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BillerudKorsnäs launches full-scale trials of MFC in paperboard

Recent development has allowed for industrial scale extraction of the components of cellulosic fibres in wood, the fibrils. For a paper and board maker, adding MFC in the production process opens up opportunities for “new functionality and for further improved resource efficiency,” said BillerudKorsnäs in a statement.

To explore these opportunities, BillerudKorsnäs carried out small-scale testing in full production during 2016. The full-scale trials are expected to start in early 2017.

BillerudKorsnäs said its short-term aim is to achieve the same strength properties of its paperboard products, but with lesser material, adding that for the future, “using MFC could possibly also be a key to replace the thin barrier layers of plastics or aluminium today often added to the otherwise renewable fibre based packaging.”

“By adding MFC, we want to explore how to further improve our world class materials to make them even more competitive against their main competitor, fossil based plastic packaging. That is how we increase our positive contribution from a sustainability standpoint. We are enthusiastic over our cooperation with Borregaard and with them as our supplier of MFC in this development program,” said Magnus Wikström, BillerudKorsnäs CTO.

The full-scale trials are made possible through a new co-operation with Borregaard. Under this cooperation, BillerudKorsnäs will be supplied with MFC from the recently started MFC plant of Borregaard in Sarpsborg, Norway.

“Borregaard welcomes this cooperation with BillerudKorsnäs. Our Exilva MFC products have excellent strength and barrier properties and should hence be good materials for BillerudKorsnäs to further develop their position as a world leader in sustainable packaging solutions,” added Pål Romberg, executive vice president Exilva at Borregaard.