21 Oct 2022 --- This week in industry news, Smurfit Kappa’s UK paper mill introduced a new innovation for energy and CO2 reduction. Meanwhile, LyondellBasell partnered with Shakti Plastic Industries for building and operating a fully-automated mechanical recycling plant in India. Also, Huhtamaki released its interim report January 1-September 30, 2022, showing that the company maintains a stable performance in Q3 2022. In brief: Paper news Smurfit Kappa’s Townsend Hook paper mill in the UK introduced a new drying process innovation to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Traditionally, paper drying is one of the most energy-intensive aspects of the manufacturing process. The company says that the new processes resulted in a 6% reduction in steam energy consumption and a 5% reduction in total CO2 emissions from the Kent-based paper mill. A “digital twin” approach was used in the project to create a virtual representation of the drying system to simulate how it would perform. ProAmpac announced the certification of their ProActive Compostable CPM-2000, a high-barrier paper-based laminate for dry foods. Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certified that CPM-2000 complies with the specifications established by the American Society of Testing and Materials Standards ASTM D6868 for Industrial Compostability. “ProAmpac partnered with BPI to ensure CPM-2000 met their stringent guidelines for industrial compostability before delivering this groundbreaking solution to the marketplace,” states Nathan Klettlinger, director of global marketing at ProAmpac.
