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Paper & Board Packaging
Balancing sustainability and performance in fiber-based packaging production
Put simply, we offer tailor-made, water-based chemistries that perfectly balance functionality and sustainability for paper and board packaging applications. From pulp additives, process chemicals, coating additives and coatings to coloration, barriers, and adhesives, we work with brand owners and packaging manufacturers to help meet the changing consumer demands for more environmentally conscious packaging, and respond to ever-increasing regulatory pressures.
We’re backed by more than a century of technical expertise, a truly global reach, a collaborative approach, a strong sustainability focus, and the agility to drive innovation and meet the evolving needs of the packaging industry.
Click here to discover more about what sets us apartSelect your area of interest
Our approach
Consumers are speaking with one voice — they want to move away from plastic packaging. This is the driving force powering the industry’s transformation to more sustainable alternatives.
As a key player in the packaging value chain, it’s our responsibility to respond to that call and innovate in a way that harmonizes the entire system and delivers true circularity for the paper and board packaging sector.
The role of chemistry is often overlooked. It may only make up around 5% of a total package (that’s tiny!), but it can provide 95% of the functionality (that’s huge!).
As well as aiding the performance of finished packaging products – by providing grease, moisture and oil resistance, improving packaging shelf life, and making packaging safe for food contact — chemistry plays critical roles in the production of the cellulose material itself.
It’s chemistry that helps to break down wood into pulp at the very start of paper production. Chemistry that whitens the pulp. Chemistry that improves fiber-retention. Chemistry that enhances brightness, opacity and printability. And chemistry that enables fiber-based packaging to sit in a circular recycling loop – helping to remove ink and adhesives, breaking down difficult-to-recycle materials, and support wastewater treatment in paper mills. The list goes on.
Solutions for all applications
Whether you’re looking to improve the oil resistance of fast-food packaging, retain the structural integrity of coffee cups, or achieve a more premium look for cosmetic packaging, we’ll work with you to formulate the perfect solution.
We’re all about tailoring chemistry to your specific needs, not relying on ‘one-size-fits-all’, off-the-shelf solutions. We can do this because we have strategically-located application centers on every continent, where our experts listen intently, test meticulously, and work hand-in-hand with you to meet your challenges as a truly collaborative team.
Our chemistry
Because our chemistries are largely water-based they’re inherently more sustainable throughout the paper packaging circular ecosystem.
From pulp, to paper, to packaging and back to pulp again — our focus on innovation creates sustainable solutions that transform every stage of fiber-based packaging production.
The advantages of water-based chemistries for paper & board packaging
Water-based chemistry is increasing in popularity as the preferred solution for packaging applications. Water-based chemistry has less impact on the environment, satisfies regulators, and can even deliver better performance.
To be more specific, here are some of the advantages of water-based solutions…
From Pulp to Package, Package to Pulp (and back again)
The paperization trend in modern packaging has many drivers: regulatory developments, growing environmental awareness, changing consumer sentiment — all these, and more, contribute to its increasing relevance.
Find out more about the role of chemistry in closing the loop on circular, fiber-based packaging production.
The Rise of Paperization
Hear Archroma Packaging Technologies’ Lisa Clark – VP Marketing & Sustainability – discuss the trends driving paperization, the tightening of global legislation, and how more sustainable chemistry is helping to drive change.
To view this content, please click here
Fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Water-based chemistries emit fewer VOCs than solvent-based alternatives, reducing air pollution.
Safer for consumers…
Water-based formulations reduce the risk of harmful chemicals migrating into food. They often contain fewer harmful substances than alternative solvent-based options.
… and safer in the workplace
By reducing exposure to toxic solvents, water-based chemistry improves occupational health conditions for those working in the production of packaging (and in the production of the chemistry itself).
Enhanced product performance
Archroma Packaging Technologies’ water-based chemistries are designed to provide the same, if not better, functional performance as traditional solvent-based options. So you can maintain product quality and performance while transitioning to more sustainable materials.
Improved logistics, better supply chain efficiency
Water-based chemistries are typically more cost-effective to transport and store, because they don’t require specialized handling or storage conditions. With our global footprint we can reduce transit time, and you benefit from improved logistics and greater supply chain efficiency.
Flexible and customizable
Archroma's water-based chemistries can be tailored to meet your specific packaging needs, across diverse substrates and applications, providing a high degree of flexibility and enabling you to explore new materials and technologies.
What goes into the box: Chemistry’s fundamental role in sustainable packaging
Without chemistry we wouldn’t have packaging at all — sustainable or otherwise. Yet, the role of chemistry in packaging is often unacknowledged, even by seasoned packaging professionals. This article explores the role of chemistry, both as an integral part of every package, and as the driving force behind true circularity in this sector.
