The challenge 

Pioneering new innovations in response to global trends is a key component of Kisuma’s business strategy. Behind the scenes we continue to develop and evolve a strong R&D pipeline which sees our knowledgeable and experienced teams working on potentially game-changing solutions to solve worldwide problems.  

Plastic waste is an area in need of innovative thinking. As organisations, supply chains, and societies transition towards more circular economies, solutions which enable plastics to be recycled are ever more in demand.  

This is especially true in the case of the flexible food packaging market, which is heavily reliant on polymer films.  

The solution 

Kisuma has developed a new acid scavenger designed to replace conventional acid scavengers in BOPE films.  

DHT™-4C is the strongest acid scavenger available on the market. It irreversibly scavenges acidic catalyst residues through an innovative interlayer capturing process – additionally, its surface is also reactive which allows for the capture of organic acid, leading to enhanced organoleptic properties. Furthermore, as an all hydrotalcite solution, it is a non-migratory additive.  

Multi-layered films are considered non-recyclable. Converters are now given a new tool to create designs for recycling solutions. A great example includes the replacement of BOPET for BOPE materials to create mono-structures. With this innovative solution, the stiffness gap between the two materials can now be narrowed. Replacing the traditional acid scavenger with DHT™-4C allows converters and brand owners to achieve superior surface properties of their BOPE layer, leading to stronger metallization of the film and enhanced surface printing capability. 

As well as enjoying superior performance and quality, customers will be able to improve sustainability credentials by introducing a completely recyclable solution to the market. 

We are working closely with customers and stakeholders to enable the seamless introduction of DHT™-4C into production lines. Currently, processing BOPE films requires new machines or a major upgrade on existing BOPP machines – developments in this field are moving fast and we anticipate that the current challenges can be overcome in the near future.