Manupackaging announces a strategic partnership with Polymateria in the field of sustainable end-of-life packaging solutions: incorporating Polymateria’s technology, Manupackaging has successfully developed Manunature® BD, a novel 100% safe biodegradable superpower stretch film and stretch hood that, after the typical service life of 12 months, become biodegradable in the open terrestrial environment
Manupackaging, formerly Manuli Stretch, is the inventor of stretch film in Europe and has been an innovative producer of a wide range of 100% recyclable premium products for over 50 years. These include: LLDPE pallet wrap films, stretch hood and stretch films for agriculture and waste recycling. The company, whose claim is exactly “a natural passion for protection”, offers a wide range of 100% recyclable premium films to more than 15,000 customers.
With a production capacity of more than 150,000 tonnes, global distribution network supplies more than 15,000 customers with 100% recyclable premium films in 65 countries worldwide. Manupackaging group operates at 11 locations, with 4 production sites in Schkopau/Leipzig (Germany), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Curitiba and Manaus (Brazil). With 7 sales organizations in Europe (6) and Latin America (1), the company offer customers a variety of complementary stretch packaging and an extensive range of end-of-line machines.
A market approach that becomes concrete: collaboration with Polymateria
In partnership with wholesalers in the packaging industry and international key accounts, Manupackaging is highly motivated and sets the pace for the development and production of sustainable film products. The claim is reflected in its corporate vision, which promotes partnership with packaging wholesalers and joint product development, as well as cooperation with end-user customers, including international key accounts: following this concept Manupackaging announced at the end of 2022 a strategic partnership with Polymateria in the field of sustainable end-of-life packaging solutions. Incorporating Polymateria’s technology, Manupackaging has developed Manunature® BD, a new 100% safe biodegradable superpower stretch film and stretch hood that, after the typical service life of 12 months, becomes biodegradable in the open terrestrial environment using Polymateria’s Biotransformation process.
Polymateria, has developed this ground-breaking innovation that aims to tackle global plastic pollution. The company has come up with a technology that alters the properties of plastic to make it biodegradable and recyclable at the same time. With the potential to revolutionize the fight against plastic waste globally, this ‘biotransformation’ technology is nothing but a proprietary additive that can break down plastics safely if they escape into the environment.
Manunature® BD is approved as biodegradable according to the BSI PAS 9017:2020 criteria, the world’s first standard which ensures that polyolefin plastics fully biodegrade in the open terrestrial environment without creating any microplastics or harm to nature.
Polymateria’s mission is to advance science to help nature deal with the plastic pollution crisis. Based at, Imperial College London, they are the first company in the world to prove scientifically that you can take fugitive or unmanaged plastic waste and return them to nature without creating microplastics, harming the natural environment or interfering with recycling streams at scale. Polymateria was named as a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer in 2021 on account of the company’s contribution to circularity and tackling plastic pollution.
Commenting on the partnership, Pierfranco Di Gioia, CEO of M Stretch, the holding company of Manupackaging Group, said: “Thanks to a common vision inspired by sustainability and ESG principles, Polymateria and Manupackaging are a perfect match. The increasing demand for sustainable packaging solutions across all industries encouraged us to further develop eco-stretch films, which completely eliminate micro-plastics issues. After a thorough search for the best solution, we are excited to have chosen Polymateria as the ideal partner to implement this critical aspect of our ESG strategy. To anticipate the future growth in demand for greener high performing products, we recently installed two new cutting-edge extrusion lines dedicated to the production and development of our current and forthcoming sustainable films”.
“We are delighted to support Manupackaging as our global partner for stretch film and stretch hood in their efforts to help their customers to achieve their sustainability goals. The Manupackaging team has been a pioneer for the development of our technology in stretch films and stretch hoods across various industrial segments”, said Polymateria Chief Commercial Officer Richard Horne.
