Hattersheim/Frankfurt am Main (Germany), Antwerp (Belgium), May 4, 2026. At interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf (7–13 May 2026, Hall 9 / Booth B14), EVAL Europe N.V. (a Kuraray company) will demonstrate to brand owners, food retailers and converters how next‑generation barrier materials can unlock PPWR‑compliant, recyclable packaging designs without compromising food shelf life, processability or performance. With the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) reshaping packaging design criteria, brand owners, food retailers and converters are re‑evaluating material choices, structures and barrier concepts. At interpack, EVAL Europe N.V. will present practical packaging solutions based on EVAL™ EVOH, EVAL™ bio-circular grades (ISCC PLUS‑certified) and PLANTIC™ biomass-derived gas barrier material — tailored to real packaging challenges. At its booth, EVAL Europe will be exhibiting alongside its partner Mitsui & Co., reflecting their close collaboration in delivering advanced barrier packaging solutions to customers.
 
 
Barrier layer of EVAL™ EVOH for mono-material packaging structures 
At booth B14, visitors can learn how to design mono-material PE or PP structures that meet recyclability guidelines, thereby replacing the non-recyclable conventional packaging structures currently on the market. This can be achieved by using a thin layer of EVAL™, which maintains oxygen and aroma barrier performance while reducing material usage and lowering eco‑modulated EPR fees, resulting in future‑proof packaging concepts that meet PPWR requirements.
 
Designing for recyclability: thin barriers, maximum impact
A key route to PPWR compliance is the shift away from complex, non‑recyclable structures toward mono-material packaging. When a polyolefin film contains only a very thin barrier layer of EVAL™ EVOH, it can be designed to remain compatible with established PE or PP recycling streams.
 
Reducing EPR impact: replacing non-recyclable structures with mono-material solutions
Non-recyclable barrier materials are still widely used in PE and PP laminate films to achieve barrier performance, yet these structures are challenging to recycle within existing polyolefin streams. This results in higher EPR fees that brand owners and food retailers with private-label products must pay when they put this non-recyclable packaging on the market. That is where mono-material packaging with EVAL™ EVOH can help to make the difference. 
 
EVAL™ SC: barrier performance for shrink films and bags
At interpack, EVAL Europe will highlight EVAL™ SC grades for shrink films and bags for fresh meat. These grades were specifically developed for excellent orientability and shrinkability while maintaining outstanding oxygen barrier properties. With the EVAL™ SC grades, the final packaging structure is designed for recyclability too. This is not the case with conventional packaging structures currently available on the market. 
 
EVAL™ bio-circular grades: supporting Scope 3 reduction strategies
Sustainability starts at the source. With EVAL™ bio-circular grades (ISCC PLUS-certified), EVAL Europe N.V. supports the use of renewable feedstocks via a mass balance approach (segregation of bio-based raw materials or reduced use of raw materials in book-keeping). This shift boosts the sustainability of both processes and packaging. The certification ensures transparency, traceability, and sustainable practices throughout complex supply chains and allows customers to reduce their Scope 3 emissions while maintaining the high performance required in modern packaging. 
 
PLANTIC™: bio‑based barrier for paper packaging
Renewable PLANTIC film is now also available in pellet form as PLANTIC™ EP. This thermoplastic starch-based, biodegradable and compostable biopolymer, PLANTIC™, is ideal for packaging dry goods such as coffee, tea and animal feed, as well as MAP food applications. Its excellent oxygen barrier helps preserve aroma and product quality. Furthermore, PLANTIC™ is dispersible in water, enabling the separation of multilayers and facilitating the repulping of paper packaging.
 
100 years of Kuraray means meeting new challenges through innovation
The strict regulatory requirements of the PPWR are accelerating industry action. With solutions such as EVAL™, brand owners, food retailers and converters are able to find efficient responses to regulatory challenges – and ensure recyclability. The specialists at EVAL Europe N.V. are available to advise on finding the best packaging structure for specific needs. In 2026, Kuraray’s centenary year, visitors to the exhibition stand in hall 9 / booth B14 at interpack will be able to experience for themselves that innovative strength will remain the outstanding hallmark of this specialty chemicals company.
 
 
 
About Kuraray 
Established in 1991, Kuraray Europe GmbH is based in Hattersheim, near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. In 2025 the company generated annual sales of EUR 1.07 billion. 
It has more than 850 employees in Germany at its sites in Hattersheim/Frankfurt and Troisdorf. Kuraray is a global specialty chemicals company and one of the largest suppliers of industrial polymers and synthetic microfibers for many sectors of industry. Examples are Kuraray Poval™, Mowital®, Trosifol® and Clearfil™. Kuraray Europe also has around 216 employees at seven other European sites. They are also working on the development and application of innovative high-performance materials for a wide range of sectors, including the automotive, paper, glass and packaging industries, as well as for architects and dentists. 
Kuraray Europe is a wholly owned subsidiary of the publicly listed Kuraray Group, which is based in Tokyo, Japan, and has more than 12,000 employees worldwide and sales of JPY 808.4 billion. In 2026, Kuraray is celebrating its centenary.
  
About EVAL Europe N.V. / Kuraray 
Kuraray is the world leader in high gas barrier technology, production and technical development of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH). Our EVOH resin have been available worldwide under the name of EVAL™ since 1972 and are produced globally in Belgium (at EVAL Europe), the USA and Japan. A very thin layer of EVAL™ EVOH adds a superior barrier to efficient multilayer structures, making it possible for these multilayer structures to provide functional protection using a minimum amount of material. This way, the packaging weighs less and still protects the product and the environment. What is more: due to the minimal amount of EVAL™ needed, packers can use the resin with polyolefins – such as polyethylene – to create a package that will still be considered mono-material and fits well into the recycling stream. For more information, visit www.eval.kuraray.com
 

Press contacts:

Carmen Mundt
Manager Corporate Communications 
Kuraray Europe GmbH
Philipp-Reis-Strasse 4
65795 Hattersheim am Main, Germany
Phone: +49 69 305 85734
Email: Carmen.Mundt@kuraray.com 
Internet: www.kuraray.eu 

Julia Schreiber
Head of Communication Management
möller horcher c/o trivid GmbH
Frankfurter Strasse 151A
63303 Dreieich, Germany
Phone: +49 69 809096 57 
Email: julia.schreiber@moeller-horcher.de 
Internet: www.moeller-horcher.de