Sukano has introduced a new antiblock masterbatch technology for biaxially oriented PLA (BOPLA) films developed in collaboration with NatureWorks. The solution is positioned as an alternative to conventional small-format fossil-based plastic packaging that must comply with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The regulation restricts certain single-use plastic packaging formats and requires them to meet strict recyclability criteria by 2030 to remain on the EU market. Many of these formats are challenging to collect and sort for mechanical recycling due to their small size and multilayer structures, which has increased interest in compostable materials as an end-of-life route aligned with food waste collection systems.
Small-format packs such as condiment packets, snack and candy wrappers, salad bags, lidding for containers, coffee pods and sauce dippers are among the packaging categories most impacted by PPWR provisions. These packs are often too small to be reliably detected and separated by conventional sorting and recycling equipment and are frequently mixed with other waste streams. As a result, their recycling rates remain low and they risk exclusion from the market if they cannot meet recyclability requirements.
Compostable packaging offers a different approach by allowing the material to be disposed of together with food waste. This reduces the need for additional sorting and cleaning steps and can divert both organic waste and packaging from landfill. It also helps prevent food-contaminated or mixed-material small packs from entering recycling streams where they can disrupt established processes. According to Sukano, composting can reduce the carbon footprint of such packaging formats and is considered by the company as a future-proof option under the PPWR framework for this specific use case.
Collaboration across the value chain
Historically, wider adoption of compostable packaging in demanding applications has been limited by several technical and economic barriers. These include restricted processability on existing equipment, insufficient barrier performance for products sensitive to moisture and oxygen and the need for higher investments to adapt production lines. In this project, Sukano and NatureWorks worked together on a combination of a new masterbatch and a tailored biobased PLA material intended to address these constraints and support scalable production.
Sukano has been active in the development of color and additive masterbatches based on polylactic acid (PLA) for more than two decades. In this case, the company contributed a proprietary surface additive and antiblock technology, while NatureWorks supplied its Ingeo biopolymer platform and a specific grade, Ingeo Extend 4950D, formulated for biaxial orientation. The collaboration also involved Brückner Maschinenbau, which provided biax technology and R&D equipment for film stretching trials.
Roger Tambay, chief grow officer at NatureWorks, emphasized the role of this multi-party development in enabling new film structures. He noted that combining the Ingeo biopolymer with Brückner's biax technology and Sukano's S/AB surface additive has opened opportunities for ultra-thin, cost-effective barrier films. According to Tambay, these advances are intended to maintain sealability, barrier performance and lamination strength while reducing film thickness. He also highlighted that the technology can support both fully compostable solutions and paper-based structures, where PLA and masterbatches can provide the functional coating required for recyclability in the paper stream. In his view, this offers brand owners a pathway that responds to evolving packaging regulations in terms of both sustainability and cost competitiveness.
Antiblock masterbatch for BOPLA barrier films
The newly developed Sukano antiblock masterbatch is designed to enhance the performance of NatureWorks' Ingeo Extend 4950D in biaxially oriented PLA film production. The formulation enables BOPLA films to be processed on existing BOPP film orientation lines, including stretching up to seven times in the transverse direction. This is intended to give film producers a route to introduce compostable film structures without the need for new dedicated equipment.
According to Sukano, the BOPLA films produced with this combination exhibit smoother processing behavior, improved printability and enhanced optical properties. The antiblock masterbatch plays a dual functional role in coextruded BOPLA film structures by modifying surface topography differently in inner and outer layers to support both handling and barrier performance.
In inner layers, the masterbatch increases surface roughness, which helps prevent blocking during winding and during downstream converting steps such as printing, lamination or metallization. This reduced tendency to stick is important for maintaining line speed and avoiding defects that can arise when thin, oriented films adhere to themselves under pressure and temperature.
In outer layers, the same masterbatch is formulated to promote the formation of a smooth, uniform surface suitable for vacuum metallization, typically with aluminum. A continuous and well-adhered metal coating is a key factor in achieving high barrier levels against gases and moisture. The company reports that the improved surface quality supports the formation of defect-reduced metal layers, which is critical to meeting the barrier specifications required for many food and beverage applications.
The antiblock masterbatch and Ingeo Extend 4950D combination was evaluated in extensive trials conducted at Brückner Maschinenbau's R&D facilities. Martin Wolf, head of laboratories, new technologies, stated that the company was able to deploy its full equipment set in a dedicated R&D environment for this bioplastics project. He described the cooperation across the value chain as involving partners specialized in their respective fields and reported that the results obtained in the pilot environment can be transferred to industrial production facilities, making the concept commercially applicable.
Sukano states that its biopolymer portfolio used in this context is designed for compostability. End applications are intended to meet the requirements of the EN 13432 standard when the complete structure and converting steps are aligned with this certification framework.
Presentation at K2025 and hospitality packaging applications
The new antiblock masterbatch for BOPLA was presented by Daniel Ganz, senior product development leader at Sukano, during the Bioplastics Business Breakfast at the K2025 trade fair in Düsseldorf. His presentation took place on October 9, from 9:05 to 9:25 a.m., and focused on how the technology enabled efficient processing of compostable BOPLA films on existing BOPP equipment.
Visitors to K2025 were able to see application examples at the Sukano Group booth H28 in hall 8A. The company showcased BOPLA-based coffee capsule lids and flexible portion packs targeted at the hospitality sector. These demonstrators were intended to illustrate how the combination of Ingeo PLA and Sukano masterbatches could be used to design small-format, compostable packaging solutions that addressed regulatory and functional requirements in food service and related markets.
