Yangi has added an undercut feature to its dry-forming platform for moulded fibre packaging, extending the process to closure designs that depend on a precise mechanical fit. The company says the capability is intended to help customers replace plastic components such as coffee lids with fibre-based alternatives.
Undercut geometries are commonly used in plastic packaging for snap-fit connections and secure closures, where a lid and container must mate reliably. Yangi describes the format as technically challenging in moulded fibre applications, where the closure still has to deliver a reliable mechanical fit.
Yangi is demonstrating the feature through a coffee lid. The company says a precision-engineered undercut provides a secure and consistent fit, with a measured lid removal force of 6 N. In testing, the lid went through 10 simulated coffee pours over 10 minutes and maintained a leak-tight seal and structural integrity when exposed to hot beverages at 93°C.
The undercut technology is also positioned 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. That range points to applications where a fibre container needs a fitted closure with reliable mechanical performance.
Tooling and forming expertise
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 demonstrates the performance the company can deliver today, while the larger opportunity lies in applying the same functionality to a wider set of packaging applications.
The undercut capability builds on Cellera, Yangi’s dry-forming platform, which is powered by its patented fibre formation system, FiberIQ. Unlike conventional wet moulding, Cellera forms fibre without a water-based forming step. Yangi expects this to reduce water and energy requirements in the production of renewable, fibre-based packaging.
In a coffee lid application, the company estimates that Cellera’s four-second production cycle can 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.
Production claims and market context
Johann Kaiser, Yangi’s CEO, said the challenge has not been simply to replace plastic with fibre, but to make fibre perform at the level the market demands. He said each new capability reinforces fibre’s position as a competitive alternative to plastic by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed to support the transition toward fibre-based packaging.
Yangi plans to display the undercut feature alongside other elements of its dry-moulded fibre packaging range 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. According to the company, 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.