Sappi Europe’s strategic enhancements in the flexible packaging papers sector

Sappi Europe, a global leader in paper-based packaging solutions, has made significant advancements in its flexible packaging papers division. As market leader in fibre-based flexible packaging paper solutions, Sappi has over decades of expertise in papermaking and coatings. The company’s teams of engineers and application specialists are acknowledged around the world for their profound knowledge and exceptionally innovative approaches. Sappi Europe’s investment in a new barrier coating machine at its Alfeld site represents a milestone in further supporting high-value innovation.

• Sappi’s barrier coater: A strategic investment in a growing market
• New machine supports the development of tomorrow’s functional papers
• An innovative concept for product development and innovation

Strategic investments in an evolving, growing market

Sappi Europe leverages a combination of high-end technologies and in-depth know-how in its endeavour to develop solutions that deliver advanced speciality papers and coatings to an ever-changing, growing market. Over recent years, the paper manufacturer has made strategic investments to bolster its position as an innovation leader in the flexible packaging market. Notable milestones include the transformation of the PM2 in Alfeld in 2014 from a graphic to a packaging paper machine, as well as the acquisition of the Cham Paper Group in 2018. The latest milestone was the introduction of a cutting-edge barrier coating machine in 2023. These investments highlight the company’s dedication to evolving along with market demand and to further enhancing production capabilities.

Barrier coating machine supports the development of tomorrow’s functional papers

With the most comprehensive portfolio on the market, Sappi looks back on a decade of experience in developing barrier papers. The new barrier coating machine, a pinnacle of innovation, is designed to produce and to develop new barrier paper solutions. The new machine opens up entirely new possibilities – including not only a large variety of different barrier coatings, but also perfect alignment with base papers including different printing side surfaces such as Natural, Silk and Gloss.

A concept for rising demands and product development

The new coating machine, built to produce barrier papers and thus meeting the increasing demand from the market, is also key to the development of new barrier solutions.  It is equipped with an extremely high level of automation and capable of coating a wide spectrum of materials and of processing many different barriers. The barrier coating machine is unique in that it represents a far-reaching development solution – from raw materials all the way through base and functional paper grades. It underscores Sappi’s commitment to in-house production processes that can respond extremely quickly to changing customer needs and thus to efficiently meet the rising demand for functional papers and barrier variety.

Sappi’s packaging solutions are conceived to replace non-recyclable materials such as multi-layer and plastic flexible packaging by fiber-based material to address the most diverse packaging requirements. “The future belongs to innovative speciality papers. Our new coating system is the key to new markets, innovative products and sustainable solutions”, explains Thomas Rajcsanyi, Mill Director and Managing Director of Sappi Alfeld GmbH.

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