Ahlstrom-Munksjö reinforces its commitment to the PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesive) industry worldwide by launching its biggest-ever global range of sustainable release papers for silicone coating.

The expanded and harmonized range contains three main product families, and offers release papers based on sustainable, renewable fibers, spreading from 41 g/m2 up to 215 g/m2. Products feature various technologies and finishes to match any release liner application, even the most demanding and specified one.

The ACTI-V® product family includes supercalendered Glassine release papers based on proprietary technology, ensuring the highest efficiency and reliability in silicone coating. ACTI-V® Industrial products, suitable for double side silicone coating, feature ideal dimensional stability for highly technical release liner applications.

The SILCA™ product family, primarily manufactured to suit the needs of North American markets, comprises both Glassine and SCK (supercalendered kraft) release papers, as well as HPL (High Performance Liner) combining surface performance of glassine with yield of SCK.

The SILCO™ product family incorporates Clay Coated release papers for direct silicone coating, as well as Machine Glazed and Machine Finished papers, designed as a base for poly-coating.

The global release papers range offers the right match for any PSA release liner application, from PSA labeling to specialty tape, medical, industrial, or PSA Graphics applications.

Beyond release liners for PSA applications, Ahlstrom-Munksjö offers LamiBak™ silicone base papers, specially designed and certified for food contact and baking products, as well as a selection of Glassine, SCK and CCK liners for use in the manufacturing of fiber composites materials.

“Thanks to several release paper manufacturing sites in Europe, North America, and South America, we can offer global reach, opportunity of backup, and higher security of supply to the PSA industry worldwide,” explained Marco Troglia, Vice President, Release Liners.

“All Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s release papers are produced from renewable and responsibly sourced natural fibers. Our portfolio includes product options based on bleached, unbleached, and post-consumer recycled fibers,” commented Marco Martinez, Product and Sustainability Manager, Release Liners.

To help increase circularity in the labeling industry, Ahlstrom-Munksjö was one of the founding members of CELAB (Toward a Circular Economy for Labels). CELAB is a global industry coalition dedicated to building a sustainable self-adhesive labeling industry and creating greater circularity by enhancing and promoting matrix and release liner recycling worldwide.

Find out more:

Acti-V® Glassine release papers

Silca™ Glassine, SCK, HPL release papers

Silco™ Clay-coated release papers

Silco™ MF, MG coating base papers

Acti-V® Release Liner Technology

Ahlstrom-Munksjö in brief
Ahlstrom-Munksjö is a global leader in fiber-based materials, supplying innovative and sustainable solutions to its customers. Our mission is to expand the role of fiber-based solutions for sustainable everyday life. Our offering includes filter materials, release liners, food and beverage processing materials, decor papers, abrasive and tape backings, electrotechnical paper, glass fiber materials, medical fiber materials, diagnostics and energy storage solutions, as well as a range of specialty papers for industrial and consumer end-uses. Our annual net sales is about EUR 3.1 billion and we employ some 8,000 people. Read more at www.ahlstrom-munksjo.com

Member of the Executive Committee

Responsible for more than 12,000 employees in 29 countries

Committed to maintaining a diverse, motivated and inclusive team

Thomas Ott, 54, has been appointed CEO of the Flexible Packaging and Engineered Materials business units at Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, earlier this year.

Born in Vienna, Thomas looks back on an impressive international career, including time spent in Italy and the USA. He began his career at Mondi in 1995 as a financial controller and took on leading positions in various business sectors in the following years. His last job was with the packaging manufacturer Amcor in Switzerland.

As CEO of Mondi Flexible Packaging and Engineered Materials, Thomas is responsible for around €4 billion in turnover with a team of more than 12,000 employees in 29 countries. He succeeds Peter Orisich, who has recently retired.

