaboration addresses all three requirements with a single, customisable coating system.

Markus Kamphuis, technical sales manager at UPM Specialty Materials, explained that flexible food packaging is evolving quickly, and brand owners need solutions that deliver both high-performance barrier protection and recyclability.

He noted that the collaboration with Felix Schoeller demonstrates how UPM Solide Lucent can be adapted to different end-uses, enabling fully fibre-based packaging concepts ready for tomorrow’s regulatory expectations.

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