“We are responding to customer needs by making our world class boards even more fit-for-purpose,” says Pasi Piiparinen, Head of Metsä Board Paperboard, Europe’s leading producer of fresh forest fibre cartonboards. “Developments include better yield, optimised shades and improved surfaces, according to the requirements of each end-use.”

The bulk of Avanta Prima has been improved, meaning a lighter weight can be specified whilst maintaining the same thickness and stiffness. As a result Metsä Board has further light-weighted grammages across the range. Avanta Prima has been developed to meet the requirements of the healthcare market, and its surface has now been optimised to allow for 2D data matrix coding. Its shade has also been optimised to enhance visual whiteness.

Simcote, already offering an outstanding combination of stiffness and consistency for food packaging, now has improved bulk for even better yield while maintaining the same thickness and stiffness. As a result, grammages have been light-weighted across the range, providing both cost and sustainability benefits. The shade of Carta Elega has been optimised to enhance visual whiteness – an important characteristic in the beautycare market.

“We are happy to be able to offer our customers these changes, giving better performance in converting and printing, as well as an improved end result. They will also be able to utilise an even lighter weight board, achieving the same or even better performance in a finished carton,” adds Pasi Piiparinen. “Using a lighter weight board also offers sustainability benefits, as less raw material is used, less weight carried throughout the value chain and less waste is generated.”

The enhanced board range can be ordered starting mid-May, with availability from June 2013.