Irplast is an established producer of biaxially oriented polypropylene films (BOPP), some of which are converted internally for roll-fed wrap-around labels (for the food, beverage, dairy, personal & home care markets), for printed adhesive tapes and multipack solutions. In 2020, the Company became the first in Europe to produce on a largescale bio-based films from certified renewable feedstocks (NOPP – Natural Oriented PolyProylene). Irplast has also started production of PCW-based polypropylene films (LOOPP) by partially replacing fossil-fuel based resins with feedstocks from chemical recycling using the “mass balance” principle. Produced in collaboration with SABIC®, in an ISCC PLUS certified supply chain (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification), NOPP films have been certified as carbon neutral.

The Company has developed a unique know-how in the design and production of innovative and customized BOPP films. First in Europe to engineer and install a simultaneous stretching Bruckner-LISIM line for the production of BOPP films for flexible packaging, nowadays Irplast delivers on very serious commitments to innovation and sustainability, by focusing on:

• Developing eco-friendly products by using bio-based polymers and post-industrial recycled material
• Reducing packaging weight and thickness
• Reducing CO2 emissions by developing packaging solutions designed to use less raw materials
• Energy co-generation and production waste management to reduce the GHG emissions of both production and products.

IRPLAST S.p.A. is a vertically integrated producer, from film production to printed finished products, with a business model focusing on sustainability. The Company’s approach to sustainability relies on four pillars: RENEWABLE, RECYCLE, REDUCE and REUSE. They represent guidelines for the implementation of new product solutions.

RENEWABLE

Using raw materials from renewable sources (tall-oil) or from chemically recycled post-consumer waste (by pyrolysis) allows IRPLAST to reduce CO2 emissions, reduce fossil fuel consumption, and make a valuable contribution to kick-starting the circular economy for plastic usage (NOPP and LOOPP films).

RECYCLE

• IRPLAST mainly focuses on BOPP film production, which is a “100% designed for recycling” material
• IRPLAST develops eco-friendly products by using post-industrial recycled BOPP film. (e.g ECO+ tape)
• IRPLAST produces (BOPP) labels with specific density below that of PET bottles: this makes bottle and label separation easier in the waste recovery stream. When combined with shrinkable film and pre-applied adhesives, these labels become an eco-friendly alternative to PET-G shrink-sleeves (e.g. Shrinkable BOPP Labels)
• IRPLAST uses special anti-bleeding inks and wash-off adhesives to avoid R-pet contamination, contributing to higher value and recovery rates for the recycled material
• IRPLAST manufactures a range of 100% recyclable BOPP films for mono-material packaging, designed to greatly facilitate recycling when compared with multi-material packaging (e.g. BOPP film MoMa pouches, Pre-glued Shrinkable BOPP Labels).

REDUCE

• IRPLAST manages its own energy needs with modern co-generation plants
• IRPLAST reduces fossil fuel consumption with alternative feedstocks (e.g. NOPP E LOOPP)
• IRPLAST reduces CO2 emissions by producing special products containing as much as 34% of post-industrial recycled BOPP film (e.g. ECO+)
• IRPLAST reduces packaging thickness, cutting transport and logistic costs (e.g. AIRTAPE+, LZI)
• IRPLAST simplifies multi-layer, multi-material packaging (e.g. film trays) with cheaper and simpler eco-friendly solutions (e.g. Food Contact Tape, Multipack, BOPP film MoMa pouches).

REUSE

Thanks to special adhesives and to proprietary know-how, IRPLAST produces pre-glued labels for returnable PET bottles (e.g. ECORELABEL project).

380 people are employed in the three manufacturing sites, all based in Italy. One in Empoli (Florence) and two film manufacturing sites in Atessa (Chieti).

Beverage (Pre-glued Shrinkable labels, Label Tape, Take Away®/Multipack, Micron19, Wrap-around roll-fed labels, Sleeve)

Dairy (Pre-glued Shrinkable labels, Pre-glued labels, Take Away®/Multipack)

Personal & home care (Take Away®/Multipack, Shrinks Sleeve e Pre-glued Shrinkable labels)

Food & Tissue (Open&Close, Food Contact Tape, Fingerlift, Linerless Adhesive Labels, Closure strip tape, Linerless labels, Block tape)

Building (Removable tapes, Construction tapes)

Carton box sealing (Airtape+, Poly+, Extraglue+, Tack+, Acrylic adhesive tapes, Hot melt adhesive tapes, Closure strip tape, Linerless Labels, Fingerlift tape (easy open), BOPP Tamper Evident tape, Perforated tape, Removable tapes

Mailing (S-BOPP Window envelopes films, Pouch tape)

Flexible packaging (Tobacco packaging overwrapping films, NOPP and LOOPP range films, MoMa pouch)

Specialty/Custom Applications (Peelable films, Floor tape, Barrier Tapes)