With the publication of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on February 11th, 2025 — the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) — a new chapter has begun for packaging management across the European Union. The regulation’s cornerstone is clear: packaging must be designed for recycling and be recyclable at scale.
Although the official guidelines defining recyclability and industrial recycling parameters will be released by the EU within 2028, companies of all sizes are already moving proactively to align with the regulation, which becomes mandatory in 2030. Many have turned to IMA — and specifically to OpenLab — to understand how to future-proof their packaging lines.
What is OpenLab?
OpenLab is IMA Group’s network of technological laboratories and testing areas, dedicated to the research of sustainable materials, packaging technologies, and production optimisation. It acts as a bridge between innovation and implementation, helping companies identify the packaging solutions best suited to their objectives.
For producers in the food and personal care sectors, the transition to recyclable packaging means rethinking their entire supply chain. It implies major investments in new or upgraded packaging machinery, a reassessment of packaging materials, and careful analysis of how these changes affect product cost and performance.
In recent months, we’ve seen a strong increase in demand from both multinational corporations and SMEs to start collaborations with IMA OpenLab. The goal? To investigate how to switch from multilayer multi-material plastic to mono-material PP or PE films, or paper-based films with a high cellulose content, while maintaining excellent packaging performance.
The challenge is simple yet critical: manufacturers cannot afford to shut down production lines for extended material testing, nor do they always have the in-house expertise to assess new materials or optimise their wrapping lines accordingly.
This is precisely where IMA steps in. With almost 10 years of OpenLab experience and more than 6,000 films analysed and tested on our packaging machines, we offer tailored consultancy and hands-on technical support to help companies move toward full PPWR compliance.
Our process begins with laboratory analysis of the customer’s "future-ready" materials. These are then tested on IMA Ilapak flow wrapping machines in our dedicated test area. We conduct real-time testing with expert technicians and machine testers who can adapt configurations and implement patented technical solutions.
At IMA OpenLab, we conduct mechanical, thermal, sealing strength, hermeticity, shelf-life, visual, and comparative tests — covering all aspects that matter for recyclability, packaging performance, and consumer appeal.
A few real examples:
- For a leading snack producer, we developed a solution to package at 300 ppm using a 95% cellulose paper film — selected through multiple lab screenings — achieving strong sealing via hot seal. This even outperformed traditional cold seal plastic films.
- For a wet wipes manufacturer, we successfully implemented a technical solution to run recyclable mono-material PE film at 140 ppm (260 mm cut length at 35 linear metres/min) with excellent gas-tight sealing— delivering performance equal or superior to traditional solutions.
This is what we mean by a consultative, results-driven approach. All solutions are tested and validated on real machines — with real outcomes — ensuring that our partners are not only compliant with future regulations but also maintain their performance and competitiveness.
Are you facing similar challenges?Get in touch and test your recycle ready packaging with us. Work side by side with our experts and explore end-to-end solutions — backed by solid data and proven machine compatibility.