Dresden Emerges as a Leader in Innovative Green Packaging Development at Packaging Hill
In the heart of Germany, Dresden has a rich history in the packaging industry, with cellulose factories and packaging machine production dating back to the DDR era. One of the most economically successful enterprises during this time was Nagema, a packaging machine production combine. After reunification, Nagema was privatized and divided into various companies, but the know-how remained at the location.
Fast forward to the present, and Dresden is once again at the forefront of packaging innovation, this time with a focus on sustainability. The Dresden region is an innovation center for environmentally friendly packaging technologies, with close collaboration between research and business. The Paludi project, led by Fabian Kayatz, is a prime example of this collaboration.
The initial focus for packaging in the Paludi project is on the non-food sector, specifically cosmetics, logistics, and office materials. The project's research focuses on paper packaging solutions, including the exploration of paludicultures (peat plants) as alternative resources. Peat plants, with their lower lignin content and lower chemical and energy use in paper production, offer a promising alternative to traditional paper sources.
The produced papers from the Paludi project are stronger than comparison samples and are well-processable, with improved strength and water resistance through additives. This makes them ideal for a wide range of packaging applications. The researchers in the Paludi project aim to create a consumer-accepted packaging for consumer goods, considering factors such as sensory perception and material coating.
A new endowed professorship for circular packaging at the TU Dresden, funded by the local paper industry, aims to set impulses for a circular and bio-based economy and contribute to industry sustainability transformation. Spin-offs like 'Wattron' in Freital have resulted from this research, with the goal of making production processes more efficient, resource-saving, and sustainable.
Research teams connected to spin-offs like 'Wattron' are involved in developing alternative paper-based packaging materials and innovative manufacturing processes. Notably, at Fraunhofer IVV, which focuses on sustainable packaging from paludiculture (wet biomass cultivation) and solvent-based recycling methods. Planned advancements include scaling production from pilot to industrial level to meet new EU packaging regulations (PPWR) and support circular economy transformation.
The network 'Packnet Dresden' is continuously enriched by new settlements, further strengthening Dresden's position as a hub for sustainable packaging innovation. With the Paludi project demonstrating the potential of peat plants for innovative, bio-based packaging production, it's clear that Dresden is leading the way in the development of sustainable packaging solutions for the future.
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