Press release
Polymers
Brussels, Belgium, September 18, 2025 – TotalEnergies, a global producer of polymers, and SML, a leading Austrian specialist in extrusion technology, have partnered to develop two innovative films that enable substantial material savings in stand-up pouch and deep-freeze bag applications through efficient downgauging.
The first film, designed for re-sealable barrier stand-up pouch applications, combines polyethylene with a thin layer of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) to deliver good oxygen barrier properties. It combines excellent film flatness, with downgauging over 30% without compromising performance versus PE/PET structures. Designed for versatility, the 60μm film works with or without lamination, and when used alone, simplifies recycling.
The second film, intended for deep-freeze bag applications, is an unlaminated MDO-PE cast film that achieves a reduction in thickness in the range of 35% to 50% compared to conventional deep-freeze bag structures, avoiding an energy-consuming lamination process.
Made with TotalEnergies’ Lumicene Supertough®, both films are fully recyclable, suitable for existing recycling streams and contributing to the development of a circular economy for plastics. They reflect the shared ambition of TotalEnergies and SML to provide customers with flexible packaging solutions that enhance sustainability. This also allows cost-efficiency through effective downgauging.
These two films will be exhibited at K 2025 in Düsseldorf from October 8-15, at TotalEnergies stand (E20/Hall6) and SML stand (C39-42/Hall17).
“By combining our innovative polymers with SML’s high-performance cast film technology, these new films contribute to innovative packaging solutions, aligning with manufacturer needs. They illustrate our approach to polymer development, which includes rethinking their use and reducing their environmental impact through enhanced material properties.” said Olivier Greiner, Vice President, Polymers Europe & Orient at TotalEnergies.
“SML’s cast MDO technology demonstrates its full strength when combined with high-performance resins such as Lumicene Supertough® polymers – delivering excellence in both product quality and line performance,” says Elias Mayrhofer, Product Manager at SML.
On the left, mock-up of a barrier stand-up pouch for the first film
On the right, mock-up of a deep-freeze bag for the second film.
About TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies is a global integrated energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas, biogas and low-carbon hydrogen, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to provide as many people as possible with energy that is more reliable, more affordable and more sustainable. Active in about 120 countries, TotalEnergies places sustainability at the heart of its strategy, its projects and its operations.
TotalEnergies develops, produces and commercializes polymers — Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polystyrene, their recycled equivalents and bio-based polymers — that can be incorporated into the plastics manufacturing process. Lighter than many alternative materials, they help reduce the carbon footprint of end-use applications through enhanced energy efficiency. TotalEnergies’ polymers experts in Europe, Asia and the United States of America are working alongside all the professionals in the value chain, including plastic manufacturers, research centers, waste collection and sorting companies, and their customers to accelerate in the circular economy. The Company is developing different plastic recycling processes and using renewable raw materials, with the ambition to reach one million tons of circular polymers by 2030. TotalEnergies strategy for polymers is based on an integral approach to polymer production: Rethink the use - Reduce the impact - Recycle and develop circularity
About SML
SML is a manufacturing company specialising in plastics processing machinery and a global market and technology leader in manufacturing high-end extrusion lines. Products manufactured on machinery from SML range from flexible and rigid packaging films to textile yarns and from medical applications to laminates and compounds. The company’s core competencies lie in detailed engineering and automation, application technology and global service. SML’s research and development efforts are currently focused on increasing capacity and productivity, lowering consumption of energy as well as helping to advance recyclability towards a circular economy.