Ian Melin-Jones

Ian Melin-Jones

Global paper manufacturer and distributor PAPELERA NACIONAL S.A. (PANASA) is enhancing its sustainability with a new Global Water & Energy (GWE) wastewater treatment plant in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

The GWE anaerobic plant will convert organic contamination present in the wastewater to up to 4,200 Nm3 of biogas, which when utilized as a fuel, is an equivalent of 2,818 kg fuel oil per day.

 PANASA’s Global Water & Energy wastewater treatment plant in EcuadorPANASA’s Global Water & Energy wastewater treatment plant in Ecuador

PANASA has been producing Kraft paper since 1968. Throughout the years the company has increased its production, installed new equipment and optimized fiber control and preparation processes. 50 years later, it can produce 18 times more paper, with annual production volumes exceeding 180,000 metric tons.

By choosing GWE’s solution, PANASA has the opportunity to tackle two of the most significant problems faced by the pulp and paper industry – efficient wastewater treatment and fossil fuel dependency.

Turning problem into profit

The organic contamination present in the PANASA’s wastewater stream will be converted to biogas by GWE’s ANUBIXTM – T Expanded Granular Sludge Bed (EGSB).

“ANUBIX™-T reactors are designed with a focus on minimal maintenance and operational requirements. Their tower-like design also saves a significant amount of space compared with other wastewater treatment plant designs,” says GWE, which has more than 400 high-efficiency wastewater treatment projects in 64 countries. GWE recently rebranded from Global Water Engineering to reflect a growing focus on green energy generation.

“The high efficiency of the wastewater treatment system helps to reduce the environmental footprint of forward-thinking companies like PANASA,” says GWE.

The savings produced by replacing fossil fuels will ultimately cover the entire cost of the wastewater treatment plant and then go on producing profit virtually in perpetuity, says GWE.

GWE’s ANUBIX™-T, including auxiliary equipment and tanks, was chosen after a thorough supplier selection process. GWE’s new waste-to-energy technologies will be incorporated into PANASA’s existing aerobic wastewater treatment facilities as a turn-key project.

“Selection of the ANUBIX™-T turn-key solution is a testament to the engineering ingenuity of the system, and the hard work of the entire GWE team in making sure all of PANASA’s needs were met,” says GWE.

ANUBIX™-T ultra-high loading rate anaerobic reactor

GWE’s ANUBIX™-T can be used for the anaerobic treatment of wastewater streams in a broad range of applications, including breweries, soft drinks and other beverages production, paper mills, starch production, and many others.

ANUBIX™-T is an ultra-high loading-rate system utilizing expanded granular sludge bed technology. It is suitable for high-strength wastewaters with organic content up to 15,000 mg/l.

GWE has ANUBIX™-T installations in several countries globally, where the generated biogas is often used to power boilers, or sold back to the grid for a profit.

At the project design phase, additional provisions can be implemented for pre-settling of solids, heating, cooling, CO2 degasification, and inline neutralization, to customize the installation to suit unique requirements.

The ANUBIX™-T reactor is capable of handling very high loading rates of up to 25 kg COD/m³/d, depending on the type of wastewater.

MicroCapture has re-launched its range of formaldehyde-free microencapsulated fragrances amid industry concerns about the environmental impact of using melamine formaldehyde encapsulates in paper disposables.

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The newly launched range will trade under the brand names MentholCapTM - a range of natural eucalyptus and menthol based decongestants and AromaCapTM - a range of on-trend fragrances. All are formulated using all-natural biodegradable capsule wall materials and botanical and nature identical fragrances. The tissue fragrance specialist has also added three new allergen-free fragrances to the AromaCapTM range to respond to a growing trend for fragrances which are free from any of the 22 identified allergen species which occur in commonly used botanical and nature identical fragrance formulations.

MicroCapture’s Commercial Director, Sam Fells explains: “Driven by our existing customers’ requirements, we’ve never used melamine formaldehyde or synthetic polymers and increasingly we’re being asked by new customers to help them move their encapsulates to a more environmentally sound formulation. All our encapsulates are based on shell walls made from natural gums and gels. We’ve extended the range to include a number of new on-trend fragrances including bergamot & green tea, rose & sandalwood and lavender & geranium as well as an extra strength menthol eucalyptus.”

AromaCapTM and MentholCapTM fragrances have a friction release action for a fresh burst of fragrance when the tissue is handled by consumers in use. They are supplied ready to use requiring no dilution and are best suited to application towards the end of the conversion process via low - pressure spray or rotary spray systems such as Weko.

