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Packaging Technology

HELSINKI, Dec. 1, 2020 (Press Release) -The conversion of Stora Enso's Oulu paper mill into a packaging board mill is nearly completed. The project employs approximately 1,800 external workers in an area of 140 acres on two separate sites. In November, Covid-19 infections were detected among contractors working on the project. Everyone working at the mill site were asked to take a corona test, which, according to the local health authority, resulted in approximately 150 infections related to the mill project. Less than ten Stora Enso employees have been infected. Recent tests show a decline in number of infected people. New tests will be conducted for all non-infected persons working on the site, starting at the end of this week.

At Stora Enso, the safety of our employees and contractors is always our highest priority. In order to implement the extensive investment project in Oulu, precise instructions were made already in the early stages of the pandemic to prevent coronavirus infections. The work was divided into two different construction sites, one at the pulp mill and the other at the board mill. The work has been done in small groups, where physical contact between the different groups has been avoided according to a detailed shift and break schedule. The use of face masks has been required in accordance with the official instructions. Contract workers from outside of Finland have been tested according to Finnish regulations, meaning they need to have proof of a negative test from their home country that is no more than 72 hours old, and then be retested in Finland before arriving to the mill.

Despite all precautions, unfortunately several persons working on the mill’s investment project became infected towards end of November. In order to evaluate the situation, all those working at the Oulu mill were tested between 24th and 30th of November. During that time, more than 1,700 tests were performed by Stora Enso. In addition, some companies working in the project have also tested their own employees. According to the local health authority data, a total of about 150 infections related to the Oulu mill project were found, some of which were asymptomatic. The positive test results of the last few days have been clearly declining.

“Infections appear to be concentrated around the board machine site, where about 600 people have worked in different shifts and groups. People’s safety and stopping the virus from spreading is of utmost importance. We have required our subcontractors to provide clear and thorough guidance and monitoring regarding the compliance of their own employees’ quarantine regulations. It’s everybody’s responsibility to remain isolated and follow social distancing also after working hours,” says Stora Enso Oulu Mill’s director Juha Mäkimattila.

Stora Enso works closely with local health authorities and the city of Oulu. The entire personnel working at the mill will be re-tested and testing will be continued as needed. The health authority and the company has instructed the workers currently in quarantine that their work at the mill can only continue after a negative test result has been obtained and presented.

“We are doing everything we can to secure the situation, and aim to continue the project only in those areas where it is safe to continue working. It is a big exercise to conduct tests of nearly 2000 people, but it is necessary. The project is nearly completed, and the goal is to reduce the number of people working at the mill with about a thousand by Christmas”, says Mäkimattila.

Stora Enso completes round of Covid-19 testing of employees at its Oulu mill in Finland; new round of testing set for end of this week

Posted in: Packaging Technology 12/07/2020 - 10:30

HELSINKI, Dec. 1, 2020 (Press Release) -The conversion of Stora Enso's Oulu paper mill into a packaging board mill is nearly completed. The project employs approximately 1,800 external workers in an area of 140 acres on two separate sites. In November, Covid-19 infections were detected among contractors working on the project. Everyone working at the mill site were asked to take a corona test, which, according to the local health authority, resulted in approximately 150 infections related to the mill project. Less than ten Stora Enso employees have been infected. Recent tests show a decline in number of infected people. New tests will be conducted for all non-infected persons working on the site, starting at the end of this week.

At Stora Enso, the safety of our employees and contractors is always our highest priority. In order to implement the extensive investment project in Oulu, precise instructions were made already in the early stages of the pandemic to prevent coronavirus infections. The work was divided into two different construction sites, one at the pulp mill and the other at the board mill. The work has been done in small groups, where physical contact between the different groups has been avoided according to a detailed shift and break schedule. The use of face masks has been required in accordance with the official instructions. Contract workers from outside of Finland have been tested according to Finnish regulations, meaning they need to have proof of a negative test from their home country that is no more than 72 hours old, and then be retested in Finland before arriving to the mill.

Despite all precautions, unfortunately several persons working on the mill’s investment project became infected towards end of November. In order to evaluate the situation, all those working at the Oulu mill were tested between 24th and 30th of November. During that time, more than 1,700 tests were performed by Stora Enso. In addition, some companies working in the project have also tested their own employees. According to the local health authority data, a total of about 150 infections related to the Oulu mill project were found, some of which were asymptomatic. The positive test results of the last few days have been clearly declining.

