Last year, Sappi invested over €60 million in the modernisation of paper machine 2 (PM2) at its Alfeld plant. This investment enables the company to achieve long-term, sustainable expansion of its range of speciality papers. The recently introduced Algro Vitess is a new paper for flexible packaging applications – Sappi Alfeld’s response to growing market demand for a very brilliant paper that can meet the most stringent printing requirements.
Algro Vitess is designed for both flexographic and gravure printing. The development of this paper leveraged Sappi’s expertise in optimum pulp composition and coating applications, as well as experience gained with its already- established Algro Finess®.

Thanks to the newly installed head box on Alfeld Mill’s PM2, Algro Vitess offers excellent forming of the paper fibres, resulting in minimal blushing. The paper also offers exceptionally high web stability and very low shrinkage. These properties make further processing by converters, including printing, lamination and extrusion, highly productive. They also contribute to an optimised packaging process for branded goods manufacturers. Its highly stable running characteristics allow faster processing speeds and higher quality results to be achieved throughout the packaging supply chain.

Exceptional Print Quality for Multiple Packaging Applications
The extremely homogeneous surface of Algro Vitess ensures exceptional print quality. This, combined with its extreme brightness, delivers outstanding on-shelf presentation for branded packaging. The reverse side of Algro® Vitess is designed to offer very good anchoring properties for both adhesive and extrusion laminations.

Algro® Vitess is coated on one side and is available in various weights, ranging from 50 g/m² to 120 g/m². It is suitable for a wide variety of packaging applications, including dry food products, confectionery, tea, coffee and pharmaceutical products. Initial results from pilot projects confirm the excellent properties of Algro® Vitess and praised its high brightness and excellent print results.

The post Algro® Vitess from Sappi first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

Food migration issues have arisen as a result of packaging materials containing recycled fibres for which one of the primary raw materials is newspapers. Newspaper printing inks contain mineral oil as solvents, as do many commercial printing inks. During the recycling process only 90% of the printing ink components can be removed.  If these substrates are used for food packaging applications, the mineral oil compounds can migrate from the cardboard into the foodstuffs, even when an inner bag is used. Especially dry and greasy foods such as rice, pasta, cereal and chocolate products are affected.

Developed in partnership with BASF and Eurofins, the innovative flexpack substrate received very positive market feedback following its introduction at Fachpack 2013. Brand owners are now able to use their current recycled fibre based folding boxes, shelf ready packs and transport boxes.  The food inside will be protected by inner bags, pouches and sachets made from Sappi mineral oil barrier papers such as:

• Leine Guard M for inner bags combines Machine Glazed Bleached Kraft (MGBK) paper with the mineral oil barrier on the reverse side. It is available in 80 g/m²  to 120 g/m².
• Algro Guard M has been designed for gravure printed primary packaging such as pouches, sachets, bags and wrappers, and is available in 90 g/m² to 140 g/m². This grade incorporates a blade coating on the top side for gravure printability with the mineral oil barrier on the reverse side.

AlgroGuard M and Leine Guard M protect packaged food from mineral oil compounds that are a complex mixture of saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and unsaturated hydrocarbons (MOAH). This new mineral oil barrier functionality protect food for minimum 15 months; and as there is no use of PET or aluminium, it is a sustainable, environmentally friendly and cost effective material.

Efficient and sustainable substrate

“The integrated solution of mineral oil barrier functionality combined with excellent heat sealing properties minimise converting process steps and considerably reduce costs in the supply chain.” comments René Köhler, Product Group Manager Flexpack Sappi Fine Paper Europe.  In addition the integrated and recyclable paper grade solution is providing superior converting properties. Test have shown that the grades offering also a barrier against aroma and grease. As a result, Algro Guard M and Leine Guard M are highly efficient and sustainable mineral oil barrier packaging solutions for the food industry. Sappi Algro^® Guard M and Leine^® Guard M, will become commercially available beginning of June of 2014.

The post Sappi’s New Barrier Substrates Address Migration Concerns Mineral Oil first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

The new PM7 – on the leading edge of technology

Located in the heart of Europe, just north of Prague with an annual paper capacity of 155,000 tonnes, the PM7, which will produce white kraft paper, took just thirteen months to build. Construction involved no fewer than 550 truckloads of machinery parts and 2,000 cubic metres of concrete, as the machine weighs 6,000 tonnes. The €70 million investment has created around 60 new jobs in Štětí.

The paper produced by PM7 will be used for the following applications: Industrial Bags, Shopping Bags, Consumer Bags, Protective Packaging, Coating & Lamination, Ream Wrap and other high quality wrapping.

Outstanding product features: Stronger. Smoother. Perfect printability

The top former allows a higher ratio of soft wood pulp to be used for excellent strength and it ensures even formation and profiles. The shoe calender ensures enhanced printability at high gloss, and delivers bulk, stiffness and caliper. The combination of top former and shoe calendar is a unique set-up which ensures low roughness values.

