Yangi has added an undercut feature to its dry-forming platform for moulded fibre packaging, extending the process to closure designs that rely on precise undercut geometries. The company is presenting the capability as a way for customers to adopt fibre-based alternatives for components such as coffee lids.
Undercut geometries are used in plastic packaging to create snap-fit connections and secure closures, providing a reliable mechanical fit between a lid and a container. Replicating that format in moulded fibre is technically demanding, according to Yangi, because it requires precise tooling and control of the forming process.
Yangi demonstrated the feature with a coffee lid. The precision-engineered undercut is designed to deliver a secure and consistent fit, with a measured lid removal force of 6 N. In testing, the lid went 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.
The undercut technology is also positioned 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.
Cellera platform
The capability builds on Cellera, Yangi’s dry-forming platform powered by its patented fibre formation system, FiberIQ. Unlike conventional wet moulding, Cellera forms fibre without a water-based forming step; Yangi expects this 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. The platform is designed for high-volume, cost-competitive manufacturing, combining precise fibre distribution with advanced forming technology to support consistent quality and functional performance.
Carlo Semeraro, head of Commercial Partnerships at Yangi, said that achieving this level of precision in dry-moulded fibre requires advanced tooling and forming expertise. He added that the coffee lid demonstrates the performance available today, while the larger opportunity is to apply the functionality across a wider range of packaging applications.
Display and scale-up
Yangi plans to display the undercut feature alongside other additions to its dry-moulded fibre packaging range 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 Cellera dry forming technology through an immersive VR experience.
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, according to the company.
Johann Kaiser, CEO of Yangi, said the challenge is not simply to replace plastic with fibre but to make fibre perform at the level the market demands. He said each new capability reinforces fibre’s position as a competitive alternative by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed for the transition to fibre-based packaging.