According to the industry expert, developing sustainable, recyclable packaging solutions and effective measures against climate change are currently the primary challenges. Commenting, Ott said: “Mondi’s entire business activity is driven by our commitment to sustainability. As part of our Mondi Action Plan 2030 (MAP2030), we aim to make all Mondi products reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. We are also taking action on climate with MAP2030 Climate Action Roadmaps and committed to a science-based greenhouse gas emissions Net-Zero target by 2050.”

To achieve this, Thomas is counting on a diverse, motivated and inclusive team: “Safeguarding all forms of diversity throughout the organisation is – and will remain – one of our primary tasks,” he points out.

Thomas lives and works in Vienna. He is married and has three children.

www.mondigroup.com

There’s something about Denmark and the Danes – a kind of intellectual bonding that manifests itself in commercial cooperation and mutual assistance.  Nick Coombes visited Grafisk Maskinfabrik in Birkerød and spoke with company CEO Uffe Nielsen to find out more.

Grafisk Maskinfabrik A/S, or GM as it is more usually known, began life in 1980 manufacturing electronic controls for a range of different engineering companies, and as such developed a highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce that was able to turn its hand to more than just electronics.  By 1983 the decision was made to diversify the business and GM engaged in manufacturing in its own right, and began to develop a range of slitters, die-cutters, and sheeters for the narrow web sector.  In the mid 90s, fellow Danish company Nilpeter requested the expertise of GM to develop finishing lines for digital print, and this became the start of a journey towards fully automated tool free laser-based finishing systems.

According to GM’s CEO Uffe Nielsen: “There is something of a Danish hub in manufacturing, which from a country of only 5 million people makes us rather special – in fact it’s a policy that is actively encouraged by the Danish authorities who are keen to establish a degree of independence and a high-quality pedigree in design and manufacture.  And it’s not just in industrial products – look at Danish furniture, glassware, and other consumer items – they have a style of their own, and a reputation for quality.”

Over the next 15 years, GM prospered but also noticed the growth of digital technology in the label market – digital technology that included printing but little else.  “Having cut our teeth in manufacturing with simple but cost-effective converting equipment, we spotted a niche for something more ambitious in the way of a complete finishing line.  Flexo label presses offered this single pass to finished product, digital presses didn’t, and we took the opportunity to fill that gap,” explained Nielsen.

To make such a leap required massive additional funding, and with the aid of Dansk Ejerkapital, GM turned itself almost overnight from a small artisan workshop into a modern production outfit that has seen staff numbers rise from 60 to 140, and sales increase by almost 30%.  But moving into finishing required the assimilation of new techniques and technology, including surface treatment of the digitally printed web prior to it being further processed.

“We knew of corona treatment but little more than that until we investigated the market and found the pioneers and technology leaders were not only Danish, but only two hours away from our HQ.  To say the rest is history exaggerates the point, but when you have Vetaphone’s vast wealth of knowhow and experience to draw on, in a common language and the same time-zone, and with an R&D philosophy that mirrors our own, why would we look elsewhere?”  he added.

The cooperative partnership effectively began in 1998 and has thrived ever since.  With run lengths seemingly in permanent decline as brand owners shy away from large inventories, what label converters need today is a flexible production capability that offers maximum on-shelf impact.  “We buy with our eyes,” said Nielsen, “so labels need to attract attention as well as supply vital information, much of it governed by international legislation.  The label is probably the hardest working element in printed packaging, so ensuring that it is always of top-quality is essential – re-runs are wasteful and costly, so all production elements need to perform reliably – and guaranteed correct surface treatment on some of today’s tricky substrates is the difference between profit and loss.”

With a global user base to support, GM is also grateful for the international back-up offered by Vetaphone and its sales and service network.  Today’s competitive marketplace makes no allowances for sustained periods of downtime in production, and this applies to printing and converting as much as any other process.  Printed packaging is the largest sector of the print market and is predicted to continue its rapid growth as more of the world moves into buying branded goods, so getting it right first time, every time, is critical.

