Dow Chemical has signed an agreement with Nordmeccanica, a provider of coating, laminating and metallizing machinery for flexible packaging and industrial applications, to advance the development of packaging technology.
Under the terms of the global innovation and business development agreement, the firms will combine adhesive development with machine pioneering that target new technologies for faster commercialization to market.
Dow's global Pack Studios in Mozzate, Italy will act as collaboration center for new developments.
The innovation and technology training center is designed to address the needs of Dow's adhesives customers by offering a large collaboration space and hosts an industry-scale Nordmeccanica Super Combi 3000 laminator line.
The equipment enables customers to test, prototype and bring forward innovation in packaging lamination.
Dow expects the new collaboration agreement could enable similar capabilities at additional Pack Studios across the globe.
Dow adhesives for packaging, textiles and hygiene global business director Greg Bunker said: "This formal development agreement reflects another milestone in Dow's strong commitment to the adhesives industry, coupled with the strong participation in the flexible packaging market through our polyethylene and specialty resin offerings.
"It truly builds on Dow's tradition of collaboration across the industry to accelerate innovation to market, taking advantage of Dow's back integration in polyurethane, acrylics and polyethylene."
Dow and Nordmeccanica are currently working on joint projects to commercialize new adhesive solutions in 2016.
Nordmeccanica Group technical manager Vincenzo Cerciello said: "With this strong collaboration we will continue to fuel the growth of the flexible packaging industry that touches almost everyone's life on the planet.
"This industry is also one of the most significant to drive sustainable packaging development, with the most efficient material usage, as well as reducing food waste along the global food supply chain."
Last year, Dow Chemical subsidiary Dow Packaging signed PacXpert Packaging Technology licensing agreement with Takigawa in Japan.
