Yangi has added an undercut feature to its dry-forming platform for moulded fibre packaging, extending the process to closure designs that depend on precise mechanical fit. The company is using a coffee lid to demonstrate the capability, positioning fibre as a potential replacement for plastic components such as lids.
Precise undercut geometries are often used in plastic packaging for snap-fit connections and secure closures, where they create a reliable mechanical fit between lid and container. Reproducing that format in moulded fibre is technically challenging. Yangi says its new feature allows a precision-engineered undercut to deliver a secure and consistent fit, with a measured lid removal force of 6 N.
In testing, the coffee lid went through 10 simulated coffee pours over 10 minutes. Yangi reports that it maintained a leak-tight seal and structural integrity when exposed to hot beverages at 93°C. The company presented the results as a demonstration of performance under those conditions.
Beyond coffee lids, Yangi says the undercut technology is suitable for fitted closures in snack containers, takeaway containers, dessert and ice cream tubs, confectionery packaging, dry and ambient food containers, and packaging for personal care products, cosmetics and consumer goods.
Carlo Semeraro, head of Commercial Partnerships at Yangi, said achieving precision in dry-moulded fibre requires advanced tooling and forming expertise. According to Semeraro, the coffee lid shows the performance available today, while the larger opportunity lies in applying the functionality to a wider range of packaging.
CEO Johann Kaiser framed the development as part of a broader performance challenge. He said the task is not simply to replace plastic with fibre, but to make fibre perform at the level the market demands. Each new capability, he added, reinforces fibre's position as a competitive alternative by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed for the transition to fibre-based packaging.
The undercut capability builds on Cellera, Yangi's dry-forming platform powered by its patented fibre formation system, FiberIQ. Unlike conventional wet moulding, Cellera forms fibre without a water-based forming step, which is expected to reduce water and energy requirements in the production of renewable, fibre-based packaging.
In a coffee lid application, Cellera's four-second production cycle is estimated to reach an output of 300 lids per minute. Yangi says the platform is designed for high-volume, cost-competitive manufacturing, combining precise fibre distribution with advanced forming technology to deliver consistent quality and functional performance.
Yangi will display the undercut feature alongside other dry-moulded fibre packaging developments at the Sustainable Packaging Summit in Utrecht from 10 to 12 November 2026. Visitors can see the Cellera dry-forming technology through an immersive VR experience at Stand 28 in the Networking Zone.
The announcement follows Yangi's commissioning of its serial Cellera machine platform. Combining Cellera with the dry-forming process is expected to reduce resource consumption and CO2 emissions by 70% to 80% compared with conventional plastic alternatives, according to the company. Separately, PulPac licensee Hébert Group has partnered with Andritz to scale production of Dry Molded Fiber trays and lids, targeting water- and energy-efficient manufacturing with renewable or recycled fibres.