But the Covid-19 pandemic has seen a major change in business habits and processes.  Long periods of lockdown prevented sales and support staff from travelling to see customers in person, and GM, along with Vetaphone, has invested heavily in showroom and demonstration facilities that allow online presentations of technology that no exhibition could manage.  Speaking for Vetaphone, CSO Jan Eisby commented: “The likelihood of most of our potential customers ever visiting us in Denmark is slim – so, with the lack of trade fairs to exhibit our technology we set about creating a means of taking Vetaphone technology out to the world.”

This chimes well with Uffe Nielsen, whose fully equipped demo facility at Birkerød has added scope to the company’s sales and marketing approach.  “With our extensive range of equipment these days, the ability to hold live online demos is a great sales tool.  Whether potential customers are interested in a general overview of our technology of something more specific, we have the facility to accommodate their needs,” he said.

Knowing the two companies and seeing their facilities and capabilities makes this whole ‘Danish hub’ concept come to life.  Both exude an air of assured competence based on an in-depth understanding of their respective technology and attention to detail both internally through R&D and manufacturing, but also externally by listening carefully to each customer’s specific requirements.  As Eisby concluded: “We are very proud of our heritage as a company and as a nation, and if this translates into providing a quality product and quality service to our customers in partnership with other manufacturers, that sounds like a winning formula to me!”

Today, both companies are acknowledged as market leaders in their respective sectors of operation, with the ongoing commitment to R&D and quality control that are requisites for Industry 4.0.  As the demand for more sophisticated packaging continues to grow, close cooperative partnerships of this type will be essential to satisfy the demands of brand owners and legislators alike.

www.gm.dk

www.vetaphone.com

DWS Printing & Packaging discusses their MPS EF SYMJET ‘powered by Domino’ hybrid press for labels & shrink sleeves. This visit to their Deer Park, NY facility on Long Island was to learn more about the company, why they chose Domino, and the benefits realized in adding this hybrid press to their business.

The interview was captured in this video:  VIDEO: DWS & Domino

Perfecting the craft since 1865

“So, what’s critical to us is that we are a tried & true and solid partner to our clients. But at the same time, we demand and expect the same level of support and partnerships from our supply chain… namely Domino… and we’ve gotten it,” says Andy Staib, fourth generation owner & CEO of DWS.

Andy continues. “Our great grandfather was one of the original principles. We think that’s pretty unusual to be in business that long and have maintained the family heritage. Our primary niche is in the craft beer, beverage, and food markets, but we also cater to non-alcoholic, to the organic food space. Unlike some of the bigger guys, we can be responsive with shorter runs and quicker turnaround. We like it. That’s really where our comfort zone is.”

Due diligence process in selecting digital

John Gulino, Senior Technical Director at DWS describes the due diligence process they went through in selecting their digital printing partner. “We always like to be innovative. We want to be on the cutting edge. We don’t want to be a follower. So, we vetted out every technology that was out there. During our vetting process we had all the press manufacturers run all the same files on all the same material. We labelled independently each sample from each press manufacturer. We gave our Sales team the exact same samples on the exact same substrates and asked them all for their opinion. And unanimously, it came back to Domino.”

“So, once we decided on a Domino UV inkjet, we decided that hybrid was the way for us. Then came the decision on how are we going to build a hybrid press that’s best for DWS. And that’s when we decided on MPS.” 

DWS’ hybrid press configuration 

John provides an overview of the configuration they selected for their hybrid press. “This is our MPS EF SYMJET powered by Domino.  We have two flexo stations in front for printing UV ink, we have cold foil, we have the Domino N610i with 7-colors, we have two flexo stations in the back for printing UV ink, we have a turn bar for two-sided printing, a lamination station, we have semi and full-rotary die-cutting, and this is Felix our lead pressman, and it’s all powered by one press console.”

