RISE PFI is investing in an advanced, custom-made pilot coater designed for printing, coating, and laminating various flexible materials, including paper, films, and metallic foils. The coater operates on a roll-to-roll basis and can apply both organic and water-based coatings using multiple application methods.

Eva Pasquier and Johnny Kvakland Melbø from RISE PFI recently visited RK Print Coat Instruments  in England where the new pilot coater was built and tested. The pilot coater we are investing in is based on a standard model but has been specially designed to meet our needs,” says Eva Pasquier from RISE PFI. This investment is part of the NORCELlab research infrastructure project, a national initiative at RISE PFI funded by the Research Council of Norway. Through NORCELlab, we are investing in essential equipment for cellulose research and the development of cellulose-based products,” says Kristin Syverud, Research Manager at RISE PFI and project leader for NORCELlab.

The new pilot coater will be highly valuable for product development and can also be used for small-scale production of specialized products in low volumes. Among other things, we plan to use the coater to develop and test new barrier materials for packaging, says Eva Pasquier

Society needs alternative packaging materials to plastic, and new packaging directives mandate a reduction in plastic use across a range of products. New bio-based packaging materials must provide adequate barriers against water, gas, and grease, depending on the content. There is, therefore, a need to develop new barrier materials that can replace the plastic barriers used today.

Among other things, RISE PFI is leading the research project ‘NxtBarr – Next Generation Barrier Materials,’ where, together with industry and research partners, we aim to develop fully bio-based, recyclable, and biodegradable packaging materials that can replace plastic without compromising food safety or increasing food waste. The new pilot coater will be highly useful in this work, says Eva Pasquier.

With the new pilot coater, we will also be able to support the industry in testing various coatings at a pilot scale, Pasquier concludes.