Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal | April 1, 2024 | wbjournal.com F O C U S M A N U FA C T U R I N G Impermea is replacing plastics, by using a safer coating on recyclables BY SUSAN SHALHOUB Special to WBJ D avid Zamarin founded his first company, an early foray into nanotechnol- ogy – or engineering at the molecular scale – at age 15. He sold that company while still in high school, using the proceeds to re- search innovation on PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. at knowledge was used in the build- ing of Impermea Materials. Ever since, the company has been innovating to meet demand – the demand of environ- mental hazards. Impermea makes advanced materials designed as alternatives to plastics and PFAS, which pose known risks to water and soil, according to the U.S. Environ- mental Protection Agency. Impermea is the only company to manufacture safer material coatings in the U.S., said Zama- rin, and as far as he's aware, the world. Powered by 25 employees at its Framingham site, all are committed to environmental sustainability in devel- oping coatings PFAS-free, non-toxic, water-based, free of fluorine, recyclable, compostable, and repulpable. Its uses are wide-ranging, and include the health- care industry and textiles, where the coatings include UV ray protection and flame retardancy. In paper and paperboard packaging, being environmental for the sake of being environmental isn't enough, said Zamarin. "Our Bio-Pak + OTR 4060 material coatings are water resistant and can be applied to paper and paperboard used for produce, egg cartons, dog food, things like that," he said. "We provide the best-performing product and just happen to be sustainable doing it." e Bio-Pak offers oxygen-barri- er benefits and grease resistance, for example. "We always start with performance first," said Zamarin. "Customers aren't willing to pay if the product's perfor- mance is not there." is is what sets Bio-Pak + OTR 4060 and Impermea apart. Where plastic packaging is every- where, it's a tall order to get the con- sumer marketplace to try alternative products, said Zamarin. Paperboard is in the future of products traditionally plastic-packaged: Everything from frozen pizza to mac & cheese to mailing envelopes. Even petroleum jelly could be in paperboard instead of a plastic jar. "Breaking this cycle of needing plastic is a huge weight to li," he said. "We partner with consumer brands as part of our marketing strategy. Consumers are the best voice for the cause." PRODUCT DESIGN & INNOVATION AWARD Impermea Materials Location: Framingham Industry subsector: Advanced materials Founded: 2013 Employees: 25 Top executives: David Zamarin, founder & CEO; Juan Jarufe, executive vice president and chief research & development officer Primary product: Functional barrier coatings helping ordinary materials like paper perform extraordinarily like plastic by providing oil-, grease-, and moisture-barrier properties What makes a manufacturer excellent? One who is determined to defy traditional norms in order to redefine standards. Excellent manufacturers innovate in new ways, even in outdated industries. They create change through demonstrable solutions the market cannot deny. W PHOTO | COURTESY OF IMPERMEA MATERIALS The Impermea team, including founder David Zamarin (left), attends a trade show.

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