Australia-based advanced materials technology firm Talga Resources has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Swedish pulp and paper firm BillerudKorsnäs to explore potential benefits of graphene in packaging applications.
Image: BillerudKorsnäs chief technology officer Magnus Wikström. Photo: courtesy of BillerudKorsnäs.
As per the LOI, the companies will jointly explore potential benefits of by incorporating Talphene graphene product of Talga into a packaging application from BillerudKorsnäs.
BillerudKorsnäs focuses on providing the packaging market sustainable materials and solutions to increase customers’ profitability and enhance the overall environmental impact.
The company, which offers primary fibre based packaging materials, has customers in more than 100 countries.
BillerudKorsnäs chief technology officer Magnus Wikström said: “Talga’s advanced solutions fit very well with BillerudKorsnäs’ vision of challenging conventional packaging for a sustainable future. We are happy for this collaboration and look forward to jointly explore new possibilities together with the Talga team.”
BillerudKorsnäs has eight production units in Sweden, Finland and the UK. The company employs 4300 people in more than 13 countries.
Talga said it has significant advantages owing to its 100% owned high grade natural graphite deposits in Sweden, processing innovations and product technology. The company is undertaking joint development programs with a range of international corporations.
Talga managing director Mark Thompson said: “Talga is excited to be working with BillerudKorsnäs who are at the forefront of paper and board packaging innovation, sustainability and performance. We look forward to exploring our graphene product technology toward success of the application.”
Last month, it was revealed that BillerudKorsnäs and Uppsala University are making paper batteries a reality, paving the way for energy storage in packaging materials.
Together, the parties have taken basic research based on pure cellulose from algae and developed it to work with the similar type of fibre that BillerudKorsnäs leverages to manufacture packaging material.
BillerudKorsnäs said in the long term, the paper battery opens up possibilities for developing packaging that is both smart and more sustainable.