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"May you live in interesting times." On the surface, encouraging Chinese proverbs conceal the undercurrent of uncertainty and challenge, and today is as timely as ever.

Earlier this month, at a webinar entitled "Future Trends in the Flexible Packaging Industry" held by ExxonMobil, I remembered this proverb, which centered on recyclable design. Glenn Williams, the company's main packaging development leader, said: "We are in an interesting period in the polyethylene flexible packaging industry, where innovation, collaboration and complexity continue to increase."

He first identified four major trends affecting the market, and thus solved the topic when he noticed the gains and gaps:

"Artificial intelligence is very important in recycling through digital watermarks," he pointed out.

In the fast-developing e-commerce market, flexible packaging is increasing, which is a transformation to improve the convenience of packaging.

He pointed out that the core of the growth of flexible packaging is the increase of the middle class, especially in fast-growing countries such as China.

He focused on the US/Canada market and pointed out that the overall driving force for the sustainable development of the flexible market is thinning. Related trends include increased post-recycling (PCR) content, recyclability design, and advanced recycling.

ExxonMobil has completed the initial phase of plant trials at the company's Baytown, Texas plant, using a proprietary advanced recycling process to convert plastic waste into raw materials for the production of high-value polymers. According to Williams, "This is a recycling solution for difficult-to-recycle materials from the industrial, agricultural and construction markets."

ExxonMobil's circularity refers to ISCC recycled polymers certified through the International Sustainability and Enhanced Carbon Certification (ISCC) process. The company plans to sell certified polymers through advanced plastic waste recycling later this year.

ExxonMobil intends to use the results of the Baytown test to expand the advanced recycling capabilities of other global facilities, with the goal of a recycling solution that converts difficult-to-recycle plastic waste into raw-quality plastic raw materials.

According to Williams, the development direction of flexible packaging is a single material form, with all or most of the structure being polyethylene (PE). Williams sees "substantial growth" in biaxially oriented PE (BOPE) and longitudinally oriented PE (MDOPE), which provide "superior optical performance."

A major challenge is the sealing of these materials on a vertical form-fill-seal machine due to thermal deformation, so the machine must run at a lower speed, especially when adding nozzles to the bag.

Another challenge is to increase the oxygen barrier, where ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) is in a leading position.

In addition, ExxonMobil is "working" to reduce polyamide (PA, also known as nylon) in the film, he reports. So far, PA in flexible packaging can be reduced by up to 30% while improving puncture resistance. The next stage is to replace PA. "This is a major" challenge, including combining current barriers or using new polymers.

During the pandemic, Williams saw the rationalization of many inventory units. However, at the same time as the reduction, a study showed that the self-supporting bag increased by 8%, he added. He pointed out that despite the decline in institutional food packaging, e-commerce has accelerated—a staggering 40% increase in 2020. E-commerce has also experienced an increase in direct-to-consumer (DTC) delivery and self-owned container (SIOC) designs, which Williams believes will promote the development of plastic and flexible alternatives.

He also pointed out that the increase in bag-in-box (BIB) and refill bags is consistent with the trend away from single-use plastics.

Finally, Williams stated that "flexible products with the right design and materials are in a good growth position."

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