Yangi has introduced an undercut feature for its dry-forming platform for moulded fibre packaging, extending the process to closures that require precise snap-fit geometry. The company is demonstrating the capability with a coffee lid, one of the plastic components it aims to help customers replace with fibre-based alternatives.
Undercuts are used in plastic packaging to create secure closures and mechanical connections between components. Reproducing such geometry in moulded fibre is technically demanding. Yangi says its new process can form precise undercut shapes in dry-moulded fibre, giving customers a route to fibre-based alternatives for parts such as coffee lids.
Coffee lid demonstrates fit and hot-drink performance
In the coffee lid application, Yangi says a precision-engineered undercut provides a secure and consistent fit, with a measured lid removal force of 6 N. The lid was tested through 10 simulated coffee pours over 10 minutes. During those tests, it maintained a leak-tight seal and structural integrity when exposed to hot beverages at 93°C.
The company says the undercut technology can also be used 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. These are application categories named by Yangi; the current demonstration is the coffee lid.
Dry-forming platform avoids water-based step
The undercut capability builds on Cellera, Yangi’s dry-forming platform, which uses the company’s patented fibre formation system, FiberIQ. According to Yangi, the process forms fibre without a water-based forming step, unlike conventional wet moulding. The company expects this to reduce water and energy requirements in the production of renewable, fibre-based packaging.
For the coffee lid, 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 manufacturing at competitive cost, combining controlled fibre placement with advanced forming technology to support consistent quality and functional performance.
Executive comments focus on performance
Carlo Semeraro, head of Commercial Partnerships at Yangi, said that achieving this level of precision in dry-moulded fibre requires advanced tooling and forming expertise. He said the coffee lid shows the performance available today, while the larger opportunity lies in applying the functionality across a wider range of packaging applications.
Johann Kaiser, Yangi CEO, said the challenge is not simply replacing plastic with fibre but making fibre perform at the standard the market demands. He added that each new capability strengthens fibre’s position as a competitive alternative by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed to support the transition to fibre-based packaging.
Summit demonstration and machine rollout
Yangi will display the undercut feature alongside other parts of its dry-moulded fibre packaging range at the Sustainable Packaging Summit in Utrecht from 10 to 12 November 2026. Attendees can visit Stand 28 in the Networking Zone to view Cellera dry-forming technology through an immersive VR experience.
The announcement follows Yangi’s commissioning of its serial Cellera machine platform. The company says combining Cellera with the dry-forming process is set to reduce resource consumption and CO2 emissions by 70%–80% compared with conventional plastic alternatives.
Separately, PulPac licensee Hébert Group has partnered with Andritz to scale up production of Dry Molded Fiber trays and lids. The partners are targeting water- and energy-efficient manufacturing that uses renewable or recycled fibres.