Yangi has added a new undercut feature to its dry-forming platform for moulded fibre packaging, a capability the company says is intended to help customers adopt fibre-based alternatives to components such as coffee lids.
Undercut geometries are widely used in plastic packaging to create snap-fit connections and secure closures, providing a reliable mechanical fit between a lid and its container. Reproducing that format in moulded fibre is technically challenging, which is the gap the new feature is aimed at.
Coffee lid demonstration
Yangi is showing the capability through a coffee lid. A precision-engineered undercut is said to deliver 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 and maintained a leak-tight seal and structural integrity when exposed to hot beverages at 93°C.
Beyond lids, the undercut technology is described as suitable 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.
Tooling and forming expertise
Carlo Semeraro, head of Commercial Partnerships at Yangi, said that reaching this level of precision in dry-moulded fibre requires advanced tooling and forming expertise. The coffee lid shows the performance the company can deliver today, he said, but the greater opportunity lies in applying the functionality to a much wider range of packaging applications.
Built on Cellera and FiberIQ
The undercut capability builds on Cellera, a dry-forming platform powered by Yangi's patented fibre formation system, FiberIQ. Unlike conventional wet moulding, the process forms fibre without a water-based forming step, which is expected to reduce water and energy requirements in the production of renewable, fibre-based packaging. In a coffee lid application, Cellera's four-second production cycle is estimated to reach an output of 300 lids per minute, and the platform is designed for high-volume, cost-competitive manufacturing by combining precise fibre distribution with advanced forming technology.
Positioning against plastic
CEO Johann Kaiser said the challenge had never been simply to replace plastic with fibre, but to make fibre perform at the level the market demands. He added that each new capability reinforces fibre's position as a competitive alternative to plastic by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed to drive the transition toward fibre-based packaging.
The announcement follows Yangi's commissioning of its serial Cellera machine platform. Combining Cellera with the dry forming process is expected to reduce resource consumption and CO2 emissions by 70%-80% compared with conventional plastic alternatives.
On show in Utrecht
Yangi will display the new 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. Attendees can view the Cellera dry forming technology through an immersive VR experience at Stand 28 in the Networking Zone.