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Environment

HELSINKI, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Yesterday, UPM Raflatac helped launch The U.S. Plastics Pact's (“U.S. Pact”) “Roadmap to 2025,” an aggressive national strategy illustrating how the U.S. Pact, UPM Raflatac and fellow signatories, known as Activators, will achieve each of the U.S. Pact’s four 2025 targets through specific actions, responsibilities, and interim timeframes to realize a circular economy for plastics in the United States by 2025.

Launched in August 2020, The U.S. Plastics Pact is a consortium led by The Recycling Partnership and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact network, which unites a holistic ecosystem of cross-industry stakeholders behind a common vision and national strategy to address plastic waste at its source by 2025.

“It has been exciting to be part of the U.S. Plastics Pact since its inception and work with these incredible and passionate individuals. The launch of the Roadmap illustrates how far we have come in a very short time. We have set some ambitious goals and laid out the details of our execution plan in the Roadmap,” says Kyle Strenski, Business Director, HPC, Food and Beverage, at UPM Raflatac Americas

UPM Raflatac joins other stakeholders across the plastics value chain in achieving systemic change and accelerating progress toward the following 2025 targets by inspiring and supporting upstream innovation through coordinated initiatives such as rethinking products, packaging, and business models in order to transition away from today’s take-make-waste model to a circular economy where plastics never become waste:

Define a list of packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025.

  1. 100% of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.
  2. By 2025, undertake ambitious actions to effectively recycle or compost 50% of plastic packaging.
  3. By 2025, the average recycled content or responsibly sourced bio-based content in plastic packaging will be 30%.
  4. UPM Raflatac is committed to creating value from sustainable bio-innovations, such as UPM Raflatac Forest Film wood-based film. The company focuses on creating products that reduce the use of virgin fossil-based materials and treat waste as a valuable resource.

The U.S. Pact’s Roadmap is designed to kick-start action and help U.S. industry leaders and packaging producers develop a national strategy, advance shared goals, and measure the strength of progress through annual reporting. This national strategy will assist Pact Activators in reaching ambitious goals by 2025 that they could not otherwise meet on their own through sharing knowledge, optimizing investments, identifying gaps, overcoming systemic barriers, and implementing policies.

The Roadmap holds UPM Raflatac and other Activators of the U.S. Pact accountable to sustainability objectives by creating the pathway in which companies, governments and NGOs can successfully ensure that plastics remain in the U.S. economy and out of the environment for years to come.

UPM Raflatac 

UPM Raflatac is leading in sustainable labeling through our innovative self-adhesive label materials and services. We offer high-quality paper and film label stock for branding and promotion, informational labels, and labels with functionality. We operate a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices. Our company employs around 3,000 people and made sales of EUR 1.6 billion (USD 1.9 billion) in 2020. UPM Raflatac is part of UPM.

The Recycling Partnership

The Recycling Partnership is the action agent transforming the U.S. residential recycling system for good. Our team operates at every level of the recycling value chain and works on the ground with thousands of communities to transform underperforming recycling programs and tackle circular economy challenges. As the leading organization in the country that engages the full recycling supply chain, from working with companies to make their packaging more circular and help them meet climate and sustainability goals, to working with government to develop policy solutions to address the systemic needs of the U.S. recycling system, The Recycling Partnership positively impacts recycling at every step in the process. Since 2014, the nonprofit change agent diverted 375 million pounds of new recyclables from landfills, saved 968 million gallons of water, avoided more than 420,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and drove significant reductions in targeted contamination rates. Learn more at recyclingpartnership.org

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in nearly 100 countries for over half a century to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat the climate crisis. Visit www.worldwildlife.org learn more and keep up with the latest sustainability news by following @WWFBetterBiz on Twitter and signing up for our newsletter and news alerts here. 

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact Network

Since 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative has rallied businesses and governments behind a positive vision of a circular economy for plastic. Its 2016 and 2017 New Plastics Economy reports captured worldwide headlines, revealing the financial and environmental costs of waste plastic and pollution.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastics Pact Network is a globally aligned response to plastic waste and pollution, which enables vital knowledge sharing and coordinated action. It is a network of national and regional (multi-country) initiatives which brings together key stakeholders to implement solutions towards a circular economy for plastic, tailored to each geography. Each initiative is led by a local organisation and unites businesses, government institutions, NGOs and citizens behind a common vision, with an ambitious set of local targets.

UPM Raflatac helps launch US Plastics Pact's “Roadmap to 2025” strategy to achieve circular economy goals

Posted in: Packaging Technology 06/18/2021 - 07:23

HELSINKI, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Yesterday, UPM Raflatac helped launch The U.S. Plastics Pact's (“U.S. Pact”) “Roadmap to 2025,” an aggressive national strategy illustrating how the U.S. Pact, UPM Raflatac and fellow signatories, known as Activators, will achieve each of the U.S. Pact’s four 2025 targets through specific actions, responsibilities, and interim timeframes to realize a circular economy for plastics in the United States by 2025.

Launched in August 2020, The U.S. Plastics Pact is a consortium led by The Recycling Partnership and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact network, which unites a holistic ecosystem of cross-industry stakeholders behind a common vision and national strategy to address plastic waste at its source by 2025.

“It has been exciting to be part of the U.S. Plastics Pact since its inception and work with these incredible and passionate individuals. The launch of the Roadmap illustrates how far we have come in a very short time. We have set some ambitious goals and laid out the details of our execution plan in the Roadmap,” says Kyle Strenski, Business Director, HPC, Food and Beverage, at UPM Raflatac Americas

UPM Raflatac joins other stakeholders across the plastics value chain in achieving systemic change and accelerating progress toward the following 2025 targets by inspiring and supporting upstream innovation through coordinated initiatives such as rethinking products, packaging, and business models in order to transition away from today’s take-make-waste model to a circular economy where plastics never become waste:

Define a list of packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025.

  1. 100% of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.
  2. By 2025, undertake ambitious actions to effectively recycle or compost 50% of plastic packaging.
  3. By 2025, the average recycled content or responsibly sourced bio-based content in plastic packaging will be 30%.
  4. UPM Raflatac is committed to creating value from sustainable bio-innovations, such as UPM Raflatac Forest Film wood-based film. The company focuses on creating products that reduce the use of virgin fossil-based materials and treat waste as a valuable resource.

The U.S. Pact’s Roadmap is designed to kick-start action and help U.S. industry leaders and packaging producers develop a national strategy, advance shared goals, and measure the strength of progress through annual reporting. This national strategy will assist Pact Activators in reaching ambitious goals by 2025 that they could not otherwise meet on their own through sharing knowledge, optimizing investments, identifying gaps, overcoming systemic barriers, and implementing policies.

The Roadmap holds UPM Raflatac and other Activators of the U.S. Pact accountable to sustainability objectives by creating the pathway in which companies, governments and NGOs can successfully ensure that plastics remain in the U.S. economy and out of the environment for years to come.

UPM Raflatac 

UPM Raflatac is leading in sustainable labeling through our innovative self-adhesive label materials and services. We offer high-quality paper and film label stock for branding and promotion, informational labels, and labels with functionality. We operate a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices. Our company employs around 3,000 people and made sales of EUR 1.6 billion (USD 1.9 billion) in 2020. UPM Raflatac is part of UPM.

The Recycling Partnership

The Recycling Partnership is the action agent transforming the U.S. residential recycling system for good. Our team operates at every level of the recycling value chain and works on the ground with thousands of communities to transform underperforming recycling programs and tackle circular economy challenges. As the leading organization in the country that engages the full recycling supply chain, from working with companies to make their packaging more circular and help them meet climate and sustainability goals, to working with government to develop policy solutions to address the systemic needs of the U.S. recycling system, The Recycling Partnership positively impacts recycling at every step in the process. Since 2014, the nonprofit change agent diverted 375 million pounds of new recyclables from landfills, saved 968 million gallons of water, avoided more than 420,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and drove significant reductions in targeted contamination rates. Learn more at recyclingpartnership.org

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in nearly 100 countries for over half a century to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat the climate crisis. Visit www.worldwildlife.org learn more and keep up with the latest sustainability news by following @WWFBetterBiz on Twitter and signing up for our newsletter and news alerts here. 

