Michelman will showcase co-created paper-based flexible packaging structures and next-generation coating technologies for paper cup applications at PACK EXPO International 2026.
Developed in collaboration with partners including UPM Specialty Materials and BOBST, the flexible packaging structures demonstrate how paper-based materials can meet demanding performance requirements while supporting recyclability, compostability, or dual end-of-life pathways, depending on package design and available recovery streams.
"Design Concept to Paper Packaging Reality," a joint presentation from Michelman, UPM Specialty Materials, and BOBST, will review case studies that demonstrate how integrating paper technology, coating innovation, and process adaptations accelerates successful paper-based packaging design and production, offering practical guidance on packaging development, scale-up, and commercialization.
Michelman's water-based coatings work together as a system, providing specific functionality such as heat sealing or print receptivity, while simultaneously increasing overall barrier performance. The company’s recently launched Nuvita® Life series, featured in some of these constructions, is designed specifically for fiber-based retail food packaging and includes a heat seal and topcoat that are bio-based, plastic-free, and direct food contact compliant.
These market-ready structures address growing industry demand for solutions to evolving packaging regulations, including California SB 54 and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs in North America, as well as the European Union's Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) and Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
The session will take place on Tuesday, October 20, from 2:00 to 2:30pm on Innovation Stage 1 (N-4570). Presenting will be Sarah Dembroski, North American Sales Director, UPM Specialty Materials; Ralph Giammarco, Global Business Development & Applications Director, Michelman; and Christopher Marshall, US Sales Director, BOBST.
Additionally, Michelman will highlight its portfolio of multi-functional coatings for paper cups, designed to replace traditional polyethylene (PE) linings while maintaining the performance required for hot beverage applications. Commercially available solutions, including Michem® Coat 9100 and the Michem® Coat 9250 series, are helping cup manufacturers reduce plastic use while supporting recyclability.
The company will also share its roadmap for next-generation cup coatings that support dual end-of-life pathways. This includes industrial compostability through fully bio-based solutions designed to enable plastic-free, home-compostable, and SUPD-compliant paper cup structures.
Visitors can meet with Michelman's technical specialists and learn more about these technologies at Booth W-38022 during PACK EXPO International, October 18-21, 2026, at McCormick Place in Chicago.