Madrid hosts INNOTECH plastic packaging center

Spanish packaging producers COEXPAN and EMSUR have opened the doors of INNOTECH in Madrid, which they describe as a new innovation and development center “that is set to become an international benchmark in the rigid and flexible packaging industry.”

The facility’s resources are being tasked “to deal with the major challenges of the industry in the area of sustainability and respond to the new demands of both the market and consumers,” according to a news release from COEXPAN and EMSUR. Those two companies both are part of Spain-based Grupo Lantero.

The new center, located in Alcalá de Henares in Madrid (the international headquarters of both Grupo Lantero divisions), “will be a focal point of collaboration where customers, suppliers, associations, public bodies and universities, among others, can come together to cooperate in projects to develop more efficient and sustainable packaging that effectively contributes to improving the environment,” say the firms.

With more than 1,000 square meters (10,700 square feet) of space and what Grupo Lantero calls “a comprehensive team of experts (R&D, engineering, sales and marketing), the new center boasts multi-disciplinary work areas equipped with state-of-the-art technology.” Initial efforts include a pilot rigid and flexible co-extrusion line and a pilot lamination line.

“In a constantly evolving environment, INNOTECH represents our commitment to innovation and it is born to achieve two main goals: to address the major challenges faced by the industry in terms of sustainability, circular economy and food safety, by working proactively alongside our customers and partners, and to help our customers to accelerate the processes to develop and launch their new products through more innovative, efficient and sustainable packaging solutions,” states Daniel Carreño, Grupo Lantero’s CEO.

Adds Pascal Reina, INNOTECH’s director, “The extensive experience of our team of experts in rigid and flexible packaging, together with the cutting-edge technology of the machinery and equipment at INNOTECH, will enable us to accompany our customers’ development projects from start to finish, providing assessment and helping them to come up with the best packaging solutions for their products, while optimizing costs and minimizing the risks of their development processes.”

Services offered at INNOTECH include packaging advice/assessment, material tests and trials, training and capacity-building services and laboratory analyses.

COEXPAN is the Grupo Lantero division that specializes in rigid plastic sheets and thermoformed products, while EMSUR is a division dedicated to the manufacture of flexible containers for packaging, primarily designed for the food sector.