• Investment of €16 million in state-of-the-art technology at its Solec (Poland) plant enables Mondi to add new sustainable solutions to its portfolio.
• Technology further expands Mondi's FunctionalBarrier Paper portfolio for food and non-food applications that ensure excellent product protection.
• The FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate range is an ultra-high barrier paper-based packaging solution which is designed for recycling and can substitute unrecyclable alternatives.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, is investing €16 million in new technology to produce a new packaging range called FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate. This ultra-high barrier paper-based solution for food meets growing customer demand for sustainable packaging that contributes to a circular economy.

The new addition expands Mondi’s existing portfolio of FunctionalBarrier Papers providing high-barrier paper-based packaging for food products such as dried foods and powdered milk as well as for applications in the home and personal care industry. These products require packaging that offer protection from water vapour and oxygen and can ensure a long shelf life. The current industry standards to achieve this level of barrier protection are unrecyclable solutions made of plastic or lined with aluminium. Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate range is designed to be recyclable in paper waste streams across Europe while providing the necessary product protection.

Initial trials of the FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate range have shown positive results for both customers and end consumers, indicating that the paper solution is widely accepted and preferred over unrecyclable aluminium and plastic-based alternatives.

The investment at our Solec plant in Poland, enables Mondi to produce the high-barrier functional paper at scale using the latest technology and efficient processes. Thanks to the company’s unique integrated value chain, Mondi can offer the complete solution in-house: from production and coating to printing and converting it into the final packaging product. This provides customers with an efficient solution for their packaging needs.

Dirk Gabriel, COO Consumer Flexibles, Mondi, comments: “As a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, we have been focused on the aluminium barrier challenge for some time. We knew that with research, development and investment in new technologies, we would find an effective replacement that would provide the necessary protection for our customers’ food products. FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate helps our existing and new food producing customers to switch to a more sustainable packaging solution and thus contribute to their sustainability goals. It is a tangible example of our Mondi Action Plan 2030 (MAP2030) commitment to making all our packaging solutions reusable, recyclable and compostable.”

Industrial scale production of the FunctionalBarrier Paper Ultimate range is expected in the first quarter of 2024.

(Photos: Mondi, PR259)

About Mondi

Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and films, to developing and manufacturing sustainable consumer and industrial packaging solutions using paper where possible, plastic when useful. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy, with our ambitious commitments to 2030 focused on circular driven solutions, created by empowered people, taking action on climate. 

In 2022, Mondi had revenues of €8.9 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.8 billion from continuing operations, and employed 22,000 people worldwide. Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), where the Group is a FTSE100 constituent, and also has a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP).

www.mondigroup.com