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Lessebo Paper can see an increasing interest in their eco-friendly papers. The company is one of the oldest paper manufacturers in Sweden and produces premium graphic papers. Despite a slight decline in the paper market due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company's machines have been working at full capacity for several months. There will be no supply difficulties. The company attributes the positive development also to its sustainability strategy. 

Lessebo Paper, producing paper since 1693 and therefore one of the oldest paper manufacturers in Sweden, is happy to announce a steady flow of orders despite COVID-19. “The pandemic has made us further understand the complex links between the environment, our social systems and our health. This is something that our customers also recognise and use”, describes Ebba Ingvarsson, Communication Manager at Lessebo Paper. The company’s customers, among others, are print houses, converters, designers and book publishers as well as the paper and board industry.

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Lessebo Paper is committed to developing high-performance and environmentally responsible papers and boards for the international markets. Herein, the company focuses on graphic paper: From recycling paper to coloured qualities up to board qualities for the packaging industry, Lessebo Paper offers premium products for varied applications. At the same time, the emissions from Lessebo Paper are more than 96 per cent lower than the average producer of graphical paper. The company sources its resources from local suppliers – a strategy that significantly contributes to low emissions and eco-friendly farming. 

Ingvarsson explains: “Sustainability is very important to us. And thanks to our deep-rooted passion for eco-friendly production, we have become the clear choice for sustainable graphical paper. Our latest figure of 22kg CO2 per tonne produced paper is a symbol of our hard work and the investments that have been made. The average European producer of graphical paper emits 616kg CO2 per tonne produced paper. And through our local suppliers, our customers not only receive paper that has been produced by Lessebo Paper, but also paper qualities that have been produced from the wood that grows in the surroundings of Lessebo.” 

Tom Olander, one of the owners of Lessebo Paper, is positive about the current order situation. “The pandemic has contributed to a decline in the market. In spite of this, the machines at Lessebo Paper have been running to full capacity for several months now, due to a steady flow of orders. Of course, our focus in the last months has been to ensure employee safety and business continuity and we are working in compliance with all necessary protective measures. However, with the current order situation, we are looking into the future with confidence.” 

Mondi, a leading global packaging and paper manufacturer, and Fiorini International, a leading Italian packaging converter, have developed Italy’s first 100% recyclable paper rice bag for Italian rice producer Riseria Vignola Giovanni. Made of Mondi Advantage Smooth White Strong paper, the new ‘Rice Bag’ will support Vignola’s sustainability aims to reduce use of plastic packaging.

  • Rice company Vignola introduces Italy's first 100% recyclable paper rice bag, working in partnership with Mondi and Fiorini International
  • Made of 100% recyclable Mondi Advantage Smooth White Strong paper
  • Innovation meets Vignola's ambition to use more sustainable packaging

The 'Rice Bag' was designed as part of Mondi’s customer-centric EcoSolutions approach to help customers achieve their sustainability goals while meeting technical requirements such as food shelf life preservation and regulations. Vignola showed a clear commitment to use more environmentally sustainable packaging with their purchase of a new form-fill-seal machine suitable for paper-based bags.

Giovanni Vignola, Managing Director, Vignola, says: “Our fifth-generation family company has long been an innovator in Italy. In 1971, we were one of the first to pack rice in cardboard boxes, and in the 1980s we were among the first to adopt the vacuum packaging system. Now we are pleased to be leading the market once again with this fully recyclable paper rice bag for our 500g and one kilo packages, giving consumers the sustainable, recyclable packaging they increasingly prefer.”

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Pietro Fiorini, Sales Director, Fiorini International says: “The Rice Bag for Vignola is our second successful collaboration with Mondi in the past two years. Having partnered with Mondi to develop a fully recyclable paper bag with a window for an Italian pasta company last year, we did not hesitate to recommend Mondi to Vignola. Mondi has the expertise and capability to work with us on sustainable packaging solutions that not only meet food industry guidelines for freshness and shelf life but is also user-friendly.”

The 'Rice Bag' developed for Vignola is made of Mondi Advantage Smooth White Strong 100 gsm, a speciality kraft paper with the right combination of high strength, superior printability and guaranteed runnability on filling machines. It is 100% recyclable and suitable for waste paper recycling streams even in countries with the highest recycling requirements.

