Stora Enso is making an investment in dispersion barrier technology at its Forshaga site in Sweden, as a step in its innovation agenda. The investment of approximately EUR 10 million enables the development and production of paperboard with barrier properties that are easier to handle in a recycling process, have a lower carbon footprint and can be compostable in industrial facilities. The new equipment is expected to come into use during the second quarter of 2021.
Stora Enso Forshaga manufactures and develops barrier solutions that are required in certain packaging, for instance to protect against liquid, moisture, oxygen or fat. Liquid packaging, beverage cups and certain food packaging are some of the products that have a barrier which serves to protect the packaged product, while also ensuring that the packaging maintains its user-qualities. The investment in new dispersion technology aims to achieve the desired barrier properties in a more sustainable way.
“Stora Enso wants to minimise the use of fossil-based materials and replace them with renewable solutions based on wood fiber. By investing in the development of sustainable packaging barriers, we help our customers and consumers become more eco-friendly while creating value in the circular bioeconomy. The commercialisation of fiber-based products with barrier properties that have a lower carbon footprint and work better in a recycling system is an important development area within food packaging,” says Hannu Kasurinen, Executive Vice President of Stora Enso’s Packaging Materials division.
Stora Enso Forshaga has an annual capacity of approximately 120 000 tonnes of barrier coating across two machines/coating lines, with around 100 employees. Since the beginning of this year, the Forshaga site has also become a competence center within Stora Enso’s Packaging Materials division, tasked with producing and developing new bio-based barrier technologies and products.
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