From plastic to fiber – pilot machine for innovative coating application enabling sustainable and high-performance moulded fiber products

Important results from the project

The project aimed to develop and validate a pilot line for applying dispersion coatings to moulded fiber products. Despite the high technical difficulty, and although not all goals were fully achieved, the project was crucial for raising our knowledge level and building valuable data. We evaluated the different process steps and gained a clearer picture of what is important to solve from a customer perspective.

Expected long term effects

The results lay the foundation for a solution that can accelerate the shift from plastics to fiber-based materials. The long-term goal is an industrially capable machine enabling more sustainable products to reach the market – products that today remain stuck at the prototype stage. The technology can help reduce single-use plastics, lower climate impact and strengthen Swedish competitiveness in a fast-growing global market.

Approach and implementation

The project was carried out in five work packages: CAD concept development, construction of a pilot machine, testing and verification on commercial food trays, market validation through demonstrations, and final reporting. The structure was well-suited and provided a logical progression from concept to verification. The technical difficulty was high, meaning the coating application requires further development, but the project delivered valuable lessons and data to build on.