Starlinger’s sustainable packaging innovations 

Starlinger, a leading supplier of machinery for woven plastic packaging production, plastics recycling, and refinement, focused on sustainability at PlastIndia 2026 Delhi.

Founded in Austria nearly 190 years ago, Starlinger has built a global reputation as a machinery manufacturer for plastics packaging, industrial packaging, and recycling. The company exports its technology worldwide and continues to adapt its offerings to meet changing regulatory and environmental demands.

“We manufacture machines for plastics packaging, industrial packaging, as well as plastics recycling, and we have a strong global presence,” Saria Jenamani, marketing manager, Starlinger, told Indi FoodBev.

Keeping sustainability in focus, a key highlight was its AD*Star industrial packaging solution—block bottom bags known for durability and efficiency.

According to Jenamani, the spotlight this year, however, was on a new development, a bag incorporating upto 40% post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. A share of 40 % of the recycled material was added in PP tape production, and another 40 % in the fabric coating process. The newly produced sample sacks, weighing as little as 72 grams, passed all the material tests as well as the standard Starlinger drop test. The sustainability consulting agency ‘c7-consult’ calculated the product carbon footprint for the produced post-consumer recycled polypropylene with 280 g of CO₂ equivalent per kg. This is up to 61 % less than that of kraft paper which has a CO₂ equivalent between 515 and 712 g per kg, depending on the region where it is produced.

In the consumer packaging segment, Starlinger presented its PP*Star bag—a mono-material solution designed for easier recyclability. By using a single type of material, these bags extend product life cycles and simplify recycling processes, aligning with global circular economy goals.

Focus on recycling

Starlinger’s recycling division continues to play a crucial role in its portfolio. The company is engaged in post-consumer recycling and PET-to-PET processes, with a notable presence in India. “We already have a lot of customers in PET-to-PET recycling in India,” Jenamani said.

Another key offering known as viscoSHEET is from its viscotec division. The viscoSHEET lines produce food-grade and high iV sheet with multiple resin options. The systems are designed to process recycled material into sheets of better quality. The company has specifically tailored the product, approved for food-grade applications, for the Indian market. It highlights the increasing demand for safe, recycled materials in packaging, particularly in the food and beverage sectors.

A significant development is the establishment of its manufacturing facility in Ahmedabad. Officially inaugurated in February 2026, the plant focuses on producing tape extrusion lines. Notably, all recycling machinery continues to be supplied from Austria, ensuring that advanced European technology remains central to Starlinger’s recycling solutions.

Discussing market trends, Jenamani pointed out that regulatory pressures are driving the adoption of recycled materials. “There are a lot of rules and regulations, if you want to export your material to Europe, you have to follow these,” she said. While there was a brief period of uncertainty due to policy shifts in India, the market is regaining momentum.

She observed strong engagement at the exhibition with both existing and potential customers showing interest in sustainable technologies. “The quality of visitors was very good,” she remarked, adding that several deals were in advanced stages of negotiation.

According to her, globally, the outlook is equally promising. Sustainability has become a defining theme across the plastics industry, and despite fluctuations in raw material prices, the push towards recycled content remains strong. “People know they have to use recycled material because they have to fulfil regulations,” Jenamani stated.

Future outlook

Looking ahead, Starlinger aims to push the boundaries of sustainability even further. The company envisions increasing the recycled content in its packaging solutions from the current 40% to potentially more in the coming years.

She highlighted the importance of energy efficiency in machinery design, noting that Starlinger’s systems are engineered to minimize raw material usage and energy consumption—another critical aspect of sustainable manufacturing.

Additionally, she said the EU-India trade developments are expected to ease market access for European manufacturers, further strengthening Starlinger’s growth prospects in India.