“Infections appear to be concentrated around the board machine site, where about 600 people have worked in different shifts and groups. People’s safety and stopping the virus from spreading is of utmost importance. We have required our subcontractors to provide clear and thorough guidance and monitoring regarding the compliance of their own employees’ quarantine regulations. It’s everybody’s responsibility to remain isolated and follow social distancing also after working hours,” says Stora Enso Oulu Mill’s director Juha Mäkimattila.

Stora Enso works closely with local health authorities and the city of Oulu. The entire personnel working at the mill will be re-tested and testing will be continued as needed. The health authority and the company has instructed the workers currently in quarantine that their work at the mill can only continue after a negative test result has been obtained and presented.

“We are doing everything we can to secure the situation, and aim to continue the project only in those areas where it is safe to continue working. It is a big exercise to conduct tests of nearly 2000 people, but it is necessary. The project is nearly completed, and the goal is to reduce the number of people working at the mill with about a thousand by Christmas”, says Mäkimattila.

ESPOO, Finland, Dec. 3, 2020 (Press Release) -Corrugated board is traditionally used for packaging to protect berries and fruit throughout the production chain. However, the added value it can give to sales recognition and branding goes even further. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, and DS Smith have implemented a modern and top-quality berry box together with their partner network. The packaging is printed using process colour and Full HD technology, which has reduced ink consumption while enabling exceptionally high image quality and bright colours.“The design of the packaging did not use vector graphics commonly used in berry boxes, instead a photo-based multicolour print was printed on the corrugated board. This process was extremely demanding, and required a high-quality coated white kraftliner,” says Ville Laiho from DS Smith, the packaging producer. The EB-flute corrugated board packaging was made using MetsäBoard Pro WKL 175 g/m² as topliner.

The berry box is safe for direct contact with food thanks to material made of fresh fibres. In addition, a package made of fresh fibres withstands humid conditions better than a package made of recycled fibres. On the way from the field to the consumer, the moisture conditions can vary considerably, the packaging must therefore protect the product throughout the chain. After use, the corrugated box is also easy to recycle.

“Sustainability is a key trend, which can be seen in consumers and brands wanting to move from plastic to fibre based packaging and to reduce the carbon footprint of packaging. Packaging made from fresh fibre paperboard is therefore the material of the future,” says Ilkka Harju Packaging Design Director, EMEA and APAC at Metsä Board. “The range of premium berry boxes will soon be completed with a carton that can be used to replace plastic retail packaging.”

In addition to DS Smith, there were two other companies from Metsä Board’s Excellence Centre partner network involved: Marvaco, who took care of the repro work and Futupack, who will deliver smaller quantities to farmers in cooperation with DS Smith.

Metsä Board

Metsä Board is a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and forerunner in sustainability. We produce premium lightweight folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners for consumer goods packaging as well as retail-ready and food service applications. We work together with our customers on a global scale to innovate solutions for better consumer experiences with less environmental impact. The pure fresh fibres Metsä Board uses are a renewable resource, traceable to origin in sustainably managed northern forests. We aim for completely fossil free mills and raw materials by 2030.

The global sales network of Metsä Board supports customers worldwide, including brand owners, retailers, converters and merchants. In 2019, the company’s sales totalled EUR 1.9 billion, and it has approximately 2,400 employees. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Metsä Group

Metsä Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsä Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards and tissue and greaseproof papers.

In 2019, Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.5 billion, and it employs approximately 9,300 people. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 100,000 Finnish forest owners.

Metsä Board and DS Smith implement corrugated berry box with top quality print together with partner network

Posted in: Packaging Technology 12/04/2020 - 09:56

ESPOO, Finland, Dec. 3, 2020 (Press Release) -Corrugated board is traditionally used for packaging to protect berries and fruit throughout the production chain. However, the added value it can give to sales recognition and branding goes even further. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, and DS Smith have implemented a modern and top-quality berry box together with their partner network. The packaging is printed using process colour and Full HD technology, which has reduced ink consumption while enabling exceptionally high image quality and bright colours.“The design of the packaging did not use vector graphics commonly used in berry boxes, instead a photo-based multicolour print was printed on the corrugated board. This process was extremely demanding, and required a high-quality coated white kraftliner,” says Ville Laiho from DS Smith, the packaging producer. The EB-flute corrugated board packaging was made using MetsäBoard Pro WKL 175 g/m² as topliner.