The DWS difference

John describes how DWS helps their brand owner customers differentiate product, and standout from the competition.  “Clients often come to us because we have our own in-house design team, and they’re looking for how we can make their labels better.  One of our brewery clients wanted to put different dogs on all their beer labels, but they had no idea how to do that.  We were able to show them how variable data can improve their selling ability.  Without having the digital capabilities of Domino, we could not have done that with our traditional flexo or offset printing.  So having the Domino hybrid technology has taken us to a completely different level.  There’s not many people that are doing what we can do, or do it as well as we can do it.  And Domino has been able to give us the technology and the quality to provide those to our clients.”

Andy says, “We took it one step further.  We wanted to keep sleeving in-house.  And it was the digital technology that helped us get there.  And it brings a solution to the table that the other guys just don’t have.  It’s a game changer.”

DWS has their own packaging operation where shrink sleeves are applied to empty beverage cans.  Andy explains, “One of the reasons that we got into digital printing in the first place was so that we could streamline the process.  So, the labels that you just saw hot off the press are going right into sleeving…thanks to my nephew TJ, generation five.  The sleeves are getting applied right here in-house, they go through a short conveyor system, and about three seconds later we’ve got a finished pre-sleeved can.  Nobody else is doing this.  The bottom line… none of this would be possible without our hybrid press.  How cool is that?!”

DWS & Domino partnership

Andy summarizes the relationship of DWS & Domino by saying, “Domino has been there, right from the start, to help us get through the learning curve, to understand digital, and to support us throughout the process. So, it’s been great.” 

Expanding into Austin, TX DWS installed another Domino – MPS hybrid press.

Domino is a leading manufacturer and distributor of digital printing and product identification solutions. Celebrating its 44th year in business, Domino is a global organization with world headquarters in the UK, and North America headquarters in Gurnee, IL. Domino has 25 subsidiaries, representation in over 120 countries, and over 3,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Domino digital printing, please visit dominodigitalprinting.com  

TLMI Urged Swift Resolution to UPM Paper Mill Strikes in Finland

At the direction of the Board of Directors, the association weighed in on industry-connected labor work stoppages that have impact on the tag and label industry, supply chain and customer outlets.

On April 6th, the association issued a statement urging all parties to come to an immediate resolution of the ongoing strikes at numerous UPM paper mills in Finland. The strikes (now over 3 months long) have impacted globally significant paper that produce and supply a variety of label-making materials.

In the statement, TLMI highlighted the vital commercial importance labels play across industries; buying decisions, advice on medication use, food ingredients, allergy warnings, storage requirements and a host of other important on-package instructions.

The prolonged strike has significantly impacted the availability of appropriate and required paper grades, the basis for many important labels and the information they carry to brands and consumers.

Breaking News: The nearly four month long strike ended earlier this morning, as UPM and the Paperworkers’ Union parties have agreed to a 4 year contract across the impacted business units. Reuters reports that employees will immediately return to work, with customer deliveries also scheduled to resume.

West Coast Port & Dock Workforce – Upcoming Labor Negotiations

TLMI is also closely following labor negotiations with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), which covers 22,000 organized workers at nearly 30 ports along the West Coast. Collectively, these contracts are renewed every six years. While labor disruptions have occurred in previously (most recently in 2015), current labor shortages, alongside backlogs of cargo scheduled for movement place a particular importance that an expedient agreement be reached.

In anticipation of difficult negotiations against the backdrop of existing supply chain backlogs, initial discussions are set to begin on May 12th between ILWU leadership and the Pacific Maritime Association. The current contracts expire in July. TLMI will continue to follow the progress and discussions.

As always, the information provided in TLMI’s RAC Newsletter should not be construed as legal guidance. If you have questions on the legislation or initiatives highlighted, please contact Bryan Vickers, bvickers@pacellp.com, 703-403-2882 for more information.

