Strong interest in Kotkamills’ barrier boards for plastic-free food service packaging solutions

Calls for a reduction in single-use plastic for food and drink containers has increased interest in Kotkamills’ unique water-based dispersion coated barrier boards. Kotkamills’ customers are introducing new plastic-free food service packaging solutions.

“Brand owners have already found Kotkamills’ barrier boards to be a competitive and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastic-coated cupstock and consumer boards used in fast-food and frozen food products and other packaging. Their ease of recycling makes them the first product of its kind on the market. Our customers and their customers can change the game,” states Kotkamills’ CEO Markku Hämäläinen.

Packaging manufacturers have already responded to customers’ aspirations to use PE-free packaging materials for goods from ice-cream and frozen fish to tomatoes and salads, to take-aways and popcorn, muesli and biscuits. They have chosen AEGLE^® folding boxboard with or without dispersion barriers to produce recyclable food packaging boxes that are visually attractive and convenient for the consumer.

Repulpable disposable coffee cups made of ISLA^® board have attracted a lot of attention among converters for eco-friendliness and ease of recycling. Cupstock made with dispersion barrier has good resistance to liquids and grease and good printability for brand promotion.

“Our customers are eager to find new food service packaging solutions to reduce plastic. Beer cups made of ISLA^® food service board have been showcased by Sinebrychoff, the oldest brewery in the Nordic countries. PE-free dispersion barrier alternative is both an environmental choice and a competitive advantage.

The market is longing for a solution to replace plastic straws entirely. Finnish start-up company Dolea Ltd has taken the pole position by launching a sustainable plastic-free drinking straw made from our ISLA^® board. Dolea straws have a sturdy and liquid-resistant structure. As Dolea’s straws are produced using our water-based dispersion barrier board they can be recycled, repulped, and the raw material reused,” says Saila Kettunen, Business Unit Director.

Kotkamills’ product portfolio includes AEGLE^® Barrier Light for food-to-go packaging where a medium grease resistance is required and AEGLE^® Barrier Plus with excellent grease and water vapour resistance for frozen food and bakery applications. ISLA^® Duo cupstock for disposable cups complements the product family. Unlike conventional plastic-lined boards, all the AEGLE^® and ISLA^® products are easy to recycle after use, without the need to separate any plastics from the wood fibres.

At Kotkamills we explore and develop the possibilities that wood fibre brings to sustainable packaging solutions for a plastic-free world, and we connect with other stakeholders to accelerate the recyclability. Our job is to enable both convenience and conscious choices.

Source

Kotkamills, press release, 2019-09-20.

Supplier

Dolea Ltd
Kotkamills

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