Paper Packaging

Sappi is a manufacturer of flexible packaging papers with integrated barriers and heat-seal capability. Xeikon develops digital printing engines, both toner-based and inkjet, for a variety of packaging applications. One of its latest developments is Titon, a new toner formulation responding to sustainability trends in packaging, and claimed to offer, ‘all the benefits of UV inks without the disadvantages.’ Specifically, this sees the combination of the food-safe and odourless properties of dry toner with the special resistance to chemicals and mechanical abrasion of UV inkjet ink.

Sainsbury’s has switched its own-brand mushroom punnets from plastic to cardboard, in a move which will save over 775 tonnes of plastic, equivalent to 52 million pieces of plastic a year.

The swap marks the retailer’s biggest single plastics removal in its history – equivalent to the weight of 43 full London double-decker buses.

The change will be rolled out to all 13 own-brand lines including whole baby button, closed cup, organic and chestnut mushrooms by the end of the month.

As an e-commerce business, packaging is a key component of the customer journey. Ridestore’s mantra is to always exceed the customer’s expectation, and so this led to a collaboration with Billerud on a sustainability mission. Considering the inconsistent availability of plastic recycling in Ridestore’s markets, removing plastics sent to the customer was the goal, as well as to reduce the overall packaging material. Could this be achieved while also reducing emissions and improving the unboxing experience?

In September, 19 companies submitted 22 solution proposals to Moelven Wood's packaging challenge - to find a more sustainable packaging for their wooden interior panels.

Out of these, Ahlstrom, Billerud, Boxon, Lignin Industries, and T-Emballage were selected to work on the challenge during MoelvenHackathon. The innovation competition was arranged by the forestry bioeconomy cluster Paper Province and held in Karlstad, Sweden, on December 11 and 12.

Billerud was the winner

Paper-based packaging alternatives employ innovative technologies to deliver the right barrier, shelf-life, and machine performance to meet brand and product needs. Consumers often seek paper-based packaging to deliver a more sustainable end-of-life, due to widespread curbside paper collection and recycling. And on the shelf, paper-based solutions meet consumers’ preferences for a natural look and feel.

Import of paper and paperboard continues unabated. After a 25 per cent jump in FY23 in volume terms, paper imports have further risen by 43 per cent in the first half of FY24, according to DGCI&S data.

The surge in imports is mainly due to a 257 per cent growth in import of paper and paperboard from the ASEAN region at zero import duty under a free trade agreement.

In H1 FY24, import of paper and paperboard increased to 9.59 lakh tonnes from 6.72 lakh tonnes in H1 FY23. Imports from ASEAN grew from 81,000 tonnes in H1 FY23 to 2.88 lakh tonnes in H1 FY24.