April 22, 2022

Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) to Head to Conference

As reported on in our March newsletter, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) continued its progress, the Senate version (S. 3580) passing the full Senate via voice vote on March 31st. The legislation joins the House approved version (H.R. 4996) in conference to hammer out differences between the two versions, before it is sent to President Biden for his consideration (the Administration is on record in support of the legislation, and the President has indicated he will sign OSRA into law once it reaches his desk).

Both bills overhaul the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), providing specific authority to regulate shipping activity in and around U.S. ports.

Key among OSRA’s provisions are:

-Clarification of when certain charges for at-port equipment and equipment return (commonly referred to as Detention and Demurrage) charges may be assessed by ocean carriers and other entities, to shippers.

-Establish minimum service requirements for contracts to ensure freight is not unreasonably refused.

-Ensuring anti-retaliatory safeguards are in place to protect parties that file complaints to the FMC or other regulatory bodies.

Many of the charges currently assessed to shippers and freight forwarding companies from both ocean carriers and other port-based stakeholders are passed down through their supply chain partners, customers and ultimately, the final end market and consumers. Ultimate passage of OSRA and regulatory implementation should reduce the costs for goods currently being incurred by TLMI members and their supply chain partners.

Chinese Tariff Update

An issue TLMI has reported on for the past three years, earlier this month, the U.S. Court of International Trade issued a decision regarding legal challenges to existing Section 301 25% tariffs currently in place on thousands of Chinese imports. TLMI member companies and their supply chain customers frequently source both raw material inputs, alongside components and finished products currently covered by the 25% tariff.

The decision will require the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) to provide additional documentation and reasoning on the tariffs by the end of June. The Court’s decision does not require immediate repeal of the current tranche of tariffs for covered Chinese imports, and the 25% tariff  will remains in place for the time being. 

Later this year the USTR is expected to provide a new exclusion process for those companies seeking tariff removal for specific products. TLMI will continue to closely follow this issue, and will provide next steps for consideration, once processes are announced and formalized.

 As always, the information provided in TLMI’s RAC Newsletter should not be construed as legal guidance. If you have questions on the legislation or initiatives highlighted, please contact Bryan Vickers, bvickers@pacellp.com, 703-403-2882 for more information.

April 22, 2022

Packaging-Connected PFAS Use, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Product Labeling

As we approach the end of April, TLMI continues to follow state legislative activity with the potential to impact the tag and label supply chain and their broader supply chain and customer bases. Only eight states have will have their legislatures in session past June 30th, with much of that time in recess until they close at the end of the year.

Here are some of the legislative initiatives that have moved since our last update.

California continues to look at a variety of legislation with the potential to impact the tag and label industry. Assembly Bill 2247, would establish a publicly accessible reporting platform to collect information about PFAS and products or product components containing regulated PFAS. The clearinghouse database would be in place by March of 2024. This bill is currently in its initial Committee hearings.

Senate Bill 1097 would require all cannabis products, other than those for topical use, to include a warning label that covers at least 1/3 of the front or principal face of the product, using the largest practical font type possible (in bright yellow), and include a pictorial or graphic element, along with an approved warning to the consumer. SB 1097 is scheduled for its second Senate Committee hearing the week of April 18th. Please note – while the US Congress is currently considering legislation to change federal banking regulations to permit some cannabis and marijuana financial transactions, these laws remain in place for the time being.

Also active in-state on the labeling front is Senate Bill 1232 which would slightly expand on-product label eligibility for those products making biodegradable, degradable or decomposable claims, should certain environmental markers be met. SB 1232 is scheduled for a hearing on April 25th.

Maryland  Senate Bill 273, addresses PFAS use, including its incorporation as an input  for package various components, specifically labels, inks and adhesives. SB 273 continued earlier Committee progress, passing both legislative chambers. On April 20th,  Governor Hogan signed the legislation into law.

