Stora Enso, UPM-Kymmene and Tampere University of Technology (TUT) have commenced research and development co-operation on barrier-coated paper and board products. The largest European groups in the forest industry and TUT expect to make rapid development in four main fields of research: High barrier coating, packaging materials for frozen food, biodegradable plastic coating and intelligent packs. The aim is to develop barrier coated and laminated paper and board based products, and to promote the recycling of materials.

The three organisations signed an agreement on R&D co-operation early this year. Appropriate global partners for the research projects are being sought also at other universities and in the field of machine production.

The companies have progressed at a brisk pace and the outline for the co-operation has already been drawn up. The R&D resources will be allocated to four main fields. In High Barrier coating, the companies aim to find challenging new end-uses. Special emphasis will be placed on the development of gas tight packaging. Another aim is to develop a new package type for frozen food that would better meet present requirements. Also, the development of a new biodegradable plastic coating is likely to be of interest to the fast food sector. Biodegradable plastic coating is more readily degradable in the ecological chain than normal coatings, and the goal is to use this innovation for both cup stock and fast food packaging. Finally, the companies expect to be able to raise standards throughout the packaging industry with their new intelligent packs. An intelligent pack can communicate with the consumer, the retailer and the entire production chain by means of applied microchip technology.

"Improving the performance of packages, combining new package types and technologies, finding new logistics solutions and environmental aspects are challenges we want to meet through this R&D co-operation," says Yrjö Aho, Vice President of Stora Enso Special Food Packaging.

A joint management group has been formed by the forest industry groups and the Tampere University of Technology to co-ordinate the various projects and, to allocate resources for them. The chairman of the group is Ilkka Lumme of UPM-Kymmene. "In the management group, we will ensure that the benefits gained through the R&D projects are distributed to all parties as equally as possible. In any case, the aim of this agreement on co-operation is to strengthen the position of paper and board based materials in packaging in the future."



For further information, please contact:

Stora Enso Oyj
Special Food Packaging Boards
Mr Yrjö Aho, Vice President
FIN-55800 Imatra
FINLAND
Tel.: +358 2046 121
Fax: +358 2046 24767
E-mail: yrjo.aho@storaenso.com

Stora Enso UK Ltd.
Mr Roy Bray
12th floor, Newland House
49 Mount Street
GB-Nottingham, NG1 6HE
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 115 964 7100
Fax: +44 115 964 7170
E-mail: roy.bray@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Austria Ges. m.b.H
Mr Walter Strohmayer
P.O. Box 137
A-1050 Wien
AUSTRIA
Tel: +43 1 546 55
Fax: +43 1 544 8304
E-mail: walter.strohmayer@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Deutschland
Ms Jalliina Järvinen
Große Bleichen 30
D-20354 Hamburg
GERMANY
Tel: +49 40 350 99 150
Fax: +49 40 350 99 101
E-mail: jalliina.jarvinen@storaenso.com

Stora Enso France S.A.
Mr Alain Piattier / Maila Grastilleur
15/25 boulevard de l'Amiral Bruix
F-75782 Paris Cedex 16
FRANCE
Tel: +33 1 5364 79 00
Fax: +33 1 5364 79 90
E-mail: alain.piattier@storaenso.com /
maila.grastilleur@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Italia srl
Mr Renato Somekh
Via A. Volta, 16
I-20093 Cologno Monzese
ITALY
Tel: +39 02 251 514 74
Fax: +39 02 251 514 59
E-mail: renato.somekh@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Japan K.K.
Mr Eero Ala-Jääski, President
KM Nishiumeda Bldg.
20-1, Fukushima 7-chome
Fukushima-ku
J-Osaka 553-0003
JAPAN
Tel: +81 6 6455 6811
Fax: +81 6 6455 8811
E-mail: eero.ala-jaaski@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Nederland B.V.
Mr J.W.F.Klarenbeek
P.O. Box 12386
NL-1101 AJ Amsterdam
THE NETHERLANDS
Tel: +31 20 650 5555
Fax: +31 20 650 5622
E-mail: jan-willem.klarenbeek@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Scandinavia AB
Packaging Boards
Mr Joakim Stockhaus
P.O. Box 70395
SE-10724 Stockholm
SWEDEN
Tel: +46 8 613 6600
Fax: +46 8 613 6770
E-mail: joakim.stockhaus@storaenso.com

UPM-Kymmene Oyj Walki Wisa
Mr Ilkka Lumme, Vice President and Managing Director
P.O. Box 33
FIN-37601 Valkeakoski
FINLAND
Tel.: +358 204163000
Fax: +358 204163002
E-mail: ilkka.lumme@upm-kymmene.com

Tampere University of Technology
Mr Antti Savolainen, Professor
P.O. Box 541
FIN-33101 Tampere
FINLAND
Tel.: +358 3 3652561
Fax: +358 3 3653781
E-mail: anttiv@cc.tut.fi

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