Massimiliano Scotta, Head of Sales Region South & Americas, Mondi, adds: “Our EcoSolutions approach goes to the heart of trying to reduce less sustainable packaging with more bespoke solutions that meet our customers' needs. We’re delighted that our continuing cooperation with Fiorini is now supporting Vignola’s vision to produce more sustainable packaging. With a production volume of 50 million kilos of rice per year, Vignola has a competitive market presence as well as a track record of leading the way in innovative packaging. We’re pleased to see these developments in Italian food packaging and are ready to support customers with packaging solutions that are sustainable by design.”

Italy is Europe’s top producer and exporter of rice, producing around 1.5 million tons per which makes more than 30% of the total European rice production (2018)[1].

About Mondi

Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative packaging and paper solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is fully integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy and intrinsic in the way we do business. We lead the industry with our customer- centric approach, EcoSolutions, where we ask the right questions to find the most sustainable solution. In 2019, Mondi had revenues of €7.27 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.66 billion.

Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), and a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP). Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.

[1] https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/italy-rice-market

Consumer demand for alternative materials in everyday single-use items is growing. Functionality plays a key role here, as these materials, such as paper, are expected to have the same performance as their conventional counterparts.

After its successful launch in the United States, Henkel Adhesive Technologies is now bringing to the European market its new product technology platform that helps make paper a viable alternative to plastics and other single-use materials.

2021 01 05 104748EPIX comprises a portfolio of materials and chemistries that enhance paper by expanding its functionality to give paper products added properties such as barrier protection, thermal insulation and impact resistance. EPIX technology can enhance the paper experience for paper cups, containers and eCommerce packaging.

Bringing new functionalities to paper

EPIX technology offers brands better barrier protection, protecting their paper-based packages from water, and grease intrusion. EPIX makes paper a viable alternative to plastic for popular disposable, on-the-go products such as paper straws, paper cups and food trays.

The technology also enables paper to provide thermal insulation, as in the case of takeaway beverage cups Double-walled cups made possible with EPIX provide greater temperature resistance for hot or cold beverages.

EPIX technology adds impact resistance to eCommerce packaging. Padded mailers and other packaging materials are evolving to reduce waste. By replacing oversized containers and envelopes with better packing materials, EPIX technology enhances paper mailers to deliver flexible, form-fitting and lower profile packaging options. This technology has already been successfully launched with a major eCommerce player in North America and EPIX mailers are certified as recyclable by How2Recycle in the U.S. and OPRL in the UK.

“We are committed to advancing innovative and sustainable packaging solutions that contribute to a circular economy, and we see the opportunity to make a true impact in the growing markets of eCommerce deliveries and convenience packaging,” said Tilo Quink, Head of Packaging Adhesives at Henkel. “We understand consumers’ desire for functional paper products that are a reliable alternative to traditional materials and are looking forward to introducing this to the European market.”

About Henkel

Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market – across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2019, Henkel reported sales of more than 20 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of more than 3.2 billion euros. Henkel employs more than 52,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team, united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. For more information, please visit www.henkel.com.

As part of its mission to help create a circular economy society, world-renowned paper manufacturer Arjowiggins has launched Sylvicta – a ground-breaking new sustainable alternative to plastics in packaging.

Truly revolutionary, Sylvicta is a translucent, functional barrier paper that has been proven to preserve the quality of food and cosmetics just as well as conventional plastics – all the while ensuring limited impact on the environment. Testament to its unique sustainable properties, the pioneering paper is fully recyclable, compostable, marine degradable and made from renewable raw materials.

Sylvicta’s distinct advantage is its very high barrier to oxygen – the leading cause of food spoilage – which means it can reduce food waste by prolonging shelf life during the transportation, retail and consumer phases of the value chain.

Through precision fibre refining, Arjowiggins’ experienced R&D teams have developed this unique translucent paper with a natural bonding, without the need of any harmful chemicals. The result is a paper with a barrier to oxygen, aroma, mineral oils and fatty foodstuffs.

