PreZero brand starts industrial rollout with Pfleiderer Spezialpapiere
OutNature, a brand of the environmental services provider PreZero, is now starting the production of silphia paper on an industrial scale after successfully completing the research and development phase. Together with Pfleiderer Spezialpapiere, regular production of the innovative and sustainable silphia paper will begin in Teisnach in Lower Bavaria from January 2022.
With Pfleiderer, silphia paper will in future be offered in a new low basis weight range of 35-120 g/m². In addition, new paper grades can now also be introduced, so that blends with virgin fibres are not only possible as before, but also with recovered paper.
"The partnership with Pfleiderer offers us the opportunity to set up the production of silphia paper on an economical and sustainable basis. In addition, we are now expanding our product portfolio from the rapidly renewable and bee-friendly silphia plant in terms of basis weights and raw material base," says a delighted Thomas Tappertzhofen, Managing Director of OutNature.
Pfleiderer Spezialpapiere is a flexible, medium-sized paper producer that develops and sells customised solutions for food packaging, technical applications and decorative packaging. With alternative fibre concepts and innovative barrier solutions, Pfleiderer offers forward-looking solutions to reduce plastic and composite packaging for customers all over the world. The broad product portfolio with more than 100 special grades and product variants is continuously adapting to customer wishes and market requirements.
"With the production of silphia paper in resource-saving, low basis weights, we are setting new standards as part of our PT ECO-FIBER® concept. We are convinced that silphia fibre is a regional and renewable fibre alternative for the paper industry and are pleased to be able to contribute our experience in the use of alternative fibre materials and in the production of barrier papers to the new partnership with OutNature. With the planned commissioning of a new biomass cogeneration plant in the second half of 2022 and the then climate-neutral production of thermal energy, we can also make an important contribution to optimising the carbon footprint of the silphy papers produced in Teisnach," says Karl Augustin, Head of Product Management and Marketing at Pfleiderer Spezialpapiere, outlining the joint cooperation.
In addition to Pfleiderer, OutNature is also in contact with other paper manufacturers and is conducting tests with them on the possible production of silphia paper. With OutNature, PreZero has opened up a completely new and regional source of raw material based on the Danube silphia for use in the paper industry. And the silphia plant also offers a sustainable perspective for farmers, as it is, among other things, insect-friendly, stores CO2 in the soil and protects it from wind and water erosion.
www.out-nature.de
