In November 2022, Cilkoa experienced its baptism of fire by participating for the first time in the international ALL4PACK Emballage Paris event dedicated to packaging and logistics professionals.

An experience rich in meaning and encounters for the young start-up, Cilkoa was freshly created last June. The company was launched following the pooling of the work of two Grenoble research laboratories, and was able to adapt ALD technology to cellulose packaging such as paper, cardboard, and moulded cellulose. This technique, which is widely used in the semi-conductor sector, has thus been adapted to make it possible to create clean packaging based on paper or cardboard, which are genuinely oxygen and water vapour proof.

LGP2 and SIMaP : leaders in their field

The young start-up is the result of years of work by LGP2 and SIMaP, two Grenoble laboratories that have developed a unique and avant-garde process for insulating paper or cellulose-based materials.

The Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology is an excellent alternative for setting up a barrier that is resistant to both water vapour and oxygen, and even for making the packaging completely watertight thanks to this revolutionary process that uses only a few nanometres of ceramic deposited on the packaging materials.

This innovative concept marketed by Cilkoa consists of depositing a nanometric layer of alumina on cellulose. Consisting of at least 99% cellulose, the resulting material has oxygen and water vapour barrier properties similar to those of plastic materials, while being fully recyclable, compostable and biodegradable. The alumina deposit remains ultra thin, homogeneous and flawless during application for a sober aesthetic that is pleasing to the eye as well as to the touch.

High-quality barrier properties and long-lasting results

This technology offers a host of possibilities by allowing an insulating and durable coating to be applied to all cellulosic materials including paper, cardboard, moulded fibre, with end products containing up to 99.9% cellulose and 0% certified plastic, with the possibility of processing any 2D/3D shape. Whether it is stacks, rolls or trays, the shape of the product to be processed is no longer a constraint.

This process patented by Cilkoa can be easily implemented within existing supply chains and is also designed to process large surfaces of materials. Paper can be processed directly in the form of reels or any other preforms such as trays or cups stacked on pallets, for a rendering and technical specificities similar in all respects to products made from plastic materials.

Cilkoa mainly targets the food and cosmetics markets, which are particularly affected by the total ban on single-use plastics imposed by European regulations by 2040.

Indeed, such a process is intended to be entirely relevant to the legislation that is gradually being put in place by providing a simple and sustainable alternative to provide cellulose materials, paper or cardboard, with barrier properties to oxygen as well as to water vapour and humidity. The contribution is significant, as it offers the possibility of preserving food or cosmetic products that require complete sealing of their packaging for longer.

The extremely positive feedback from its first participation last November leads us to believe that Cilkoa will be back again for the next edition of the ALL4PACK Emballage Paris exhibition, which will take place from 4 to 7 November 2024 in Paris-Nord Villepinte. A probable participation in order to promote more and more solutions, concepts and thus achieve its objectives by imposing itself as a reference solution by 2040.