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When running through conventional converting lines, Sylvicta offers limitless creative possibilities: it can be foil-stamped, glued, embossed, printed in offset, gravure, and flexography, metallised, or coated with heat or cold-sealable materials.

Additionally, Arjowiggins is working continuously with packaging converters to open up an endless array of applications — from pouches for dry fruits, bags for salads, sachets for solid soap, sacks for pet food and flow-packs for chocolate bars, all the way through to metallised versions of Sylvicta for butter or margarine packaging.

Answering the market’s need for sustainable alternatives to single-use packaging and flexible laminates, Sylvicta offers brands a high-quality barrier packaging solution that enables them to reduce or even eradicate the use of plastics in their packaging. As such, it’s the ideal solution for creating a globally sustainable, circular economy – especially as it can integrate into existing recycling schemes.

“Despite the ongoing movement towards more sustainable packaging solutions, plastics still remain a popular choice, largely for practical reasons. Until now, most of the existing offer, mainly in single-use packaging, use unrecyclable, multi-layered laminates incorporating plastics or aluminium foil” explains Christophe Jordan, Managing Director of the Translucent Papers division at Arjowiggins.

“With Sylvicta, such solutions can be turned into fully recyclable, compostable and biodegradable paper packaging. The product is simply revolutionary - it can help to create the circular economy society we all desire.”

Sylvicta benefits from the exceptional environmental standards set by Arjowiggins Translucent Papers business. Like all of its products, Sylvicta is FSC™ and PEFC™-certified, produced on a site that’s ISO 14001-compliant, and is carbon-offset through the World Land Trust’s Carbon Balanced programme.

#ChoosePaper

To find out more about Sylvicta translucent barrier paper by Arjowiggins go to: sylvicta.arjowiggins.com

About Arjowiggins

 

International standards for creative and technical papers – since the 17th century.

Arjowiggins is an independent paper manufacturer with a rich history reaching back to the 17th century. From our Anglo-French roots we have grown into a paper manufacturer with a global reach, marrying experience, knowledge and skill to the most advanced technology available, to serve customers large and small. Today, Arjowiggins is firmly established as one of the world’s leading producers of creative and technical papers.

Our portfolio of products includes:

  • Creative papers, Creative packaging & Labels
  • Bookbinding & Covering papers
  • Translucent papers, including barrier papers
  • Smart papers
  • Security papers
  • Transfer papers

The company continues to produce all of the iconic products that have built its reputation, including Conqueror, Curious Collection, Keaykolour, Pop’Set, Rives, Delos, Geltex, Gateway, Jetguard, Laserguard, and more recently Powercoat for printed electronics. Our papers are manufactured across four mills, in Europe (Stoneywood and Chartham in the UK, Guarro Casas in Spain) and China (Quzhou).

Sustainability and respect for the environment remain more than ever at the heart of Arjowiggins’ activities, through a wide range of ongoing internal and external initiatives. And we retain an intense focus on maintaining our position as a pioneer in the development of innovative, high added-value creative and technical paper products.

Arjowiggins’ papers are distributed worldwide.

arjowiggins.com          

To offer our customers a full portfolio of packaging papers, UPM Specialty Papers has launched UPM SolideTM, a family of kraft papers that feature a versatile combination of strength as well as converting properties. All grades in the portfolio offer excellent printability to maximise the shelf impact of packaging. All papers in the UPM SolideTM family are recyclable in regular paper recycling stream.

“UPM has made a commitment to novel climate positive innovations. The UPM SolideTM kraft papers are produced using 100% renewable and strong fibres from sustainably managed forests” highlights Dirk Ryckaert, Sales Director, UPM Specialty Papers.

“UPM Solide Lucent, for example, is a new translucent paper that offers a great alternative to plastics even on fast packaging lines where runnability is key” continues Ryckaert. “Our committed team of experts are ready to explore how the UPM Solide product family can be applied to your end-uses”. 

Ensuring the safety of packaged products is a shared responsibility. UPM takes product safety very seriously and we do our utmost to ensure our papers are safe to use. Our product safety systems cover the entire manufacturing process from the procurement of raw materials to the delivery of end products.

The UPM SolideTM products are certified as safe for direct food contact. The products have received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). In addition, mills producing UPM specialty papers are certified according to ISO 22000 food management systems. The product range also offers alternatives that are free from optical brighteners.

