NVC Course Packaging Technology

for Auditors

Paper and Board Packaging

1
Agenda
• Paper and board pack types
• Key performance properties
• Manufacture of paper and board
• Board types
• Corrugated board
• Solid board
• Carton/case making
• Other pulp-based packaging

2
PAPER AND BOARD PACK
TYPES
Paper and board pack types

Corrugated cases, trays, fitments Ca. 56%

Wrappers, leaflets, labels Ca. 6%

Bags and sacks Ca. 5%

4
Paper and board pack types
• Folding cartons
• Rigid boxes
• Gable top containers
• Carded display packs
• Spirally wound and reel formed containers
• Paper pulp packaging
Make up remaining 33%

5
MANUFACTURE OF PAPER
AND BOARD
Manufacture of paper and board
• Raw materials
– Virgin hard woods
– Virgin soft woods
– Recycled fibres
• Pulp preparation
– Dissolving in water (source of water is of importance!)
– Adding additives (on average 15% of paper consist of
chemicals, finished board packaging with coatings can
be 35%)
• Paper and board making
– Fast running machines with a screen or felt layer

7
Raw materials
• Cellulose fibre, from managed
forests:
– Virgin hardwoods
• deciduous trees, eg aspen, birch,
oak
• short fibres
• low strength papers
• smooth surface papers - good
printing quality

8
Raw materials
• Cellulose fibre, from managed
forests:
– Virgin softwoods
• coniferous trees, e.g. spruce, pine
• long fibres
• high strength papers due to matting
of fibres
• uneven surface papers - poor
printing quality

9
Raw materials
• Cellulose fibres, from recycled papers
– Sourced from industrial, commercial and
domestic waste
– Need to remove ‘contraries’ e.g. string, rags
– Need for de-inking and removal of
adhesives, e.g. hotmelts
– Tests show that food contact is not possible
with recycled fibres (without functional
barriers or coatings)

10
Raw materials: recycled fibers
• Cellulose fibers, from recycled papers
– Paper properties vary according to waste paper
source (European standard with 57 grades)
– Need for control of source
– Reduction in fibre length during recycling
– Reduced strength papers vs. virgin fibres
– Small particles can cause issues for the Overall
Migratory Limits (OML) of 10 mg/dm2
– Specific chemicals can cause issues

11
Raw materials

12
13
14
Chemicals in paper
• Many chemicals are found in paper
• Especially when unsorted wastepaper is being
used; source and previous use is unknown
Sources
• Formed or introduced during paper
production (cellulose production, in the pulp,
during sheet forming, coating)
• Coming from adhesives (chemicals)
• Chemicals used in inks (like mineral oils)
• Chemicals from coatings and lacquers
15
Use of recycled fibers
• Reminder: research in 2011 showed that
mineral oils from offset inks migrated
(through HDPE plastic bags) into dry
products like cereals, pastas, rice
• EU 2017/84 monitoring MOSH and MOAH
to set migration limits
• Industry developed barriers on base of PA,
PET, CA, EVOH and PLA and others

16
17
Raw materials
• Additives:
– Size to control water and ink penetration -
rosins and synthetic resins
– Starch as a binder to improve strength
• Starch has been source of gluten in ice cream packed in
carton board

18
Raw materials
• Additives:
– Fillers to reduce cost, additives to improve
surface printability, brightness, opacity and
many other characteristics - kaolin, chalk,
titanium dioxide and many chemicals
– Critical chemicals for food contact are for
example bactericides, de-foaming agents,
colourants, optical brightening agents, BPA
from cash tickets (receipts), high gloss
lacquers with photo initiators like 4-
methylbenzophenon, (4MBP), bisphenol A
(BPA) and many others
19
Raw material preparation
• Logging and transporting to pulp mill
• Debarking
• Good management of energy, water and
chemical usage
• Good management of emissions to air and
water
=

• Control of Economics and Environmental

Impact

20
Movie
• Go to the website learningatnvc.nl
• Look for the link for the movie about copy
paper production
Mechanical and chemical pulp

