Obbola paper mill inaugurated: Increased capacity for better business and increased climate benefit

DS Smith, one of the leading manufacturers of sustainable packaging solutions made of corrugated board, has set itself ambitious climate targets. In addition, the company is driving the circular economy and reducing waste and pollution through clever design, as one goal is to produce 100% recyclable or reusable packaging as early as 2023. A current innovation in the field of e-commerce is a fixation packaging that uses crepe paper to secure and fix the goods instead of the usual plastic foil. In the service centers of a well-known smartphone manufacturer, the plastic-free shipping solution already ensures more sustainability. Online shopping is and remains a megatrend. As a survey published at the beginning of 2021 by the German E-Commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association (bevh) shows, e-commerce is not only popular with younger generations but has also become part of everyday life for the over-60s, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Around a third of all online shoppers belonged to this affluent age group in 2020. And even after the pandemic, a large part of the population does not want to give up the convenience of online shopping. According to bevh data, almost three out of four consumers plan to order online to the same or greater extent in the future.

Through close and enduring collaboration BillerudKorsnäs and Tetra Pak aim to push the figure of renewable material from wood fibre in carton packages towards 100%. Already today the figure is about 70%. New innovations to further increase the sustainability of packages are since long top of the agenda for both companies. “Our mission is to challenge conventional packaging for a sustainable future. 70 % renewable is a good start, and the only way that we can solve the major sustainability challenges we face is to do it together”, says Malin Ljung Eiborn, Director Sustainability and Public Affairs. The collaborative innovation takes the form of a number of defined projects where experts from the two companies work together. BillerudKorsnäs also work together under the auspices of Treesearch, a Swedish collaboration platform for fundamental research, knowledge and competence-building in the field of new materials and specialty chemicals from forest raw material. It involves academia, industry, private foundations and the Swedish government, and aims to turn pioneering fundamental research into high-tech innovations to meet the climate challenge.

Koehler Paper has added “Koehler NexPlus® Seal WVB” to its portfolio of innovative flexible packaging paper in the NexPlus® product line. “Koehler NexPlus® Seal WVB” is a heat-sealable paper which boasts a vapor barrier as its functional layer, thereby offering optimal product protection. The barrier paper is used as primary and secondary packaging and is suitable for a variety of food and non-food products. These include household items like dishwasher tabs, washing powder and bath tabs. “Koehler NexPlus® Seal WVB” is produced with a grammage of 75 gsm. Thanks to its outstanding strength properties, excellent sealability, and optimal runnability “Koehler NexPlus® Seal WVB” is ideally suited for processing on all conventional converting and packaging machines—particularly for gravure and flexographic printing. The barrier paper is made from 100-percent certified virgin fiber pulp, which means it is equally suitable for direct contact with food.