ICA SpA, that has been designing packaging machines from flexible materials with complete lines for hot beverages single serve capsules since 1963.

API SpA, soft thermoplastic compounds and biopolymers maker, and beverage closure/containers machine maker Sacmi have teamed up for a bioproject. Together, the three companies have designed and developed a 100% biodegradable and compostable single-serve capsule for hot beverages.

Presented for the first time at Interpack 2014 show at the ICA stand, the 100% biodegradable, compostable capsule proved to be a big hit, arousing considerable levels of interest and curiosity, say the companies.

The capsule was designed by ICA from a compound belonging to API’s biodegradable range, Apinat BIO. The compounds feature chemical structure and versatility, allowing for easy processability using widely available technologies, says API. The company also says the compounds have an extensive application range, being used in industries as varied as footwear, agriculture and, of course, packaging.

The cap-making compression technology, supplied by Sacmi, has been able to take full advantage of the rheology and behaviour of the molten material, Apinat BIO. Besides, the flexibility of this technology has resulted in optimising the Apinat BIO compound reaching a production output (up to 600 capsules/minute in a CCM 24-cavity machine) and maintaining the functional, biodegradable and compostable performance of the capsule, according to the companies.

This latest development confirms and reinforces these Italian firms’ commitment to the high-innovation development needed to resolve the planet’s burgeoning environmental issues and finally offering consumers a truly completely biodegradable and compostable capsule for hot beverages, point out the three firms.