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact Network

Since 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative has rallied businesses and governments behind a positive vision of a circular economy for plastic. Its 2016 and 2017 New Plastics Economy reports captured worldwide headlines, revealing the financial and environmental costs of waste plastic and pollution.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastics Pact Network is a globally aligned response to plastic waste and pollution, which enables vital knowledge sharing and coordinated action. It is a network of national and regional (multi-country) initiatives which brings together key stakeholders to implement solutions towards a circular economy for plastic, tailored to each geography. Each initiative is led by a local organisation and unites businesses, government institutions, NGOs and citizens behind a common vision, with an ambitious set of local targets.

Read more

HELSINKI, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Yesterday, UPM Raflatac helped launch The U.S. Plastics Pact's (“U.S. Pact”) “Roadmap to 2025,” an aggressive national strategy illustrating how the U.S. Pact, UPM Raflatac and fellow signatories, known as Activators, will achieve each of the U.S. Pact’s four 2025 targets through specific actions, responsibilities, and interim timeframes to realize a circular economy for plastics in the United States by 2025.

Launched in August 2020, The U.S. Plastics Pact is a consortium led by The Recycling Partnership and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact network, which unites a holistic ecosystem of cross-industry stakeholders behind a common vision and national strategy to address plastic waste at its source by 2025.

“It has been exciting to be part of the U.S. Plastics Pact since its inception and work with these incredible and passionate individuals. The launch of the Roadmap illustrates how far we have come in a very short time. We have set some ambitious goals and laid out the details of our execution plan in the Roadmap,” says Kyle Strenski, Business Director, HPC, Food and Beverage, at UPM Raflatac Americas

UPM Raflatac joins other stakeholders across the plastics value chain in achieving systemic change and accelerating progress toward the following 2025 targets by inspiring and supporting upstream innovation through coordinated initiatives such as rethinking products, packaging, and business models in order to transition away from today’s take-make-waste model to a circular economy where plastics never become waste:

Define a list of packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025.

  1. 100% of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.
  2. By 2025, undertake ambitious actions to effectively recycle or compost 50% of plastic packaging.
  3. By 2025, the average recycled content or responsibly sourced bio-based content in plastic packaging will be 30%.
  4. UPM Raflatac is committed to creating value from sustainable bio-innovations, such as UPM Raflatac Forest Film wood-based film. The company focuses on creating products that reduce the use of virgin fossil-based materials and treat waste as a valuable resource.

The U.S. Pact’s Roadmap is designed to kick-start action and help U.S. industry leaders and packaging producers develop a national strategy, advance shared goals, and measure the strength of progress through annual reporting. This national strategy will assist Pact Activators in reaching ambitious goals by 2025 that they could not otherwise meet on their own through sharing knowledge, optimizing investments, identifying gaps, overcoming systemic barriers, and implementing policies.

The Roadmap holds UPM Raflatac and other Activators of the U.S. Pact accountable to sustainability objectives by creating the pathway in which companies, governments and NGOs can successfully ensure that plastics remain in the U.S. economy and out of the environment for years to come.

UPM Raflatac 

UPM Raflatac is leading in sustainable labeling through our innovative self-adhesive label materials and services. We offer high-quality paper and film label stock for branding and promotion, informational labels, and labels with functionality. We operate a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices. Our company employs around 3,000 people and made sales of EUR 1.6 billion (USD 1.9 billion) in 2020. UPM Raflatac is part of UPM.

The Recycling Partnership

The Recycling Partnership is the action agent transforming the U.S. residential recycling system for good. Our team operates at every level of the recycling value chain and works on the ground with thousands of communities to transform underperforming recycling programs and tackle circular economy challenges. As the leading organization in the country that engages the full recycling supply chain, from working with companies to make their packaging more circular and help them meet climate and sustainability goals, to working with government to develop policy solutions to address the systemic needs of the U.S. recycling system, The Recycling Partnership positively impacts recycling at every step in the process. Since 2014, the nonprofit change agent diverted 375 million pounds of new recyclables from landfills, saved 968 million gallons of water, avoided more than 420,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and drove significant reductions in targeted contamination rates. Learn more at recyclingpartnership.org

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in nearly 100 countries for over half a century to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat the climate crisis. Visit www.worldwildlife.org learn more and keep up with the latest sustainability news by following @WWFBetterBiz on Twitter and signing up for our newsletter and news alerts here. 

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact Network

Since 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative has rallied businesses and governments behind a positive vision of a circular economy for plastic. Its 2016 and 2017 New Plastics Economy reports captured worldwide headlines, revealing the financial and environmental costs of waste plastic and pollution.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastics Pact Network is a globally aligned response to plastic waste and pollution, which enables vital knowledge sharing and coordinated action. It is a network of national and regional (multi-country) initiatives which brings together key stakeholders to implement solutions towards a circular economy for plastic, tailored to each geography. Each initiative is led by a local organisation and unites businesses, government institutions, NGOs and citizens behind a common vision, with an ambitious set of local targets.

UPM Raflatac helps launch US Plastics Pact's “Roadmap to 2025” strategy to achieve circular economy goals

Posted in: Environment 06/18/2021 - 07:23

HELSINKI, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Yesterday, UPM Raflatac helped launch The U.S. Plastics Pact's (“U.S. Pact”) “Roadmap to 2025,” an aggressive national strategy illustrating how the U.S. Pact, UPM Raflatac and fellow signatories, known as Activators, will achieve each of the U.S. Pact’s four 2025 targets through specific actions, responsibilities, and interim timeframes to realize a circular economy for plastics in the United States by 2025.

Launched in August 2020, The U.S. Plastics Pact is a consortium led by The Recycling Partnership and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact network, which unites a holistic ecosystem of cross-industry stakeholders behind a common vision and national strategy to address plastic waste at its source by 2025.

“It has been exciting to be part of the U.S. Plastics Pact since its inception and work with these incredible and passionate individuals. The launch of the Roadmap illustrates how far we have come in a very short time. We have set some ambitious goals and laid out the details of our execution plan in the Roadmap,” says Kyle Strenski, Business Director, HPC, Food and Beverage, at UPM Raflatac Americas

UPM Raflatac joins other stakeholders across the plastics value chain in achieving systemic change and accelerating progress toward the following 2025 targets by inspiring and supporting upstream innovation through coordinated initiatives such as rethinking products, packaging, and business models in order to transition away from today’s take-make-waste model to a circular economy where plastics never become waste:

Define a list of packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025.

  1. 100% of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.
  2. By 2025, undertake ambitious actions to effectively recycle or compost 50% of plastic packaging.
  3. By 2025, the average recycled content or responsibly sourced bio-based content in plastic packaging will be 30%.
  4. UPM Raflatac is committed to creating value from sustainable bio-innovations, such as UPM Raflatac Forest Film wood-based film. The company focuses on creating products that reduce the use of virgin fossil-based materials and treat waste as a valuable resource.

The U.S. Pact’s Roadmap is designed to kick-start action and help U.S. industry leaders and packaging producers develop a national strategy, advance shared goals, and measure the strength of progress through annual reporting. This national strategy will assist Pact Activators in reaching ambitious goals by 2025 that they could not otherwise meet on their own through sharing knowledge, optimizing investments, identifying gaps, overcoming systemic barriers, and implementing policies.

The Roadmap holds UPM Raflatac and other Activators of the U.S. Pact accountable to sustainability objectives by creating the pathway in which companies, governments and NGOs can successfully ensure that plastics remain in the U.S. economy and out of the environment for years to come.

UPM Raflatac 

UPM Raflatac is leading in sustainable labeling through our innovative self-adhesive label materials and services. We offer high-quality paper and film label stock for branding and promotion, informational labels, and labels with functionality. We operate a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices. Our company employs around 3,000 people and made sales of EUR 1.6 billion (USD 1.9 billion) in 2020. UPM Raflatac is part of UPM.

