Plastic packaging for a sustainable future: Starlinger presents technical solutions for closed-loop systems in woven plastic packaging.
“Plastic packaging is the packaging of the future,” stated Harald Neumüller, CSO of Starlinger. "Plastic is not the problem, it’s the solution. Our vision is to use our innovative technologies to make plastic packaging the most sustainable type of packaging. The state-of-the-art design of our machines enables our customers to produce mono-material plastic packaging according to “design for recycling” criteria in the highest quality and at the lowest cost," said Neumüller.
Circular Packaging – used bags are turned into new ones
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| “Circular packaging”—Starlinger offers the technology for producing AD*STAR bags made from polypropylene fabric in a closed loop. © Starlinger |
With the “Circular Packaging” concept, Starlinger offers a circular solution for dry bulk packaging made from woven plastic: It defines closed product cycles for woven packaging such as big bags (FIBCs) and other woven bags made from polypropylene, such as the AD*STAR block bottom valve bag for cement and other dry bulk goods. For 30 years, this bag has offered a durable and material-saving alternative to paper and plastic bags in the dry bulk industry. At the Starlinger booth at “K” this year, visitors can learn about the world of AD*STAR and get to know the extensive product range of this robust and sustainable bulk packaging. The latest bag variants include AD*STAR bags made from 40 % post-consumer recycled material from used, recycled AD*STAR cement bags, as well as the diverse range of the AD*STAR *prime bag family.
AD*STAR *prime: The allrounder
AD*STAR *prime bags offer bag manufacturers enormous variety and flexibility: They can be produced in filling sizes from 5 to 118 liters, with high proportions of recycled polypropylene, and with various features such as sift-proof corners, inliner, anti-slip coating, and film lamination. An optional easy-open closure or carrying handles ensure convenient handling. With their diversity, AD*STAR *prime bags cover a wide range of applications, allowing bag producers to operate with great flexibility. Small bags laminated with printed PP film can be used, for example, to attractively package building materials in the consumer sector, while larger bags are popular in wholesale and industrial applications for packaging cement, chemical granulates, or foodstuffs such as rice and sugar. AD*STAR bags stand out from bulk packaging made of film and paper, especially because they're super strong but lightweight, protect well against moisture, and, as double-layer versions, prevent dust formation. Being a mono-material packaging, they're also 100 % recyclable.
Bag by bag to success – ad*starKON conversion technology
Packaging manufacturers produce around 32 billion AD*STAR bags per year for various dry bulk goods on over 800 Starlinger ad*starKON conversion lines worldwide. During the “K” trade fair, Starlinger will show an ad*starKON SE bag conversion line in operation, which will produce AD*STAR bags at the exhibition booth. This model has been designed as a special edition to mark the recent installation of the 500th Starlinger ad*starKON SX bag conversion line and is only available in limited quantities. Based on the successful SX conversion technology, the ad*starKON SE produces up to 120 precisely formed AD*STAR block bottom valve bags per minute and is characterized by easy-to-use “smart” production technology, a particularly favorable price-performance ratio, and fast delivery times.
“From vision to innovation” at the Starlinger in-house exhibition
In line with this motto, Starlinger will be presenting the latest developments in the field of woven bag production at the company’s Open House in Weissenbach near Vienna, Austria, which will take place before and after “K”. They range from AI-supported automation in tape extrusion and new possibilities in fabric lamination to the stacked pallet of bags at the end of the bag production process.
Starlinger will also be presenting the latest generation of ad*starKON bag conversion lines at the Open House. The new ad*starKON CX, which will be unveiled to a wider audience for the first time in October 2025, combines the best of 30 years of experience in bag conversion technology with the latest advances in process control. Maximum automation, top production speeds, and an integrated quality management system are just some of the innovations that await packaging producers in Weissenbach.
Welding instead of gluing – the new PP*STAR bag technology
At the Open House in Weissenbach also the new pp*starKON X production line for pinch bottom bags made of polypropylene fabric will be on display. This innovative bag type, which Starlinger markets under the brand name PP*STAR, stands out thanks to its particularly attractive design—counter-printed BOPP film laminated onto lightweight, high-strength PP woven fabric—and the pinch bottom closure, which is widely used in the end consumer sector. Its excellent barrier properties offer reliable product protection, making PP*STAR bags particularly suitable for the packaging, transport, and storage of sensitive products such as animal feed or cereals. This packaging concept from Starlinger is “designed for recycling” too: material-saving production, made entirely of polypropylene, and produced without the use of adhesives, but by means of a specially developed welding process.
For this, the pp*starKON X pinch bottom bag conversion line has been equipped with unique technological features—from the patented laser cutting system for the pinch closure to the innovative hot-air welding unit for closing the bag bottom or, if desired, the bag opening. Highly automated production, including process monitoring and effective process management, ensures a highly precise, resource-efficient and flexible conversion process.
