Sappi expands portfolio of barrier papers with optimal product protection
27 Jan 2020 --- Sappi Europe has added a 91 g/m² offering to its high-barrier paper range that offers optimal product protection thanks to its oxygen, steam, grease and oil barriers. The supplier has also enhanced its light barrier papers range with the inclusion of a 75 g/m². The latest additions to Sappi’s paper profiles open up new avenues for ensuring manufacturers uphold high product quality of snack bars.
The company has added a 91 g/m² offering to its range and has enhanced its barrier papers range with the inclusion of a 75 g/m². “Barrier papers in general and high barrier papers in particular facing very strong market demand. With these functional papers, brand owners can replace currently used multi-layer solutions made of fossil-based materials. This make their packaging solutions more environmental friendly,” a Sappi spokesperson tells PackagingInsights.
The papers are designed for various flexible packaging applications, such as flow-wraps, sachets and pouches for the food and non-food markets. The grease- and oil-resistant papers keep products, such as rice, cereals, tea and chocolate free of MOSH and MOAH residue. Sappi Guard MS also impresses with its heat sealability, eliminating the need for additional production steps and materials as sealing media. The company offers these packaging papers in several other grammages, which are ideally suited to primary and secondary packaging.
Sappi’s functional papers contain more than 80 percent renewable resources and are suitable for recycling in the paper waste stream, the spokesperson affirms.
The Sappi papers target the snack packaging sector.
“Nowadays, it’s important for brand owners to offer sustainable packaging and customers make their decision according to this criterion. With packaging made from Sappi Guard papers, which are recyclable in the paper stream, brand owners are further strengthening confidence in their brand while saving time and money,” Cora Helberg, Head of Marketing Packaging and Speciality Papers at Sappi Europe, tells PackagingInsights.
The most notable example to date is Nestlé’s YES! snack bars, which are now packaged in Sappi Guard paper using a high-speed flow wrap technology. YES! snack bars were previously packaged in flexible plastic wrappers.
Prior to this innovation, plastic films and laminates had to be used in the high-speed production of shelf-stable snacks. However, product quality and freshness throughout the bar’s shelf-life can now still be guaranteed, even when paper is used. This means there is great potential for the rest of the confectionary industry to also switch to recyclable paper packaging.
“Consumers are looking for more natural and sustainable options when they choose a snack, both in terms of ingredients and packaging. Our YES! bars are made with wholesome ingredients that celebrate and care for Nature’s diversity. We are now relaunching them carefully wrapped in paper, making the packaging easy to recycle and avoiding plastic waste,’’ comments Patrice Bula, Head of Strategic Business Units, Marketing and Sales at Nestlé.
Sappi previously showcased its packaging papers at Fachpack, held in Nuremberg, Germany last September. The company will continue to present its innovations in functional paper packaging and other product groups at interpack 2020 in Dusseldorf.
By Anni Schleicher