The Recycling Partnership

The Recycling Partnership is the action agent transforming the U.S. residential recycling system for good. Our team operates at every level of the recycling value chain and works on the ground with thousands of communities to transform underperforming recycling programs and tackle circular economy challenges. As the leading organization in the country that engages the full recycling supply chain, from working with companies to make their packaging more circular and help them meet climate and sustainability goals, to working with government to develop policy solutions to address the systemic needs of the U.S. recycling system, The Recycling Partnership positively impacts recycling at every step in the process. Since 2014, the nonprofit change agent diverted 375 million pounds of new recyclables from landfills, saved 968 million gallons of water, avoided more than 420,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and drove significant reductions in targeted contamination rates. Learn more at recyclingpartnership.org

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in nearly 100 countries for over half a century to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat the climate crisis. Visit www.worldwildlife.org learn more and keep up with the latest sustainability news by following @WWFBetterBiz on Twitter and signing up for our newsletter and news alerts here. 

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact Network

Since 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative has rallied businesses and governments behind a positive vision of a circular economy for plastic. Its 2016 and 2017 New Plastics Economy reports captured worldwide headlines, revealing the financial and environmental costs of waste plastic and pollution.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastics Pact Network is a globally aligned response to plastic waste and pollution, which enables vital knowledge sharing and coordinated action. It is a network of national and regional (multi-country) initiatives which brings together key stakeholders to implement solutions towards a circular economy for plastic, tailored to each geography. Each initiative is led by a local organisation and unites businesses, government institutions, NGOs and citizens behind a common vision, with an ambitious set of local targets.

Read more

HELSINKI, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Replacing plastics is a global necessity and alternative solutions are widely sought after, especially in the single-use-oriented food industry. This has resulted in constantly growing demand of bio-based packaging solutions. As a land of thousands of forests and one of the most innovative countries in the world, Finland offers unique wood-based innovations to replace traditional plastic packaging.

Almost 300 million tons of plastic waste is produced globally every year and in 2018, 174kg of packaging waste per inhabitant was generated just in the EU.* The European Commission has set packaging recycling as one of its top priorities, and the first requirements of the SUP (single-use plastics) directive, approved back in 2019, should enter into force as early as July 2021. The shift towards plastic-free packaging is fast and the future is made of sustainable, recyclable, renewable and low-carbon emission substitutes. Finland offers a wide selection of alternatives for different industries and needs.

“The packaging industry is at a turning point where the future of packaging is more versatile, bio-based and recyclable. As countries and companies announce their ambitious CO2 reduction goals, a low level of emissions is a must for new innovations,” says Marika Ollaranta, Head of the Bio and Circular Finland program from Business Finland, Finland’s trade, investment and travel promotion and innovation funding organization.

With 75 per cent of Finland covered in forest, forestry and wood-based industries are deep-rooted in Finnish society. Long traditions in finding innovative ways of using the side streams of the wood industry, such as fibers and pulp, have created a unique offering in bio-based solutions. Finland covers the complete value chain from PEFC certified forests to implementation-ready applications as well as recycling and reuse of wood fibers.

“Compared to other countries, we have our own well-kept forests that meet all global forest management standards. As the raw material is also refined here, the packaging innovations are often implementation-ready and fully applicable to the existing production machinery. We are also known for the high quality and the wide spectrum of products meeting different industry-specific needs. We have excellent know-how when it comes to wood and as the famous saying goes, if it can be made from oil, it can be made from wood”, Ollaranta elaborates.

THE WOODEN AGE OF FOOD PACKAGING

The transition from traditional plastics to non-plastics applies to a range of industries, of which the food industry is one of the fastest changing. Despite the industry being at the core of the global plastics challenge, it is heading in a more sustainable direction. In fact, Finland is on its way to becoming one of the first countries to have a completely transparent, safe and responsible food production chain as the industry strives for carbon neutrality and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2035. Much of the packaging solutions used by the food industry are already wood-based, which makes them renewable and recyclable to begin with.

Finnish experts answering to food industry’s needs with bio-based products include Woodly, Kotkamills, Pyroll Packaging, Sulapac, Jospak and Fazer.

Woodly is a material development technology company producing a new type of wood cellulose-based, transparent plastic-like material, called Woodly. It is carbon-neutral and the raw wood material comes from certified forests. The material is designed to be recycled in the plastic recycling stream after being used. It can also be burned if necessary. Woodly products are available in several different material grades, making it suitable for different plastic processing methods and end-products. The company recently announced a partnership with Finnish meat producer HKScan, which will be the first one in the meat product category in Finland to use Woodly material in the packaging of their selected grilled sausages in the summer of 2021. Also, a Finnish salad and herb producer Vihreäkeiju uses Woodly for their packages, available for consumers.

“What distinguishes Woodly from others is that it doesn’t try to replace plastic, but rather produces it from renewable raw materials. Instead of abandoning the whole concept of “plastic”, we approached the problem from another angle and replaced the raw materials from which it has been traditionally made of. The Woodly grain is also extremely versatile, which makes it attractive for big customers”, says Jaakko Kaminen, CEO of Woodly.

Kotkamills is a Finnish sawn timber, paper and paperboard manufacturer that explores and develops new, fiber-based sustainable packaging solutions, being one of the forerunners in circular economy. Founded in 1872, Kotkamills sawmill is the oldest one still operating in Finland and nowadays the company makes sure no part of the wood goes to waste by using the side streams of the sawmill, wood chips and sawdust, as raw material of the company’s other products, paperboard and saturating base kraft paper. Kotkamills also accelerates the circular change by producing fully recyclable paperboard, also with barriers, that is easily recyclable and its fibers re-usable as raw material of other paper or board products.

Kotkamills’ ISLA barrier boards can change the game in the single-use cup market. Unlike the commonly used cups containing polyethylene plastic, the unique water-based dispersion coated barrier boards are fully recyclable, biodegradable, industrially compostable as well as plastic-free. Because there is no polyethylene lining, products made of ISLA® barrier board can be easily recycled along with normal paper and board waste.

“Our product category consists of food-safe consumer boards, high-quality saturating base kraft paper and ecological wood products. At the moment, we are the only industrial producer of plastic-free coated packaging boards for the food industry and the potential is huge”, says Markku Hämäläinen, CEO of Kotkamills. In December 2020, Austrian Mayr-Melnhof Karton AB announced their acquisition of Kotkamills and closing of the transaction is expected over the summer 2021.

Pyroll Packagingprovides comprehensive customer solutions for packaging and packaging materials, from designing and co-creating to manufacturing and supplying ready-to-use packaging materials. Their packaging solution selection is one of the largest ones in the Nordics. The company’s PyrollGreen product family responds to the change in the industry and offers awarded sustainable and recyclable packaging alternatives made from bio-based fibers for bakery and dairy products, sweets and confectionary, processed meat and ready food, fast food and food-on-the-go such as salads, hamburgers, French fries and hotdogs.

“We do smart and sustainable packaging solutions. Our expertise lies in overall know-how and ability to combine different materials and find new solutions to create the best possible product for the customer”, says Tapani Holappa, Sales Director of Pyroll Packaging. Combining for example their FormPap solution with fiber-based lidding materials, the amount of plastic needed in a package decreases significantly. Especially in Central Europe where single-packed foods, such as cold cuts and cheese, are popular this kind of a combination offers a more environmentally friendly option.

Sulapac, founded in 2016, offers a sustainable material alternative for conventional plastics. It is made of wood chips from industrial side-streams and responsibly sourced plant-based binders. Hence, it biodegrades without leaving permanent microplastics behind. Sulapac is ideal for various applications from fast-moving consumer goods to luxury packaging. It is GMO-free and food contact approved according to EU standards. The company has been ranked as one of the 100 hottest start-ups in Europe by Wired UK in 2018 and 2019. Just recently, they announced a new ground-breaking innovation, a bio-based barrier that is suitable for water-based cosmetics. This has never been done before.

“The switch from conventional plastics has been made as easy as possible. Our drop-in solution material can be mass produced with the existing plastic machinery. This makes our beautiful, functional and sustainable Sulapac an appealing alternative for various plastic products”, says Suvi Haimi, CEO and Co-founder of Sulapac.

Jospak’sflagship product Jospak-tray combines the best functionalities of board and plastics. The tray is formed from renewable and recyclable board and it helps to reduce the amount of plastics up to 85%. The product is suitable for a range of applications including various fresh and processed food products and ready meals in modified atmosphere packaging. A recent carbon footprint analysis of the tray resulted in record-low numbers of 57,3-74,0g/ CO2e/piece, which is significantly lower compared to corresponding plastic trays and the company aims to reduce the environmental impact even more with further development of product, technology and operations. Jospak is planning to bring a new cardboard tray made without glue to the market in 2021.

