Stora Enso has invested around ten million euros in dispersion barrier technology at its Forshaga site in Sweden. The company has now announced that the installation has been completed and production has started. Production of new products is to be ramped up in the coming months.
The dispersion barrier technology enables the production of more sustainable packaging solutions and facilitates the use of renewable wood fibre materials in demanding packaging applications. End applications such as food packaging. These products are also easier to handle in a recycling process, have a lower carbon footprint and can be composted in industrial plants.
„In the pursuit of a circular bioeconomy, new ways are needed to achieve even more circularity. Better properties for cardboard packaging to create. Completing the installation of the dispersion technology in Forshaga is an important step in our innovation and sustainability agenda. By enabling the industrial production of environmentally friendly packaging materials, we can fulfil the increasing consumer demand for sustainable and recyclable packaging.“ Hannu Kasurinen, Executive Vice President of the Packaging Materials Division
The location in Forshaga has been a Competence centre within the Stora Enso Packaging Materials division.
SourceStora Enso Oyj
Article from 15.09.2020
Stora Enso invests in sustainable barrier coating
Stora Enso is investing around ten million euros in dispersion coating technologies at its Forshaga site in Sweden. The new facilities are expected to go into operation in the second quarter of 2021.
The investment is intended to drive forward the development and production of environmentally friendly barrier materials for food packaging and beverage cups made from cardboard. Barrier coatings provide protection against moisture, oxygen or grease. Since the beginning of this year, the Forshaga site has also has developed into a centre of excellence within the Packaging Materials division. The task: to develop new technologies for barrier coating and to produce products with sustainable coatings. The sustainable barrier coatings are intended to help replace conventional plastics in food packaging.
Barrier coating for recyclable food packaging
Stora Enso wants to minimise the use of fossil-based materials and replace them with renewable solutions based on wood fibres replace. „By investing in the development of sustainable packaging barriers, we are helping customers and consumers to become more environmentally friendly while creating value in the circular economy,“ says Hannu Kasurinen, Executive Vice President of Stora Enso's Packaging Materials business unit. „The commercialisation of fibre-based products with barrier properties that have a lower carbon footprint and work better in a recycling system is an important area of development within food packaging.“
Stora Enso Forshaga employs around 100 people and produces barrier material on two coating lines with an annual capacity of approx. 120,000 tonnes.
SourceStora Enso Oyj