SB 273 prohibits the manufacture of, or knowingly offering for sale or distribution in state, paper-based food or beverage packaging containing PFAS that is designed and intended for direct food contact. The “direct food contact” clause was included in the final version of the legislation. The PFAS restrictions are effective beginning January 1, 2024.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul removed EPR and PFAS-prohibition packaging provisions from the state’s final budget bill, with both measures expected to receive consideration under the normal legislative process. 

The recent state activity surrounding permissibility of PFAS use in packaging coincides with the US EPA’s announcement in late March that the agency would be removing two additional PFAS classes from its Safer Choice Program, in an effort to reduce exposure to consumers.

Finally, the Hawaii legislature has moved forward legislation (House Bill 2399-SD 1) that would create a funding base for a future Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program funding. While both Oregon and Maine last year passed detailed EPR bills with outlined requirements for packaging reduction, reuse, producer responsibility organization responsibilities and connected brand/producer fee structures, the centerpiece of the Hawaii bill is a $150 per ton fee on larger importers of “fast moving consumer products”, which covers traditional food and beverage product categories. TLMI will continue to follow the legislation, which has passed both chambers, and inform members of future implications for the tag and label industry.

As always, the information provided in TLMI’s RAC Newsletter should not be construed as legal guidance. If you have questions on the legislation or initiatives highlighted, please contact Bryan Vickers, bvickers@pacellp.com, 703-403-2882 for more information.

See Samples at the Xeikon Café Chicago

Itasca, IL – Xeikon has announced the introduction of gold and silver metallic toners for its Xeikon Cheetah 2.0 Series, the most advanced line of digital label presses on the market, in line with the company’s strategy to focus on the label industry and develop application-tuned solutions.

The production of labels for wine, health and cosmetics typically requires specific embellishing steps. This has been traditionally achieved by either printing on a metallic substrate, using metallic inks or using a cold or hot foiling process. However, these traditional techniques involve high setup costs due to expensive materials and tools and to the high amount of waste generated to reach the expected quality. Adding the metallic color digitally eliminates these costs, avoids secondary processes and unlocks new value-added label design options such as personalization.

A few years ago, Xeikon launched its ‘Creative Toner’ series, a portfolio designed to enhance packaging with specific colors. Palladium Silver and Matt Silver were the first creative colors to be introduced. Today, Xeikon expands this family with Metallic Gold and Metallic Silver to provide a digital alternative to flexo printed gold or silver, measuring 6-8 on the Flop Index, an index that measures the reflectance of a metallic color. These metallic colors fit in the 5th color station of the Xeikon Cheetah press. Dry toner technology allows for hassle-free color swapping by just replacing the toner dosing unit and the developer unit. There is no extensive cleaning process required as the toner is dry, and a quick brushing with a vacuum cleaner is sufficient to be up and running between jobs.

As digitalization evolves and is increasingly adopted by the printing industry, digital technology becomes more integrated into all processes, including the converting and embellishing print manufacturing processes. Xeikon currently offers offline digital embellishing for 2D, 3D, haptic varnishing and foiling on its Xeikon Fusion Embellishment Unit (FEU). Inline embellishing with full-color digital print is available as haptic white on the Xeikon Panther UV-IJ Series. The use of metallic toners on Xeikon Cheetah 2.0 presses make it much easier to produce labels that are less complex while dramatically reducing turnaround times and simplifying the overall production process.

Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s Vice President Marketing, confirms: “The development of application-tuned toners empowers printers to create their own digital solution, allowing them to stand out from other print providers and remain competitive. With the Xeikon Metallic Gold and Silver toners, we continue our commitment to innovate in leading-edge technology and provide new opportunities for the label printing industry.”

Xeikon metallic toners will be available as of May 2022 for all Xeikon Cheetah 2.0 users. At the Xeikon Café Europe 2022, April 26-28, visitors will see live demonstrations at the Global Innovation Center. Visitors to the Xeikon Café Chicago, May 18-19 will see the great sample output. Label printers and converters will also learn how the latest Xeikon solutions bring more value to their business. In addition, visitors can reserve individual sessions with Xeikon experts to get in-depth insight and discuss opportunities and needs.

