Food manufacturers are increasingly looking for alternatives to plastic packaging. But leaving items unpackaged is rarely a solution, when it comes to food. Pure paper packaging is not always possible, nor is it more environmentally friendly per se. Sappi, one of the world's leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions, relies on barrier papers. According to the company, it is the manufacturer with the widest range of barrier papers. In contrast to “normal” paper, these have a barrier, a coating to protect the product from external influences such as moisture, light and oxygen.
“Three points are particularly important for our customers: firstly, product protection. It is crucial that this is not compromised in comparison to the current packaging. One example of this is ensuring a secure best-before date,” says René Köhler, Director Paper & Packaging Solutions at Sappi Europe. The second important point: “Ideally, the barrier papers should run on existing equipment. Our customers are keen to avoid major investments in machine components or even entire systems in order to switch to a new material. In such cases, optimization is necessary,” says Köhler. For this reason, the company works closely with packaging machine manufacturers to carry out preliminary tests. “It often depends on the settings of the machines that make it possible to switch from conventional materials to new, more sustainable materials.”
