Ilip brings to Cibus Tec 2026 the latest innovations in fresh food packaging

Ilip will present at Cibus Tec 2026, taking place from 27 to 30 October at Fiere di Parma, the evolution of the HeatSealingMaster and StretchMaster ranges, alongside the SliceMaster line.

The innovations are part of a development path aimed at combining technical performance and sustainability, through solutions designed to ensure food protection, reliability on packaging lines and more efficient use of resources. An approach based on the principles of eco-design, in which reducing the amount of raw material used and using recycled materials must necessarily go hand in hand with maintaining the required performance.

The HeatSealingMaster range

In particular, the evolution of the HeatSealingMaster range stands out. It consists of heat-sealable trays for packaging fresh food, including in a modified atmosphere (MAP). Available in the Evo version, in monomaterial PET, Duo, in PET/PE, and Bio, in certified EN 13432 compostable bioplastic, the range introduces the new Macrocell base, designed for applications requiring a high capacity for containing purge and available in the Mt230 and Mt250 formats. This solution complements Microcell technology, available in the Evo and Duo versions. Both incorporate a mechanical absorption system in the base of the tray, which captures and retains purge without using the traditional absorbent pad. The new features are rounded off by the M230 8 Hamburger and 1/2 Gastro formats, which expand the line's application possibilities.

The StretchMaster and SliceMaster ranges

The StretchMaster range has also been expanded, designed for packaging on automatic lines with stretch film or flow pack, with the introduction of the new 195 × 144 mm format. Available in monomaterial PET with a high recycled content and in compostable bioplastic, the Evo version can incorporate the Microcell base. The offering is completed by SliceMaster, the line of heat-sealable trays with an R-PET/Evoh/PE barrier structure for packaging cured meats and sliced products in a modified atmosphere. The three ranges make up a proposal dedicated to packaging meat, sliced products, fish, cheese and fresh pasta.

The comment

"In food packaging, sustainability cannot be separated from performance," emphasises Giovanni Donini, business manager foodservice packaging & fresh food packaging at Ilip. "Reducing the weight of a tray or increasing the recycled material content only makes sense if the product continues to guarantee the required performance in terms of safety, preservation and reliability on packaging lines. That is why we work on optimising materials and structures, with the aim of using resources more efficiently without compromising the functionality of the packaging."

Tray to tray

A central role in this process is played by the circular economy model T2t R-Pet (tray to tray), developed within the Ilpa Group. Thanks to the vertical integration of recycling, Ilip can use secondary raw material sourced not only from bottles, but also from post-consumer trays and punnets to produce new R-PET food packaging. This process makes it possible to enhance recovered materials and reduce the use of virgin raw material, while ensuring quality and traceability. Today, Ilip's R-PET packaging contains, on average, approximately 80% of recycled material.

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.