中文hubergroup Print Solutions has expanded its sustainable portfolio with Gecko CyclOne, a nitrocellulose-free liquid ink system designed for frontal, reverse and lamination printing. Built on proprietary polyurethane technology, the range is aimed squarely at printers who must meet the requirements of recyclable packaging without surrendering print quality or production efficiency. The launch reinforces hubergroup’s stated guiding principle of shaping next-generation flexibles and extends its existing family of recyclable packaging solutions.
For decades, nitrocellulose was the default binder for high-quality solvent-based printing because of its reliable performance characteristics. But the industry’s accelerating push toward recyclability, coupled with stricter regulatory demands, has driven demand for credible alternatives. Gecko CyclOne is hubergroup’s answer: a high-performance, NC-free system the company says matches conventional NC-based products on both mechanical and optical properties.
“Our in-house polyurethane expertise enables us to develop raw materials specifically for our ink systems, thereby delivering the performance that converters expect from high-quality solvent-based printing,” said Carsten Zölzer, chief commercial officer of Print Solutions at hubergroup. “At the same time, Gecko CyclOne offers improved recyclability compared to conventional NC- or PVC-based ink systems, thereby supporting the industry’s drive towards circular packaging solutions.”
The system is built around a modular concept. Pigment concentrates can be adapted for frontal, reverse and lamination printing through the use of special additives, which the company says simplifies stock management while preserving flexibility. Print shops can therefore respond to changing production requirements without holding disproportionate inventories. The PU-based system suits both flexographic and gravure printing, with or without lamination, and is also available for mono-solvent applications, broadening its reach across converter setups.
The product range covers white, CMYK process colours, varnishes and primers, giving printers a complete toolkit for flexible packaging from a single source. That breadth matters for converters standardising on one supplier to reduce complexity and quality variability across a workflow.
hubergroup has been deliberate about making the switch manageable. “Although the switch requires some adjustments, it does not entail any fundamental changes to existing processes,” said Lutz Frischmann, product director for flexible packaging at hubergroup. The company stresses support throughout the transition, pairing innovative chemistry with practical application expertise and technical service. Frischmann was emphatic about the strategic direction: “With Gecko CyclOne, we are helping our customers to successfully shape the transition towards a more circular packaging industry. We are not simply launching yet another ink range; rather, we are offering a holistic solution combining innovative chemistry, practical application expertise, and comprehensive technical support. NC-free is no longer just an option, it is the future of the industry.”
Gecko CyclOne joins hubergroup’s existing NC-free offerings, Gecko Platinum and Gecko Xtreme White, and builds on a PU development programme the company began in 2015. That long track record matters in a market where sustainability claims are scrutinised; a supplier with a decade of PU experience can speak to real-world performance rather than aspiration.
For converters, the practical appeal is twofold. First, the in-house PU chemistry is tuned specifically for ink performance, rather than adapted from generic materials. Second, the modular, single-source approach reduces the operational friction of moving to recyclable formats, which remain technically demanding. As brand owners face mounting pressure to design packaging that actually recycles, the ink layer is an increasingly decisive factor, and NC-free formulations remove a persistent contaminant from the recovery stream.
Gecko CyclOne signals that the migration away from nitrocellulose is no longer a niche experiment but a mainstream direction for flexible packaging inks, backed by the chemistry, the product range and the service model needed to make the transition stick.
The regulatory wind behind NC-free chemistry is strengthening. The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and similar measures elsewhere are tightening what may be present in food-contact and recyclable packaging, and nitrocellulose, while long accepted, is increasingly scrutinised for both processing and end-of-life reasons. For converters serving global brands, switching to a PU-based alternative is therefore less a nicety than a hedge against future compliance cost. hubergroup is not alone here; several ink makers are pursuing nitrocellulose-free and mono-material-friendly ranges, and the competitive question is no longer whether to offer NC-free options but how seamlessly they perform. Gecko CyclOne’s modular, single-source design is clearly built to lower that switching friction, which is often the real barrier: not the chemistry but the requalification, retraining and inventory upheaval a change entails. If the transition is as smooth as hubergroup claims, the environmental dividend compounds. Removing NC and PVC from the recovery stream simplifies sorting and de-inking, directly supporting brand owners’ recyclability claims. That alignment of regulatory, commercial and sustainability incentives is why NC-free is being framed not as a niche but as the industry’s direction of travel. Converters who move early also gain a marketing advantage, able to tell brand owners with confidence that their packaging inks already meet the next generation of regulations rather than racing to comply after the fact.
