AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings has started its first coating line in Asia for interior and exterior coating products for metal cans that are Bisphenol-A Non-Intent (BPAni). The news was announced at its 2024 Metal Packaging Summit held on 16 July during Cannex Guangzhou.
This is a significant move from the business, allowing it to help can makers and brands in the region to respond to stringent regulatory requirements both domestically and internationally and an increasing demand for sustainable packaging coatings in China and across Asia.
George Yang, Regional Commercial Director of Packaging Coatings for AkzoNobel Asia, says the new line – which is located at the company’s performance coatings site in Shanghai – demonstrates the company’s commitment to meeting local needs: “With growing consumer health awareness, particularly in Asia which is one of the world's largest food packaging markets, there is a rising demand for food and beverage can coatings that are both healthier and more environmentally conscious,” he says.
“The establishment of the BPAni production line signifies AkzoNobel's forward-looking initiative and represents a significant milestone in our commitment to sustainable development within the packaging coatings industry."
AkzoNobel's BPAni packaging coatings for the interior and exterior of metal cans, which have been certified by numerous internationally renowned beverage brands, have been widely adopted in Europe and America. The newly commissioned packaging coating production line means local customers and global customers operating in China and throughout Asia will have access to AkzoNobel's reliable and consistently high-quality BPAni packaging coatings that meet stringent regulatory requirements.
AkzoNobel’s new line adopts highly automated production equipment and integrates advanced technologies and processes already being deployed in Europe. Positioned adjacent to the Shanghai Technology Center, the company's largest R&D center in Asia, this geographic advantage will provide robust technical support and convenience for the development, production, and application of AkzoNobel's Bisphenol-free packaging coatings.
The new production line was announced at AkzoNobel’s 2024 Metal Packaging Summit, where the company’s commitment to a BPA-free future was well received by customers and industry representatives that were in attendance. It was praised for facilitating broader market adoption of BPA alternatives, and for accelerating the transformation of the metal can packaging industry in the region.
Wu Hongjun, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Packaging Federation said: “We are delighted to see that AkzoNobel is taking the lead in innovating research and development of Bisphenol-free packaging coatings, achieving localized production. This will promote the high-quality and sustainable development of the food and beverage metal can packaging industry, benefiting local consumers.”
Li Cizhou, Chief Engineer of Wang Lao Ji, a renowned heritage brand and leader in the herbal tea industry, remarked: “AkzoNobel's pioneering Bisphenol A-free coatings for metal cans are set to align food and beverage packaging with rigorous international standards, driving the sustainable development of the packaging industry.”
Chen Yufei, Senior Vice President of ORG Technology, one of China’s leading providers of food and beverage metal packaging solutions, said: “BPAni coatings further enhance the safety and sustainability of metal packaging materials. We are pleased to see AkzoNobel's localization of BPA-free coatings production and look forward to working with all parties to drive the transformation of China's metal packaging industry, shaping a healthier and more sustainable future for the sector.”