Supplied with a 12 month shelf life in bulk form, once applied AromaCap and MentholCap fragrances stay intact on the tissue almost indefinitely. Says Sam, “I have an old box of menthol tissues made by Stuart Edgar back in the late 1980s, the fragrance is still there and still releases when you handle the tissue. Not that I’m suggesting anyone should aspire to keeping finished stock for 30 years, but it’s amazing how long it lasts once applied!”

2019 03 21 095357MicroCapture is a specialist manufacturer with over 25 years’ experience of developing microencapsulated fragrances specifically for use in tissue applications.

MicroCapture’s fragrances are used worldwide by the largest tissue convertors.

AromaCap and MentholCap fragrances are skin safe and REACH certified for use in tissue and other dry cosmetic applications.

Stora Enso starts co-determination negotiations with employees at Oulu Mill in Finland regarding a plan to convert the paper mill into packaging board production and the closure of paper machine 6 and a sheeting plant. The planned change could result in a reduction of a maximum of 400 employees at the mill. The decision on the potential conversion will be made by the Stora Enso Board of Directors during the first half of 2019 after the co-determination process has been completed.

stora new 2017
Stora Enso announced in June 2018 that it would evaluate development opportunities for the Oulu Mill, because current coated wood-free paper production is facing challenges with market demand and profitability. The feasibility study focused on converting the mill into packaging board grades. Based on the technical and financial aspects of the feasibility study results, the proposed plan is to convert paper machine 7 into kraftliner production and close down paper machine 6 and the sheeting plant by the end of 2020 at the latest. The capital expenditure for the potential investment is estimated to be approximately EUR 350 million during the years 2019–2021 instead of the EUR 700 million estimated in the initial feasibility study scope.


The potential investment would include a new world-class kraftliner line with a capacity of 450 000 tonnes per year and the modification of the pulp mill and drying machine to produce unbleached brown pulp. Moreover, it would include investments to enhance environmental performance.

The potential conversion of Oulu Mill would enable Stora Enso to further improve its position in the growing packaging business and take a major step in its transformation. The aim of the change is to improve the competitiveness of Oulu Mill and to ensure a long-term future for the mill.

The environmental permit will be filed in March. The permit application will also include a description of a potential conversion for paper machine 6, in case this option would be considered at a later date.

The entire personnel of Stora Enso Oulu Oy, approximately 600 people, falls within the scope of the negotiations, which will start on 25 March 2019. In line with Finland’s co-determination law, the negotiations are based on the proposed conversion plan and include the reorganization of structures, functions, resources and job roles. The negotiations are expected to take at least six weeks. The potential changes affecting personnel would take place by the end of year 2020.

No decisions regarding the planned conversion or redundancies will be taken until the co-determination negotiations have been concluded.

Part of the bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper. We believe that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso has some 26 000 employees in over 30 countries. Our sales in 2018 were EUR 10.5 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY). storaenso.com

Don’t work harder; work smarter.

This old adage is taking on new significance as digitalisation transforms our economies. Today, we stand at the precipice of a global productivity revolution and the watchword of this will be: “work smarter.”

poyry logo 2017Yet, while this transformation will free us from a great deal of wasted time, it will also require us to change the energy industry. In the future, we will all be required to learn new skills and change the way we work – quite fundamentally – to adapt to this emerging reality.

This requires workforces to change their cultures and mindsets, while also learning new ways of working. This is no small task. Yet it is vital, because those who succeed will find themselves at a competitive advantage.

Digital applications in energy have the potential to transform the sector, by delivering greater efficiency throughout the entire supply chain, by revolutionising companies’ relationships with their customers, and by unlocking the potential for deep decarbonisation through automating flexibility to match production patterns of renewable energy. The earliest digital breakthroughs are in predictive asset maintenance, improved forecasting and real-time monitoring, and digital tools that aim to attract and retain customers. Drones and UAVs for remote inspections, as well as process mining and text mining are also helping to improve efficiency. Digital twins allow ‘what-if’ and predictive analysis to be performed on virtual representations of physical assets. Artificial intelligence is unlocking value almost everywhere it is applied.

So, while this revolution will be full of opportunity, we must ask ourselves some tough questions: What does the future look like? How do companies ensure they have the right structure and skills to lead this change? And what does the company of the future look like?

Skilling up

While still a nascent technology, predictive asset maintenance is becoming one of the more mature digital technologies in the energy sector – and it tells us important things about the changes to come. Today, predictive maintenance is at the cutting edge, but tomorrow it will be part of a much bigger system. We are still at the cusp of what the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) can do.