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UPM Solide product family

The UPM Solide portfolio offers a broad range of kraft papers to choose from, with substance ranging from 45 g/m2 up to 90 g/m2. Samples and trial reels of the UPM Solide portfolio are available.

UPM SolideTM combines high strength and good printability.

UPM SolideTM Smooth offers high printability with good strength. Excellent choice when you need the visuals of your product to make an impact.

UPM SolideTM Strong offers excellent strength and good printability. The paper is free from optical brighteners, making it an excellent choice when you are looking to convey your natural image.

UPM SolideTM Lucent is a natural white translucent paper with high strength properties. The smooth surface offers good printability and convertability.

Read more about the UPM SolideTM portfolio of papers.
UPM SolideTM end-use video

UPM SPECIALTY PAPERS
UPM Specialty Papers produces labelling and packaging materials to global markets and fine papers to Asian markets. Its main customers are paper converters, distributors, retailers and printers. UPM Specialty Papers is an industry leader in sustainable development. Its high performance papers are produced in Finland and China. UPM Specialty Papers employs approximately 2,000 people globally. www.upmspecialtypapers.com

UPM
We deliver renewable and responsible solutions and innovate for a future beyond fossils across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Plywood. As the industry leader in responsibility we are committed to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the science-based targets to mitigate climate change. We employ 18,700 people worldwide and our annual sales are approximately EUR 10.2 billion. Our shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. UPM Biofore – Beyond fossils. www.upm.com

Laetitia Durafour, Marketing Director at Crown Food Europe, looks at the significant rise in popularity of organic produce and the benefits of metal packaging to this burgeoning sector

The organic food and beverage market is set to continue its surge in popularity, with considerable growth forecast through 2025. According to a recent report[1]  - “Organic Foods & Beverages - Market Analysis, Trends, and Forecasts “ states that the organic foods and beverages market worldwide is projected to grow by US$226 Billion, driven by a compounded growth of 14.8%.

According to the study, the organic foods segment displays the potential to grow at over 14.1% in that period, as consumers turn to more health-conscious products.. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. Poised to reach over US$189.8 Billion by the year 2025, organic foods will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth. North America will maintain a 15.8% growth momentum, as consumers turn to more health-conscious products. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$8.9 Billion to the region's size and clout in the next five to six years. Over US$10.8 Billion worth of projected demand in the region will come from the rest of the European markets.

Another report from Zion Research[2] states that an increase in the accessibility of organic product in Europe, in addition to a shift in preference towards a healthy lifestyle, is predicted to drive this considerable growth in the region, while Asia Pacific is also following suit. Growing awareness and rising disposable income levels are key drivers, in addition to advancement in biological farming techniques and continued imports from Europe and North America.

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In France, 55% of consumers see organic labels as playing an important role in their purchasing decisions of goods in the fresh self-service supermarket aisles.[3] In 2017, 94% of consumers bought organic produce, with vegetables showing strong growth year by year and being increasingly more present in consumers’ baskets.

Metal Packaging: A Natural Partner for Organics

Given the reputation of organic produce as better for our health and better for the environment, many raw organic items could be sold loose, particularly fruit and vegetables. Fresh ingredients harvested and collected from farms, fisheries, dairies and other food sources are immediately canned for safe keeping in optimum conditions in metal packaging to maintain freshness and taste.

Metal packaging aligns perfectly with the sustainable nature of this form of produce. Metal is a natural material that is infinitely recyclable, meaning it can be recycled over and over without any loss of physical properties. In fact, the vast majority of metal used for packaging is still in circulation today. This constant reuse into new containers or other metal products saves raw materials and energy and reduces CO2 emissions.

For organic foods, its uses are almost as infinite as its recyclable credentials and the more products that are certified organic, the more opportunity there is for metal. Fruits and vegetables are obvious candidates that have long been encased in metal, along with infant formula and fish including sardines, mackerel and herrings. More exotic products such as coconut milk are also synonymous with cans, and premium items like foie gras are often also packaged in metal.

