Yangi has expanded its dry-forming platform for moulded fibre packaging with an undercut feature intended to support snap-fit closures, including fibre-based alternatives to plastic coffee lids.
Undercut geometries are common in plastic packaging for secure lid-to-container fits. Replicating them in moulded fibre is technically demanding, according to Yangi. The company is using a coffee lid to demonstrate the capability, with a precision-engineered undercut that it says provides a consistent fit and a measured lid removal force of 6 N.
In testing, the lid underwent 10 simulated coffee pours over 10 minutes. Yangi says it maintained a leak-tight seal and structural integrity when exposed to hot beverages at 93°C. These results relate to the demonstrated coffee-lid application, rather than to every format the feature could support.
Applications beyond coffee lids
According to the company, the undercut technology is also suited to fitted closures for 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.
Carlo Semeraro, head of Commercial Partnerships at Yangi, said achieving that precision in dry-moulded fibre requires advanced tooling and forming expertise. He added that the coffee lid demonstrates the performance available today, but the greater opportunity lies in applying the functionality to a wider range of packaging.
Cellera platform
The undercut capability builds on Cellera, Yangi’s dry-forming platform powered by its patented FiberIQ fibre formation system. Unlike conventional wet moulding, Cellera forms fibre without a water-based forming step, which the company expects to reduce water and energy requirements in producing renewable fibre-based packaging.
For coffee lids, Yangi estimates that Cellera’s four-second production cycle can reach 300 lids per minute. The platform is designed for high-volume, cost-competitive manufacturing, combining precise fibre distribution with advanced forming technology to target consistent quality and functional performance.
CEO Johann Kaiser said the challenge has not been simply to replace plastic with fibre, but to make fibre perform at the level the market demands. He added that each new capability is intended to reinforce fibre’s position as a competitive alternative by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed to drive the transition toward fibre-based packaging.
Summit demonstration and prior milestone
Yangi plans to display the undercut feature with other dry-moulded fibre packaging developments 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. According to the company, combining Cellera with the dry-forming process is expected to reduce resource consumption and CO2 emissions by 70%–80% compared with conventional plastic alternatives. This is a projected comparison, not a verified result from the new undercut application.