The Fedrigoni Group announced the acquisition of a minority stake in Papkot, a start-up which developed the first large-scale paper coating technology with the same properties as plastic by replacing silicon and cellulose into a nanostructured material that eliminates plastic from single-use packaging.
Fedrigoni's deal is part of the corporate venture capital program the company has launched to identify industry-changing startups that are a proven, industrially scalable reality. Together, Fedrigoni and Papkot will accelerate the deployment of Papkot’s technology worldwide, ensuring major FMCG and F&B brands have access to high-performance, fully recyclable, fully biodegradable packaging solutions at scale.
Founded in 2020 by Manuel Milliery, who is also the CEO, Papkot has rapidly become a categorydefining player in high-performance, plastic-free coatings. With research and development hubs in France and China and contract manufacturing partnerships in France, the U.S., and China, Papkot is already serving leading global food and consumer goods brands.
Papkot’s advanced barrier technology achieves high resistance to water, grease, oil, or even glycerol, and also provides properties such as transparency or other tailored surface properties, which are critical for packaging applications. All are fully recyclable and free from harmful substances like PFAS. Papkot coatings have been extensively validated across a wide range of paper substrates, including virgin and recycled fibers. Ongoing industrial trials are further expanding compatibility to meet the diverse needs of converters and brand owners.
Papkot uses a model based on artificial intelligence and machine learning to develop tailored solutions for customers, measure materials performance, and make faster, data-driven innovations.
Founded in 1888 in Verona, Italy, Fedrigoni is a global reference in the manufacturing of speciality papers for packaging and other creative applications, self-adhesive labels, graphic media for visual communication, and RFID