The berry box is safe for direct contact with food thanks to material made of fresh fibres. In addition, a package made of fresh fibres withstands humid conditions better than a package made of recycled fibres. On the way from the field to the consumer, the moisture conditions can vary considerably, the packaging must therefore protect the product throughout the chain. After use, the corrugated box is also easy to recycle.

“Sustainability is a key trend, which can be seen in consumers and brands wanting to move from plastic to fibre based packaging and to reduce the carbon footprint of packaging. Packaging made from fresh fibre paperboard is therefore the material of the future,” says Ilkka Harju Packaging Design Director, EMEA and APAC at Metsä Board. “The range of premium berry boxes will soon be completed with a carton that can be used to replace plastic retail packaging.”

In addition to DS Smith, there were two other companies from Metsä Board’s Excellence Centre partner network involved: Marvaco, who took care of the repro work and Futupack, who will deliver smaller quantities to farmers in cooperation with DS Smith.

Metsä Board

Metsä Board is a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and forerunner in sustainability. We produce premium lightweight folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners for consumer goods packaging as well as retail-ready and food service applications. We work together with our customers on a global scale to innovate solutions for better consumer experiences with less environmental impact. The pure fresh fibres Metsä Board uses are a renewable resource, traceable to origin in sustainably managed northern forests. We aim for completely fossil free mills and raw materials by 2030.

The global sales network of Metsä Board supports customers worldwide, including brand owners, retailers, converters and merchants. In 2019, the company’s sales totalled EUR 1.9 billion, and it has approximately 2,400 employees. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Metsä Group

Metsä Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsä Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards and tissue and greaseproof papers.

In 2019, Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.5 billion, and it employs approximately 9,300 people. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 100,000 Finnish forest owners.

PARSIPPANY, NJ, Dec. 3, 2020 (Press Release) -Sun Chemical has further enhanced its online troubleshooting guide (http://inktsa.sunchemical.com) by adding potential solutions to common pressroom challenges in coldset and metal package printing processes.

Designed to help customers resolve common technical defects that can arise during a press run, the troubleshooting guide already offered solutions to help customers solve any challenge they may be facing with their flexographic, sheetfed, paper packaging, gravure, heatset and/or energy curable printing issues.

After choosing the printing process, the mobile-friendly website uses both photos and defect terms (dot gain, pinholes, feathering, comets, etc.) to help the press worker, while in the pressroom, identify which technical problem they are facing. They can either read the solution provided by Sun Chemical to resolve their particular challenge using their smartphone or can use a print function tool for a clean review of the problems/solutions on paper—whatever option is most convenient for them.

Sun Chemical’s troubleshooting website has translations in Italian, Spanish and Turkish and can be accessed easily from Sun Chemical’s Ink + Pressroom section of its website.

The troubleshooting website’s updated navigation uses a mobile-friendly drop-down menu that makes it easier to access all troubleshooting issues based on printing process and challenge. It also offers a clean and colorful look that mirrors the visual appearance of Sun Chemical’s recently updated website.

“Our customers need to keep their pressrooms running smoothly and limit downtime, and this online and mobile-friendly solution can help them resolve common problems they see on press,” said Heather Buchholz, Manager of Global Marketing Inks and Global Communications, Sun Chemical. “We’re excited to provide our customers with a useful tool that helps them troubleshoot issues for most printing processes, now including metal packaging and coldset printing.”

About Sun Chemical

Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC group, is a leading producer of printing inks, coatings and supplies, pigments, polymers, liquid compounds, solid compounds, and application materials. Together with DIC, Sun Chemical has annual sales of more than $7.5 billion and over 20,000 employees supporting customers around the world.

Sun Chemical Corporation is a subsidiary of Sun Chemical Group Coöperatief U.A., the Netherlands, and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S.A.

