Mondi capitalizes on rising recycled paper demand with Nautilus brand additions

15 Jun 2020 --- Simply stating a product is “sustainable” is not enough for increasingly eco-conscious consumers, Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper (UFP) affirms. In the past three years, the demand for papers with a strong, certified environmental sustainability profile continues to increase. Yet, last year, Mondi noticed a shortage of uncoated recycled fine paper on the European market. Launching three new products within its Nautilus paper brand, Mondi has responded to the market gap for certified recyclable paper supply. Moreover, the move bolsters the company’s ambitions to become “one of the leading suppliers of premium recycled paper.”

“In early 2019, the recycled paper market underwent some drastic changes. Demand was strong, but the paper was no longer available in sufficient quantities. We had to expand our range and improve and extend availability for customers all over Europe. We succeeded in both,” Johannes Klumpp, Marketing & Sales Director at Mondi UFP, tells PackagingInsights.

“With Nautilus, we already had an established brand and, from both the technical and the logistics aspect, we had the capability in our Mondi Neusiedler mill in Austria to close this gap,” Klumpp continues.

Mondi prioritizes making its products “sustainable by design.”Mondi prioritizes making its products “sustainable by design.” To ensure maximum transparency, Mondi customers can request the paper profile for each of its products. “Here, we calculate the CO2 footprint of all our products and report the energy and water consumption. We invest in climate protection projects which follow the UN Sustainable Development Goals, so the papers from Nautilus are available in CO2 neutral versions.”

The new Nautilus products
The three new members of the Nautilus family are Nautilus ProCycle, Nautilus ProCycle high-speed inkjet and Nautilus SuperWhite for HP Indigo. The Nautilus portfolio mainly targets premium packaging applications and shopping bags, but also meets the high requirements for food packaging. “With Nautilus, our customers can clearly emphasize their sustainability profile without compromising on premium aspects of their brands,” Klumpp adds. 

Natilius ProCycle is a 100 percent recycled office paper that delivers CIE whiteness level 135, the highest degree of whiteness possible according to the Blue Angel guidelines. Alongside its EU Ecolabel, and Forest Stewardship Certification, Nautilus ProCycle is currently the only recycled paper on the market that is produced in line with the new standards of the Blue Angel ecolabel. 

“With Nautilus ProCycle, we aim to meet two requirements: a premium product with high whiteness and a certified sustainable product. Especially among end-consumers in German-speaking countries, we see a high demand for products that have been certified with the Blue Angel label, as it enjoys a high level of recognition in this region,” Klumpp details.

Nautilus ProCycle high-speed inkjet has very few comparable products on the market, according to Klumpp. This paper is tailored to high-speed inkjet printing presses and is available in reels of 80 and 90 g/m2. Its special surface treatment for dye and pigment inks retains ink on the paper surface for crisper colors with lower ink consumption. Additionally, it is optimized for quick water absorption, fast-drying, no offsetting and, consequently, increased productivity.Mondi UFP is in the “fortunate position” of being able to cover all aspects of the sustainability cycle, says Klumpp.

Finally, Nautilus SuperWhite for HP Indigo is produced entirely from post-consumer waste paper as an alternative to bright white paper made from virgin fiber. At CIE whiteness level 150, the entire range, from 80 to 350 g/m2, is certified for HP Indigo presses, which is ideal for runnability, blanket compatibility and ElectroInk adhesion.

“Cycle of Sustainability”
Unlike conventional recycled paper producers, Mondi UFP is in the “fortunate position” of being able to cover all aspects of the sustainability cycle, says Klumpp. “We stand for the Cycle of Sustainability, illustrating how trees are used to produce virgin fiber pulp, which is then used for the production of paper.”

After use, the paper is recycled and re-processed to make recycled paper. Over time, the pulp quality diminishes each time the recycled fiber is re-processed. “The paper industry, therefore, needs virgin fiber from sustainably managed forests to maintain the recycling loop,” Klumpp flags. 

He further details that Mondi UFP’s pulp procurement department closely monitors the market situation and has found sufficient opportunities to secure supplies. Moreover, the company’s pulp mills produce biomass as a by-product, which it uses to generate energy for its mills and the surrounding communities. Most of the water required to produce pulp and paper is cleaned in its waste-water treatment plants and returned to the natural ecosystem. 

“It’s important that our pulp and paper mills operate in a way that resources are protected as far as possible, in line with the approach of the circular economy,” Klumpp concludes.

By Anni Schleicher