Sun Chemical and Archipelago Partner on Fibre-Based Packaging

17 September 2026: Sun Chemical announced a partnership with Archipelago Technology Group on 15 September 2026 in Midsomer Norton, UK, to develop and supply coatings for fibre-based packaging. The agreement combines non-contact coating equipment with liquid barrier formulations, aiming to help packaging manufacturers protect paper containers while addressing recycling requirements.

What the fibre-based packaging partnership covers

According to Sun Chemical’s announcement, the partners will combine Archipelago’s Powerdrop non-contact coater and coating process with Sun Chemical’s liquid barrier and resistant coatings, including optional heat-sealing capability. Applications cover flat, two-dimensional substrates and three-dimensional moulded fibre containers.

Guy Newcombe, CEO of Archipelago Technology, says barrier coatings should form part of moulded fibre packaging design from the outset, rather than follow as an afterthought. The agreement brings coating chemistry and application machinery into that development process.

The first approved formulation under the partnership, BARV656: VAPORBLOC DFC HOTFOOD, has completed testing and validation and is commercially available, Sun Chemical says. The release does not provide detailed test results or identify an independent certification for the finished packaging.

The development follows other work on food-packaging materials, including Sun Chemical’s AquaHeat food-packaging inks. That separate platform addresses printing applications rather than proving the performance of this partnership’s barrier coating.

Thin coatings still need packaging-level assessment

Pete Saunders, Sun Chemical’s Global Director, Digital Businesses, says untreated cellulose needs barriers against oil, water and gases. He says the combined technology can keep coating weight well below 5% of the container’s total weight, supporting compatibility with existing paper-recycling infrastructure.

That remains a company claim, not evidence that every container produced with the system will receive the highest EU recyclability grade. Coating weight alone does not establish how a finished pack behaves during collection, sorting and recycling.

Packaging-specific evidence matters. Screen Print India’s coverage of SunCure EcoPlast recycling recognition concerns a separate ink technology for rigid polypropylene packaging; it does not certify the new fibre-coating system.

What PPWR actually requires

The European Commission’s packaging guidance distinguishes two dates: the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation entered into force on 11 February 2025 and generally began applying on 12 August 2026. Its recyclability obligations follow a phased timetable rather than taking effect in full that August.

Under Regulation (EU) 2025/40, Grade A corresponds to recyclability of at least 95% by weight. However, assessment depends on the applicable design-for-recycling criteria, not simply a cellulose content above 95%.

Restrictions requiring grades A, B or C apply from 1 January 2030 or 24 months after the relevant delegated acts enter into force, whichever is later. From 1 January 2038, the regulation restricts market access to grades A or B, subject to its exceptions.

The law also provides for extended producer responsibility financial contributions to vary with recyclability grades. It does not promise Grade A packaging permanent market access or a universal lowest “EPR tax” rate.

For converters, the practical task is to evaluate the complete packaging structure, not just the coating. The same issue features in Domino’s PPWR analysis: individually suitable materials do not automatically produce a recyclable finished pack. The partnership offers a coating route to assess, not a substitute for that assessment.