In September 2020, BillerudKorsnäs and Syntegon Technology partnered to launch recyclable flow wrap, a paper-based packaging solution that enables a shift from conventional plastic to renewable and recyclable materials.

Flow wrap is a type of flexible packaging used for many products in the FMCG sector and today plastic film flow wrap is standard for FMCG. BillerudKorsnäs’ recyclable flow wrap is an innovative paper packaging solution, based on primary fibres from well-managed forests and with high barrier performance that can be recycled as paper.

The product enables the shift from conventional plastic to paper and is suitable for medium to high barrier requirements such as those posed by chocolate bars and other confectionery as well as bakery product. A patent application for BillerudKorsnäs’ recyclable flow wrap is pending. The recyclable flow wrap is verified by Syntegon Technology and tested with their retrofit upgrade kit ‘paper-ON-form’.

“We are happy to launch a paper-based flow wrap solution. The product is recyclable as paper and brand owners don’t have to compromise neither product shelf life nor converting productivity in comparison to plastic packaging options,” says Peter Åström, project manager recyclable flow wrap.

With the Syntegon upgrade kit paper-ON-form it can be installed on existing horizontal flow wrapping machines and new flow wrappers from Syntegon Packaging Systems. The solution was engineered in Syntegon’s development center in Beringen, Switzerland, and consists of a flow-wrap forming unit and sealing tools or paper cold-sealing applications. The kit is already being used on existing lines from international manufacturers for packaging chocolate bars in paper.

“To make flow wraps future-proof we have to take a holistic approach. In our test lab, we are concentrating on three elements – avoidance, recycling, and recovery. Our retrofit kit allows customers the transition to paper packaging on their existing Syntegon Packaging Systems horizontal flow wrapping machine – without any restrictions regarding speed compared to the existing for cold-sealable paper,” says Christoph Langohr, project manager of sustainability horizontal packaging.

By introducing recyclable flow wrap, BillerudKorsnäs brings forward innovation based on renewable and biodegradable materials meeting brand owners and legislators’ need to reduce littering and increase recycling without compromising on the barrier characteristics.