USA – Swedish paper and packaging materials manufacturer Billerud has announced the launch of its portfolio of coated white top kraft liners into the US market.
The kraft liners have been introduced as part of the company’s efforts to expand its presence in the North American region.
The portfolio includes Billerud’s Pure Supreme and Pure Decor coated liner range.
Pure Supreme, according to Billerud, is a double-coated white top kraft liner, designed for litho-laminated packaging. It is ideal for high-quality prints and for providing lacquer, foil, and embossing effects on packaging.
Comparatively, Pure Decor is a light-coated white top kraft liner that has a smooth surface, suitable for various applications such as pre- or post-print flexographic and digital printing.
The company said that the paper comes with high strength and stiffness that allows for lighter paper grades, with less wash boarding and enhanced print quality.
Billerud’s senior director for Containerboard Product Management Rolf Gustafsson said: “Strong liners with excellent printability don’t need to be thick and heavy.
“With 100% virgin fibers and a multilayer construction, Billerud´s coated liners are so strong that packaging converters can use a lighter base weight which means better packaging performance and runnability at lower costs.
“This improves their resource efficiency and reduces their carbon footprint throughout the value chain.”
The new range of coated liners is further expected to improve the sustainability and cost performance of both companies and company owners.
Gustafsson added: “We only use strong virgin fibers sourced from responsible forestry. This enables us to offer our customers robust and clean boxes which improve brand image and generate performant packaging with reduced product waste. A necessity for today’s premium consumer goods brands.”
Meanwhile, in May, the company released its machine-glazed kraft paper to wrap toilet and kitchen paper rolls – claiming to offer recyclability, biodegradability, and the same strength as polyethylene alternatives, alongside reduced carbon emissions.
The long, white, virgin fibers used in the packaging are expected to enable high-quality printing while offering as much resilience as polyethylene plastics, according to drop tests – thus minimizing the risk of damage to the products within.
Furthermore, this strength is expected to reduce the necessary material weight and, as a result, save resources. Machine glazing is said to provide both strong sealing power and a smooth finish.
With the widespread use of kitchen and toilet paper, it is hoped that transitioning to paper wrapping will drive down plastics consumption and carbon emissions.
The solution also expects to meet consumer expectations for more sustainable packaging, with Billerud citing a 2021 Ipsos Global survey of 20,000 consumers suggesting that three out of four customers want to eliminate single-use plastics.
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