Delhi-based Empowera Technorganics manufactures barrier coatings under the brand name E-Aqua. The current products in this product line include E-Aqua BR 602, E-Aqua PC 701, E-Aqua BR 707, E-Aqua BR OGP and E-Aqua BR OGT, among others. Each product is designed to meet specific barrier performance requirements, such as water resistance, oil and grease resistance, heat and chemical resistance or a combination of these.

According to Nikhil Mahajan, vice-president, Empowera Technorganics, the company’s primary focus is to innovate and deliver high-quality ‘Made in India’ adhesive and coating solutions to its customers. Since its inception, Empowera has been committed to sustainability and technological advancement.

Mahajan says the E-Aqua barrier coating range marks a significant milestone in the company's journey, reflecting its dedication to protecting the environment while delivering excellent performance. “Empowera Technorganics continues to expand its portfolio, focusing on research and development to meet the evolving needs of various industries,” he adds.

The product
Barrier coatings from Empowera Technorganics are based on advanced polymer technology that helps create effective barrier layers. The raw materials are selected carefully and used in combination with various additives to develop a coating system for use in direct food contact. It is 100% recyclable and provides excellent resistance to water, oil, grease, etc.

Barrier coatings are designed to form a hydrophobic and protective layer on paper, enhancing its functionality and durability. This, in turn, makes the paper suitable for a wide range of applications, including food packaging, which was earlier dependent upon plastics.

Empowera Technorganics has been developing these products since 2018. Mahajan says, over the last six years, the company has developed products for different applications. “India has a diverse culture and food habits. Thus, there are distinct requirements from the food packaging industry. We have been working closely with paper manufacturers and converters to address those needs and help packaging companies reduce their dependency on plastics,” he adds.

The market

The E-Aqua barrier coatings are designed for a diverse range of industries. These include food packaging, consumer goods packaging, industrial packaging, and the print and paper industry.

“Our coatings provide water, oil, and grease resistance, ensuring packaging remains intact and clean, making them ideal for manufacturers of food packaging materials, such as fast-food wrappers, bakery boxes, and snack packaging. Additionally, producers of coated paper and paperboard used in various industries also benefit from the enhanced durability and resistance provided by the coatings. Our coatings align with the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions by offering high-performance protection without compromising eco-friendliness, making them a versatile and cost-effective choice for businesses and brands focused on quality, longevity, and environmental responsibility,” Mahajan explains.

The products contain polymer emulsions made from carefully selected monomers and surfactants with a core-shell process. It also contains additives to enhance coating ease of application, WR and OGR properties, stability and various other requirements.
The industry is currently dominated by extruded polyethene (PE) coating. This is a plastic product which once coated via extrusion is difficult to recycle or re-use. Mahajan says Empowera products are a direct replacement for PE coating but are 100% recyclable as they become a part of paper fibres on re-pulping of paper, thereby reducing overall paper lifecycle costs. “While, currently, PE coating is cheaper, with increasing demand, our coating prices are expected to come down as well. When we look at the overall supply chain, our product offers many more benefits,” he adds.

Mahajan says the E-Aqua barrier coatings have a growing global customer base, spanning various industries, including food packaging, consumer goods packaging, and industrial applications.

“Most of our coatings are being used to manufacture food packaging products exported to Europe and the US. In India, our product is being used by packaging converters for brands such as McDonalds, KFC, etc,” he says.

According to Mahajan, when choosing barrier coatings, customers typically look for high performance, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. “They seek products that provide excellent protection against water, oil, and grease, ensuring durability and extended shelf life. Additionally, compliance with environmental standards is crucial. Our E-Aqua range of products is tested for direct food contact applications as per standards in India, Europe and the US.

The application  

The coatings are primarily used in food packaging applications, such as fast-food wrappers, bakery boxes, snack packaging, and other food containers. These coatings provide superior resistance to water, oil, and grease, ensuring the integrity and freshness of the packaged food. The coatings are a replacement for plastics and ensure sustainability while enhancing recyclability and protecting our planet. These coatings are microwave-safe and provide a host of other benefits depending on performance requirements.

The products are currently being used in sweet boxes (to prevent oil from seeping out), burger and food wraps, burger and fries boxes, vomit bags on airplanes, eCommerce courier bags, and others.

“We are working on many more such applications. All these innovations have helped companies reduce plastic usage and appeal to modern-day eco-conscious consumers while setting a new standard in the food packaging industry,” he says.

The USP

According to Mahajan, the benefits of these products include superior barrier protection against water, oil, grease, chemicals, heat, etc; cost-effectiveness; 100% re-pulpability and recyclability. “It is a made-in-India product with local and proactive support,” he says. “We offer customisation options to our customers no matter how big or small they are.”

The E-Aqua range of products offers a variety of properties, including hydrophobicity, oleophobicity, recyclability, and chemical and heat resistance. The products can be designed to be microwave-safe and can be customised. All of these have led to various developments in different industries as detailed in previous examples.

“Our products have evolved over the last six years and they keep on evolving as this market is evolving rapidly. The use of packaging in India, specifically in the food industry is growing very fast and the industry in itself is dynamic. Our products are at the forefront of such innovation,” he says.

The company offers complete guidance starting from choosing the correct product to its proper application as per customer requirements.

“We also offer to go back to the drawing board and develop a completely new solution for our customers if our current range of products does not fulfil their present requirement,” he says and gives the example of a customer who needed a custom barrier coating which did not stick to the cold seal adhesive layer on the other side of the paper in roll form. “This required us to add release properties to our existing barrier coating product as cold seal adhesive can have some residual tack, especially at high-pressure conditions. While working closely with the customer, we developed a special release barrier coating for the customer which fulfilled all their performance requirements.”

He concludes, “We see a healthy shift from single-use plastics and an increased focus on paper for consumer packaging needs. Further, there is an increasing trend towards recyclability, driven by environmentally conscious Indian consumers.”