MM Board & Paper – TOPCOLOR® BARRIER GEASE – Recycled cartonboard keeps packaging spotless
TOPCOLOR® BARRIER GREASE was developed by MM Board & Paper, part of the MM Group, one of Europe’s leading producers of cartonboard and paper‑based packaging. The company operates production sites across Europe and focuses on renewable, fibre‑based materials, with a strong emphasis on consumer packaging. Its innovation approach brings together product safety, regulatory compliance and sustainability, with a clear focus on recyclable, bio‑based packaging made in Europe. TOPCOLOR® BARRIER GREASE is produced in MM Board & Paper´s mill MM Frohnleiten, Austria.
TOPCOLOR® BARRIER GREASE is a recycled cartonboard with a grease barrier, suitable for direct food contact. The barrier is applied to the cartonboard via water-based dispersion coating. TOPCOLOR® BARRIER GREASE protects packaging from grease stains and discolouration, ensuring clean appearance and high product presentation quality. The solution is based on TOPCOLOR®, MM Board & Paper’s best‑selling triplex board.
The project responds to growing demand for bio‑based alternatives to plastic‑coated packaging in grease‑sensitive applications such as fast food and bakery. By integrating the grease barrier directly to the fibre‑based board – without PE or aluminium layers – TOPCOLOR® BARRIER GREASE maintains recyclability while delivering top performance. It exemplifies how established recycled fibre solutions continue to innovate, strengthening the forest‑based sector’s contribution to sustainable, market‑ready packaging solutions.
Barrier grease
Potential future developments
TOPCOLOR® BARRIER GREASE is well positioned to evolve alongside society’s growing demand for safe, recyclable and low‑impact packaging. As EU regulations increasingly favour fibre‑based and circular solutions, such innovations strengthen the competitiveness of cartonboard in high‑performance applications.
As a “Made in Europe” innovation, TOPCOLOR® BARRIER GREASE demonstrates how European industry can combine regulatory compliance, high technical performance and sustainability leadership.
Current contribution
TOPCOLOR®BARRIER GREASE contributes to the EU bioeconomy by strengthening the shift from fossil‑based packaging to recyclable, fibre‑based solutions made from renewable resources. As a recycled cartonboard with a grease barrier, it replaces plastic‑ or aluminium‑laminated materials in demanding food applications while remaining compatible with existing paper recycling streams, supporting circular material flows and waste reduction.
Produced in Europe (MM Frohnleiten, Austria), the innovation supports regional industrial value creation, skilled employment and R&D activities within the European forest‑based sector. By upgrading an established recycled board (TOPCOLOR®) with advanced barrier functionality, it demonstrates how existing bio‑based value chains can be further innovated, preserving competitiveness while reducing environmental impact.
From a decarbonisation perspective, TOPCOLOR® BARRIER GREASE enables brand owners to move away from fossil‑based packaging components without sacrificing performance, contributing to lower reliance on plastics in food service and convenience packaging. As a “Made in Europe” solution, it highlights Europe’s leadership in sustainable materials, combining high technical performance, regulatory readiness and responsible use of forest‑based resources within the EU bioeconomy.