The technical capabilities of PM7 offer clear advantages for the converting industry and end users. Thanks to excellent printability and surface properties there are more branding options. For example, the smooth surface results create an outstanding gloss and print appearance. The paper grades produced on PM7 also have a low breakage rate, optimised strength, high tear resistance, impressive bulk, caliper and porosity properties.

In addition to offering outstanding product features, the new PM7 meets high environmental standards. It will have a positive environmental impact due to the integration of the pulp to paper production process without the intermediate steps of drying and transporting of the pulp. Consumption and emissions will be significantly reduced as a consequence. Sustainability is a key element of PM7, as reflected in pulp production with an ECF bleaching process, the use of PEFCTM-certified wood, non-toxic chemicals and the recycling of all waste products. ˮAt Mondi, sustainability goes hand in hand with quality and efficiency throughout the development and production processes. Creating sustainable added value for all stakeholders is one of Mondi’s core principles and is a key element of its overall strategic and responsible approach to good business practice” says Clemens Willée, CEO Mondi Packaging Paper.

For more information see: www.mondigroup.com

The post Next-generation Paper Machine PM7 Goes Live first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

Sappi Fine Paper Europe is targeting new markets with an expanded weight range in its Algro Sol portfolio of release liners following the successful €60m transformation of Alfeld Mill’s PM2. The development of the effective lightweight efficiency liners has been made possible by the new 135-ton, 6.4 meters in diameter MG cylinder recently installed on PM2 in the Sappi Alfeld mill. It produces excellent high dimensional stability and surface properties of Algro Sol papers that favour converting.

In addition to the well established Algro Sol DN weights of 120g/m²  and 135g/m²  Sappi is launching new weights of 70, 80, 85, 90 and 98g /m². All are offering a significant price performance ratio and are mostly suited for office use, tape and industrial applications. All grades are available in different shades.

Performance reliability a key feature

One of the main benefits of the dimensional stability is performance reliability, which goes excellent with lay flat properties. With some substrates, paper dimension in cross direction can expand by 2% or 3% as a result of temperature changes. With these grades the value is only 0.4% – this ensures consistency and runability.

“The rebuilt machine was designed to enable highly flexible production of a wider range of grades,” comments Gunnar Sieber Sappi’s Product Group Manager Release Liner. “The expanded range of lower Algro Sol DN weight papers offers a greater array of options and applications. We are excited to be presenting these to more target markets such as pressure sensitive adhesives and prepreg applications.  Along with how the grade can support a broader variety of end uses, we are looking forward to approaching new sectors we have not targeted with these grades before. We will also be looking at our global positioning.”

PM2’s flexible production capability will enable Sappi to develop grades to address opportunities as they arise. It is with this in mind that Algro Sol’s expansion is not stopping there.  Algro Sol CN will be the newest family addition comprising of lighter weight grades from 50 g/m² to 60 g/m². These papers are suitable for pressure sensitive adhesive office material applications.

As a competence centre, Sappi Alfeld Mill enables customers to further discover how the wide range of grade options can help them support their customer’s needs. They can also call on technical advice if required.

“PM2’s successful rebuild will enable us to better address customer requirements for higher quality grades while the additional production capacity will aid on time delivery and substrate flexibility,” concludes Mr Sieber.  “We will carefully explore all the opportunities this presents  and see how new variations of release liners can help us effectively embrace emerging opportunities.”

About Sappi Alfeld Mill:

Founded in 1706, Alfeld Mill became part of Sappi in 1992. It has five papermaking machines and an integrated pulp plant using locally harvested wood. The OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, EMAS, ISO 9001 certified pulp mill produces totally chlorine-free (TCF) bleached chemical pulp for its own use.  The Alfeld Mill has also received the ISO 50001 certification for adhering to energy efficiency regulations.

The post Sappi Fine Paper Europe Expands Weight Range of Release Liners Portfolio first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

“Paper-based packaging plays an important role in minimizing food waste,” said ICFPA President Donna Harman. “By providing bio-based means to transport, protect and preserve food, our industry is helping to meet the needs of the growing global population.”

Paper-based packaging is made from a renewable resource – well-managed forests – and delivers a sustainable packaging option to bring food from the field to the home safely and in excellent condition: corrugated boxes protect food when it is shipped to stores; paperboard is used to package food for efficient stocking and display; and paper bags give customers an environmentally-friendly way to transport their purchases.

In addition, new and innovative paper-based packaging is continuously developed to increase functional use – including optimal food preservation – and to better serve consumers.

Paper and paper-based packaging industries around the world make great efforts to recover, and increase recovery of, their products for recycling. RISI data indicates that the global recovery rate for corrugated paperboard packaging is approaching 90 percent.

The ICFPA represents more than 30 national and regional forest and paper associations around the world, including the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa. Together, ICFPA members represent nearly 90 percent of global paper production and 50 percent of global wood production.

For more information about the sustainability of the global forest and paper industry, visit icfpa.org.

The post Global forest and paper industry highlights benefits of bio-based packaging at Interpack Trade Fair first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).