Market-oriented innovation

In a world of rapid change, sustainable growth means functioning perfectly in the current environment without compromising the quality of life of future generations. In the paper sack industry, we are increasingly offering tailor-made packaging solutions to meet different customer needs. We regard ourselves as a development partner, working alongside our customers and supporting them with our extensive packaging know-how and industry expertise. Our focus is on designing individual and natural packaging solutions that best suit their particular product as well as their economic interests. In this way, we aim to create added value for them and for their end customers. Thanks to our continuous optimisation efforts, the technology inside the paper sack has evolved tremendously over the past two decades:
  • The porosity of sack kraft paper, the main raw material used in the paper sacks, has been improved by almost 30%, while its strength has been increased by 45%. This results in very high filling speeds and a cost-efficient filling process.
  • The improved strength has reduced paper consumption per sack by 25%, adding to the environmental credentials of paper sacks.
  • With further enhancements in sack construction and design, paper sacks have become versatile, market-oriented packaging solutions with state-of-the-art performance that meet customers’ individual requirements and are in keeping with sustainable development.

State-of-the-art packaging solutions

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The industry’s latest innovations are presented each year at the EUROSAC Grand Prix Award ceremony. The main criterion of the competition is that the sack solutions must add value to our industry – whether in terms of innovation, sustainable development, design, high-quality printing or as a customer message carrier.

EUROSAC Grand Prix Award 2019

EUROSAC introduced gold, silver and bronze categories and a public choice Grand Prix award for the first time. The jury was particularly impressed with the wide range of the innovations submitted – services, raw materials and paper sack products. It chose the “secure-seal” carrier bag for food deliveries from Smith Anderson as the gold winner. “The best innovations are those that meet a particular need and offer value to the user,” explained jury president Mark van der Merwe the jury’s decision. “The seal technology from Smith Anderson met the user’s need for security and reuse in a simple and innovative way without negatively impacting the aesthetic aspects of the packaging. It is also fully recyclable and biodegradable, fitting neatly with current end-of-life and sustainability requirements.”

Smith Anderson

The gold award was presented to Smith Anderson for its reusable, recyclable and biodegradable “secure-seal” paper carrier bag. It was developed for a big fast-food chain to combat undetected regular theft of small parts of foodservice delivery meals. A paper handle patch below the main handle structure was equipped with a double-sided adhesive tape, securing the bag’s sides together. A broken seal is easily visible to the customer on delivery – but doesn’t destroy the bag or handle area.

Segezha

Segezha received the silver award for their brand-new dry mixes industrial paper sack made from its innovative SKE i4 paper. It meets the growing market demands for eco-friendly sacks with high performance qualities. The sack’s low weight and durability allows customers to reduce material and logistics costs as well as damages in the supply chain and saves CO2 emissions during transportation.

Dy-pack

Double Grand Prix Award winner was dy-pack: The German-based company won the bronze and public choice award for Vardy. The highly efficient barrier coating on the inside of the sack’s outer layer provides state-of-the-art water vapour protection. Vardy is an environmentally friendly alternative to PE-film and suitable for direct food contact. It allows easy recycling in the paper waste stream and is compostable according to DIN 13432.

Mondi

Mondi presented a new platform for smooth business processes: myMondi is the only all-in-one digital customer platform for paper sacks worldwide. The platform offers numerous functions and information with few clicks such as stock reports, order history and status overview, invoices overview and filtering, certificates, detailed product specifications. It is simple to use and navigate, available 24/7 and gives customers full transparency about their products and orders, anytime and anywhere.

EUROSAC Grand Prix Award 2018

The innovative power of the paper sack industry was showcased at the EUROSAC Grand Prix Award ceremony. It honours the industry’s most creative advancements of the past year. Among five great innovations, Mondi was awarded the EUROSAC Grand Prix 2018 trophy for its sustainable packaging solution “MailerBAG” (formerly named Boomerang) for courier express shipments. “It brings a positive effect to many people and, at the same time, demonstrates the further potential of industrial bags,” explained jury president Mikko Rautiainen.

MailerBAG, Mondi

With MailerBAG, Mondi introduced a bag that minimises logistics costs, accelerates the packaging processes in the logistics centres of the e-commerce industry and offers high-end branding opportunities. It is made of one ply high-performance sack kraft paper with a double adhesive strip with a release liner on the flap allowing the end consumer to reuse the bag to return any unwanted items hassle-free.

Digitally Printed Bag, HP

HP introduced the advantages of a Digitally Printed Bag with the example of the South Korean company Seejong. With the HP PageWide T400S press, Seejong can economically produce digitally printed liners on short and medium runs with great visual appeal. The possibility to create different versions – whether language, seasonal or special promotions – allows for even more differentiation from the competition without any waste or having to hold any stock.

Foody, dy-pack

dy-pack presented Foody, a dust-proof and watertight paper sack with a high barrier film for valuable food powders. With Foody, there is no contact between paper and product. It allows filling of products with a high fat and moisture content as well as pastes and creams on all existing open-mouth filling machines at high production speeds. Due to the high flexibility in production and subsequently wide availability of such bags, planning cycles and delivery times can be reduced. The sack provides good recyclability due to the easy separation of the film.