Sun Chemical adds two more printing processes to enhance its online troubleshooting guide

Posted in: Packaging Technology 12/03/2020 - 11:14

PARSIPPANY, NJ, Dec. 3, 2020 (Press Release) -Sun Chemical has further enhanced its online troubleshooting guide (http://inktsa.sunchemical.com) by adding potential solutions to common pressroom challenges in coldset and metal package printing processes.

Designed to help customers resolve common technical defects that can arise during a press run, the troubleshooting guide already offered solutions to help customers solve any challenge they may be facing with their flexographic, sheetfed, paper packaging, gravure, heatset and/or energy curable printing issues.

After choosing the printing process, the mobile-friendly website uses both photos and defect terms (dot gain, pinholes, feathering, comets, etc.) to help the press worker, while in the pressroom, identify which technical problem they are facing. They can either read the solution provided by Sun Chemical to resolve their particular challenge using their smartphone or can use a print function tool for a clean review of the problems/solutions on paper—whatever option is most convenient for them.

Sun Chemical’s troubleshooting website has translations in Italian, Spanish and Turkish and can be accessed easily from Sun Chemical’s Ink + Pressroom section of its website.

The troubleshooting website’s updated navigation uses a mobile-friendly drop-down menu that makes it easier to access all troubleshooting issues based on printing process and challenge. It also offers a clean and colorful look that mirrors the visual appearance of Sun Chemical’s recently updated website.

“Our customers need to keep their pressrooms running smoothly and limit downtime, and this online and mobile-friendly solution can help them resolve common problems they see on press,” said Heather Buchholz, Manager of Global Marketing Inks and Global Communications, Sun Chemical. “We’re excited to provide our customers with a useful tool that helps them troubleshoot issues for most printing processes, now including metal packaging and coldset printing.”

About Sun Chemical

Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC group, is a leading producer of printing inks, coatings and supplies, pigments, polymers, liquid compounds, solid compounds, and application materials. Together with DIC, Sun Chemical has annual sales of more than $7.5 billion and over 20,000 employees supporting customers around the world.

Sun Chemical Corporation is a subsidiary of Sun Chemical Group Coöperatief U.A., the Netherlands, and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S.A.

Multi-layer film made of BillerudKorsnäs paper ConFlex Silk as well as BASF’s biopolymer ecovio and lamination adhesive Epotal Eco
Home-compostable solution extends end-of-life options for flexible packaging applications
Performance regarding processing, sealing, printability and strength on same level as conventional multi-layer films

BASF and the Swedish packaging manufacturer BillerudKorsnäs have cooperated to develop a unique home-compostable paper laminate for flexible packaging. The multi-layer film consists of three basic components: BillerudKorsnäs‘ paper ConFlex Silk, a sealing layer made of BASF’s certified home compostable and partly bio-based biopolymer ecovio and BASF’s water-based adhesive Epotal Eco 3675 X which joins the film to the paper. As all parts of the multi-layer laminate are food-contact approved, it can be used to produce wraps with individually adjusted barrier properties, e.g. for cookies, ice cream, cereal bars and dairy items as well as wrappers for fish, meat and cheese freshly sold in supermarkets. All components are certified home compostable according to official European certification schemes for homecomposting. The laminate contains a high share of renewables and extends the endof-life options for multi-layer flexible packaging by being organically recyclable.

The new home-compostable solution has the same performance features as conventional multi-layer packaging: It is puncture resistant, shows a good printability, excellent heat-seal properties and can be processed on standard packaging machines. “We wanted to create a paper-based laminate with good heat-seal properties by using certified home-compostable components only”, says Amir Pourirani, head of global marketing Biopolymers at BASF. “There is a huge trend in society, in some countries driven by legislation, to move from plastic to paper-based packaging. Moreover, currently available multi-layer flexible films are difficult to recycle but the technical need is still present. In BillerudKorsnäs we found the ideal partner to develop a home-compostable solution based on paper with a broader endof-life option for packaging while maintaining the technical performance of traditional laminates.“ According to the targets of the „European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy“ all plastic packaging should be recyclable or reusable by 2030.

