New packaging design for Norra Timber

The new packs of timber are now beginning to roll out from Norra Timber’s sawmills. Sustainability has been a guiding light in the job of developing the new packaging.

TEXT: KAROLINA EDSTEDT PHOTO: SANDRA PETTERSSON, TINA STAFRÈN

Published: 2021-01-08

New packaging design for Norra Timber

Norra Timber completed the packaging procurement process before the summer. It was a lengthy process due to the complexity of the order, with many variables to take into account. The packaging needed to stand out from the crowd and have a high profile in the market, but the environmental and cost focus was also important, since the company expects to purchase 600 tons of plastic per year, and wants it to be as functional and environmental as possible.


Limited design options

Packaging production is limited in the Nordic region, so Norra Timber chose to stick with what it knows and contact the two suppliers that each company had
worked with before.

“These suppliers have slightly different ways of producing packaging, which restricted us in terms of design, and also we have around 20 different types of packaging, including ready welded covers in finished lengths that look good and are popular with customers. An anti-slip finish is required in the ports, and this is welded onto the packaging as a film. There have been trials with an integrated anti-slip finish, but it didn’t live up to the requirements we had. Samples of some of the packaging types were produced after the holidays and it was at this point that we chose to swap the colours of the logo and design elements to further improve clarity. We had a clear aim of being visible from a distance and standing out from our competitors, which I think we’ve managed to achieve. We have a big, distinctive logo above a design that no one else has and that is reminiscent of the grain in our slow-grown Norrland timber,” says Alexander Åhréus, Head of Business Development at Norra Timber.


Recycled material

The procurement process had a strong focus on finding an eco-friendly alternative for the packaging of both sawn and added value wood products, as well as animal bedding.

“T-Emballage was the one that proved able to offer us what we wanted. Now we have packaging that is almost 70% recycled material, which feels like an excellent result for Norra Timber,” says Alexander.


Reduced transport and costs

Some of the other materials considered during the procurement were made from 70–100% new raw material, which would have had a very different effect on the company’s carbon footprint. In addition, T-Emballage was able to offer every kind of timber packaging that Norra Timber needs, as plastic on a roll in different widths and as finished timber covers – all in the same material.

“T-Emballage also offers a very wide range of accessories, including strapping, seals, staple and cap systems and marker paint, which means that we can source all these consumables from one supplier. This cuts the number of suppliers and minimises transport costs,” relates Alexander.

Alexander Åhréus
Alexander Åhréus, Head of Business Development at Norra Timber.

Right raw material

According to Tommy Andersson, Sales Manager at T-Emballage, ensuring the right raw material in the manufacturing process is the most effective way of reducing the climate footprint of the plastic film. Recycled polyethylene is usually the most eco-friendly option and a step towards efficient material reuse in a circular economy. Recycled granules are able to fully or partly replace newly produced raw material in the production of plastic film, and the recycled raw material can be used for demanding packaging solutions. The film can then be recycled as normal plastic waste.

“The use of recycled raw material remains limited due to strict restrictions with regard to food, since purity is a critical factor and it is difficult to trace the origin of recycled granules. We use both post-industrial and post-consumer plastic waste in our recycled films. As a result of our product development work, our films using industrially recycled plastic can be tailored to the customer’s own processes and product requirements. We expect the use of recyclable material to increase further as the recycling technology improves,” concludes Tommy Andersson.

Packaging

Material: LDPE-based (low density polyethylene) and contains recycled material from industry (PIR) and consumers (PCR).

Plastic requirements: The materials must be 100% recyclable. The packaging must protect the sawn wood products during storage and transport. It will also be an important surface for marketing.

Development: The focus on recycling is going to increase in the future. By 2030 all plastic products placed on the market will have to be recyclable. Carbon footprints need to be reduced, which is driving the trend towards using other materials that replace fossil equivalents, such as tall oil as a replacement for fossil fuel. Possible punitive taxation is being discussed for those companies that do not place recyclable products on the market.