The protective and preserving qualities of metal packaging are what makes it such a formidable substrate for organic produce. The can, for example, provides a hermetic seal that protects against light and oxygen, at the same time locking in nutrients that would otherwise begin to degrade if the product was merely refrigerated. These qualities also make cans a key weapon in the fight against food waste at each stage in the supply chain. For example, packaging produce in cans rather than packing it for refrigeration or freezing saves over one billion litres of food per year[4] – an enormous amount that would otherwise be left to rot in landfill.

Whether you are a producer or a consumer of organic produce, the chances are that in doing so you are keeping an eye firmly on the quality of the product and its impact on the environment. In these instances, it is advisable to look beyond the item in front of you and to consider the bigger picture in terms of sustainability, as there are often elements that have a significant impact on those credentials. For organic food producers, sustainability is as important as health benefits and quality and one thing is certain: organics and metal go hand in hand when it comes to consumer care and satisfaction.

Metal is also a compelling choice when considering aspects such as premiumisation and brand differentiation at point of sale. Beyond being a noble and malleable material, metal is the ideal canvas to bring out the premium qualities of the organic products inside. Crown provides its customers with numerous possibilities to package their organic products, including options that lend them a premium look with extraordinary shapes, sophisticated finishes and convenient solutions. The company’s in-house design capabilities have benefited numerous brands looking for support on projects, from the inception stages until the finite products were ready to be launched on the retail shelves.

Made in Europe, these cutting-edge technologies and decorative options underline the core brand values of Crown’s customers in the organics market and provide premiumization that enables them to attract and further engage with consumers, building a strong connection to their brand.

[1] https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/344081/organic_foods_and_beverages_market_analysis?utm_source=dynamic&utm_medium=BW&utm_code=lxzcl5&utm_campaign=1325255+-+Global+Organic+Foods+%26+Beverages+Market+Study+2019-2025&utm_exec=joca220bwd

[2] https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/3006

2Kantar Worldpanel LinkQ Bio réalisé auprès de 7090 PRA représentatives des foyers Français - July 2018 

                                                                                                                                 

[4] https://www.crowncork.com/news/all-about-cans/sustainability-makes-world-go-round

Ardagh Group, Glass – North America, a business unit of Ardagh Group has selected TricorBraun WinePak, a division of packaging leader TricorBraun, as its exclusive wine distributor to service small and mid-sized wineries in the western half of the U.S.

This renewed collaboration reinforces TricorBraun WinePak’s position as a key member of Ardagh’s portfolio of distributors, allowing the two companies to expand and attract new business. The strategic alliance combines Ardagh’s 125 years of wine-industry knowledge and proven track record as the largest producer of glass wine bottles made 100% in the U.S., with TricorBraun’s comprehensive experience as the largest distributor of wine bottles in the U.S., creating a dynamic combination for the U.S. wine marketplace.

“For small to mid-sized wineries, TricorBraun’s customized service and supply chain expertise combined with Ardagh’s high-quality domestic wine bottle production means economical, creative and sustainable packaging,” said Kathy Brooks, Regional Vice President and General Manager at TricorBraun WinePak. “We are incredibly excited to expand our relationship with Ardagh Group, bringing our leading packaging knowledge and capabilities to simplify packaging so our customers can focus on what they do best.”

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The alliance provides an extensive service offering to wineries, including premium wine bottles in a variety of colors, sizes, styles and finishes, in addition to full decorating services, capsules, STELVIN® closures, state-of-the art repacking capabilities, enhanced custom packaging design and engineering services, and robust customer service support.

“TricorBraun WinePak’s extensive sales infrastructure allows Ardagh to further expand its reach to additional wineries in the West,” said John T Shaddox, Chief Commercial Officer for Ardagh’s North American Glass business unit. “With manufacturing facilities and sales teams serving you from the heart of the major North American wine regions, more small and mid-sized wineries can experience the high level of attention, responsiveness and ease that comes with buying from Ardagh through its new alliance with TricorBraun.”

Ardagh is dedicated to the wine market with capabilities and resources to grow with wineries every step of the way. Wineries that are not currently purchasing from Ardagh and are interested in purchasing less than 500,000 cases per year should contact Suzanne Gordon, TricorBraun at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To view Ardagh’s extensive wine bottle stock portfolio, which are all made in the U.S.A., visit ardaghgroup.com/wine2020.