“With BASF’s certified home-compostable biopolymer and adhesive, we found the ideal components to take the next step towards another sustainable solution for flexible packaging in our portfolio”, says Markus Saari, business development manager at BillerudKorsnäs. “Our joint development represents a shift to paperbased and compostable material in order to replace traditional laminates for food packaging - meeting hygiene and barrier requirements, maintaining form and enabling many design possibilities just like conventional packaging but with the decisive added benefit that it is home-compostable.”

The sealable laminate is produced in a wet lamination process. The outer layer consists of BillerudKorsnäs’ home-compostable kraft paper ConFlex Silk, which is certified according to OK Compost Home by TÜV Austria. It shows good printability and high strength at a weight of 60 g/m². It is based on a mix of 100% primary fibers. The inner sealing layer of the flexible packaging is made of a blown film out of a particular ecovio® grade by BASF, which also holds the “OK Compost Home” certification by TÜV Austria.

The film is suitable for mono and co-extrusion and easy to seal. The sealing is laminated to the paper layer with BASF’s water-based dispersion Epotal Eco 3675 X. This adhesive is certified by DIN Certco as home-compostable according to DIN EN 13432, testing basis NF T 51-800. It can be processed like other adhesives by use of standard lamination machines and shows an excellent performance on different biodegradable substrates.

About BillerudKorsnäs

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 units in Sweden, Finland and the UK and about 4500 employees in over 13 countries. BillerudKorsnäs has an annual turnover of about SEK 24 billion and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S.

BASF and BillerudKorsnäs develop unique home-compostable paper laminate for flexible packaging

Posted in: Packaging Technology 12/03/2020 - 05:22

Multi-layer film made of BillerudKorsnäs paper ConFlex Silk as well as BASF’s biopolymer ecovio and lamination adhesive Epotal Eco
Home-compostable solution extends end-of-life options for flexible packaging applications
Performance regarding processing, sealing, printability and strength on same level as conventional multi-layer films

BASF and the Swedish packaging manufacturer BillerudKorsnäs have cooperated to develop a unique home-compostable paper laminate for flexible packaging. The multi-layer film consists of three basic components: BillerudKorsnäs‘ paper ConFlex Silk, a sealing layer made of BASF’s certified home compostable and partly bio-based biopolymer ecovio and BASF’s water-based adhesive Epotal Eco 3675 X which joins the film to the paper. As all parts of the multi-layer laminate are food-contact approved, it can be used to produce wraps with individually adjusted barrier properties, e.g. for cookies, ice cream, cereal bars and dairy items as well as wrappers for fish, meat and cheese freshly sold in supermarkets. All components are certified home compostable according to official European certification schemes for homecomposting. The laminate contains a high share of renewables and extends the endof-life options for multi-layer flexible packaging by being organically recyclable.

The new home-compostable solution has the same performance features as conventional multi-layer packaging: It is puncture resistant, shows a good printability, excellent heat-seal properties and can be processed on standard packaging machines. “We wanted to create a paper-based laminate with good heat-seal properties by using certified home-compostable components only”, says Amir Pourirani, head of global marketing Biopolymers at BASF. “There is a huge trend in society, in some countries driven by legislation, to move from plastic to paper-based packaging. Moreover, currently available multi-layer flexible films are difficult to recycle but the technical need is still present. In BillerudKorsnäs we found the ideal partner to develop a home-compostable solution based on paper with a broader endof-life option for packaging while maintaining the technical performance of traditional laminates.“ According to the targets of the „European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy“ all plastic packaging should be recyclable or reusable by 2030.

“With BASF’s certified home-compostable biopolymer and adhesive, we found the ideal components to take the next step towards another sustainable solution for flexible packaging in our portfolio”, says Markus Saari, business development manager at BillerudKorsnäs. “Our joint development represents a shift to paperbased and compostable material in order to replace traditional laminates for food packaging - meeting hygiene and barrier requirements, maintaining form and enabling many design possibilities just like conventional packaging but with the decisive added benefit that it is home-compostable.”

The sealable laminate is produced in a wet lamination process. The outer layer consists of BillerudKorsnäs’ home-compostable kraft paper ConFlex Silk, which is certified according to OK Compost Home by TÜV Austria. It shows good printability and high strength at a weight of 60 g/m². It is based on a mix of 100% primary fibers. The inner sealing layer of the flexible packaging is made of a blown film out of a particular ecovio® grade by BASF, which also holds the “OK Compost Home” certification by TÜV Austria.

