Sappi and HP develop paper flexible packaging

According to both companies, several European surveys indicate that the type of packaging is a hugely important factor with consumers at the point of sale. Paper and cardboard packaging ranks highest with consumers for sustainability attributes, including being home compostable, better for the environment, and easier to recycle. 

Sappi and HP Indigo got together to meet new demands and put their technologies to the test, and developed sealable soup pouches based on Sappi’s Guard Gloss 4-OHG paper. HP Indigo took over the elaborate design of the pouches. At its Graphic Experience Center in Barcelona, the three-side-seal soup pouches were given individual design. The team developed the artwork for the pouches and six different and unique designs that leverage HP Indigo’s proprietary variable data printing capabilities.

The pouches were printed on HP Indigo 6K digital press was deployed, using the full color range, silver and special invisible yellow inks demonstrating the unique printing capabilities that extend from various inks to variable data and personalization with six different SKUs.

Following the printing process, ACTDigi Protective Coating AQ440125 by Actega, a water-based gloss coating with high heat- and a high scratch-resistance, was applied to avoid an extra lamination process. The pouches were then finished by Bossar Packaging using BMS series fully servo-controlled machines.

‘With our innovative functional paper packaging solutions, we are offering a sustainable material based on renewable sources that can be recycled in the paper stream,’ commented René Köhler, head of new business development for packaging solutions, Division Innovation and Sustainability, at Sappi Europe. 

‘HP Indigo is collaborating with Sappi to validate high-grade substrates that can meet our customers’ requirement to reduce the impact of packaging on the environment while leveraging HP Indigo’s ability to deliver on-demand, high-quality packaging with minimal waste,’ commented Eli Mahal, head of labels and packaging product marketing and management at HP Indigo.