A revolutionary breakthrough for the packaging industry

International Finance and Business Magazine CFI Honours NP^® Liquid Glass Technology as Europe’s “Best Green Alternative Innovation 2020”

London, UK / Schwalbach, Germany. 30 July 2020

Without hesitation, the jury of Capital Finance International (CFI) named Nanopool GmbH with its unique NP^® Liquid Glass technology for ultra-thin protective coatings as the winner of the “Best Green Alternative Innovation Europe 2020” award.

The jury particularly highlighted the “revolutionary breakthrough” in the field of eco-friendly packaging: The sustainable NP^® Technology imparts water and oil-repellent properties to biodegradable materials such as paper and cardboard, and additionally offers mould and odour resistance, and even antiviral protection in the future. Its effectiveness against the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen has already been confirmed by medical researchers in a series of interdisciplinary studies.

Cardboard as the new super packaging: Made possible by NP^® protective coating

Until now, the use and design of paper-based packaging have been significantly limited by the properties of necessary protective coatings. However, NP^® Liquid Glass technology offers flexibility in two major ways:

• It can be easily applied to packaging of any size and shape, giving manufacturers of cardboard products unprecedented freedom in designing their products.
• The functionality of the ultra-thin protective layer is continually expandable: Until a few months ago, the main challenge for manufacturers of sustainable paper and cardboard packaging was the repulsion of moisture, grease, odours, and gases. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the adhesion of viruses has become another issue.

To meet these market developments, Nanopool GmbH has successfully tested its virus protection for effectiveness against the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen and can integrate this into the existing NP^® product matrix without needing to change the usual finishing processes. “It’s a bit like a smartphone,” explains Sascha Schwindt, Managing Director of Nanopool GmbH. “Our base matrix, like a factory-default smartphone, is already very versatile in its efficacy. It imparts superphobic properties to surfaces, preventing moisture, dirt, and microorganisms from adhering stubbornly. By the way, it does not affect appearance, tactile feel, or breathability.

Just as a smartphone becomes more individually useful through apps, we can expand our base product with various active agents. This makes our solution exceptionally versatile and flexible. A significant market advantage, because who knows what unexpected requirements the future might bring!”

This paves the way for the packaging industry to explore entirely new applications. At the same time, NP^® Liquid Glass equips companies to face the pressing environmental situation and related legislative requirements:

Plastic-free and environmentally friendly: Back to the natural cycle after use

Conventional coating processes transform inherently biodegradable paper by adding metals or plastics such as aluminium or polyethylene (PE) into composites that then require separate disposal.

In contrast, the versatile coating from NP^® Liquid Glass is based on silicon dioxide, SiO₂, a completely harmless element found in nature as quartz sand. Thus, any inherently biodegradable packaging can easily be recycled after coating. Given the steadily increasing consumer demands for product sustainability and tightening regulations in the fight against plastic, this represents a clear advantage for any manufacturer, whether in the food sector, logistics, or other areas of application. Leading international trade companies have already recognised this and are currently signalling concrete interest in optimising their packaging materials with the award-winning NP^® protection.

Affordable and straightforward

Since its founding, Nanopool GmbH has been repeatedly honoured with environmental, innovation, and economic awards for its development. In announcing the latest award, the CFI jury emphasised another plus point: the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of NP^® Liquid Glass technology. This can be applied locally – for example, through local sales partners – thereby saving on transport routes and making production more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

For further inquiries about the diverse applications of the NP^® protective coating, the company based in Schwalbach/Germany is happy to assist: info@nanopool.eu

About the company:

nanopool^® GmbH, based in Hülzweiler, is an innovative family business. Since 2002, it has been one of the companies dealing with nanotechnology in surface finishing.

Nanopool^® has succeeded in developing a surface finish for almost all application areas. This innovation will positively change working life in various ways.

All nanopool^® products are based on the latest scientific findings from nanotechnological research. The effectiveness of the environmentally awarded, food-safe products has been verified by recognised research laboratories and certified.

 

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