Products
Retec a 100% recyclable and repulpable functional barrier coating technology is used in paper applications to provide a protective, high-tech, high-barrier coating. A water-based product, Retec is suited for a wide range of substrates and is highly resistant to water, grease, oil, and moderately to water vapor, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
Outstanding Water, Grease and Oil Resistance Technology
Retec functional barrier coatings add incredible water, grease and oil resistance to finished paper goods, including corrugated cardboard, paperboard, folding carton, multi-layer bags, wrapper and ream wrap, cardboard and more.
Technical Benefits
When compared to competing water-based systems, Retec functional barrier coatings offer the following technical advantages:
- Significantly reduced coat weight – Typically 20% to 40% less than competing water-based technologies
- Reduced need for thermal energy
- Printable – Functional barrier coatings can be printed on or can be applied overprint
- Heat-sealable – Some Retec technologies add a heat-sealable property to the functional barrier coating, thus eliminating the need for adhesives.
- Good performance on a porous substrate – Retec Fast Film Formation Technology (RF3) provides for the chemistry to stay on the surface of the substrate with minimal migration and absorption into the substrate.
- Does not give rise to blocking – It is all about glass transition temperature of the film before reaching the rewinder on roll-to-roll applications.
- Repulpable and recyclable – Paper and board coated with Retec functional barrier coatings can go back to paper mills, repulped and made into paper.
- 21CFR 176.170 compliant – Components of paper and paperboard in contact with aqueous and fatty foods.
- 21CFR 176.180 compliant – Components of paper and paperboard in contact with dry food.
- CFIA compliant – Safe to use in the manufacture of paperboard intended for use in packaging of food such as meats, fish, fruits, or produce under chilled or frozen conditions.
- ISEGA certified for specific products that have successfully passed this review process.
Process Know-how and Its Benefits
Retec not only has a great portfolio of high-performance functional barrier coatings, but it has also spent many years developing an application process know-how whereby flexography is used to apply a uniform and cohesive film on paper and board substrates. This process know-how, which is an integral part of Retec offering, provides for many benefits, including but not limited to:
Processing Benefits
- Offers the possibility to apply multiple resistance properties to paper/board with a single pass. Each bump can be a different chemistry.
- Can print and apply the barrier overprint or vice versa in a single pass.
- Can add heat-sealable chemistry on the last bump and eliminate the need for adhesives in downstream processes.
- Can play with the sequence of applied chemistry to obtain a desired coefficient of friction.
Environmental Benefits
- “Cradle to Cradle” model – Paperboard coated with Retec functional barrier coatings are repulpable and recyclable. They can go back to paper mills to be made into pulp and paper again. This process technology saves trees over compostable technologies that do not address the problem at the source: end of life in a landfill and using more tree for more paper.
- Low coat weight means reduced consumption of raw materials for the same targeted level of performance which provides for a more favorable carbon footprint.
- Some ingredients used in Retec functional barrier coatings are from natural and renewable sources
- Heat sealable capabilities lead to the elimination of adhesives in the downstream process, once again reducing production inputs.
Economical Benefits
Many points mentioned makes Retec functional barrier coatings a sound economical choice for your barrier needs, namely:
- Low total coat weights
- Various resistance treatment in a single pass
- Fast Film Forming technology effective at low heat
- Printing and applying a functional barrier coating in a single pass
- Eliminating the need for adhesives by using a heat-sealable treatment
Retec functional barrier coatings are not exclusively used on flexographic presses and can be applied using a variety of application methods, namely:
- Size press as an additive
- Metering size press
- Coater inline
- Coater offline
- Corrugators
- Doctor Blade
- Air Knife
- Spray guns.
Some End-Use Applications
The possibilities offered by Retec functional barrier coatings are numerous. Here are some examples:
Water and/or Grease Resistance Treatment on Paperboard
- Pizza boxes
- Frozen Packaging
- Waxed or polycoated boxes “Swiffer”
- Cookies boxes
- Cereals boxes
- Chicken and fish boxes
- Fruits and vegetable boxes
Water, Oil, Grease and/or Release Treatments on Folding Cartons
- Take out boxes
- Danish/Pastry boxes
- Hamburger boxes
- French fry cups
Water, Oil, Grease and Release Treatments on Wrappers
- Paper packaging for hamburger and sandwich
- Freezer/Butcher wrap
- Ream wrap
Water and Grease Resistance on Corrugated Boxes, Wax Replacement
- Online of the corrugated or offline
- Fresh produce from farm to retailers
Water and Grease Resistance on Cup Stock
- Cold drinks
- Hot drinks