Ardagh Group is a global supplier of infinitely recyclable metal and glass packaging for the world’s leading brands. Ardagh operates 56 metal and glass production facilities in 12 countries, employing more than 16,000 people with sales of approximately $7bn.

As the largest wine bottle distributor in North America with a truly multi-continent supply, TricorBraun WinePak provides access to the highest quality glass from multiple domestic and global sources. We simplify the packaging procurement process, offering a state-of-the-art repacking system, as well as approximately 550,000 square feet of wine inventory space across seven warehouses to ensure just-in-time delivery at bottling time. TricorBraun WinePak also offers STELVIN® capsules and closures, private and stock molds, full decorating services, enhanced design and engineering services and the strongest sales and customer service support in the industry. TricorBraun WinePak is part of TricorBraun, North America’s largest distributor of primary packaging.

Growth in on-the-go eating, use of pharmaceuticals for an ageing population, the need to create stand-out on crowded shelves and, of course, pressure to reduce use of plastic are just some of the factors driving the increasing demand for paperboard. But how can packaging producers help their clients to meet this demand while also keeping their sustainability targets on track? Fortunately, Antalis has the answer; they can support their customers with an ever-growing portfolio of sustainable graphic and cartonboard products and services.

Antalis began developing its range of sustainable products and supporting services more than two decades ago and now has one of the most innovative offerings on the market. Key to the credibility and success of this portfolio is the company’s careful selection of suppliers who share Antalis’ focus on providing high quality products, sustainably.

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“Concerns around the use of plastic packaging, particularly single-use packaging, has led to a significant rise in demand for fibre-based graphic and cartonboards that are renewable, biodegradable, recycled or recyclable”, says Steve Chappell, Graphical Board Development Manager “At Antalis we also ensure we work with suppliers who have strong environmental ethics, like Iggesund and Metsä Board.”

Antalis stocks Iggesund’s world-leading paperboard brands Invercote and Incada, which are renowned for their durability and design versatility. Iggesund’s mill in Sweden, where Invercote is made, and its UK mill in Workington, Cumbria, where Incada is manufactured, have both been awarded Platinum level by the international assessment company EcoVadis.

Produced from virgin fibre of known and traceable origin, Incada is made at a mill that produces 100% of energy from renewable biomass, and is the only folding box board (FBB) manufactured in the UK, giving it a very low carbon footprint for UK customers. Invercote, solid bleached board (SBB), made from pure virgin fibre sourced from sustainably managed Swedish forests, is known for its strength and toughness and taint and odour neutrality making it particularly suited to packaging where demands on print quality and structural design are very high.

2021 01 05 100641Also within Antalis’ extensive portfolio of sustainable graphic and cartonboards are Metsä Board’s Classic and Prime, both PEFC certified, and FSC certified Eskaboard from Eska.

MetsäBoard Prime FBB Bright – A fully coated white backed folding box board (GC1) with high bulk and stiffness. MetsäBoard Prime FBB makes it possible to ‘lightweight’ printed products so you get more product out of every tonne of material purchased while at the same time consuming fewer raw materials, reducing transport weight and producing less waste.

MetsäBoard Classic FBB is a fully coated cream-backed folding box board (GC2) with a double blade coating on the front. It is hard sized as standard for high water resistance demands, such as refrigeration and chiller cabinet products.

Eskaboard is a solid board made from 100% recovered paper.  An FSC-certified  board with  excellent lay flat, stay flat properties - it is ideal for producing anything from book covers and ring-binders to puzzle and game boxes and even luxury packaging.

Further support in helping customers achieve their sustainability goals comes by way of Antalis’ Carbon Offsetting scheme. All purchases from across the company’s papers, packaging and visual communications ranges can now be carbon offset.

Steve comments, “We have one of the most comprehensive ranges of paperboards in the UK.  We’re continually reviewing our range of products and suppliers to ensure they are as sustainable as possible, and I am excited to say that we will be expanding our portfolio with new and innovative products, with the highest environmental profile, in the near future.”

