Dutch speciality chemicals company AkzoNobel BV has entered into an agreement with FiliGrade BV to use the start-up's technology for invisible watermark for packaging.
FiliGrade was the winner of AzkoNobel's 2017 Imagine Chemistry challenge - a programme through which the company collaborates with start-ups, scale-ups and scientists.
The technology provides an invisible watermark for packaging, which can be read with a digital camera.
The watermark can identify both the material used and details of the manufacturer, which will address the challenge of sorting plastics for recycling.
The first application in AkzoNobel speciality chemicals will be in high-density polyethylene containers, improving their identification and traceability.
FiliGrade was recognised in the 'revolutionising plastics recycling' challenge category of the 2017 edition of Imagine Chemistry.