22
 Pulping methods: Summary
Pulp preparation % Lignin Yield Process removed
taken out

Mechanical nil 95% + Grinding

Thermo- nil 95% + Steam heating

Mechanical + Grinding

Semi-chemical 10 – 80% 65 – 85% Cooking with

chemicals + Grinding

Chemical 80 – 90% 45 – 65% Cooking with

chemicals

Chem+Bleaching 100% 45 – 55% Plus bleaching

agents

Dissolving 100% 45 – 50% Plus Sodium

hydroxide
(Cellulose film)

23
Bleaching
• ECF - Elemental Chlorine Free:
– Uses chlorine compounds such as chlorine
dioxide
– Reduced environmental effects vs using
chlorine gas
• TCF - Total Chlorine Free:
– Uses oxygen or ozone

24
Effect of pulp on paper/board
properties

25
Effect of beating and refining

26
Final raw material preparation
• Blending of pulp types for optimum performance
and cost
• Mixing with additives
• Cleaning/Screening
• Dilution to required consistency:
– 0.5-1.0% for paper
– 2.0-3.0% for board
• ‘Furnish’ is now ready for paper/board making

27
Paper and board production
• Paper:
– Fourdrinier process
• 2-ply Paper/board:
– Fourdrinier + variations e.g. twin wire
• Multi-ply board:
– Fourdrinier
– Cylinder or vat machines - uncommon in
Europe

28
Dry end processes
• Common to Fourdrinier and
Cylinder machines
– Heated cylinders to dry sheet
– Importance of temperature control
– Potentially high-cost process

29
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NVC - OVKI - Papier & Karton

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14-5-2021 NVC - OVKI - Papier & Karton

 33

14-5-2021 NVC - OVKI - Papier & Karton

Dry end processes
• Surface finishing
–Sizing (reduce tendency of absorption of
humidity)
–Calendaring (making surface smooth)
–Machine glazing
–On-line clay coating
–Off-line clay coating and/or super
calendaring
–Embossing (relief)
–Wax or polymer coating for resistance
against humidity

34
Calendaring

35
Finishing processes
• Reeling
• Slitting
• Conditioning - importance of RH
• Wrapping
• Labelling
• Storage
• Despatch

36
Quality checks in process
• Control of incoming stock
• On-line quality checks:
– Weight (per surface area)
– Thickness (with caliper in microns or mils)
– Moisture
• Off-line quality checks:
– Sample taken per reel
– Importance of traceability to mill reel

37
 Ch ip Bin
l

Chip Screen
l

Recovered White Wator/

Question
• What are hazards related to paper as
far as we have seen by now?
Packaging materials

PAPER / FOLDING BOXBOARD

/ CORRUGATED BOARD
PAPER
Common types of paper
• (Newsprint)
• (Printing and writing grades)
• Greaseproof, glassine, parchment
• Natural kraft, bleached kraft
– smooth finish
– machine glazed
– clay coated
• Tissue

42
Glassine, greaseproof and parchment
• Glassine: extensive chemical refinement of
pulp for low porosity. Used as separator for
slices of meat, cheese etc.
• Greaseproof (on base of glassine): filling the
pores with starches, alginates or CMC (a
cellulose derivative). Used for packing of
meat, and interleaves etc.
• Parchment: from acid process, grease and
moisture resistant. For oven use like paper
for cup cakes
• (Bakery paper: kraft fibers with silicone layer)
Sacks
• Use: industrial B2B
• Kraft paper, multi-layer, use of liners
Bags
• Use: fresh food, snacks etc.
Paper retail packs
• Kraft paper, printed with flexo or offset
• Waxed paper for confectionery
Sett off
• Printed top layer is in
contact with bottom
layer
• Bottom is in contact
with food product
• Matter can be set off
to product
• Lacquer can protect
ink layer (and can be
a hazard as well)
Common types of paper for corrugated
board (called ‘liners’)
• Kraft liner
– >70% virgin bleached or unbleached chem. pulp
(or white mottled with bleached layer on top of
unbleached layer of pulp)
• Test liner
– Recycled fibre, mostly on base of recycled content
from industrial sources, possible addition of virgin
fibres, dependent on grade (several grades, many
companies have their own grading system)
• Wellenstof
– 100% recycled fibers

48
FOLDING BOXBOARD
Common types of board
• Solid bleached board - SBS
– Coating
– 100% virgin bleached chemical pulp, in multi-layers

