The companies have worked together since 2022. Credit: Lactips.

Lactips, a French company specialising in the production of natural polymers, has reached a strategic partnership with Walki, a Finnish packaging converting company.

The two companies have entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) to create fully biodegradable, plastics-free food packaging comprising natural polymers that are recyclable in the paper stream.

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The EU has taken steps to address the increasing plastic waste problem through the Single-Use Plastics Directive.

This legislation encourages customers in the food packaging industry to replace traditional fossil-based plastics with biodegradable alternatives.

The directive specifically targets single-use plastics such as yoghurt cups and snack pouches, which are typically used once and discarded.

Lactips and Walki have decided to collaborate through the JDA to develop a paper-based food packaging material with a natural polymer coating.

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Since 2022, both companies have been working together to develop a grade suitable for Walki’s transformation process.

Walki Group executive vice-president for Consumer Packaging and Innovation & Sustainability Annika Sundell said: “This partnership is a win-win. We appreciate the speed and innovation that Lactips as a startup comes with and are happy to provide our expertise and state-of-the-art production lines for piloting the solutions.”

Lactips is involved in the development and manufacturing of plastic-free, 100% biobased materials that are water-soluble and completely biodegradable in various environments.

In 2021, Lactips partnered with environmental nonprofit CITEO to develop a coating solution for food and nonfood applications.

Meanwhile, Walki operates as an international group organised into three business areas: consumer packaging, packaging materials, and engineered materials.

The group has operations in 11 countries across Europe and Asia, with an annual turnover of approximately €627m ($673m) recorded in 2023 and a workforce of roughly 1,700 employees.