From the Sector

• New system automatically cleans corrugated printing plates in less than four minutes

Baldwin Technology Company Inc. has announced that corrugated packaging market leader VPK Group has recently installed a FlexoCleanerBrush. This new system—which automatically cleans and dries corrugated printing plates in less than four minutes—has been added to VPK’s advanced 2.1-meter-wide six-color Göpfert Ovation High Board Line flexographic printer at the company’s new high-bay factory in Halden, Norway.

With the FlexoCleanerBrush system, an inline cleaning station installed within each print unit uses a brush that runs the full width of each printing plate. Paired with a precision spray application system, the FlexoCleanerBrush evenly distributes a mixture of approximately five percent detergent and water across the plate as it spins, gently cleaning its surface. The plates are then dried by the integrated air knife. Cleaning cycles can be controlled through the FlexoCleanerBrush’s operator panel or the integrated Göpfert human-machine interface. Besides offering efficient cleaning during runs and fast end-of-job cleaning, the FlexoCleanerBrush system also enables operators to remove dry plates from the machine without the potential risk of plates sticking together once they are placed back in the plate-racking system. This helps to ensure increased board throughput, less downtime and a safer working environment by eliminating operators’ contact with nip points, moving parts and chemicals.

• New 20,000 ton Lyocell line commences production in Shandong

Sateri has successfully commenced production of Lyocell fibre in Rizhao, Shandong, China. In collaboration with Asia Symbol, China’s leading producer of pulp and packaging board, the newly installed 20,000 ton per annum production line will broaden Sateri’s portfolio of high quality fibre products, and bolster Lyocell supply to the textile and non-woven markets.

Industry associations such as the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) welcome the news. Duan Xiaoping, Deputy President of CNTAC and President of the China Chemical Fibers Association (CCFA), said, “Lyocell is not only a higher value product but also an eco-friendly fibre that is bio-based and minimises chemical use and emissions. Sateri’s investment in Lyocell is very much aligned with the aim for technical and product upgrading for China’s textile industry.”

A natural and biodegradable fibre, Sateri’s Lyocell is made from wood pulp sourced from sustainable plantations. It is manufactured using closed-loop technology, requiring minimal chemical input during the production process, and utilising an organic solvent that can be almost fully recovered and recycled. Lyocell is used to produce high quality textiles and personal hygiene materials. Textiles made from Lyocell possess high tenacity and bright lustre, and share similar qualities with textiles made from viscose – soft and silky with good drape, breathability, and absorption.

Sateri is part of the RGE group of companies which has committed to investing USD200 million to advance next-generation textile fibre innovation and technology. In March this year, Sateri achieved a breakthrough in commercial production of viscose using recycled textile waste.

• Launched by SCOTT Sports Racing Team with Sitip, Rosti and ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei

The collection was designed starting from the needs of the athletes with the aim to offer them the best solution in terms of style and ergonomics, high performance, easy maintenance and perfect fit being also sustainable.

Ispo 2020 saw the celebration of the partnership started last year between Scott Racing Team, Rosti, Sitip and ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei for the supply of the team riders’ uniforms. Rosti worked on style and packaging, Sitip on technical fabrics ‘BE-HOT - Heat Generating fabrics’, while ROICA™ provided its premium stretch ingredient. The collaboration carries an interesting news: uniforms are not just highly performing but also, and above all, sustainable.

Sitip created the Native fabric entirely made with recycled yarns and featuring the premium high performing  ROICA™ EF elastomer. The yarn is certified GRS - Global Recycled Standard certification (and also provides special dyeability) with Rosti’s design and high care garment manufacturing.

The main rider of Scott Racing Team Italy, the young and award-winning champion Juri Ragnoli, the “end user” of the uniforms, explaines the requirements that garments should possess in order to meet the sporting challenges that await athletes: breathability, comfort on the skin, performance, durability of the shape and maintenance of the characteristics throughout the course of use of the garment. When asked about the arrival of a new sustainable uniform, the champion said that “it’s right and important to take this direction, which perfectly meets the team’s values, as love for nature and respect for the environment. It will be nice to wear something that follows exactly what you believe in”.

Captivating colours, optimum cost efficiency and a sustainable value chain: these are some of the typical features of Sappi’s Inkjet and Dye Sublimation Papers. The global manufacturer will showcase its diverse, high-quality product ranges at FESPA Madrid, in hall 3, stand D30.

