In a bid towards 100 per cent fully recyclable packaging, BillerudKorsnäs and Tetra Pak are joining forces to work on a number of collaborative innovations.

They take the form of a number of defined projects where experts from the two companies will work together.

BillerudKorsnäs also works under the auspices of Treesearch, a Swedish collaboration platform for fundamental research, knowledge and competence-building in the field of new materials and specialty chemicals from forest raw material. It involves academia, industry, private foundations and the Swedish government, and aims to turn pioneering fundamental research into high-tech innovations to meet the climate challenge.

Through this “close and enduring collaboration” BillerudKorsnäs and Tetra Pak aim to push the figure of renewable material from wood fibre in carton packages towards 100 per cent – as of today, the figure is at about 70 per cent.

BillerudKorsnäs sustainability and public affairs directorMalin Ljung Eiborn said new innovations to further increase the sustainability of packages are since long top of the agenda for both companies.

“Our mission is to challenge conventional packaging for a sustainable future. 70 % renewable is a good start, and the only way that we can solve the major sustainability challenges we face is to do it together,” Ljung Eiborn said.

“Treesearch is also important because we can get advanced research on new materials and new applications, but also because we have an opportunity to build competence, with skilled people coming into the industry who will be able to develop more innovative products in the future.”

“We want a package that is hundred percent from renewable resources. We need a lot of innovation to find these new materials that can create a good barrier. We have to act together to transform the industry. And there are so many challenges, so much innovation to do,” Tetra Pak vice-president of materials and packaging Eva Gustavsson said.