“The new production line based on the new technology will start operating over the summer. Our recent investments in new facilities enable the increase of production capacity and development of new business models suitable for international markets. Our goal is to become a leading circular economy pioneer as a producer of food packaging products. We already serve customers in Finland, the Nordic countries and Central Europe and we’re excited to officially launch our international operations in a bigger scale”, says Tarja Heikkilä, Sales and marketing director of Jospak.

New research on food packaging is also constantly taking place. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is piloting a Thermocell film made of wood cellulose and fatty acids together with Finnish companies Arla Foods, Paulig and Wipak. The new renewable plastic material would have the same features of a traditional plastic film and fulfill the requirements of the food industry, while being recyclable.

WHAT ABOUT OATS?

Fazer, globally known especially from their confectionary and chocolate, is the bakery industry leader in Finland. Besides celebrating its 130 anniversary this year, Fazer Bakery recently came out with a never-seen-before packaging innovation, a bread bag made from oat hulls, which are derived as a side stream of Fazer’s own oat milling process. Of the material, 25 per cent is oat hulls and the package can be recycled as cardboard. The innovation is unique even internationally and required years of work.

“The new bread bag combines the elements of Fazer’s strategy - responsibility, innovation and the culture of experimentation. The project was part of Fazer’s sustainable packaging program, which includes reducing the amount of used packaging material, improving the recyclability of packaging, and developing entirely new types of ecological packaging solutions, of which this bread bag made of oat hulls is one example. This is circular economy at its best”, says Piia Soininen-Tengvall, Packaging Development Director at Fazer Group.

New bio- and waste-based material innovations are changing the packaging industry. Wood has proven to offer worthy solutions to a number of global challenges, such as packaging waste, and it is increasingly used in new added value products. Forest-rich Finland has a number of ways to help tackle the global challenges with innovations based on wood, also known as green gold.

About Business Finland

Business Finland is the Finnish government organization for innovation funding and trade, travel and investment promotion. Business Finland’s 750 experts work in 44 offices globally and in 16 regional offices around Finland. Business Finland is part of the Team Finland network.

Business Finland: Future of food packaging could come from Finnish forests

Posted in: Environment 06/18/2021 - 03:39

HELSINKI, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Replacing plastics is a global necessity and alternative solutions are widely sought after, especially in the single-use-oriented food industry. This has resulted in constantly growing demand of bio-based packaging solutions. As a land of thousands of forests and one of the most innovative countries in the world, Finland offers unique wood-based innovations to replace traditional plastic packaging.

Almost 300 million tons of plastic waste is produced globally every year and in 2018, 174kg of packaging waste per inhabitant was generated just in the EU.* The European Commission has set packaging recycling as one of its top priorities, and the first requirements of the SUP (single-use plastics) directive, approved back in 2019, should enter into force as early as July 2021. The shift towards plastic-free packaging is fast and the future is made of sustainable, recyclable, renewable and low-carbon emission substitutes. Finland offers a wide selection of alternatives for different industries and needs.

“The packaging industry is at a turning point where the future of packaging is more versatile, bio-based and recyclable. As countries and companies announce their ambitious CO2 reduction goals, a low level of emissions is a must for new innovations,” says Marika Ollaranta, Head of the Bio and Circular Finland program from Business Finland, Finland’s trade, investment and travel promotion and innovation funding organization.

With 75 per cent of Finland covered in forest, forestry and wood-based industries are deep-rooted in Finnish society. Long traditions in finding innovative ways of using the side streams of the wood industry, such as fibers and pulp, have created a unique offering in bio-based solutions. Finland covers the complete value chain from PEFC certified forests to implementation-ready applications as well as recycling and reuse of wood fibers.

“Compared to other countries, we have our own well-kept forests that meet all global forest management standards. As the raw material is also refined here, the packaging innovations are often implementation-ready and fully applicable to the existing production machinery. We are also known for the high quality and the wide spectrum of products meeting different industry-specific needs. We have excellent know-how when it comes to wood and as the famous saying goes, if it can be made from oil, it can be made from wood”, Ollaranta elaborates.

THE WOODEN AGE OF FOOD PACKAGING

The transition from traditional plastics to non-plastics applies to a range of industries, of which the food industry is one of the fastest changing. Despite the industry being at the core of the global plastics challenge, it is heading in a more sustainable direction. In fact, Finland is on its way to becoming one of the first countries to have a completely transparent, safe and responsible food production chain as the industry strives for carbon neutrality and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2035. Much of the packaging solutions used by the food industry are already wood-based, which makes them renewable and recyclable to begin with.

Finnish experts answering to food industry’s needs with bio-based products include Woodly, Kotkamills, Pyroll Packaging, Sulapac, Jospak and Fazer.

Woodly is a material development technology company producing a new type of wood cellulose-based, transparent plastic-like material, called Woodly. It is carbon-neutral and the raw wood material comes from certified forests. The material is designed to be recycled in the plastic recycling stream after being used. It can also be burned if necessary. Woodly products are available in several different material grades, making it suitable for different plastic processing methods and end-products. The company recently announced a partnership with Finnish meat producer HKScan, which will be the first one in the meat product category in Finland to use Woodly material in the packaging of their selected grilled sausages in the summer of 2021. Also, a Finnish salad and herb producer Vihreäkeiju uses Woodly for their packages, available for consumers.

“What distinguishes Woodly from others is that it doesn’t try to replace plastic, but rather produces it from renewable raw materials. Instead of abandoning the whole concept of “plastic”, we approached the problem from another angle and replaced the raw materials from which it has been traditionally made of. The Woodly grain is also extremely versatile, which makes it attractive for big customers”, says Jaakko Kaminen, CEO of Woodly.

Kotkamills is a Finnish sawn timber, paper and paperboard manufacturer that explores and develops new, fiber-based sustainable packaging solutions, being one of the forerunners in circular economy. Founded in 1872, Kotkamills sawmill is the oldest one still operating in Finland and nowadays the company makes sure no part of the wood goes to waste by using the side streams of the sawmill, wood chips and sawdust, as raw material of the company’s other products, paperboard and saturating base kraft paper. Kotkamills also accelerates the circular change by producing fully recyclable paperboard, also with barriers, that is easily recyclable and its fibers re-usable as raw material of other paper or board products.

Kotkamills’ ISLA barrier boards can change the game in the single-use cup market. Unlike the commonly used cups containing polyethylene plastic, the unique water-based dispersion coated barrier boards are fully recyclable, biodegradable, industrially compostable as well as plastic-free. Because there is no polyethylene lining, products made of ISLA® barrier board can be easily recycled along with normal paper and board waste.

“Our product category consists of food-safe consumer boards, high-quality saturating base kraft paper and ecological wood products. At the moment, we are the only industrial producer of plastic-free coated packaging boards for the food industry and the potential is huge”, says Markku Hämäläinen, CEO of Kotkamills. In December 2020, Austrian Mayr-Melnhof Karton AB announced their acquisition of Kotkamills and closing of the transaction is expected over the summer 2021.

Pyroll Packagingprovides comprehensive customer solutions for packaging and packaging materials, from designing and co-creating to manufacturing and supplying ready-to-use packaging materials. Their packaging solution selection is one of the largest ones in the Nordics. The company’s PyrollGreen product family responds to the change in the industry and offers awarded sustainable and recyclable packaging alternatives made from bio-based fibers for bakery and dairy products, sweets and confectionary, processed meat and ready food, fast food and food-on-the-go such as salads, hamburgers, French fries and hotdogs.

“We do smart and sustainable packaging solutions. Our expertise lies in overall know-how and ability to combine different materials and find new solutions to create the best possible product for the customer”, says Tapani Holappa, Sales Director of Pyroll Packaging. Combining for example their FormPap solution with fiber-based lidding materials, the amount of plastic needed in a package decreases significantly. Especially in Central Europe where single-packed foods, such as cold cuts and cheese, are popular this kind of a combination offers a more environmentally friendly option.

Sulapac, founded in 2016, offers a sustainable material alternative for conventional plastics. It is made of wood chips from industrial side-streams and responsibly sourced plant-based binders. Hence, it biodegrades without leaving permanent microplastics behind. Sulapac is ideal for various applications from fast-moving consumer goods to luxury packaging. It is GMO-free and food contact approved according to EU standards. The company has been ranked as one of the 100 hottest start-ups in Europe by Wired UK in 2018 and 2019. Just recently, they announced a new ground-breaking innovation, a bio-based barrier that is suitable for water-based cosmetics. This has never been done before.

