Energy-efficient manufacturing tech for packaging

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has announced a new initiative to address the challenges of energy and resource consumption in the forestry and textile industry.

The goal of the Energy First initiative is to act as a starting point for an entirely new technology, which creates the conditions for the manufacture of low-carbon, energy-efficient and recyclable fibre-based products.

VTT’s scientists suggest that the new manufacturing process will provide a potential reduction of up to 90% in water consumption and a significant decrease in carbon emissions. Overall, the goal is to reduce energy consumption by up to 50%.

With over 50 industrial partners involved, the initiative consists of several projects and a new open-access pilot line in Jyväskylä, Finland. The collaborative research aims to develop commercially viable, sustainable alternatives for cardboard packaging, hygiene products and non-woven fabrics.

“We are excited about the prospect of 1:1 commercial projects with companies, driving innovation in energy-efficient paper board production. VTT’s purpose is to bring together people, business, science and technology, paving the way to a sustainable future. The Energy First theme aims to do just that,” said Atte Virtanen, Vice President, Biomaterial Processing and Products at VTT.

Products manufactured with the new process are designed to be compatible with existing recycling methods. Furthermore, fibre-based packaging is produced in a way that makes it a sustainable alternative to reusable packaging.

In addition to reducing water and energy consumption, the project seeks to redefine the forest industry's environmental impact and enhance the competitiveness of fibre-based products. For example, by making the products lighter, more products could be produced for consumer use from the same amount of wood, which improves resource efficiency.

Image credit: iStock.com/OlegKov