Flint Group brings Evolution products to global market

Following the successful European launch during Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, Flint Group has expanded the availability of its Evolution products globally. The latest innovation includes Food Contact Material (FCM) compliant technologies that enhance shrink sleeves and label recyclability.

Evolution products, aptly named because they enable packaging to be reused in ever-evolving forms, are designed to increase the yield of material reclaimed from the recycling process by enabling label material to be recycled at the same time as a PET bottle without risk of contamination.

According to Flint Group, by using Evolution products, previously unrecyclable products can be reprocessed, potentially boosting reclaimed material yield by up to 10 percent.

Evolution Deinking Primer is applied to the substrate before the ink to provide strong ink adhesion throughout the life of the label. It enables the ink to be released (de-inked) into the recycling caustic wash and the substrate to be broken down into flakes allowing for more than 99 recyclability.

In contrast, Evolution Varnish ensures that inks remain on the label during the caustic wash used in the recycling process. The varnish application avoids contamination of the washing solution while not impacting the floatability of the label, and therefore, the resulting quality of the reclaimed material is significantly improved. The protected ink can then be skimmed off with the floating label and directed to an alternative waste stream.

The Evolution product range, previously launched in North America, has been recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for compliance with critical guidance for PET packaging and recently won the Environmental Sustainability category at the 2022 Global Label Awards at Labelexpo Americas.

The European versions of these products are entirely FCM compliant, and the Deinking Primer has been shortlisted in the pre-commercialised category at the Packaging Europe Sustainability Awards 2023.

Pierre Dogliani, R&D innovation manager for narrow web at Flint Group, said: ‘Labelexpo Europe brought together printers and converters worldwide where they discussed key trends throughout the narrow web industry. A significant observation was the increasing importance of recycling and circularity in packaging.

‘Flint Group’s Evolution range provides a way for businesses to actively contribute to a more sustainable future by supporting circular packaging in the label and flexible packaging industry. Furthermore, the European versions of Evolution products are designed for use with food packaging without compromising label quality as a true ‘plug and play’ solution. No changes are required to existing ink systems or curing processes, providing a seamless transition for new customers.

‘With circularity continuing to dominate conversations around labels and packaging, Evolution Deinking Primer and Varnish are a technical breakthrough for the industry and will be key to printers and converters making better use of existing plastic resources.’