With Piab's new gripper, six-packs with cardboard wrapping can be handled automatically, gently and without leaving any marks. This provides the beverage industry with a new solution for more efficient packaging and palletizing of bottles.

After various discussions with customers from plant engineering and the beverage industry, it was clear to Piab’s experts that a gripper for the simple automatic handling of six-packs with cardboard packaging was needed. Because this is how beer and beer-based mixed drinks are offered and must be packaged and palletized accordingly by the beverage industry. The difficulty with the automation of this process step has been that mechanical grippers cannot pick up the bottles from the top of the bottle caps, as these are usually sealed with a banderole made of aluminum or paper, which would be damaged. At the same time, the cardboard is very thin and unstable and must be handled with care. The gripper should also not leave any marks on the cardboard box to avoid an impression of the packaging being damaged.

Piab Sixpack Gripper Front View

The vacuum specialists from Piab, headed by Bernd Gries Manager Global S-Accounts, therefore developed a special gripper with rectangular suction cups. The rectangular suction cups take up the six-pack in only three places. In order to prevent the cardboard from being drawn into it due to the large suction surface and leaving marks, the Piab team developed a corresponding load support as part of the suction cups. This prevents the cardboard from being drawn in and getting damaged.

The gripper is manufactured using a 3D printing process and can therefore be easily adapted to different six-pack sizes. The fastest way to do this is via the exchangeable cheeks, which serve to stabilize the six-pack in the gripper during handling.

In addition to Piab’s rectangular suction cups, the gripper contains powerful COAX® vacuum ejectors. One COAX® ejector is integrated decentrally for each square suction cup. This provides additional safety when handling, because each ejector works independently of the others. So if one ejector fails due to contamination, the six-pack will continue to be held reliably by the other two. The gripper has an automatic blow-off pulse to enable the six-pack to be put down quickly.

Piab Sixpack Gripper Front Detail

This cleans the ejector, channels and the suction cup at the same time.

For customers who have Industry 4.0 interfaces, the gripper offers query options for vacuum process data.

PIAB Vakuum GmbH

Piab provides smart solutions for the automated world, helping thousands of end users and machine producers in e-commerce logistics, food, pharma, automotive and other manufacturing industries to improve energy-efficiency, productivity and working environments. With more than 700 employees and SEK 1,2 bn in sales 2018, Piab is a global organization, serving customers in almost 70 countries from a network of subsidiaries and distributors. By leveraging the ongoing technological development in automation and robotics, and targeting high-growth segments and geographies, Piab's vision is to become the global leader in gripping and moving solutions.

Ardagh has won a Sustainability Award in the inaugural ‘Pre-Commercialised Innovation’ category for its method of producing remeltable briquettes from the fine particle glass rejected during the recycling process, allowing 100% of recycled glass to be remelted into new glass bottles and jars.

The rejected glass makes up 10% of glass collected for recycling and is currently unusable in glass manufacture because it contains loose organics and CSP (ceramic, stone and porcelain) which can cause blistering in new containers. It is typically diverted to road aggregate or is lost to landfill and can never be recovered.

Driven by the goal to maximise cullet recovery for remelt, Ardagh worked with various partners to develop the recipe and method to produce briquettes from the rejected glass, which can be melted safely in the furnace without any adverse effects – closing the recycling loop.

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The award attracted 63 entries from across the world and was narrowed down to the top 5 in Packaging Europe’s online awards event. On being announced the winner, Brendan O’Meara from Ardagh’s European Glass Cullet team commented:

“We’re incredibly proud to win the Sustainability Award, particularly with such strong competition. The potential of the briquettes to recover 100% of collected glass for remelt is a significant achievement. Special thanks go to Stewart Wright at Wright Engineering and Professor Paul Bingham at Sheffield Hallam University for their incredible support and expertise.”

Ardagh’s Chief Sustainability Officer, John Sadlier, added ''We are delighted to receive recognition for this particularly important project that supports us in achieving our ambitious sustainability targets. We hope the additional cullet available as briquettes will help to achieve the ultimate objective of 95% cullet and 5% raw materials within the glass batch, reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the furnace''

For more on Ardagh’s development of the briquettes, please visit https://packagingeurope.com/finalist-interviews-ardagh-group-increased-recycling-cullet/

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