• Solid unbleached board - SUS

– (Coating)
– 100% virgin unbleached chemical pulp, in multi-layers

These types are also being called foodboard

50
Common types of board
• Folding Boxboard
– Coating
– Virgin bleached chemical pulp
– Virgin mechanical pulp
– Virgin bleached/unbleached chemical pulp

51
Common types of board
• White-lined Chipboard
– Coating
– Virgin bleached chemical pulp
– Recycled fibre
– Recycled fibre or virgin bleached/unbleached chemical pulp

• Chipboard
– 100% recycled fibre

52
Overview of board types
SBS (GZ) Bleached coated sulphate

SUS Unbleached coated sulphate

GG1 of 2 High gloss glazed board

GC 1 Glazed duplex with ground wood layer and

unbleached back
GC 2 Glazed duplex with ground wood layer and
bleached back
GT of 3 Glazed triplex with recycled paper layer and
unbleached back
GD 1,2 of 3 Glazed triplex with recycled paper layer and
53
recycled back
Nomenclature of folding boxboard - DIN 19303
ECMA-code

55
Creasing of folding boxboard

56
Cutting and creasing – position of
nicks; nesting designs

57
Liquid packaging - laminates

Tetrapak

SIG Combibloc Elopak

Liquid packaging - laminates

Tetrapak
KEY PERFORMANCE
PROPERTIES
What affects performance of paper and
board (1)?

• Moisture content
• Grammage and Thickness
• Density
• Fibre alignment

62
Moisture content
• Cellulose fibres absorb moisture -
hygroscopic
• Affects:
– Dimensions
– Flatness
– Stiffness and strength properties

– And can be source for growth of micro-

organisms
63
Paper/board - hygroscopic materials

Hygroscopic also means that chemicals that are polar also will
stick to the fibres

64
Moisture and flatness

65
Grammage and Thickness
• Grammage: g/m2 - gsm
• Thickness measured with a caliper in microns
or mils
• Density = grammage/thickness: kg/m3
• For the same grammage:
– High density = low bulk = lower stiffness and
higher strength
– Low density = high bulk = higher stiffness and
lower strength

66
Fibre alignment
• Cellulose fibres align preferentially in the
direction of travel
• MD - machine direction - long grain
• CD - cross direction - short grain

67
Grain direction

Carton grain direction should run at right

angles to the major creases for maximum
carton stiffness

68
What affects performance of paper and
board (2)?

• Stiffness
• Strength and toughness
• Creasing and foldability Important
• Water absorption for food
packaging
• Porosity
• Grease resistance
• Taint and odour

69
Bending Stiffness

70
Water absorption

Cobb test Wick test

71
Taint and odour
Chromatogram of
unprinted board

Chromatogram of
printed board with a
low odour offset
litho ink

72
What affects performance of paper and
board (3)?

• Printability:
– Surface smoothness
– Surface strength
– Surface absorption
– Surface tension
– Whiteness
– Opacity

73
Question
• What are the learnings up to now?
• What are critical aspects?
CORRUGATED BOARD
Corrugated board
• Constructions - combinations of liners and
fluting medium:
– single faced / single wall / double wall / triple
wall
• Grades - choice of liners and fluting
medium:
– Kraft liner / Test liner / Natural brown, mottled
or bleached / Wellenstof / Significance of
recycled content

76
 Corrugated board

77

14-5-2021
 Corrugated board
name: fluting height # flutings p/m
A: 5 mm 110
C: 4 mm 130
B: 3 mm 150
R/S 2 mm 300
E (mini): 1,5 mm 300
F(micro): 1,0 mm 450
N/G: 0,5 mm 550

78
Corrugated board - production
• Manufacturing process:
– Conditioning of fluting medium
– Corrugating of fluting medium
– Use of starch adhesive
– Bonding with liner
– Pressure and heat to develop bond
– Bridge store
– Backer/double backer
– Sheeting

79
Movie
• Go to the website learningatnvc.nl
• Look for the link for the movie about
corrugated boxes
Corrugated board - production

