Weekly Roundup: BillerudKorsnäs expands FibreForm range, UPM recycles label liners into insulation

17 Jun 2022 --- This week in industry news, BillerudKorsnäs expanded its FibreForm paper range with unbleached, brown paper for reusable carrier bags, cup sleeves and plates. Also, UPM Raflatac formed a partnership to recycle its PET label liner waste into insulation, and DS Smith created a plastic-saving bag-in-box solution for Spadel.

In brief: Fiber-based solutions
BillerudKorsnäs expanded its FibreForm paper range with unbleached, brown paper for reusable carrier bags, cup sleeves and plates. The range is cold-formable, available in both white and brown paper, and offers a low-carbon packaging alternative to plastic. The paper’s high strength enables packaging, such as carrier bags, to be reused multiple times. Furthermore, it is 100% renewable, recyclable and biodegradable.

DS Smith and natural mineral water producer Spadel launched the Eco Pack, an octagonal box comprising cardboard and an internal plastic bag for 5 L of liquid. The efficient use of materials enables a 65% reduction in plastic while also extending the water’s shelf life. The Spa Reine Eco Pack is also fully recyclable.DS Smith’s Eco Pack for Spadel.

Hilex, a Novolex brand, introduced the ProWave Tote, a recyclable and reusable tote bag that makes e-commerce more convenient for supermarkets, restaurants and retailers, and their customers. The new bag is made with 20% recycled content and designed for curbside pickup, home delivery or carryout use. The bag features folded handles and a double-ply top, providing stiffness so the bag stays open, making loading easier and more convenient. The rectangular bottom optimizes the use of storage in a vehicle’s trunk or back seating area. The bag is ideal for hot, frozen or refrigerated items.

In brief: Circular plastics economy
UPM Raflatac revealed that the PET label liner waste collected through its RafCycle recycling service can now be processed into a raw material in a process developed by Inosence Polyol, which Finnfoam then uses as a raw material for polyisocyanurate or FF-PIR insulation. “Disposable or short-lived products are often made from PET recycled plastic. In our solution, the recycled raw material is made into an insulator, for example, a durable product that binds carbon for decades. Our value chain fulfills even a critical review and, in addition, we are making the label industry much more [environmentally] sustainable,” explained Juha Virmavirta, director at RafCycle Solutions.

In brief: Ink and printing technologies
VerifyMe developed a covert ink technology, which is now available for sale to run on continuous inkjet printers. When used in combination with VerifyMe’s proprietary and patented reading devices, smartphone integration, dynamic serialization, and cloud-based authentication services, the CIJ VerifyInk solution allows brands to launch “world-class” brand protection solutions. “This inkjet technological achievement has taken nearly two years of development. We believe it will allow VerifyMe to scale its business into the massive global product labeling and packaging industry that previously was unable to print our technologies,” said Patrick White, VerifyMe’s CEO.Hilex’s ProWave Tote bag.

Siegwerk announced its most recent development for improved deinking, especially for rigid plastic packaging, which it says adds a substantial value to industrial mechanical recycling. Besides the already existing water-based deinking primer (officially approved by The Association of Plastic Recyclers), Siegwerk now offers a UV-curing deinking primer suitable for pressure-sensitive and wrap-around labels and shrink sleeves made of polyolefin- and polyester-based materials. This development closes a gap, as it now allows an inline printing of deinkable materials in a 100% UV-Flexo press setup.

InnovationLab, which specializes in the development of printed and organic electronics, acquired Evonik’s TAeTTOOz materials technology. Redox polymers form the basis of the printable rechargeable batteries. The new materials can be processed into very thin, flexible battery cells using common printing processes. In the process, they allow developers a high degree of design freedom. In addition, battery cells manufactured with the technology do not contain liquid electrolytes and therefore cannot leak.

In brief: Beverage can manufacturing
Canpack commemorated the completion of the steel framing for its new 862,000 square foot aluminum beverage can manufacturing plant during a “topping off” ceremony with Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb and local community officials and leaders. The future plant will be home to approximately 345 local jobs. Officials expect construction to be completed in time for plant operations to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022.

By Joshua Poole