"The project will deliver a step-change process innovation for the manufacture of metal food packaging. Food can manufacturers coat flat metal sheets with three coating layers before the sheets are formed into a can. While the second (inked design) and top layer (varnish) are UV-cured, the first layer (basecoat) which protects the sheet from rusting and provides a good surface for printing on, still relies on traditional 200°C gas oven-curing. The project responds to the specific demand by the food metal packaging industry to eliminate the time, footprint, energy consumption and emissions associated with the practice of oven-curing of basecoats. The partners will develop a new UV-curable basecoat formula and integrate the basecoat into the manufacturing process of a food can maker. A prototype system will be built to allow partners to test the innovation in real-world conditions and validate performance expectations."

To develop innovative materials to 'bind' print to paper, where post-print irradiation using UV light will 'fix' the printing and provide a water-resistant image.