“The switch from conventional plastics has been made as easy as possible. Our drop-in solution material can be mass produced with the existing plastic machinery. This makes our beautiful, functional and sustainable Sulapac an appealing alternative for various plastic products”, says Suvi Haimi, CEO and Co-founder of Sulapac.

Jospak’sflagship product Jospak-tray combines the best functionalities of board and plastics. The tray is formed from renewable and recyclable board and it helps to reduce the amount of plastics up to 85%. The product is suitable for a range of applications including various fresh and processed food products and ready meals in modified atmosphere packaging. A recent carbon footprint analysis of the tray resulted in record-low numbers of 57,3-74,0g/ CO2e/piece, which is significantly lower compared to corresponding plastic trays and the company aims to reduce the environmental impact even more with further development of product, technology and operations. Jospak is planning to bring a new cardboard tray made without glue to the market in 2021.

“The new production line based on the new technology will start operating over the summer. Our recent investments in new facilities enable the increase of production capacity and development of new business models suitable for international markets. Our goal is to become a leading circular economy pioneer as a producer of food packaging products. We already serve customers in Finland, the Nordic countries and Central Europe and we’re excited to officially launch our international operations in a bigger scale”, says Tarja Heikkilä, Sales and marketing director of Jospak.

New research on food packaging is also constantly taking place. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is piloting a Thermocell film made of wood cellulose and fatty acids together with Finnish companies Arla Foods, Paulig and Wipak. The new renewable plastic material would have the same features of a traditional plastic film and fulfill the requirements of the food industry, while being recyclable.

WHAT ABOUT OATS?

Fazer, globally known especially from their confectionary and chocolate, is the bakery industry leader in Finland. Besides celebrating its 130 anniversary this year, Fazer Bakery recently came out with a never-seen-before packaging innovation, a bread bag made from oat hulls, which are derived as a side stream of Fazer’s own oat milling process. Of the material, 25 per cent is oat hulls and the package can be recycled as cardboard. The innovation is unique even internationally and required years of work.

“The new bread bag combines the elements of Fazer’s strategy - responsibility, innovation and the culture of experimentation. The project was part of Fazer’s sustainable packaging program, which includes reducing the amount of used packaging material, improving the recyclability of packaging, and developing entirely new types of ecological packaging solutions, of which this bread bag made of oat hulls is one example. This is circular economy at its best”, says Piia Soininen-Tengvall, Packaging Development Director at Fazer Group.

New bio- and waste-based material innovations are changing the packaging industry. Wood has proven to offer worthy solutions to a number of global challenges, such as packaging waste, and it is increasingly used in new added value products. Forest-rich Finland has a number of ways to help tackle the global challenges with innovations based on wood, also known as green gold.

About Business Finland

Business Finland is the Finnish government organization for innovation funding and trade, travel and investment promotion. Business Finland’s 750 experts work in 44 offices globally and in 16 regional offices around Finland. Business Finland is part of the Team Finland network.

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VAXJO, Sweden, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Today the Swedish Energy Agency announced it will grant funds to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Södra, Växjö Energi, SkyNRG, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and 2030-sekretariatet to continue their research on the development of production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the Växjö region in Småland, Sweden. The funding will support the consortium to continue their study on an integrated Fischer-Tropsch SAF production facility using forestry residues. The envisioned facility has the potential to be an important step forward in making aviation more sustainable. The Swedish Energy Agency awards the consortium with a grant of 5.1 million SEK (EUR 500.000) to fund the project.

This first-of-its-kind Fischer-Tropsch SAF production facility integrated with existing bio-based energy production has the potential to produce high quality sustainable fuels and reduce GHG emissions in the aviation sector. The realisation of the plant could serve as a proof of concept for many future plants. By 2026, the plant could be operational with a production volume of 16 kilo tonnes SAF annually.

Consortium covering the whole value chain

The consortium, which represents the whole value chain of the production, joins forces in order to increase the availability of SAF in Sweden and North Europe. To meet future demand partners will research all engineering, technical, business and sustainability angles of the project. NGOs, the Swedish government, Södra, certification systems, academics and SkyNRG’s Sustainability Board are being involved to set the right sustainability framework for this project. Sustainability factors considered in the study include the carbon balance and the biodiversity of the forest as well as potential displacement effects of utilising forestry residues for SAF production.

SAF not widely available

The current generation of aircraft engines require liquid fuels. These aircraft cannot switch to alternative energy sources such as hydrogen or electricity in the short term, and neither can airport infrastructure. SAF, as a ‘drop-in fuel’ is the solution to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in aviation in the short to medium term, with no modifications to infrastructure or equipment required.

SAF is not widely available yet. It has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 75 to almost 100 percent in its neat form, depending on the combination of technology pathway and feedstock, and as long as stringent sustainability criteria are met.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: Focus on alternative technologies

Karel Bockstael, VP Sustainability at KLM, leading and pioneering in making the operation and the aviation sector more sustainable: “To be able to become more sustainable in the future, KLM is focusing on scaling up production and use of SAF. For more SAF, we must focus on all technologies side by side and encourage the initial upscaling of production facilities. The application we support in Sweden is an important next step in the development. Current technologies based on used cooking oils will reach its limit due to scarcity, and the development of sustainable synthetic SAF has financial and technological challenges to overcome. The technology we will be deploying in Sweden is based on Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and produces jet fuel based on forestry residues. There is a lot of this residue available in Sweden and the rest of Europe, making it a promising project.”

Södra: Small-scale family forestry of 53,000 forest owners

Lotta Lyrå, President and CEO of Södra, an international forest industry group and the largest forest-owner association in Sweden with a membership of 53,000 forest owners: “Södra is devoted to maximize the use of every tree that comes from our 53,000 member’s forests in Southern Sweden. Using every part – like residues – is key in our ambition to show the way to a fossil-free society and contribute to the climate transition. Making high quality Sustainable Aviation Fuel from forest residues not suitable for buildings or other materials is a way of doing so and help de-carbonize aviation. With this consortium, we are working through the entire value chain to take the next step towards creating a new industry of Sustainable Aviation Fuel.”

Växjö: Greenest City in Europe

Erik Tellgren, CEO of Växjö Energi, who provides products and services in the areas of electricity, district heating and district cooling in Växjö Municipality, Sweden: “Växjö Energi provides efficiently produced fossil free district heating, district cooling and electricity at the CHP plant Sandviksverket in Växjö Municipality, Sweden. Växjö, the Greenest City in Europe, has a strong will to continue contributing to reducing climate change. We also trust it is beneficial to extend our plant to also produce sustainable aviation fuel from forest residues. This would be great and as a first-of-a-kind project of vital importance to the sustainable energy transition necessary.”

SkyNRG: SAF frontrunner

Maarten van Dijk, Managing Director of SkyNRG, pioneer in SAF with the industry's biggest dedicated SAF team: “As one of the global market leaders in Sustainable Aviation Fuel we are active partners in a multitude of projects, focused on scaling different feedstock/technology pathways. The potential to use forestry residues for higher value end-uses, like SAF, is there. But before taking a next step in scaling up, it is critical to make sure we understand the sustainability and impacts of this new, integrated supply chain. We are therefore very grateful for the strong partnership and financial support from the Swedish government to take a next big step in understanding the true potential of this feedstock/technology setup.”

Founded in 1938, Södra is Sweden’s largest forest-owner association, with 53,000 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 2020, net sales amounted to SEK 20 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.

Dutch/Swedish consortium gets funds from Swedish Energy Agency to continue study on production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in Växjö region in Småland, Sweden

Posted in: Bio-Insight 06/17/2021 - 10:38

VAXJO, Sweden, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Today the Swedish Energy Agency announced it will grant funds to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Södra, Växjö Energi, SkyNRG, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and 2030-sekretariatet to continue their research on the development of production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the Växjö region in Småland, Sweden. The funding will support the consortium to continue their study on an integrated Fischer-Tropsch SAF production facility using forestry residues. The envisioned facility has the potential to be an important step forward in making aviation more sustainable. The Swedish Energy Agency awards the consortium with a grant of 5.1 million SEK (EUR 500.000) to fund the project.

