PulPac launches Scala machine platform: “A leap forward in the Dry Molded Fiber revolution”

27 Sep 2023 --- PulPac has unveiled the “world's first injection molding machine for fiber-based products” dubbed PulPac Scala. The machine platform combines injection molding with PulPac’s Mill-to-Web fiber unit to make Dry Molded Fiber technology more accessible and cost-effective.

Viktor Börjesson, chief partnership officer at PulPac, talks to Packaging Insights about the launch. He stresses the urgency of finding fossil-fuel-free alternatives: “Plastic is a giant problem. The need for fossil-fuel-free alternatives is urgent, and fiber has the upper hand when replacing single-use plastics.”

“Dry Molded Fiber forms cellulose in a unique way, which means cost efficiency and cycle times that can compete with the production of single-use plastic and at up to 80% lower CO2 emissions.”

PulPac sees Dry Molded Fiber as a game-changing, environmentally sustainable alternative to single-use plastics, addressing resource and energy efficiency challenges.The Scala machines currently come with tooling for producing lids, initially for cold drinks, with more applications to follow.

Plug-and-play
The Scala platform is compact, fitting in a 40-foot container, and offers lower investment costs than the company’s initial Dry Molded Fiber machine, PulPac Modula. Scala provides a use for packaging producers of all sizes in the fast-growing sustainable packaging market.

“The Scala platform is a hybrid. We have based it on a plastic injection molding machine and combined the clamping unit with our unique fiber unit, Mill-to-Web. That establishes a compact, plug-and-play machine to which plastic and fiber converters can relate. The size, simplicity and cost lower the thresholds for the technology,” says Börjesson.

He also highlights the versatility of the Scala platform, mentioning: “The launched machines come with tooling for producing lids, initially for cold drinks. More applications will follow. The Scala is ideal for converters that want a fast set-up and scale-up of a fiber-converting factory.”The clamping unit in the PulPac Scala machine platform.

Sanna Fager, PulPac’s chief commercial officer, explains about the word-play of the Scala platform’s name: “Due to its low investment threshold, any producer that wants to gain market leverage in this new, exciting and fast-growing market can start small and then scale up.”

Leveraging partnerships
PulPac collaborated with Huarong Group, a Taiwanese injection molding machine manufacturer, to launch the Scala machine platform. 

“Huarong has contributed with their know-how in the clamping unit – the link-arm press, and PulPac has added the Dry Molded Fiber know-how and how to replace the plastic extruder with a Mill-to-Web fiber unit. Huarong knows how to manufacture molding machines in serial production at the right cost,” Börjesson details.

“There are over 100,000 injection molding machines for plastic produced every year. Most of them are used for single-use plastics – that must be replaced by sustainable alternatives. By combining Huarong’s knowledge with our technology, one could say that we repurposed a machine to replace what it was once built to produce.”

By Radhika Sikaria