The guiding star for all “industry 4.0” technologies will be data. The data that these IIoT sensors gather will enable companies to identify and resolve problems remotely, allow engineers to deploy their time more efficiently and, eventually, machine learning might help plants automate simple engineering jobs. It will also allow plant owners to gain insights into their own operations and identify how assets can be used more productively. Energy companies are still only at an early stage in exploiting digital technologies and data streams, such as machine learning applied to rich data sources.

However, this future is not yet here. To reach this point, we need better access to clean, accessible data streams and we need to better identify where to focus our efforts. We also need to get around practical barriers like the interoperability of these sensors. Although the limits are expanding fast, constraints on processing power, data storage and algorithms mean that the 80:20 rule still applies to data analytics. It is these practical considerations that led Pöyry to co-develop Krti 4.0, a machine learning predictive maintenance framework that works across different kinds of sensors. It begins with prioritisation using Pöyry’s RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Safety) methodology, to assess and prioritise the most relevant potential causes of failure. This RAMS approach distinguishes Krti 4.0 from less discerning systems; allowing Pöyry’s engineering experience to direct the system to focus on the most important data.

Tomorrow’s barriers will be the evolving relationship between humans and machines: we must learn when to trust machine decisions, how to monitor and when to take back control, and how to augment machine learning with humans’ experience and knowledge from beyond the data. For policymakers, it may also require changes to the way with think about regulation, as the lines blur between utilities and tech companies.

Adapting for change

Yet for all of this, the biggest barrier will be ourselves. Today’s engineers have learned their trade in the last few decades, yet the skills required of them will change in the coming ones. In an interconnected, data-driven world; engineers will find they are required to be software and hardware engineers, and even drone operators, as much as they are required to be power engineers. Knowledge and information will be treated as a precious company resource and will be managed and maintained.

This will require cultural transformation. Companies that adopt a forward-looking and nimble posture will steal a march over companies that are slower to adapt. The Silicon Valley “move fast and break things” mentality might seem anathema to engineers who have grown up in a world of careful design and planning, but just as tech start-ups are currently challenging the status quo in the transport and retail industries, they will challenge engineering too.

Another challenge is to develop digital solutions within a strategic plan, so that data sources are carefully consolidated and synergies are fully exploited.

Finally, in this fast-paced world, companies that do get first mover advantage must not rest on their laurels, lest the advanced technology of today become the legacy system of tomorrow.

The coming revolutions

All of this means those of us who are working in the energy sector can no longer consider ourselves discrete from technology experts. We must understand both worlds. Companies and their people must now start planning to become digital-first. This is about weaving digital into the fabric of what we do – not simply as something that is bolted on.

What’s more is that this revolution is happening hand in hand with another one – decarbonisation. This will be complemented by the digital one. It will be digital technologies that facilitate decentralised generation, load balancing and demand-response. Traders are already using AI based forecasting and algorithmic trading to help them get ahead of their competition in energy markets, and digital tools are being used to help companies attract and retain customers.

It is this final element which makes the revolution inevitable. The energy industry simply will not continue as it is. As we’ve learned by speaking to clients through our own digital readiness service, change is often unsettling – even for those who understand it best – but it is happening, whether we like it or not.

If you haven’t started the journey to a digital future yet – start today.

Stephen Woodhouse is Chief Digital Officer at Pöyry.

JOI Hydro-Bond is a new technology from Futura which, for the first time in tissue converting, achieves perfect adhesion of tissue plies using water alone - no glue.

The technology is the result of months of experimentation at FuturaLab – Futura’s hub of innovation – and the results have been a revelation.

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“There are no chemicals at play here,” says Futura’s Chief Technology Officer Giovacchino Giurlani. “Perfect adhesion of the tissue plies is the result of a combination of the uniform nip pressure of JOI’s renowned Zero Deflexion steel marrying roll, which evenly connects the plies using water to create permanence to the tissue-to-tissue bond which results.”

The technology has been tested and proven under real-life operating conditions, using a wide variety of toilet tissue, including conventional and structured. And thanks to collaboration with our customers, Futura has been able to verify the process in everything from warm and humid to cold and dry climates, using the varied local water quality available. The results have consistently confirmed the validity of Hydro-Bond even with 3 and 4 plies.

The end result is a product which is more hygienic and pleasant for the consumer to use, and more sustainable, from both an environmental and economic point of view. “The roll which results from JOI Hydro-Bond retains all its qualities, but is better thanks to what it is missing,” says Sergio Tonarelli, Futura’s Chief Sales Officer.