This first-of-its-kind Fischer-Tropsch SAF production facility integrated with existing bio-based energy production has the potential to produce high quality sustainable fuels and reduce GHG emissions in the aviation sector. The realisation of the plant could serve as a proof of concept for many future plants. By 2026, the plant could be operational with a production volume of 16 kilo tonnes SAF annually.

Consortium covering the whole value chain

The consortium, which represents the whole value chain of the production, joins forces in order to increase the availability of SAF in Sweden and North Europe. To meet future demand partners will research all engineering, technical, business and sustainability angles of the project. NGOs, the Swedish government, Södra, certification systems, academics and SkyNRG’s Sustainability Board are being involved to set the right sustainability framework for this project. Sustainability factors considered in the study include the carbon balance and the biodiversity of the forest as well as potential displacement effects of utilising forestry residues for SAF production.

SAF not widely available

The current generation of aircraft engines require liquid fuels. These aircraft cannot switch to alternative energy sources such as hydrogen or electricity in the short term, and neither can airport infrastructure. SAF, as a ‘drop-in fuel’ is the solution to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in aviation in the short to medium term, with no modifications to infrastructure or equipment required.

SAF is not widely available yet. It has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 75 to almost 100 percent in its neat form, depending on the combination of technology pathway and feedstock, and as long as stringent sustainability criteria are met.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: Focus on alternative technologies

Karel Bockstael, VP Sustainability at KLM, leading and pioneering in making the operation and the aviation sector more sustainable: “To be able to become more sustainable in the future, KLM is focusing on scaling up production and use of SAF. For more SAF, we must focus on all technologies side by side and encourage the initial upscaling of production facilities. The application we support in Sweden is an important next step in the development. Current technologies based on used cooking oils will reach its limit due to scarcity, and the development of sustainable synthetic SAF has financial and technological challenges to overcome. The technology we will be deploying in Sweden is based on Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and produces jet fuel based on forestry residues. There is a lot of this residue available in Sweden and the rest of Europe, making it a promising project.”

Södra: Small-scale family forestry of 53,000 forest owners

Lotta Lyrå, President and CEO of Södra, an international forest industry group and the largest forest-owner association in Sweden with a membership of 53,000 forest owners: “Södra is devoted to maximize the use of every tree that comes from our 53,000 member’s forests in Southern Sweden. Using every part – like residues – is key in our ambition to show the way to a fossil-free society and contribute to the climate transition. Making high quality Sustainable Aviation Fuel from forest residues not suitable for buildings or other materials is a way of doing so and help de-carbonize aviation. With this consortium, we are working through the entire value chain to take the next step towards creating a new industry of Sustainable Aviation Fuel.”

Växjö: Greenest City in Europe

Erik Tellgren, CEO of Växjö Energi, who provides products and services in the areas of electricity, district heating and district cooling in Växjö Municipality, Sweden: “Växjö Energi provides efficiently produced fossil free district heating, district cooling and electricity at the CHP plant Sandviksverket in Växjö Municipality, Sweden. Växjö, the Greenest City in Europe, has a strong will to continue contributing to reducing climate change. We also trust it is beneficial to extend our plant to also produce sustainable aviation fuel from forest residues. This would be great and as a first-of-a-kind project of vital importance to the sustainable energy transition necessary.”

SkyNRG: SAF frontrunner

Maarten van Dijk, Managing Director of SkyNRG, pioneer in SAF with the industry's biggest dedicated SAF team: “As one of the global market leaders in Sustainable Aviation Fuel we are active partners in a multitude of projects, focused on scaling different feedstock/technology pathways. The potential to use forestry residues for higher value end-uses, like SAF, is there. But before taking a next step in scaling up, it is critical to make sure we understand the sustainability and impacts of this new, integrated supply chain. We are therefore very grateful for the strong partnership and financial support from the Swedish government to take a next big step in understanding the true potential of this feedstock/technology setup.”

Founded in 1938, Södra is Sweden’s largest forest-owner association, with 53,000 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 2020, net sales amounted to SEK 20 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.

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VAXJO, Sweden, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Today the Swedish Energy Agency announced it will grant funds to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Södra, Växjö Energi, SkyNRG, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and 2030-sekretariatet to continue their research on the development of production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the Växjö region in Småland, Sweden. The funding will support the consortium to continue their study on an integrated Fischer-Tropsch SAF production facility using forestry residues. The envisioned facility has the potential to be an important step forward in making aviation more sustainable. The Swedish Energy Agency awards the consortium with a grant of 5.1 million SEK (EUR 500.000) to fund the project.

This first-of-its-kind Fischer-Tropsch SAF production facility integrated with existing bio-based energy production has the potential to produce high quality sustainable fuels and reduce GHG emissions in the aviation sector. The realisation of the plant could serve as a proof of concept for many future plants. By 2026, the plant could be operational with a production volume of 16 kilo tonnes SAF annually.

Consortium covering the whole value chain

The consortium, which represents the whole value chain of the production, joins forces in order to increase the availability of SAF in Sweden and North Europe. To meet future demand partners will research all engineering, technical, business and sustainability angles of the project. NGOs, the Swedish government, Södra, certification systems, academics and SkyNRG’s Sustainability Board are being involved to set the right sustainability framework for this project. Sustainability factors considered in the study include the carbon balance and the biodiversity of the forest as well as potential displacement effects of utilising forestry residues for SAF production.

SAF not widely available

The current generation of aircraft engines require liquid fuels. These aircraft cannot switch to alternative energy sources such as hydrogen or electricity in the short term, and neither can airport infrastructure. SAF, as a ‘drop-in fuel’ is the solution to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in aviation in the short to medium term, with no modifications to infrastructure or equipment required.

SAF is not widely available yet. It has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 75 to almost 100 percent in its neat form, depending on the combination of technology pathway and feedstock, and as long as stringent sustainability criteria are met.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: Focus on alternative technologies

Karel Bockstael, VP Sustainability at KLM, leading and pioneering in making the operation and the aviation sector more sustainable: “To be able to become more sustainable in the future, KLM is focusing on scaling up production and use of SAF. For more SAF, we must focus on all technologies side by side and encourage the initial upscaling of production facilities. The application we support in Sweden is an important next step in the development. Current technologies based on used cooking oils will reach its limit due to scarcity, and the development of sustainable synthetic SAF has financial and technological challenges to overcome. The technology we will be deploying in Sweden is based on Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and produces jet fuel based on forestry residues. There is a lot of this residue available in Sweden and the rest of Europe, making it a promising project.”

Södra: Small-scale family forestry of 53,000 forest owners

Lotta Lyrå, President and CEO of Södra, an international forest industry group and the largest forest-owner association in Sweden with a membership of 53,000 forest owners: “Södra is devoted to maximize the use of every tree that comes from our 53,000 member’s forests in Southern Sweden. Using every part – like residues – is key in our ambition to show the way to a fossil-free society and contribute to the climate transition. Making high quality Sustainable Aviation Fuel from forest residues not suitable for buildings or other materials is a way of doing so and help de-carbonize aviation. With this consortium, we are working through the entire value chain to take the next step towards creating a new industry of Sustainable Aviation Fuel.”

Växjö: Greenest City in Europe

Erik Tellgren, CEO of Växjö Energi, who provides products and services in the areas of electricity, district heating and district cooling in Växjö Municipality, Sweden: “Växjö Energi provides efficiently produced fossil free district heating, district cooling and electricity at the CHP plant Sandviksverket in Växjö Municipality, Sweden. Växjö, the Greenest City in Europe, has a strong will to continue contributing to reducing climate change. We also trust it is beneficial to extend our plant to also produce sustainable aviation fuel from forest residues. This would be great and as a first-of-a-kind project of vital importance to the sustainable energy transition necessary.”

SkyNRG: SAF frontrunner

Maarten van Dijk, Managing Director of SkyNRG, pioneer in SAF with the industry's biggest dedicated SAF team: “As one of the global market leaders in Sustainable Aviation Fuel we are active partners in a multitude of projects, focused on scaling different feedstock/technology pathways. The potential to use forestry residues for higher value end-uses, like SAF, is there. But before taking a next step in scaling up, it is critical to make sure we understand the sustainability and impacts of this new, integrated supply chain. We are therefore very grateful for the strong partnership and financial support from the Swedish government to take a next big step in understanding the true potential of this feedstock/technology setup.”