The Intelligent Aeration, Haver & Boecker

HAVER & BOECKER introduced The Intelligent Aeration. The system controls the various aeration positions during the filling process automatically. It ensures that there is only as little air as necessary in the sack and the product. This results in an easier operation as no manual pressure adjustments are necessary. At the same time, the system reduces operating costs and tearing rates and enables a cleaner filling.

BioPinch, Mondi

BioPinch by Mondi is a biodegradable and compostable paper-based pinch bottom sack for pet food. It consists of one or more layers of paper as an outer ply and an inner ply of biodegradable PLA coating that allows the sack to be sealed without compromising its compostability and functions as an excellent grease and oil barrier. The sack has good tear resistance and offers an increased printable area for better branding.

EUROSAC Grand Prix Award 2017

During the 2017 EUROSAC Congress, the latest innovations of the European paper sack and sack kraft paper industry were honoured with the EUROSAC Grand Prix Award. The German company dy-pack scored a hat trick with its new dy-vest concept and was successful against the entries of BillerudKorsnäs and Mimcord. The congress “Performance powered by nature. Let’s talk!” invited participants to engaging discussions about the recent developments on the paper sack markets, as well as the marketing and communication activities and the trends going forward within the industry.

dy-vest, dy-pack

With dy-vest, dy-pack introduced the first valve sack technology that fulfils the hygienic requirements of cleanrooms. The outer valve sack layer of the three-ply construction can be stripped from the inner sack. Dy-vest thus combines the advantages of valve sacks such as fast and economical filling with the demands of the food and pharma industries. The environmentally friendly sack is available for all filling machines, bag variants and sizes.

Rainsafe, BillerudKorsnäs

BillerudKorsnäs presented RainSafe. The three-ply sack (two paper layers and a HDPE liner) withstands at least four hours of rain according to DIN EN ISO 2875 without water or vapour damaging the filled product. By varying the thickness of the HDPE film, the shelf life of the product can be customised to the customer’s needs. The sack reaches the same filling speeds as regular high porous paper sacks and is made of renewable paper.

Multiply-Cord Handle, Mimcord

The Multiply-Cord Handle for paper carrier bags by Mimcord is produced from 100% kraft FSC or PEFC-certified paper. It can be created in multiple colours and is recyclable and compostable. The cord increases production efficiency as its different plies enable the handle to be glued more easily and securely on the bag. By dividing the weight between the cord plies, the handle also increases the carrier’s comfort.

EUROSAC Grand Prix Award 2015

SAFEdy Showerproof

The 2015 entries demonstrate the dynamism of the paper sack industry in developing sustainable paper packaging solutions to meet specific customer demands. The award-winning SAFEdy Showerproof by dy-pack provides protection against moisture, air and gas penetration and can be stored outside, even in wet conditions. The solution consists of a coated paper bag with a new de-aeration concept. It is suitable for use with existing paper sack filling Machines.

BillerudKorsnäs D-Sack®

BillerudKorsnäs’ D-Sack® for cement can be placed whole into the cement mixer, where it breaks up and integrates with the cement or mortar without having any negative effect on quality. This eliminates waste and improves cement utilization, as well as workers’ health and safety.

HYBRIDPRO

Mondi’s water-resistant, paper-based HYBRIDPRO sack for building materials has turned the traditional sack construction inside out, with a high-density PE layer acting as a protective outer ply. The sack provides long-lasting protection from rain and a prolonged shelf life and can be printed in up to eight colours.

Window Bag

The Window Bag for animal feed by Saccarta contains a window made of plastic to allow people to see inside the sack. The high-porosity paper lets the product breathe, preventing mould and germination, without letting insects or other biological contaminants enter the sack.

Award-winning sack solutions from previous years

Winner 2012 – ease of handling

The LEOSystem by dy-pack is particularly easy to handle. Sacks can be opened cleanly, avoiding product contamination from paper fibres. The paper sack can be emptied completely and easily without spilling the product. LEOSystem offers a sustainable packaging solution for food, building materials and animal feed.

Winner 2011 – special opening

The Effusion Bag by Mondi Industrial Bags has a funnel-shaped opening for improved dosing of the product.. The opening is easy to form and can be reclosed to keep the remaining content for later use. A PE-free film as second ply provides additional protection against humidity and increases the storage life of the filled sacks.

Winner 2010 – entirely biodegradable

The Terra Bag by Mondi Industrial Bags has one or more plies of paper with a biodegradable film for humidity protection. The sack is certified to EN 13432, is entirely biodegradable and has been optimised for industrial composting, turning waste into valuable humus. It saves non-renewable resources and has a reduced environmental impact and lower CO2 emissions.

Winner 2009 – seven strong features

The SuperSeven sack by Sacchettificio Nazionale G. Corazza is a high-tech aluminium-coated paper sack with seven essential features: barrier to light, barrier to moisture, barrier to oxygen, barrier to carbon dioxide, high strength and sturdiness, excellent heat sealability and high-tech feel. Its silver colour is printed on a white glossy paper with a UV coating.

Winner 2008 – improved de-aeration

Thanks to the lack of microperforations and grooves, the Sheekan bag by Smurfit Kappa Lembacel allows better de-aeration of the sack during filling. This increases the filling speed and provides better product protection.