Equipment

Celloglas has launched a film that provides protection against harmful bacteria such as MRSA and E Coli.

The Reading-based print finishing specialist said clinical tests had shown that, when laminated to packaging, food trays, greetings cards or menus, Cellomed could inhibit the spread of bugs.

Celloglas sales and marketing director Steve Middleton said the firm had developed Cellomed over the past 18 months with Celanese, which produces the film at its factory in Spondon, Derbyshire.

"Cellomed is made from wood pulp sourced from managed forests in North America with a special antimicrobial additive incorporated during manufacture, which acts to prevent the spread of bacteria," he said.

The film can be recycled, but cannot be classified as biodegradable owing to the antimicrobial additive.

It will also be around 40% more expensive than OPP film.

Middleton said Cellomed would "massively increase" the longevity of products for the medical, pharmaceutical, catering and airline industries because they would be "as safe on day 60 as on day one".

"We are offering clients the opportunity to use laminate as a tool for protection against diseases, making their surroundings not only safer, but also more cost-effective due to the reduced wastage of throwing things away once a customer has touched it," he said.

Cellomed is available in a silk or gloss finish.

It will be shown for the first time at the Easyfairs Packaging Innovations show at the NEC in March.