Yangi has added a precision undercut feature to its dry-forming platform for moulded fibre packaging, extending the process to closures that require snap-fit connections. The company is demonstrating the capability through a coffee lid intended as a fibre-based alternative to plastic lids.
Undercut geometries are commonly used in plastic packaging to create secure closures and a reliable mechanical fit between lid and container. Replicating that format in moulded fibre is technically demanding, and Yangi says achieving this precision requires advanced tooling and forming expertise.
In the coffee-lid demonstration, the undercut is designed to deliver a consistent fit with a measured lid removal force of 6 N. The lid was tested through 10 simulated coffee pours over 10 minutes, according to Yangi, and maintained a leak-tight seal and structural integrity when exposed to hot beverages at 93°C.
The company is positioning the feature for fitted closures beyond coffee lids. Potential applications listed by Yangi include 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 that achieving this level of precision in dry-molded fiber requires advanced tooling and forming expertise. He said the coffee lid demonstrates the performance available today, while the larger opportunity lies in applying the functionality across a wider range of packaging.
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. The approach is expected to reduce water and energy requirements in the production of renewable, fibre-based packaging.
For the coffee-lid application, Cellera’s four-second production cycle is estimated to 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 maintain consistent quality and functional performance.
“The challenge has never been simply to replace plastic with fibre,” said CEO Johann Kaiser. “It’s to make fibre perform at the level the market demands.” He added that each new capability is intended to strengthen fibre’s position as a competitive alternative by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed for the transition to fibre-based packaging.
Yangi plans to show the undercut feature alongside other dry-moulded fibre packaging developments at the Sustainable Packaging Summit in Utrecht from 10 to 12 November 2026. Visitors to Stand 28 in the Networking Zone will be able to view the Cellera dry-forming technology through an immersive VR experience.
The announcement follows Yangi’s commissioning of its serial Cellera machine platform. The company says combining Cellera with dry forming is expected 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 using renewable or recycled fibres.