Jindal's sustainable rethink with film launch in Europe

As consumers and brands increasingly prioritise sustainability, JFE has positioned itself at the forefront of developing eco-friendly packaging solutions. The company invests heavily in R&D and advanced manufacturing capabilities to create sustainable, recyclable films that meet the evolving needs of the market while minimising environmental impact.

Sharing views on the same, Manfred Kaufmann, CEO at JFE said, “We are not just responding to the sustainability challenge; we are actively shaping the future of flexible packaging. Our close collaboration with customers allows us to design films that precisely meet their ambitious sustainability goals.”

JFE’s product range includes multi-layer films in thicknesses from 12 to 70-microns, available in transparent, white, metalised, coated, and uncoated varieties. The company’s innovative capabilities result in the launch of 10 new products annually, all of which are designed for sustainable, recyclable structures. JFE has made significant advancements in BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) films, enabling the creation of mono-PP, recyclable structures. These developments include ultra-high barrier metalized films to replace aluminium foil, Alox (transparent, oxidised aluminium layer) barrier films that provide high-level barrier protection while allowing consumers to see the product inside, and films with improved heat resistance that allow the use of thinner films in customer processes like printing and sealing.

As part of the ongoing technological breakthroughs, JFE has also introduced a new BOPE (bi-oriented polyethylene) platform under the Ethy-Lyte trademark. These films are designed to replace PET films in lamination with PE sealants, facilitating the creation of mono-PE recyclable structures. The Ethy-Lyte range is continuously expanding, with new barrier films being developed for both duplex and triplex mono-PE packaging structures.

In addition to product innovations, JFE is taking significant steps to reduce carbon footprint. This includes producing thin BOPP and BOPE films, which are inherently carbon-footprint efficient for customers, implementing the most effective ways of energy consumption and waste reduction, the installation of a solar plant at their main manufacturing site in Brindisi, Italy, and using recycled or bio-based resins to reduce carbon footprint.

"Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond just our products,” a spokesperson said. “We’re constantly looking for ways to make our manufacturing processes more environmentally friendly, from energy efficiency to renewable power sources to transition the industry and the consumers to a whole new way of looking at flexible packaging.”

Jindal Film Europe’s efforts align with the packaging industry’s broader move towards a circular economy. As an active member of CEFLEX, JFE collaborates along the value chain to design collectable, sortable, and recyclable packaging for the new circular economy model. CEFLEX is the collaborative initiative of a European consortium of companies representing the entire value chain of flexible packaging.

The company’s two main pillars, BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) and BOPE (biaxially oriented polyethylene) films are at the heart of this effort. These innovations allow the market to design mono-material packaging solutions that are easily sortable and fully recyclable, offering fully recyclable structures that can replace materials like aluminium foil or PET films, even for the most demanding barrier needs.

JFE has also introduced the Re Range family of products and made significant strides in incorporating recycled and renewable materials into their products. This is being achieved through providing films made with bio-based PP resins, developing technology to incorporate mechanically recycled content in their films, and offering chemically recycled post-consumer circular films, reducing the use of virgin resins.

Through ongoing innovation, customer collaboration, industry partnerships, and a focus on environmental responsibility, JFE is helping to create a more sustainable future for the flexible packaging industry.