Objective
The thermal paper nowadays in use for labelling food products is subject to degradation processes which make it unreadable after a comparatively short time when submitted to the low temperatures in the refrigerated stockage areas as well as when the products undergo preservation treatments after having been labelled. This has generated a growing demand for coated thermal paper, i.e. resistant to low and high temperature and preserving agents. The particular application to the food industry also involves other self explanatory limitations in the protection techniques used for the production of such "resistant" thermal papers, that is the use of non degradable, non toxic substrate and coats, since the label itself might and does actually in some case come into contact with the food. Other applications of coated thermal papers are in the mechanical industry, which needs coated thermal paper to label, by bar code, semi-worked items which have to undergo further treatments which normally involve manipulation and lubrication, that is mechanical stress on the label and contact of the inks with lubricating fats which affect the readability of the label. Leisure industry also needs coated thermal paper in particular weather conditions, a typical example of application are the "skypasses" which must be resistant to low temperatures and frost as well as to manipulations. The main objective of the proposed research is therefore the development of a new European technology to produce coated thermal paper by innovative recyclable materials mainly for use within the food packaging industry, but also with applications within the other sectors previously described. The implementation of the project will allow the involved SMEs to come into the market, roughly one year after thecompletion of the research, with a product which will be competitive in terms of price and environmental impact with a consequent benefit for the European customers, who will be able to buy a European product with equal or better requisites in terms of technical performance at a lower price. Moreover, the proposing SMEs will have at their disposal a new proprietary technology which will allow them to conquer some space for Europe in a Japanese dominated market.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CRS - Cooperative research contractsCoordinator
20040 Velate-Usmate
Italy