Founded in 1938, Södra is Sweden’s largest forest-owner association, with 53,000 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 2020, net sales amounted to SEK 20 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.

Dutch/Swedish consortium gets funds from Swedish Energy Agency to continue study on production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in Växjö region in Småland, Sweden

Posted in: Environment 06/17/2021 - 10:38

VAXJO, Sweden, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -Today the Swedish Energy Agency announced it will grant funds to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Södra, Växjö Energi, SkyNRG, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and 2030-sekretariatet to continue their research on the development of production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the Växjö region in Småland, Sweden. The funding will support the consortium to continue their study on an integrated Fischer-Tropsch SAF production facility using forestry residues. The envisioned facility has the potential to be an important step forward in making aviation more sustainable. The Swedish Energy Agency awards the consortium with a grant of 5.1 million SEK (EUR 500.000) to fund the project.

This first-of-its-kind Fischer-Tropsch SAF production facility integrated with existing bio-based energy production has the potential to produce high quality sustainable fuels and reduce GHG emissions in the aviation sector. The realisation of the plant could serve as a proof of concept for many future plants. By 2026, the plant could be operational with a production volume of 16 kilo tonnes SAF annually.

Consortium covering the whole value chain

The consortium, which represents the whole value chain of the production, joins forces in order to increase the availability of SAF in Sweden and North Europe. To meet future demand partners will research all engineering, technical, business and sustainability angles of the project. NGOs, the Swedish government, Södra, certification systems, academics and SkyNRG’s Sustainability Board are being involved to set the right sustainability framework for this project. Sustainability factors considered in the study include the carbon balance and the biodiversity of the forest as well as potential displacement effects of utilising forestry residues for SAF production.

SAF not widely available

The current generation of aircraft engines require liquid fuels. These aircraft cannot switch to alternative energy sources such as hydrogen or electricity in the short term, and neither can airport infrastructure. SAF, as a ‘drop-in fuel’ is the solution to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in aviation in the short to medium term, with no modifications to infrastructure or equipment required.

SAF is not widely available yet. It has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 75 to almost 100 percent in its neat form, depending on the combination of technology pathway and feedstock, and as long as stringent sustainability criteria are met.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: Focus on alternative technologies

Karel Bockstael, VP Sustainability at KLM, leading and pioneering in making the operation and the aviation sector more sustainable: “To be able to become more sustainable in the future, KLM is focusing on scaling up production and use of SAF. For more SAF, we must focus on all technologies side by side and encourage the initial upscaling of production facilities. The application we support in Sweden is an important next step in the development. Current technologies based on used cooking oils will reach its limit due to scarcity, and the development of sustainable synthetic SAF has financial and technological challenges to overcome. The technology we will be deploying in Sweden is based on Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and produces jet fuel based on forestry residues. There is a lot of this residue available in Sweden and the rest of Europe, making it a promising project.”

Södra: Small-scale family forestry of 53,000 forest owners

Lotta Lyrå, President and CEO of Södra, an international forest industry group and the largest forest-owner association in Sweden with a membership of 53,000 forest owners: “Södra is devoted to maximize the use of every tree that comes from our 53,000 member’s forests in Southern Sweden. Using every part – like residues – is key in our ambition to show the way to a fossil-free society and contribute to the climate transition. Making high quality Sustainable Aviation Fuel from forest residues not suitable for buildings or other materials is a way of doing so and help de-carbonize aviation. With this consortium, we are working through the entire value chain to take the next step towards creating a new industry of Sustainable Aviation Fuel.”

Växjö: Greenest City in Europe

Erik Tellgren, CEO of Växjö Energi, who provides products and services in the areas of electricity, district heating and district cooling in Växjö Municipality, Sweden: “Växjö Energi provides efficiently produced fossil free district heating, district cooling and electricity at the CHP plant Sandviksverket in Växjö Municipality, Sweden. Växjö, the Greenest City in Europe, has a strong will to continue contributing to reducing climate change. We also trust it is beneficial to extend our plant to also produce sustainable aviation fuel from forest residues. This would be great and as a first-of-a-kind project of vital importance to the sustainable energy transition necessary.”

SkyNRG: SAF frontrunner

Maarten van Dijk, Managing Director of SkyNRG, pioneer in SAF with the industry's biggest dedicated SAF team: “As one of the global market leaders in Sustainable Aviation Fuel we are active partners in a multitude of projects, focused on scaling different feedstock/technology pathways. The potential to use forestry residues for higher value end-uses, like SAF, is there. But before taking a next step in scaling up, it is critical to make sure we understand the sustainability and impacts of this new, integrated supply chain. We are therefore very grateful for the strong partnership and financial support from the Swedish government to take a next big step in understanding the true potential of this feedstock/technology setup.”

Founded in 1938, Södra is Sweden’s largest forest-owner association, with 53,000 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 2020, net sales amounted to SEK 20 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.

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    LENZING, Austria, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -
  • First place in the Austria’s Leading Companies business competition
  • Winner of the Global Player Award for successful internationalization

Lenzing AG, a leading provider of sustainably produced specialty fibers for the global textile and non-woven industries, has two renowned national awards to celebrate. Austria’s Leading Companies (ALC), which was held on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, again recognized the country’s most successful companies. In a competition organized by PwC Austria, Die Presse newspaper and KSV1870, a credit protection firm and business platform, Lenzing won first prize in the “Climate protection” category.

“After what was an extremely challenging year, we are especially pleased to have received this award. It’s a fantastic acknowledgement of our achievements and commitment to a sustainable way of doing business, even in difficult times. Of course, our thanks go to our 7,500 members of staff, who made this success possible”, said Robert van de Kerkhof, Member of the Managing Board at Lenzing Group.

At the ALC Awards, the company’s performance is what counts. Balance sheet figures and sales and earnings growth over the past three fiscal years, alongside a weighted system of key performance indicators, ensure that the results are objective. A carefully selected jury then decides on the final ranking across the various categories. “In these challenging times for the economy, the ALC Award offers valuable recognition and motivation for the future. In periods of crisis, innovation, moving with the times and a change of perspective are crucial”, added the organizers.

Successful internationalization

For no less than the 26th time, this year saw the award of the Export Prize of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) to companies that have been highly successful in markets abroad. The jury chose Lenzing as the winner of the Global Player Award 2020. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the trophy presentation takes place later on, at Lenzing’s premises on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.

The prize is awarded to companies that have built up a strong position on the global market over the past several years. The Global Player Award recognizes businesses that have established an efficient network outside of Austria and are actually considered to be pioneers in exporting goods or services within a particular country or sector. Advance nominations were made by international trade agency AUSSENWIRTSCHAFT AUSTRIA. A jury chaired by Dr. Harald Mahrer, President of the WKO, selected the ultimate winner.

Lenzing wins Austria’s Leading Companies business competition and Global Player Award for successful internationalization

Posted in: Environment 06/17/2021 - 09:11
    LENZING, Austria, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -
  • First place in the Austria’s Leading Companies business competition
  • Winner of the Global Player Award for successful internationalization

Lenzing AG, a leading provider of sustainably produced specialty fibers for the global textile and non-woven industries, has two renowned national awards to celebrate. Austria’s Leading Companies (ALC), which was held on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, again recognized the country’s most successful companies. In a competition organized by PwC Austria, Die Presse newspaper and KSV1870, a credit protection firm and business platform, Lenzing won first prize in the “Climate protection” category.

“After what was an extremely challenging year, we are especially pleased to have received this award. It’s a fantastic acknowledgement of our achievements and commitment to a sustainable way of doing business, even in difficult times. Of course, our thanks go to our 7,500 members of staff, who made this success possible”, said Robert van de Kerkhof, Member of the Managing Board at Lenzing Group.

At the ALC Awards, the company’s performance is what counts. Balance sheet figures and sales and earnings growth over the past three fiscal years, alongside a weighted system of key performance indicators, ensure that the results are objective. A carefully selected jury then decides on the final ranking across the various categories. “In these challenging times for the economy, the ALC Award offers valuable recognition and motivation for the future. In periods of crisis, innovation, moving with the times and a change of perspective are crucial”, added the organizers.

