Taking paper packaging forward: Henkel and UPM Specialty Papers present recyclable, grease-resistant paper solution

As brands seek more sustainable packaging options, new coating technologies for fibre-based packaging are unlocking the full potential of paper. At Interpack 2023, Henkel and UPM Specialty Papers presented two recyclable paper solutions created through a joint development between the two companies that push the performance of barrier papers to an unsurpassed level of grease resistance – offering a heat-sealable alternative to conventional plastic packaging. By combining Henkel coatings with UPM packaging papers, the innovative combined solutions provide fully recyclable alternatives for both food and non-food packaging applications.

At a dedicated Happy Hour at UPM Specialty Papers’ Interpack stand, experts from Henkel and UPM presented a solution delivering heat sealability using Henkel’s Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE with UPM Asendo^TM 90 g/m² paper and a solution that combined barrier coating Aquence EPIX BC 6134 and UPM AsendoTM Pro 90 g/m² paper to deliver barrier properties against grease alongside heat sealability. The jointly developed innovations ensure that these vital characteristics for packaging food and non-food items can be provided using paper. Henkel’s paper coatings can be used on a variety of substrates and enable easy recycling and recovery of fibres to support a circular economy.    

“At UPM Specialty Papers, we are working closely with innovative partners to create transformative solutions that reimagine the future of sustainable packaging,” commented Mika Uusikartano, Senior Manager, Product Portfolio Management at UPM Specialty Papers. “Working alongside Henkel with a shared focus on creating sustainable alternatives, we have co-created a recyclable, heat-sealable packaging material that is compatible with existing packaging lines. By combining our respective expertise, we are jointly creating barrier paper structures and pushing their performance to an unsurpassed level of grease resistance, while providing converters with a tried and tested concept.”

“As the packaging industry and wider society work to take on urgent environmental challenges, it is essential that we collaborate across the value chain to rapidly deliver solutions. The solutions created with UPM – and successfully presented together at Interpack – embody this spirit of collaboration,” explains Christin Noack, Market Strategy Manager Europe at Henkel. “The creation of packaging and processes to effectively combine paper with barrier and heat seal coatings, required close collaboration with our partners at UPM over a lengthy joint development process to identify and optimize the right fibre-based substrate and coatings combination. Together, we are enabling paper to achieve unmatched barrier performance while meeting the demand for more sustainable packaging. These paper innovations provide packaging manufacturers with turn-key solutions to significantly reduce their own development time when bringing new products to market and we were delighted to see this solution so well received by visitors to Interpack.”   

About UPM Specialty Papers
At UPM Specialty Papers, we create transformative materials for packaging based on paper. Our 2,000 passionate experts are ready to help you co-create the right packaging solutions for your needs and meet your sustainability goals. Best of all, our papers are produced with renewable, responsibly sourced wood fibres. And with our mills in Finland, China, and Germany, you can trust us to deliver quality and consistency wherever you are in the world.
Find out how our products are special by nature at upmspecialtypapers.com