Biodegradable and Cooling. Gdańsk Tech and PLASTPOM Work on New Packaging for Fruit
Over PLN 2 million for the next stage of cooperation between science and industry, which has already led to implementation once. The PLASTPOMCoolBioPack project, carried out by PLASTPOM in cooperation with the Department of Polymer Technology at the Faculty of Chemistry at Gdańsk Tech, received nearly PLN 1.47 million in funding from European Funds. This time, scientists and entrepreneurs will jointly develop a biodegradable packaging that is not only intended to protect delicate fruits but also to improve the process of their cooling.
Over PLN 2 million for the next stage of cooperation between science and industry, which has already led to implementation once. The PLASTPOMCoolBioPack project, carried out by PLASTPOM in cooperation with the Department of Polymer Technology at the Faculty of Chemistry at Gdańsk Tech, received nearly PLN 1.47 million in funding from European Funds. This time, scientists and entrepreneurs will jointly develop a biodegradable packaging that is not only intended to protect delicate fruits but also to improve the process of their cooling.
The project “PLASTPOMCoolBioPack – a biodegradable container for dynamic cooling and freshness protection of fruits” will be implemented by the Production, Trade, and Service Company “PLASTPOM” Beata Szwabis in partnership with Gdańsk Tech. The scientific partner of the undertaking is Gdańsk Tech, and the Department of Polymer Technology of the Faculty of Chemistry will be involved in the research and development work.
A package that not only protects fruits
The goal of PLASTPOMCoolBioPack is to develop and prepare for implementation a new container designed for packaging delicate fruits, including blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. It will be made from a fully biodegradable material resistant to water absorption. The geometry of the packaging itself will also be important. A properly designed ventilation system aims to shorten the cooling time of fruits and improve heat exchange efficiency. This means that researchers will work simultaneously on the material and the packaging function. The result is intended to be a solution resistant to high humidity and low temperature, which may reduce the use of traditional plastics, and thanks to more efficient cooling, also reduce energy consumption in cooling processes.
The project includes industrial research and development work, pre-implementation activities related to the preparation and submission of an industrial and utility design, as well as the development of research staff competencies in polymer materials, bioplastics, and ecological design.
Potential recipients of the solution include producers, processors, and distributors of fruits and vegetables, horticultural farms, producer groups, packing houses, cold stores, logistics centers, and retail chains.
This story did not start now
PLASTPOMCoolBioPack is the next stage of cooperation that has already led to full-scale implementation of technology developed at Gdańsk Tech.
Previously, the company Bio Plast Pom implemented a Gdańsk Tech invention, protected by patent EP3064542, concerning the technology of producing biodegradable and compostable granulates from thermoplastic starch and biopolymer compositions containing it.
The work of the Department of Polymer Technology team did not end with material development. Scientists adapted the composition and processing conditions to industrial scale, designed a production line with a capacity of 12 tons per day, conducted its startup, and trained the production team. The technology was then transferred to the company, and the granulates were placed on the market under the name NOPLA.
Today, NOPLA is used, among others, for the production of rigid packaging and disposable products. The material is also offered in the form of nine types of granulates, which have found recipients in Poland as well as on the German and Dutch markets.
This particular part of the story is especially important because the research outcome did not remain in the laboratory or at the patent stage. It completed the full path to industrial production and the market.
Now the partners are beginning the next chapter. They will use the experience gained during the earlier implementation to develop a new solution for the packaging and food industry.
A success supported by many years of cooperation
Obtaining nearly PLN 1.47 million in funding for the implementation of PLASTPOMCoolBioPack is a great success for the Department of Polymer Technology team and PLASTPOM. Especially considering that the new project does not start this cooperation but is its next stage, based on the experience gained in a solution that has already followed the path from invention and patent protection, through technology scaling and industrial production launch, to the presence of the finished product on the market.
It is precisely this continuity that is one of the most tangible effects of cooperation between science and industry: the company returns to the scientific partner with another technological challenge, while previous research becomes a starting point for further R&D work and new products.
The project received funding from the European Union under measure 1.1 “Comprehensive R&D projects of enterprises” of the European Funds for Western Pomerania 2021–2027 program. Its total value amounts to PLN 2,019,145.22, with the contribution from European Funds being PLN 1,468,756.35.