Successful internationalization

For no less than the 26th time, this year saw the award of the Export Prize of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) to companies that have been highly successful in markets abroad. The jury chose Lenzing as the winner of the Global Player Award 2020. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the trophy presentation takes place later on, at Lenzing’s premises on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.

The prize is awarded to companies that have built up a strong position on the global market over the past several years. The Global Player Award recognizes businesses that have established an efficient network outside of Austria and are actually considered to be pioneers in exporting goods or services within a particular country or sector. Advance nominations were made by international trade agency AUSSENWIRTSCHAFT AUSTRIA. A jury chaired by Dr. Harald Mahrer, President of the WKO, selected the ultimate winner.

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    MANCHESTER, UK, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -
  • This accreditation places the company in the 25% of the best companies analysed in its sector.
  • EcoVadis is one of the most reputable international platforms for rating sustainability policies.
  • More than 80 Saica Group customers also use this seal to assess their commitment to environmental care.

The Saica Group, a leading company in the manufacture of recycled paper for corrugated board, receives the Silver medal accreditation in sustainability for its management in various areas analysed by EcoVadis, the platform for the rating of sustainability in global supply chains. This recognition places Saica on the honours podium in the field of sustainability, both in Spain and internationally.

The overall EcoVadis assessment reflects the quality of the management system of each company, focusing on four specific aspects: environment, labour practices, human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. In this year's edition, the platform places Saica amongst the top 25% companies in its sector, identifying 121 strengths in its management and 15 lines of improvement in which to continue making progress in sustainability.

Saica shares their continuous sustainability improvements with their customers, through various means, such as the publication of the sustainability report and the participation in external assessments such as this one. More than 80 Saica customers also use this platform to assess their commitment to environmental care.

EcoVadis is an independent platform that provides a global Corporate Social Responsibility rating to more than 75,000 companies worldwide. With its own methodology, it uses 21 environmental, social and ethical criteria to evaluate companies in terms of sustainability, 160 countries and 21 CSR indicators. In addition to an industry comparison, companies also receive suggestions for improvement and a platform on which to assess their own suppliers in the same respect.

About Saica Group

Saica Group is one of the largest European players in the development and production of recycled paper for corrugated board, with a production of 3.2 million tons of recycled paper. With more than 10,000 employees across Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, Luxembourg and The Netherlands.

Saica Group has four business areas: production of recycled paper for corrugated board (Saica Paper), waste management and environmental services (Saica Natur), production of corrugated packaging (Saica Pack) and flexible packaging (Saica Flex). The turnover of the multinational is nearly 2.821 million Euros (consolidated turnover, 31.12.20).

Saica Group receives Silver medal for its sustainability performance from EcoVadis

Posted in: Environment 06/17/2021 - 09:00
    MANCHESTER, UK, June 17, 2021 (Press Release) -
  • This accreditation places the company in the 25% of the best companies analysed in its sector.
  • EcoVadis is one of the most reputable international platforms for rating sustainability policies.
  • More than 80 Saica Group customers also use this seal to assess their commitment to environmental care.

The Saica Group, a leading company in the manufacture of recycled paper for corrugated board, receives the Silver medal accreditation in sustainability for its management in various areas analysed by EcoVadis, the platform for the rating of sustainability in global supply chains. This recognition places Saica on the honours podium in the field of sustainability, both in Spain and internationally.

The overall EcoVadis assessment reflects the quality of the management system of each company, focusing on four specific aspects: environment, labour practices, human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. In this year's edition, the platform places Saica amongst the top 25% companies in its sector, identifying 121 strengths in its management and 15 lines of improvement in which to continue making progress in sustainability.

Saica shares their continuous sustainability improvements with their customers, through various means, such as the publication of the sustainability report and the participation in external assessments such as this one. More than 80 Saica customers also use this platform to assess their commitment to environmental care.

EcoVadis is an independent platform that provides a global Corporate Social Responsibility rating to more than 75,000 companies worldwide. With its own methodology, it uses 21 environmental, social and ethical criteria to evaluate companies in terms of sustainability, 160 countries and 21 CSR indicators. In addition to an industry comparison, companies also receive suggestions for improvement and a platform on which to assess their own suppliers in the same respect.

About Saica Group

Saica Group is one of the largest European players in the development and production of recycled paper for corrugated board, with a production of 3.2 million tons of recycled paper. With more than 10,000 employees across Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, Luxembourg and The Netherlands.

Saica Group has four business areas: production of recycled paper for corrugated board (Saica Paper), waste management and environmental services (Saica Natur), production of corrugated packaging (Saica Pack) and flexible packaging (Saica Flex). The turnover of the multinational is nearly 2.821 million Euros (consolidated turnover, 31.12.20).

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ATLANTA, June 17, 2021 (Business Wire) -WestRock Company, a leading provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, has announced an expansion of its produce packaging offerings with the launch of its EverGrow Collection.

WestRock has achieved a proprietary approach for a produce packaging collection made using sustainably sourced wood fiber. WestRock EverGrow packaging is curbside recyclable when emptied and flattened, supporting the company’s ambition to reduce waste and build a 100 percent reusable, recyclable and compostable product portfolio.

“WestRock’s new EverGrow Collection is an excellent example of how we are innovating to improve the sustainability of our products while helping our customers meet their sustainability goals,” said Patrick Kivits, president of Consumer Packaging at WestRock. “We’ve leveraged our material science, structural design and packaging automation expertise to develop a collection of truly differentiated packaging solutions for our produce customers that are functional, recyclable and eye-catching.”

WestRock has worked with growers and retailers for generations to provide highly differentiated, fiber-based corrugated packaging and automation solutions. The EverGrow Collection is a natural extension. Its baskets, carriers, punnets and tills have been thoughtfully designed for easy stacking, operational efficiencies and superior branding at retail.

WestRock customer Niagara Orchards and Vineyard Corp was able to utilize these design features when the company launched its new paperboard produce carriers last year.

“We set out to deliver a 100% recyclable and sustainable container for the industry that is easy to pack, stack and handle,” said Spenser Greenfield, General Manager of Niagara Orchard and Vineyard Corp. “With the help from WestRock, we at Niagara Orchard and Vineyard Corp are now doing our part to move the produce industry away from plastic.”

About WestRock

WestRock partners with our customers to provide differentiated, sustainable paper and packaging solutions that help them win in the marketplace. WestRock’s team members support customers around the world from locations spanning North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

WestRock launches new EverGrow collection expanding its produce packaging offerings

Posted in: Environment 06/17/2021 - 08:52

ATLANTA, June 17, 2021 (Business Wire) -WestRock Company, a leading provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, has announced an expansion of its produce packaging offerings with the launch of its EverGrow Collection.

WestRock has achieved a proprietary approach for a produce packaging collection made using sustainably sourced wood fiber. WestRock EverGrow packaging is curbside recyclable when emptied and flattened, supporting the company’s ambition to reduce waste and build a 100 percent reusable, recyclable and compostable product portfolio.

“WestRock’s new EverGrow Collection is an excellent example of how we are innovating to improve the sustainability of our products while helping our customers meet their sustainability goals,” said Patrick Kivits, president of Consumer Packaging at WestRock. “We’ve leveraged our material science, structural design and packaging automation expertise to develop a collection of truly differentiated packaging solutions for our produce customers that are functional, recyclable and eye-catching.”

WestRock has worked with growers and retailers for generations to provide highly differentiated, fiber-based corrugated packaging and automation solutions. The EverGrow Collection is a natural extension. Its baskets, carriers, punnets and tills have been thoughtfully designed for easy stacking, operational efficiencies and superior branding at retail.

WestRock customer Niagara Orchards and Vineyard Corp was able to utilize these design features when the company launched its new paperboard produce carriers last year.

“We set out to deliver a 100% recyclable and sustainable container for the industry that is easy to pack, stack and handle,” said Spenser Greenfield, General Manager of Niagara Orchard and Vineyard Corp. “With the help from WestRock, we at Niagara Orchard and Vineyard Corp are now doing our part to move the produce industry away from plastic.”

About WestRock

WestRock partners with our customers to provide differentiated, sustainable paper and packaging solutions that help them win in the marketplace. WestRock’s team members support customers around the world from locations spanning North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Read more

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