Borealis and Bockatech showcase next-generation plastic foaming technology for more sustainable yet cost-saving thin wall and reusable packaging

• Winning combination of Borealis polypropylene and Bockatech EcoCore® injection moulding technology produces lightweight reusables and packaging for the thin wall market at reduced cost
• Even greater sustainability gains made possible thanks to EcoCore platform’s compatibility with grades from the Bornewables™, Borcycle™ C and Borcycle™ M portfolios
• Development in line with EverMinds™ initiatives promoting design for reuse, recycling, and eco-efficiency for wiser use of resources

Borealis and Bockatech, inventor and licensor of the innovative EcoCore® manufacturing technology, are showcasing lightweight and ultra-lightweight reusable cups made of Borealis polypropylene (PP) using the patented EcoCore plastic foaming technology. These robust and fully recyclable cups represent the many thin wall and reusable packaging applications that can be developed using Borealis PP resins and the next-generation EcoCore foaming technology. True to the EverMinds™
ambition to accelerate circularity, Borealis and Bockatech are easing the transition for converters and brand owners by providing high-performance, sustainable packaging solutions that can be produced using existing equipment and processes, yet at low cost.

Today’s ultra-lightweight cups made using Borealis PP and the EcoCore technology platform for sustainable packaging are even lighter than many conventional single-use paper cups. Yet they boast good insulation properties, with twice the thermal barrier of PP cups with solid walls of the same weight. Durable EcoCore mouldings can be microwave and dishwasher-safe. Because they are made solely of PP, they are easy to recycle once they have reached end of life after hundreds of use cycles.

EcoCore produces durable, monomaterial moulding walls with a composite skin-foam-skin structure in only seconds, and at low cost. When using the innovative technology and Borealis PP in combination, converters and brand owners benefit from:

• Up to 50% less plastic used in production when compared to solid wall mouldings;
• Improved recyclability of moulding and injection moulded labels (IML) thanks to monomaterial PP;
• Suitability for existing injection moulding machines, ancillary equipment, and processes;
• Shorter cycle times of 5 to 7 seconds;
• Design freedom for shapes, colours, transparency, high-precision details as well as for decorative elements such as in-mould labelling.

“With our partner Bockatech we’ve made unique progress in making thin wall and reusable packaging even more sustainable. The compatibility of the EcoCore platform with a variety of PP resins enhances its appeal to our customers,” says Peter Voortmans, Borealis Global Commercial Director Consumer Products. “Our Bornewables™ portfolio of circular polyolefins, and our transformational Borcycle™ C family of chemically-recycled grades can be used as drop-in solutions for food and non-food. In addition to that, Borcycle™ M our portfolio of mechanically recycled grades enables production of non-food applications. All three solutions can further lower the carbon footprint of thin wall packaging whilst maintaining high performance – with this we re-invent essentials for sustainable living.”

“At K 2022 we’re excited to be able to show how value chain collaboration is making reuse and eco-efficiency more affordable for consumers and brands,” says Chris Bocking, Bockatech Founder and Chief Strategy Officer. “We’re also looking forward to demonstrating what EcoCore can do with a broad range of more sustainable reusable and thin wall applications, including bowls for to-go food service, pots for foods such as noodles as well as soups, pails and even aerosol caps.”

K 2022 will take place from 19 to 26 October 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

We invite you to “Innovate Collaborate Accelerate” together with us by visiting Borealis and Borouge in Hall 6 at Stand A43. Freshly-brewed coffee will be served in two sizes by baristas in reusable lightweight cups made using Borealis PP, as well as Bockatech EcoCore technology and our partners’ expertise.

The ultra-lightweight (430 ml) cups featured at the Borealis and Borouge stand at the K 2022 weigh just 14 g and are produced in around five seconds using an Arburg electric Injection Moulding Machine (IMM) with a Roboplas robot and Trexel MuCell® physical gas along with a chemical foaming agent (CFA). In addition to this, a live demonstration will run at the Trexel stand, Hall 13 Stand B46 during the K Fair. The lightweight (250 ml) cups weigh around 15 g and are made by PACCOR using CFA alone. Both cup types have durable insulated 2 mm skin-foam-skin walls and are moulded using an optimised Borealis PP resin blend with dishwasher-proof, PP in-mould labels from MCC Verstraete that feature HolyGrail 2.0 digital watermarking.

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