The film is suitable for mono and co-extrusion and easy to seal. The sealing is laminated to the paper layer with BASF’s water-based dispersion Epotal Eco 3675 X. This adhesive is certified by DIN Certco as home-compostable according to DIN EN 13432, testing basis NF T 51-800. It can be processed like other adhesives by use of standard lamination machines and shows an excellent performance on different biodegradable substrates.

About BillerudKorsnäs

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 units in Sweden, Finland and the UK and about 4500 employees in over 13 countries. BillerudKorsnäs has an annual turnover of about SEK 24 billion and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S.

LONDON, Dec. 3, 2020 (Press Release) -As we adjust to the new normal with packaging playing an ever greater role in our lives, fears around packaging safety are front of mind. Six in ten consumers now claim to wash their hands thoroughly after touching packaged groceries and household products.

These fears could be eased today following the announcement that DS Smith, the leading sustainable packaging company, is exclusively partnering with Touchguard to develop a new range of bacteria and virus-safeguarded sustainable cardboard packaging across its operations in Europe and North America.

While there is no evidence of virus transfer from cardboard, the easily identifiable touch-safe zones can be applied at scale across a range of industries and applications meaning the anti-viral and anti-bacterial packaging provides an additional layer of protection as consumers and workers throughout the supply chain remain wary.

Not surprisingly, the importance of products ‘packaged in hygienic packaging’ is high among consumers with more than half (57%) saying they wash their hands thoroughly after touching e-commerce packaged products and 30% throw packaging away more quickly. DS Smith’s research, conducted with Ipsos MORI, suggests packaging hygiene will continue to be a priority in years to come.

The new patented technology is effective across a range of bacteria and viruses including envelope viruses, of which COVID-19 is a member[1][1]. This virus family requires its envelope and spikes to attach and replicate to host cells, but Touchguard disrupts the envelope to prevent the virus from replicating, effectively mitigating the risk of person-to-person transfer. It has a proven kill rate of 99.5% in under 15 minutes on bacteria types and envelope viruses and eliminates the risk of person-to-person transfer of infections such as MRSA and E.coli.

Alan Potts, Design and Innovation Director for DS Smith commented: “Whilst it would never replace good hygiene practices and due care, this technology has the potential to bring a real and proven additional layer of protection to our customers and their consumers as packaging moves across the supply chain. Importantly, this technology maintains the sustainability of our products and it is 100% recyclable.”

Meanwhile, with 89% of adults say they will continue to shop online at the same level or even more post the summer’s lockdown[2][2], this proven technology will further build consumers’ confidence around handling packaging in their homes.

Julian Dugdale, the inventor and CEO of Touchguard said:“Our partnership with DS Smith provides us with an opportunity to bring our patented Touchguard technology to the market at scale through its sustainable packaging offer. With its manufacturing reach across Europe and the US and an extensive e-commerce and fast-moving consumer goods customer base, we will be able to offer a range of solutions to support changing consumer habits.”

The new range promises to support the sustainable packaging market with potential scope across a variety of areas including e-commerce and food packaging, while still being 100% recyclable. The Touchguard coating and packaging will hold certification to AATCC100 (MOD), ISO18184:2019 (MOD) and also complies with BfR36 recommendations for food-contact materials.

As part of its recently launched Now and Next Sustainability Strategy, DS Smith has committed to closing the loop through better design and by 2023, it will manufacture 100% reusable or recyclable packaging.

About DS Smith:

DS Smith is a leading provider of corrugated packaging, supported by recycling and papermaking operations. Headquartered in London and a member of the FTSE 100, DS Smith focuses on creating innovative sustainable packaging solutions in 34 countries employing around 30,000 people. Using the combined expertise of its divisions – Packaging, Recycling and Paper – DS Smith works with customers to deliver solutions that reduce complexity and deliver results throughout the supply chain. Its history can be traced back to the box-making businesses started in the 1940s by the Smith family.

DS Smith partners with Touchguard to develop new range of bacteria and virus-safeguarded sustainable cardboard packaging in Europe and North America

Posted in: Packaging Technology 12/03/2020 - 03:43