Fiberdom's Duranova® Validated for High-Speed Commercial Production in Industrial Trials with Kiefel
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Industrial dry-forming trials validate Duranova® on Kiefel's high-speed platform, enabling high-volume, low-grammage 3D molded fiber applications where plastic has traditionally dominated.
VANTAA, Finland / Freilassing, Germany – 14 July, 2026 – Fiberdom, a Finnish materials innovation company pioneering high-performance wood fiber materials, has demonstrated the next step in the industrial scale-up of Duranova®. In collaboration with Kiefel, a global leader in packaging machinery and molding technology, the company converted industrial-scale Duranova® paperboard reels into finished three-dimensional molded products at full production speed on Kiefel's next-generation NATUREFORMER KFD 75 dry-forming machine.
To demonstrate the capability, Fiberdom and Kiefel selected a technically demanding packaging insert for consumer electronics used to protect and position products such as mobile devices and other small electronic goods within the pack. These inserts are produced in enormous volumes each year and require tight tolerances, low unit cost, and high-speed manufacturing, yet are still predominantly made from thin plastic.
Historically, reel-fed dry-forming has faced commercial barriers due to material limitations and throughput constraints in complex application geometries. By combining Duranova® with Kiefel’s KFD 75 dry-forming technology, the trials achieved optimized cycle times and material efficiency at high speeds. This demonstrates that dry-molded fiber technology can meet the rigorous production performance required for mainstream, high-volume applications and emerging regulatory frameworks such as the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
"We didn't choose this insert because it was easy; we chose it because manufacturing economics matter most in cost-sensitive applications," said Duncan Mayes, Chief Technology Officer, Fiberdom. "Based on demonstrated processing speeds, a single KFD 75 production line has the potential to supply over 80 million Duranova®-based packaging inserts each year. That is the scale at which dry molded fiber can be competitive in truly mainstream applications."
Kiefel´s Dry Fiber Technology specializes in the cost-effective production of fiber products made from paper directly from the reel. In addition to packaging for electronic goods, other products that can be manufactured using this process include various food trays and lids, as well as cutlery and more.
"This demonstration shows what becomes possible when innovative materials and advanced manufacturing technology come together," said Richard Hagenauer, Director – Research & Development Technology, Kiefel GmbH. "Combining Duranova® with our KFD 75 dry-forming technology expands the range of fiber-based packaging applications that can be manufactured efficiently at true industrial scale."
This milestone marks the next chapter in the strategic partnership announced by Fiberdom and Kiefel in September 2025.
ENDS -
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ABOUT FIBERDOM
Fiberdom is a Finnish materials innovation company pioneering high-performance wood fiber materials designed to replace non-essential plastics. Its patented infusion technology transforms FSC-certified pulp and paperboard into Duranova®—a durable, moldable, fully plastic-free material for packaging, durable goods and interior applications. Designed for home compostability and compatibility with existing paper recycling systems, Duranova® supports the transition away from non-essential plastics.
Already commercially deployed in Finland with certified cutlery products, and now validated for high-speed industrial manufacturing, Duranova® enables brand owners and converters to bring fiber into applications traditionally served by plastic.
Headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, Fiberdom is collaborating with leading companies across the packaging value chain to accelerate the adoption of next-generation fiber-based materials for global consumer and industrial markets.
Read more: www.fiberdom.com
ABOUT KIEFEL
Headquartered in Freilassing, Bavaria, Kiefel is a global market leader in innovative and sustainable thermoforming and joining technologies for polymers and natural fibers. Kiefel develops and manufactures high-quality machines and system solutions for leading manufacturers in the packaging, medical technology, pharmaceutical and refrigerator industries for processing plastics, recycled and bio-based materials, as well as natural fibers.
Kiefel creates future-proof solutions for the processing of polymer and fiber-based materials in close collaboration with customers at its research centers – the Customer Innovation Center and the Material R&D Center.
Globally leading, locally rooted: With over 70 years of experience and a strong global sales and service network, “Made by Kiefel” stands for quality, innovation, expertise, and long-term partnership. Kiefel is represented worldwide with dedicated sales and service teams in the USA, France, the Netherlands, China, India, and Thailand, as well as with partners in over 60 countries.
Kiefel is one of four business units within the Brückner Group – a globally leading corporate group in engineering and machinery for plastics and alternative materials, headquartered in Siegsdorf, Bavaria. With approximately 2,900 employees across 13 countries, the group has stood for technological excellence, entrepreneurial independence, and value-based collaboration for more than 60 years. www.kiefel.com
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