German BOPP film specialist Treofan (Raunheim; www.treofan.com) is spending EUR 7.5m to install a new high-performance coating machine at its site in Battipaglia / Italy, in order to enhance its production capabilities for speciality films. The line will have an annual capacity of 4,000 t, raising the site's output for coated films by 40%. Installation will start during this quarter with production scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2018.

Swiss supplier Bobst (Mex; www.bobst.com) is installing the line, which can handle a wide variety of coatings, for example, films with integrated mineral oil barriers. Both single- and double-side coatings are also possible, including using different individual materials. Film width is variable and can be tailored to customers' requirements.

Treofan already has a coater at its other site in Italy, namely at Terni, where it produces around 10,000 t/y. The company said global demand for coated films is growing continually due to a number of trends that include increasing requirements for flexible packaging with barrier effects to keep products fresh for longer as well as the rise of new application areas such as perfumes.