PulPac is working on dry moulded fibre technology for sustainable packaging that will help in replacing single-use plastics with circular fibre solutions
Stora Enso plans to use PulPac’s Dry Moulded Fibre technology for sustainable packaging. (Credit: Stora Enso)
Finnish paper firm Stora Enso has made an investment in Swedish sustainable packaging technology company PulPac.
With the investment, Stora Enso becomes a shareholder of PulPac, which is working on dry moulded fibre technology to support sustainable packaging.
The technology seeks to replace single-use plastics with circular fibre solutions and help in reducing waste and carbon footprint.
Stora Enso Formed Fiber SVP Anna Jonhed said: “We are finding growth in sustainable and innovative packaging. To stay ahead of the curve, we are investing in next generation fibre moulding technologies.
According to the firm, dry moulding of fibres is a process that uses dry raw materials, while wet moulding requires combining pulp in water to a low concentration.
Dry moulding production method offering high product output and scalability. It is also energy efficient, carries a less carbon footprint and requires less water, Stora Enso claimed.
Jonhed added: “We are currently using wet moulding in our production and will now add dry moulding to our portfolio.
“With this investment, we support accelerating the commercialisation of PulPac’s technology and serve our customers with a wider range of sustainable fibre technologies.”
Using a licencing model, PulPac gives customers with access to its patented technology while other partners provide the materials and production machinery.
By using this methodology, the production capacity can be quickly increased, and PulPac plans to replace 1 million tonnes of single-use plastics by 2025, the Finnish firm added.
“PulPac’s technology enables products that are highly sustainable, but the big benefit comes from scalability. Efficient production technology means there is a real potential for replacing single use plastics at large scale,” Jonhed concluded.
Recently, Stora Enso completed the upgradation of wood handling at Imatra Mills in Finland to boost the production’s stability and efficiency for a premium packaging board.