GERMANY (News release) -- Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, is investing around €5 million in a new research and development (R&D) facility at Mondi Steinfeld, in Germany. This investment will support customers by helping them to develop solutions that achieve their sustainability goals.

Construction of the facility has commenced, and when completed, will include pilot lines for both plastic- and paper-based solutions, from coating, film extrusion and printing to filling lines for multiple products. The centre will also have an analytical laboratory as well as a floor dedicated to a customer experience centre, which will provide an open environment to meet and collaborate with customers at an early stage in the development of new innovations.

The R&D centre will bring together experts with extensive knowledge of different materials and packaging types. Extrusion coating, aqueous coating and siliconisation will be available, as well as various printing machines. Filling lines for different materials, including both horizontal and vertical filling, forming and sealing equipment will allow customers to conduct trials without interrupting their own running production. The facility also enables Mondi to work with its customers to develop pilot-scale solutions on site and to accelerate the process from idea to a scaled solution.

Elisabeth Schwaiger, Head of R&D and IP Flexible Packaging at Mondi, says, "This R&D centre demonstrates our hands-on approach to developing sustainable packaging solutions at Mondi. We look forward to working with our customers, combining their knowledge with ours to meet their sustainable packaging goals. The investment helps to contribute to our own Mondi Action Plan 2030 sustainability goals, specifically our target to make 100% of our products reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025."

The research and development centre will open its doors at the end of 2023 and will complement Mondi's other research and development centres such as the recycling and food safety laboratories in Frantschach, Austria.