ABOUT XEIKON

Xeikon, a division of Flint Group, is a long-standing leader and innovator in digital printing technology. Grounded in the principles of quality, flexibility and sustainability, Xeikon designs, develops and delivers web-fed digital color presses for label and packaging applications, document printing, and commercial printing. These printing machines work with different imaging technologies, open workflow software and application-specific consumables.

In 2015, Xeikon joined Flint Group to create a new “Digital Printing Solutions” division for the leading global print consumables and solution provider to the packaging and print media industries. Flint Group develops and manufactures an extensive portfolio of consumables for the printing industry. These include a vast range of conventional and energy-curable inks and coatings, press room chemicals, printing plates and equipment, printing blankets and sleeves, and pigments and additives for use in inks and other colorant applications. The Flint Group is based in Luxembourg and employs around 7900 people. On a worldwide basis, the company is the number one or number two supplier in every major market segment it serves.

For more information about Xeikon, visit www.xeikon.com and for Flint Group, visit www.flintgrp.com

Follow Xeikon on:

Twitter.com/Xeikon | Linkedin.com/Xeikon | Youtube.com/Xeikon | Facebook.com/XeikonInternational

Les Crudettes declared Gold winner at this year´s Packaging Innovation Awards by DOW using FunctionalBarrier Paper by Mondi.

The recyclable packaging was judged in the categories of sustainability & responsible packaging and technological advancement.

French vegetable producer Les Crudettes uses the paper-based solution to replace plastic packaging for its ready-to-eat salads in France.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, and French Les Crudettes – LSDH Group’s Vegetable Division were recognised as Gold winner at this year´s Packaging Innovation Awards by DOW for using recyclable FunctionalBarrier Paper manufactured by Mondi to protect ready-to-eat salads. This prestigious prize follows five other wins scooped last year for the innovative paper-based solution.

Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper replaces plastic films and laminates traditionally used for FMCG and consumer products with a recyclable and renewable solution. It consists of 95% paper with a functional barrier layer and keeps Les Crudettes salad just as fresh as the previous alternative. Mechanical properties include puncture resistance, flexibility, printability and barrier protection. The applied coating technology creates individual barriers against grease and water vapour while ensuring freshness for up to 10 days – the same amount of time as with the former plastic packaging.

Mondi used its EcoSolutions approach to work closely with Les Crudettes to help the company meet its sustainability goals of reducing the amount of plastic in its packaging for its salads. The packaging is verified as recyclable in the wastepaper stream in France and saves 137 tonnes of plastic per year. Additionally, the solution supports Mondi’s MAP2030 sustainability goal to make 100% of its products reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

Falk Paulsen, Sales & Business Development Director Functional Paper and Films, Mondi, says: “Les Crudettes gave us the challenge of developing a fully recyclable paper-based packaging solution and we are pleased that the Packaging Innovation Award acknowledges FunctionalBarrier Paper for its sustainability credentials. It is an ideal example of creating packaging that is designed for recycling. We are pleased that our product has been honoured as a Gold winner.”

Géraldine Collet, Marketing and Innovation Director, Les Crudettes, adds: “This award is a recognition of our ground-breaking innovation; our bags could revolutionise the ready-to-eat salad market. Working together with Mondi has resulted in hugely reducing the amount of plastic needed.”

The Packaging Innovation Awards by Dow, which took place in a virtual ceremony on 31 March 2022, recognise outstanding packaging projects from around the globe. They showcase the most innovative breakthroughs based on the criteria of sustainability, technological developments and enhanced user experience.

A group of independent judges from seven countries – and representing more than 300 years of combined industry experience – evaluated 189 submissions from companies worldwide. The packaging projects range from food and beverage applications to homecare and even electronic goods.

www.mondigroup.com