Yangi has added an undercut feature to its dry-forming platform for moulded fibre packaging, extending the process to closure geometries that are common in plastic packaging but technically difficult to produce in fibre. The company is demonstrating the capability through a coffee lid intended as a fibre-based alternative to plastic lids.
Undercuts are used in snap-fit connections and secure closures, where they help create a reliable mechanical fit between a lid and a container. Yangi says precise undercut geometries have been challenging in moulded fibre applications. Its new capability is intended to bring that closure function into dry-moulded fibre parts.
Closure performance
The coffee lid uses a precision-engineered undercut that Yangi says delivers a secure and consistent fit, with a measured 6 N lid removal force. In testing, the lid went through 10 simulated coffee pours over 10 minutes, maintaining a leak-tight seal and structural integrity when exposed to hot beverages at 93°C. The results refer to Yangi's demonstration.
Beyond coffee lids, Yangi says the undercut technology is suitable 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.
Carlo Semeraro, head of Commercial Partnerships at Yangi, said achieving this level of precision in dry-moulded fibre requires advanced tooling and forming expertise. He said the coffee lid demonstrates the performance Yangi can deliver now, but the larger opportunity is applying the functionality to a wider range of packaging applications.
The undercut capability builds on Cellera, a dry-forming platform powered by Yangi's 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.
In a 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 for consistent quality and functional performance.
Yangi 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 said each new capability reinforces fibre's position as a competitive alternative to plastic by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed to support the transition toward fibre-based packaging.
Yangi will display the undercut feature, alongside other contributions to its dry-moulded fibre packaging range, 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. Combining Cellera with the dry-forming process is set to reduce resource consumption and CO2 emissions by 70%-80% compared with conventional plastic alternatives, according to the company.
Separately, PulPac licensee Hébert Group has partnered with Andritz to scale up production of Dry Molded Fiber trays and lids. The partners target water- and energy-efficient manufacturing using renewable or recycled fibres.