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The production process without glue will provide increased output. Removing glue from the equation also means reduced contamination of the machine with the benefits which this brings. While glue represents a cost, the main impact is the efficiency-related savings in the process, which mean increased Overall Equipment Efficiency.

“Our task now is to continue sharing this genuine innovation with the industry,” says Tonarelli. “FuturaLab is going to be a busy place as we can now show tissue makers how JOI Hydro-Bond works with their specific paper.”

An open house demonstration to launch JOI Hydro-Bond will take place on Thursday 28 March 2019 at FuturaLab in Lucca.

Södra’s pioneering Act of a Hero campaign was named Marketing Campaign of the Year at the PPI Awards in Vienna last night.

Linda Ottosson, Head of Marketing Communication, who led the campaign with Sales Director Marcus Hellberg, accepted the award on behalf of the Södra Cell team, along with Customer relations Manager, Angeline Elfström. “We’re extremely proud of the pioneering Act of a Hero campaign for several reasons,” she told the audience.

PPi Awards 2019 - Angeline Elfström & Linda OttossonPPI Awards 2019 - Angeline Elfström & Linda Ottosson

“We pushed the boundaries of traditional advertising by a pulp supplier, deliberately targeting our customers’ customers and spreading a generic positive message about sustainable forest products. The campaign far exceeded our expectations and those of the customers we collaborated with (another first), registering over 4.3 million views (including search engine views). Video views number more than 815,000 so far.”

“The statistics are impressive,” added Hellberg, “but they’re not the whole story. The fact that we have won not one but two awards for this campaign (it also won Sofidel’s Best Sustainable Project, Social Category) shows there is real value in creative, out-of-the-box communication, especially when it is accompanied by analysis of the stakeholders in the chain and collaboration with customers. We also need to thank our creative agency, Ehrenstrahle, for helping us to think bravely and to take a whole new approach to the marketing of pulp.”

https://www.sodra.com/hero

Founded in 1938, Södra is Sweden’s largest forest-owner association, with nearly 52,000 forest owners as its members. We conduct modern and responsible forestry, and operate state-of-the-art mills in which we process our raw material. In 2018, sales amounted to SEK 24 billion and employees totalled 3,100. Through value-generating relationships and a long-term approach, Södra shows the way for the next generation of forestry.

Valmet has extended the cooperation with Endress+Hauser by signing a distributor agreement for wastewater automation. Valmet's target is to strengthen and expand its wastewater business in Norway and help the wastewater industry to improve and optimize its processes.

valmet logoAccording to the agreement, Valmet provides its advanced wastewater automation and measurement technology, while Endress+Hauser is responsible for sales, engineering and services in Norway. Valmet and Endress+Hauser already have similar agreements regarding wastewater business in Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Beneficial collaboration with a strategic approach

Endress+Hauser has long experience of the business environment and wastewater industry in Norway. Together with Valmet's strong automation expertise and advanced technology, the companies can develop wastewater automation and measurement business forward.

"The cooperation helps to expand Valmet's wastewater business in Norway. Endress+Hauser AS has good knowledge about Norway's wastewater customers and business environment, and Valmet's wastewater products fit very well to the existing offering of Endress+Hauser," says Heli Karaila, Business Manager, Wastewater, Automation, Valmet.

"We wish to express our global and strategic approach into the water and wastewater industry, especially when it comes to sludge measurement and handling. In Norway, we have dedicated microwave specialists for this purpose, which is why we think it's natural and beneficial to join forces with Valmet in this specific industry. The products are fitting nicely into our product portfolio as complementary devices for sludge measurement and handling. We find the experience and the closeness of Valmet's competence hubs in Finland and in Sweden as a great advantage for both us and our customers," says Tore Sandvoll, CEO, Endress+Hauser AS Norway.

Information about Valmet's measurement solutions

Valmet's automation and measurement solutions portfolio includes a long tradition of pioneering innovative measurement solutions for wastewater. Valmet's solid sensors provide proven results for all sludge processing stages in over 1,000 references in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants globally. Read more about Valmet's offering: www.valmet.com/wastewater

Information about Endress+Hauser

Endress+Hauser is a global leader in measurement instrumentation, services and solutions for industrial process engineering. The group employs more than 13,000 personnel across the globe, generating net sales of over 2.2 billion euros in 2017. Endress+Hauser provides sensors, instruments, systems and services for level, flow, pressure and temperature measurement as well as analytics and data acquisition. The company supports customers with automation engineering, logistics and IT services and solutions.

Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.

Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy.

Valmet's net sales in 2018 were approximately EUR 3.3 billion. Our more than 12,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

 

Solenis has been named as one of only 12 winners in the NextGen Cup Challenge, a global innovation competition backed by giants of the food-service industry to redesign and create a widely recyclable and/or compostable fiber hot and cold to-go cup. The Challenge attracted nearly 500 entries from more than 50 countries.

Solenis received the award in the Innovative Cup Liners category for its TopScreen™ recyclable and compostable barrier coatings technology.

Solenis TopScreen barrier coatings are suitable for packaging applications that require specific liquid/moisture vapor barrier properties and can replace barriers composed of polyethylene (PE). In the same family are formulations designed to replace perfluorocarbon (PFC) in a variety of applications where grease resistance and moisture vapor barrier properties are required.

Solenis TopScreen™ recyclable and compostable barrier coatings technology replaces plastic liners for fiber to-go cups.Solenis TopScreen™ recyclable and compostable barrier coatings technology replaces plastic liners for fiber to-go cups.

TopScreen formulations are produced with a minimum or no fossil fuel components and a maximum of sustainably sourced raw materials. Ideal as a more sustainable and cost-effective barrier option for PE-free cups, Solenis TopScreen barrier coatings can be used to produce fully recyclable and repulpable paper and paperboard packaging. TopScreen barrier coatings can be applied on paper machine coaters or offline coating equipment, providing flexibility for cup makers and utilization of existing cup-making equipment. As a truly global materials supplier, Solenis is uniquely positioned to implement the TopScreen barrier coating solution for paper cups anywhere in the world.

More than 250 billion fiber to-go cups are used annually. The PE lining that keeps them from leaking also prevents them from being recycled or composted. Instead, they wind up in landfills or waterways, contributing to the growing plastics pollution problem.

The NextGen Cup Challenge was initiated by the NextGen Consortium, a multi-year partnership of leading food-service industry players convened by Closed Loop Partners to address single-use food packaging waste globally. 

“This is outstanding recognition for the great work done over the past several years by our research and development team,” said Larry Hutchinson, Solenis global market development manager for Consumer Board. “The demand for a more sustainable paper cup is growing worldwide and this award confirms that Solenis is among the leaders in providing an immediate and viable solution.”

About Solenis

Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals for water intensive industries, including the pulp, paper, oil and gas, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power and municipal markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of process, functional and water treatment chemistries as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets and minimize environmental impact. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 41 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of approximately 5,200 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com.

About Closed Loop Partners
Closed Loop Partners (CLP) is an investment platform that invests in sustainable consumer goods, recycling and the development of the circular economy. Investors include many of the world’s largest consumer goods companies and family offices interested in investments that provide strong financials returns and tangible social impact. In 2018, CLP launched the Center for Circular Economy, a New York City-based collaboration center for innovators to commercialize products, services and technologies that are leading the transition from a linear take, make, waste economy to a restorative one in which materials are shared, re-used, and continuously cycled. Learn more at www.closedlooppartners.com

What will a sustainable and exciting packaging concept look like in 2030? Most likely we will see many and innovative answers to that question at PIDA (Packaging Impact Design Award), the international design competition arranged and hosted by BillerudKorsnäs. In this year’s edition of PIDA, the brief encourages the participating students to gaze into the future and create an innovative, functional and sustainable packaging concept to solve a problem of the future.

“We have to start today if we want to find tomorrow’s solutions. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Design for the future means to stop and think, question the way things are, identify problems and go to work to change things for the better. This year’s theme gives the students tons of opportunities to push the envelope of their creativity,” says Johanna Oderstad, Technical Sales Carton Solutions BillerudKorsnäs.

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Bring the Future
Consumers of today demand more of a package than ever. They expect less plastic, unique design and sustainable solutions. 72% of all consumers say they are willing to pay more for a product packed in a sustainable way, according to a BillerudKorsnäs 2017 survey. The theme for this year’s PIDA is Bring the Future and the key word is “sustainability”. “A theme this broad gives the students ample possibilities to go their own way. They can fantasize about future scenarios that they are able to imagine. We hope to see innovative concepts that will give us new food for thought.”

Selecting an international winner
The Swedish part of PIDA will be held on 22 May in Stockholm. Here, students from Germany will participate as well. PIDA France will be held on 16 June in Reims. For the first time this year, UK students have their own PIDA event – in Sheffield on 4 June. And also for the first time, an international PIDA winner will be selected at the luxury packaging show Luxe Pack in Monaco on 30 September.

