AkzoNobel’s recently launched a new pioneering coatings technology EvCote Water Barrier 3000 – which  is made from plant-based oils and recycled PET bottles. This new technology allows restaurants to select a more sustainable paper cup to serve their cold drinks in as these cups don’t require any modification in the current recycle stream or special handling and are fully compostable and recyclable.

Coatings World recently had the opportunity to speak with Chris Bradford, marketing director packaging coatings at AkzoNobel about this new technology.

“We have been working on the technology platform for roughly ten years, which has evolved into ten different sustainable products,” Bradford explained. “The first one that launched was for containers for fast food. It launched in 2012 in preparation for the London Olympics. Since then, EvCote Water Barrier 3000 has been developed to meet performance and sustainability challenges of the cold cup market.”

AkzoNobel will be partnering with various suppliers throughout the paper cup value chain to bring these compostable cups to market.

“We provide the coating to the paper coater that would then provide the coated paper to the cup maker,” said Bradford. “We are a raw material supplier in making the cup. We are partnered with various key members that are highly recognizable global corporations throughout the paper cup value chain. These key players deliver paper cold cups to the Food Service industry. We are going through the qualification process and look to be on a commercial cup in 2015.”

The technology can be used for a variety of packaging applications.

“There are ten products that can be used on a broad variety of applications from moisture barriers (cold cups) paper to those that need to be resistant to oil, grease or fat like French fry containers or burger boxes,” Bradford explained.


The development of new innovations such as the EvCote barrier forms part of AkzoNobel’s Planet Possible approach to sustainability and will contribute to the company’s Human Cities initiative to create cleaner and more liveable cities. AkzoNobel has a number of products related to sustainability ready to launch.

“One product that we are launching with success is a coating that provides both anti-fog/anti-mist and heat sealing capability to plastic film windows on packaging for grocery goods like baked goods, fruits and vegetables trays, and ready to serve meals,” said Bradford. “This product goes on to provide both benefits in a single application process – saving time and money. As such, it is carbon footprint saving. It is launching in Europe and starting to find success in the U.S.”