In November of 2014 Zirbs Kunststoffverarbeitung, a German packaging company based in Neuhaus-Schierschnitz, was commissioned by BASF to manufacture the trays for a praline box which BASF would use to send as Christmas gifts to its customers. While this was not a particularly unusual request, Martin Zirbs and his team still gave it an increased level of attention because BASF was using its new biodegradable Ecovio® film for the job. Past experience at Zirbs had shown that biodegradable films were frequently difficult to process. Martin Zirbs says that he and his company were therefore sceptical regarding bio- degradable films; a scepticism that fortunately proved to be completely unfounded by the new BASF film.

Zirbs explains, ”My employees were smiling from ear to ear when they showed me the results – we‘re thrilled.” Martin Zirbs is convinced that the new Ecovio® film has good chances on the market. He comments, “At the moment the costs are still three-times higher than conventional film, but the more it is used the cheaper it will become to manu- facture.” Zirbs believes that the prospects for this new film are particularly good in the premium segment with high-quality packaging and with organic products. According to BASF Ecovio® is comprised of an 80?% biological ­polymer that is completely compost­able. The new film can be used for the thermoforming process and features distinctively high levels of strength and stiffness. It has a high melting point which ensures that it does not deform quickly when exposed to ­external heat.

BASF cites a high but controllable degree of water vapor transmission rate with Ecovio®. The new film can be used up to a thickness of 1.1?mm, also making it suitable for use in packaging for numerous food products. With Ecovio® BASF is eager to contribute to reducing packaging waste.

www.zirbs-verpackungen.de
www.ecovio.com