Paper Technology International 2020 - Journal - Page 19

PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL
Figure 5: In September of 2020,
Metsä Board launched a stateof-the-art Excellence Centre
to accelerate paperboard and
packaging innovation.
Figure 6: (Below) Metsä Board
Kyro quality check.
Sustainability commitments
Finally, sustainability is a concept that should be taken
more into account in the overall value chain; be enhanced and
shared between material producers, converters and brand owners/
retailers; and its implementation should be actively encouraged.
Organisations with robust sustainability programmes should share
their expertise with their customers and industry partners to find
new solutions with lower environmental impact.
Collaboration is key to sustainability
In September of 2020, Metsä Board launched a state-of-theart Excellence Centre. The centre aims to bring this collaboration
together to accelerate material and packaging innovation and
provide a platform for customers and technology partners globally.
The Excellence Centre concept enables paperboard and
packaging solutions that look at the entire value chain, and not just
at its separate parts.
The centre includes R&D facilities, a packaging design
studio, and a state-of-the art laboratory providing more than 100
different measurement methods and analytics.
The centre also features a virtual store and a computeraided engineering (CAE) tool to allow sophisticated simulation
and analysis of packaging performance. This model is designed to
combine Metsä Board’s own expertise in fibre-based solutions with
that of various experts and partners, such as material suppliers,
technology providers, start-up companies, universities, and research
companies.
One recent example of such an innovation is a long-term
collaboration between Finnish start-up company, The Paper Lid
Company, and Metsä Board, which has led to the development of
a 100% recyclable paperboard lid for use with takeaway cups. The
lid, which is made from fully recyclable dispersion barrier board, is
suitable for use with both hot and cold beverages. It uses a novel
technology developed by The Paper Lid Company that makes it
possible to form the paperboard into the desired shape. The result
is a one-piece lid that clicks firmly in place and offers performance
that is comparable to that of a traditional plastic lid. Paperboard
made from renewable fresh fibre is, by its nature, a sustainable raw
material. The carbon footprint of a paperboard lid is more than 50%
lower than that of a plastic lid and it is fully recyclable.
SUMMARY
As the world continues to suffer increasingly severe impacts of climate change, consumers expect private companies to play a
pivotal role in mitigating further damage. Paperboard packaging companies should consider implementing the suggestions laid
out in this article to show they are listening to consumers and that they can keep up with change in the industry. The blueprint has
been established, it is up to industry members to follow it.
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