AkzoNobel: New coatings for beverage cans

AkzoNobel's Packaging Coatings business has just launched the first two products in its new Accelstyle range. Both are designed for the exterior of conventional two-piece aluminum beverage cans and are free from bisphenols, styrene and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). They follow the May 2023 launch of Accelshield 700 - the first BPx-NI (intentionally added bisphenol-free) inner coating for beverage can lids - which complies with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EU regulations. At the same time, AkzoNobel is investing EUR 32 million in a new plant at its Vilafranca/Spain site, which will produce bisphenol-free coatings for the metal packaging industry in EMEA. It is expected to be operational by mid-2025. Commenting on the new plant, Jim Kavanagh, director of AkzoNobel's Industrial Coatings business, said it will help the company respond to a strong demand from the packaging industry. "The investment is in line with our view that bisphenols are no longer required to produce safe food contact coatings for the metal packaging industry." Kavanagh adds: "Both new products - Accelstyle 100 and 200 - can be seamlessly introduced into existing production processes, enabling can makers to switch to coatings that are free from certain key substances of concern while remaining as cost effective as possible."

"The bisphenol-free products we have developed have a lower carbon footprint than the products we have previously offered. The footprint of the can interiors products we will produce at the new facility will be 26% lower than our previous epoxy-based offerings," says Kavanagh. Accelstyle 100 (a water-based gloss topcoat) has already undergone several successful large-scale trials and qualifications with major European can manufacturers, while Accelstyle 200 (a water-based matt topcoat) is currently undergoing trials to optimize the prototypes for different gloss levels, from "soft touch" high matt to a "grippy" medium matt effect. AkzoNobel's transition from metal cans to bisphenol focuses on consumer safety and sustainability through responsible material substitution, while taking care to limit disruption to the value chain. The company continues to work closely with its customers to accelerate the introduction of bisphenol alternatives.