81
Corrugated board - production

Creasing lines for Regular

Slotted Container made
already in this stage 82
83
84
 Creasing lines in sheet

Slotter operation

Only with
corrugated
board

Inliner
85
Die cutting – rotary versus flat

86
Corrugated case/tray design
• FEFCO styles
• 0201 case style
• Other styles - performance vs cost
• Printer/slotter operation
• Making the manufacturer’s joint
• Die cutting
• Print quality – surface printing vs use of
preprinted liners

87
Corrugated board – box making

Slotting Die cutting

Creasing lines in sheet, 88
slots made by slotting
Corrugated board - examples

89
Corrugated board – carded displays

90

NVC - OVKI - Papier & Karton

Performance of corrugated board
• Viscoelasticity
• Moisture resistance and special treatments
• Strength in use:
– Mullens burst strength (for bundling products)
– Edgewise compression test (ECT) or Box
Compression Test (BCT), both for stacking
– Flat crush test (for protection)
– Puncture resistance (against sharp objects)
• Surface friction - pallet stability
• Hazards: chemical because of use of recycled
fibers, can migrate through primary
packaging if no functional barrier is present
91
SOLID BOARD

92
 Paper
Solid board
Recycled fibres

Paper

• Paper layer for quality printing

• Thick layer with 100% recycled fibers
• Paper layer for quality appearance
(bleached or unbleached, sometimes
printed as well) 93
Solid board

• For vegetables,
fruit, flowers
• Better humid
barrier then
corrugated board
• Better printing
quality
• Hazards related
to use of
recycled fibers 94
CARTON / CASE MAKING
Carton/case production
• Specify:
– style, dimensions, material, graphic design
• Test:
– blank samples, performance, machine trial
• Confirm:
– final specification, cost, test requirements, time
• Develop:
– cutting and creasing die - specific to board grade
– printing plates, cylinders, inc. varnish

96
Carton/case production
• Print
• Emboss, foil block
• Cut and crease
• Glue
• Pack
• Label
• Test requirements throughout process

97
Cutting and creasing
• Flat bed or rotary die
• Accuracy of cutting and creasing is
essential for carton/case performance

98
 Important!
Carton/case performance Tests for
your
• Dimensional accuracy assignment
• Machine erecting requirements
• Surface friction
• Product protection properties
• Closure efficiency
• Glue seam quality - fibre tear
• Remind the amount of dust from cutting
process

99
Glue seam strength

100
Carton/case performance
• Correct colour to agreed standard
• Correct copy
• Print quality
• Print adhesion
• Rub resistance
• Product resistance

101
MOULDED PULP
Moulded pulp
• Cushioning provides protection function
• Made from virgin fibres as well as wastepaper
• Can be coloured for aesthetic effect
• Can be waxed for moisture resistance
• Increasing usage for small electrical goods
• Among others used for egg boxes (eggshell is
good barrier against chemicals)
• Hazards related to use of recycled fibers

103
Moulded pulp
Picture from website Huhtamaki

• For fresh
products like fruit
and vegetables
hazards caused
by contact with
board with
recycled fibers
are presumed to
be low
• Not much
research in this
field
OTHER PULP-BASED
PACKAGING
Other pulp-based packaging
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?

107
HAZARDS

108
Hazards paper & board (1/2)
• Virgin fibres: source is natural fibre, so no
hazards to be expected from the fibres
itself
• Chemicals
– From the processes and those that can be
formed during the processes
– Coming from the water (source)
– Gluten in starch adhesives (allergen)
– Additives that are used (like optical brighteners)
– Present in clay coating
– Inks (no food contact with inks, remind set off
of rolls of board and stacks of plates):
colourants, chemicals, volatiles

109
Hazards paper & board (2/2)
• Chemicals
– From coating, ink and lacquers (to protect the ink; high
gloss with photo initiators): mineral oils,
4methylbenzophenone (4MBP), bisphenol-A (BPA)
– Use of recycled fibers: chemical issues from residue
from inks, lacquers, mineral oils, biocides, especially
when unsorted wastepaper is being used (remind: no
food contact with recycled paper; functional barrier
needed)
• Chemical and biological issues: adhesive;
volatiles (if being used, can also be water),
micro-organisms in adhesives from natural
sources like starch
• Biological in common: when paper becomes wet

110
The end –

Paper and Board packaging

111