• Transjet Drive dye sublimation paper tailored to industrial printing machines with a glue-belt system
• Scrolljet, a large inkjet paper, with impressively razor-sharp lines
• Digitally printed corrugated board with Fusion Topliner for consumer goods packing and displays

Eye-catching posters, textiles with excellent prints and labels that stand out clearly, this is how brand owners, advertising companies and retailers draw attention to themselves and their products. The comprehensive range of Sappi’s Dye Sublimation Papers, Inkjet Papers and Silicone Base Papers form the perfect basis for impressive brand communication. Customers and potential customers can come and convince themselves at this year’s FESPA event in Madrid, which takes place from 24 to 27 March.

Paper with impressive sustainable qualities
At its large exhibition stand in the Digital Printing hall, Sappi will showcase its Transjet range, which represents highest quality and optimal cost efficiency, offering also environmental advantages, such as low ink consumption and low transfer times. Minimal shrinkage of high elastic textiles is one of the key features of the Sportsline tacky grades. The special Transjet Drive, its extremely smooth backside and fast ink drying on the printable side, allow more efficient production on high-speed printers with glue belt systems. Sappi stands for much more than just the highest paper quality. Professional support through a special team of technical application engineers, Digital Solutions assist customers from their initial product idea to final production ensuring impressive results.

Differentiation through precision and sharpness
With its range of Inkjet papers, Sappi will demonstrate its considerable expertise in large format digital printing in Madrid. At the heart of the exhibition presentation is Scrolljet, a multi-layered coated paper for a wide range of outdoor applications, such as city light and mega light scrolling systems. DT-Plot and Swiss Matt are the best choice for graphic drawings and poster printing due to their exceptional colour results and the high precision and sharpness of the print.

Everything from a single, innovative source
When it comes to making classic packaging, shelf-ready packaging and POS displays stand out from the rest, marketing managers, brand owners and designers can always count on Fusion Topliner with its high degree of whiteness. As the topliner reproduces colours brilliantly and can be processed excellently, products made with this clearly stand out and attract attention. The product range presented by the paper and paperboard specialist is topped off by Silicone Base Papers for self-adhesive applications such as car wrapping, outdoor advertising and office supplies. This makes Sappi a versatile, long-term partner on which customers can rely. Sappi’s paper and paperboard thus go far beyond FESPA 2020: “Where colour comes alive.”

     Experienced people-centric leader to strengthen product and service capabilities

The leadership team of Baldwin Technology Company Inc. has appointed Joe Kline as its new President and CEO, effective January 17, 2020. Baldwin is a leading global manufacturer of innovative process-automation technology for the printing, packaging and converting industries. Acting CEO Kyle Chapman will continue as Baldwin’s Chairman, and devote greater focus to BW Forsyth Partners’ rapidly expanding portfolio. In 2012, Forsyth acquired thenpublic Baldwin and took it private.

Prior to joining Baldwin, Kline served as the president of a division in Eaton’s electrical sector. In addition, his previous experience includes commercial leadership roles at Eaton, Duke Manufacturing and Emerson. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Ohio University and a Master of Business Administration in international business from Saint Louis University.

Kline’s appointment follows the 2019 appointments of four Baldwin business segment presidents: Rich Bennett at AMS Spectral UV, Tomas Anderbjer at Baldwin Precision Applications, Vince Balistrieri at Baldwin Vision Systems, and Matt Shishikura at Baldwin Japan.

Purchase marks company’s second in two years as growth continues

Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC), announced that Prestige-Pak of Fond du Lac has purchased a new Fusion C flexographic press. The press will be the second Fusion C (and the fourth PCMC press) for Prestige-Pak, a second-generation, family-owned business, and producer of printed and laminated flexible packaging materials.

“We’re looking forward to our new Fusion C press,” said Vince Kuber, President of Prestige-Pak. “Our Fusion C and Fusion presses have helped us better meet the needs and requirements of our customers. We’ve experienced significant growth, and that has prompted us to add an additional press. One deciding factor in choosing PCMC is the fact that the company’s machines are engineered and built in the United States.”

The Fusion C is loaded with fast make-ready and waste-saving features, all in a smaller footprint with fewer parts. This reliable flexographic press also includes PCMC’s SteadyPrint print-stabilization technology, winner of the 2019 FTA Technical Innovation Award. With this feature, the bearing arrangement is coupled with an algorithm that uses noise-canceling technology to largely remove the impact of bounce when printing graphics with hard edges. With patents pending on all features, SteadyPrint is currently the only product on the market using this kind of technology to eliminate disturbances and monitor in real time.