“We have arranged PIDA for many years now, with a similar setup over a long time. We want to take the competition to a new level. This way we can give the students an even greater incentive and introduce their design projects to a wider audience,” says Johanna Oderstad.

About PIDA
For the 15th consecutive year the international packaging design competition PIDA (Packaging Impact Design Award) is arranged by BillerudKorsnäs. Around 200 design students from France, Germany, Sweden and the UK participate. At each national event winners are selected in the following categories: Highest Level of Sustainability, Highest Level of Innovation, Highest Level of User Friendliness, and PIDA Gold Award. The competition aims to demonstrate the importance of packaging to products, brands and the environment.

BillerudKorsnäs provides packaging materials and solutions that challenge conventional packaging for a sustainable future. We are a world-leading provider of primary fibre based packaging materials and have customers in over 100 countries. The company has 8 production sites in Sweden, Finland and the UK and about 4300 employees in over 13 countries. BillerudKorsnäs has an annual turnover of about SEK 22 billion and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. www.billerudkorsnas.com

Transition to Circular Economy is a necessity when we wish to create a better and more sustainable future for our children and the generations to come. We need to make the most of our limited resources and work together against climate change. Amerplast and Metsä Tissue’s Serla brand are partnering to introduce the first Circular Economy Tissue Packaging to the market.

2019 03 08 094918Amerplast’s ESSI Kiertokääre is a circular economy packaging concept that utilizes recycled plastic from industrial sources and post-consumer recycled plastic packaging separately collected from Finnish households. According to Amerplast research the use of recycled raw materials decreases the environmental effects of packaging and also the need for virgin raw materials.

What makes Serla’s Green Pack packaging unique is not only the use of recycled materials. The packaging is a combination of both the ESSI Kiertokääre concept and biobased Green PE polyethylene. Green PE is produced using ethanol, a by-product in sugar production. It contains no fossil raw materials and can be recycled in existing recycling streams. Sugar cane is a 100% renewable and carbon dioxide depleting resource. It removes up to 2.15 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere for each ton produced, from cradle to the supplier Braskem’s gate (source: LCA study by E4tech & LCA Works). After use, the Green Pack packaging is fully recyclable through existing recycling streams as raw material for new tissue packaging.

“We are excited and proud to launch this innovative material on Serla yellow toilet tissue packages. Sustainability is in the core of the Serla brand, and in addition to this new packaging we are supporting the Circular Economy also by using recycled paper in Serla products”, says Hanna Hirvonen, Brand Manager for Serla.

“Amerplast is committed to develop sustainable solutions for flexible packaging applications as a part of our AmerGreen sustainability program. Our emphasis is on the recyclability and the use of recycled and biobased materials. We are constantly looking for more sustainable alternatives to traditional oil based virgin raw materials. Our target is to make recycled and bio based raw materials a standard in our business”, says Ari-Pekka Pietilä, Amerplast CMO. “Transition to circular economy is a team effort and cooperation with innovative and environmentally aware customers like Metsä Tissue play a key role in the transformation of our industry into an environmentally sound business”, Pietilä concludes.

About Amerplast

Amerplast, founded in 1952, is one of Europe's largest flexo printers and bag converters and a leader in sustainable and innovative packaging solutions, manufacturing flexible packaging for fast moving consumer goods for both food and non-food categories. The company plays a key role in consumer goods categories such as retail bags, bakery, fresh and frozen food, consumer tissue and personal care, providing optimal logistics and packaging solutions that efficiently support customer business. With manufacturing plants in Finland and Poland and sales offices in Germany, Sweden and Russia, Amerplast employs around 450 people and sells to customers in more than twenty five countries. With its AmerGreen program Amerplast is taking a leading position in transforming the flexible packaging industry into an environmentally sound business. www.amerplast.com 

About Metsä Tissue

With its high-quality tissue and greaseproof papers, Metsä Tissue makes life more comfortable for consumers, customers and end-users every day. Metsä Tissue is a leading tissue paper products supplier to households and professionals in Europe and the world’s leading supplier of greaseproof papers. Metsä Tissue’s main brands are Lambi, Serla, Mola, Tento, Katrin and SAGA. With production units in five countries, Metsä Tissue employs a total of about 2,800 people and the sales in 2018 were EUR 1 billion. Metsä Tissue is part of Metsä Group. www.metsatissue.com