US-based flexible packaging company ProAmpac has announced a new partnership with the packaging engineering department of Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart (Stuttgart Media University) in Germany.

As part of this collaboration, the two entities will work together to develop kerbside-recyclable, high-performance coated paper technologies.

Professor Michael Herrenbauer of the university said: “We are pleased to partner with ProAmpac to advance novel paper-based sustainable packaging.

“The development of sustainable materials and coatings for packaging is our research focus. It is a great honour for us to collaborate with ProAmpac in this very important field.”

The new coated paper development programme will see the university providing its printing/coater assets, as well as its paper and coating technologies expertise to support the development.

ProAmpac will be responsible for providing its material science expertise along with its experience and capabilities in sustainable fibre-based packaging solutions.

ProAmpac's senior vice-president of Global Product Development and Innovation Hesam Tabatabaei said: “This partnership, combined with our other global material and food science university partnerships, will expand the applications of our sustainable fibre-based product portfolio by offering very high-performance recyclable paper technologies to our customers.”

Currently, these mentioned alliances include those with the University of Manchester, Rutgers University, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and Clemson University.

The flexible packaging company established a research and development alliance with Polytechnique Montréal in Canada in April 2020.