Sustainable packaging solutions are a hot topic all over the world. Sappi, market leader in innovative packaging barrier and sealable papers, is already producing such solutions and can point to numerous successful examples. Demand from customers and interested parties from a wide spectrum of industries continues to grow. The world’s leading paper and paperboard manufacturer therefore recently added two new grammages to its Sappi Seal range. In addition to the 67 g/m² version, the new 85 g/m² and 100 g/m² papers enable branded goods manufacturers to package an even more extensive variety of products with this functional paper – either as primary or secondary packaging.

The requirements for packaging papers are becoming increasingly demanding. They need to offer greater functionality, be environmentally friendly, recyclable and provide optimal protection for the packaged products. While many paper manufacturers are still talking about such multi-functional solutions, the innovation leader Sappi has already expanded its portfolio. The 85 g/m² and 100 g/m² grammages are now available in the Sappi Seal product family. Converters and manufacturers of food products, such as sugar, tea and confectionery, as well as non-food items, like children’s toys and DIY products, now have even more possibilities to use this functional paper and move from fossil-based materials to environmentally friendly packaging. The wide range of projects that Sappi has already completed for well-known customers, highlight its relevance for the market.

A successful autumn season for Sappi at a collection of trade fairs, with exceptional interest shown in innovative packaging papers

Sappi Europe has presented its solutions for sustainable, future-oriented packaging at three trade fairs in the past few weeks. The globally operating paper specialist’s extensive product range has been serving as a benchmark in the industry for years and now includes the functional barrier papers from the Sappi Guard family, the sealable packaging paper Sappi Seal and the folding boxboard Atelier. The showcasing of innovations in sustainable packaging papers will continue at interpack in Düsseldorf in May 2020.

“Environmentally friendly packaging” was the first leading theme of FachPack, which, according to Messe Nürnberg, really had its finger on the pulse. This theme also was given top priority by visitors that were attracted to the Sappi stand, by its wide range of innovative and sustainable application solutions.

Huge demand for specific projects
Almost fifty per cent more branded goods manufacturers, converters, established customers and interested parties visited the FachPack stand in Nuremberg compared to the previous year – with specific projects in mind. For those planning to replace composite packaging with a paper-based solution with integrated functionality, Sappi presented its Sappi Guard barrierpapers and highlighted some related best practice references. This included the packaging solution for a new nut-fruit bar, recently introduced to the market, from a well-known brand manufacturer. The Sappi Guard range includes Sappi Guard M and Sappi Guard MS with a mineral oil barrier (MOB) and a grease barrier of Kit 11 or Kit 7. All Guard papers guarantee very high product safety and can be completely recycled. The integrated heat sealability was the focus of the development of Sappi Seal. René Köhler, Head of Business Development Packaging and Speciality Papers at Sappi, says: “Reducing the consumption of fossil resources in packaging is a major concern for Sappi. On this account, we developed Sappi Seal, a functional paper with integrated heat sealing functionality which is integrated in the form of a dispersion coating on the reverse side of the paper and can replace papers with a PE coating.” Sappi presented a wide range of successfully completed projects in order to demonstrate the specific application of this paper to the trade fair visitors.

New polyethylene and polypropylene-based monomaterial pouch solutions developed in value-chain collaboration

Borealis and Borouge have developed a series of new, monomaterial pouch solutions based on polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Designed specifically for recycling, and in collaboration with value-chain partners, these new pouch solutions are suitable for the most demanding consumer packaging applications. In line with the EverMinds™ approach to Thinking Circular, these solutions further expand the range of more sustainable options available to the flexible packaging industry. Several of the pouches will be showcased at the K 2019 in October, including one exemplar containing 35% post-consumer recyclate (PCR).

Communicating brand values and product characteristics in an emotional way and staging them in an appropriate manner is becoming increasingly important for brand manufacturers. To connect with the end consumer, they need to have paperboards that enhance the visual and tactile experience. In response to these needs, Sappi is now introducing the next generation of its popular and proven Algro Design portfolio – with an enhanced paperboard version and a change of name.

More and more consumers want exclusive, customised packaging that reflects a brand’s unique selling points and special character. For even more flexibility and design scope, Sappi is expanding its range of premium solid bleached boards to include an additional variety as of 1 October 2019: Algro Design Advanced. This gives customers a choice of four different reverse side surfaces within the popular Algro Design portfolio, which means one more paperboard variety than before. The paperboards differ with regard to the reverse side coating; the top sides are identical and always double coated. As part of the ongoing development of the popular Algro Design paperboard, the term “Nature” is now added. This further underlines the brand’s natural look on the uncoated reverse side and its haptic character. A specification of this kind is in great demand today, as the reverse side of the paperboard is being used more and more frequently as the outward face of a finished box. The product itself and all properties remain the same.