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Jon Barrett and Alan Aird survey the domestic waste paper which can arrive at a rate of 150-tonnes per day |
There is little doubt that environmental issues are gaining pace in the wide format printing industry. Big print customers, like high street retailers, are announcing demanding new environmental roadmaps, while equipment and consumable suppliers join the race with new products and services.
With this in mind, Screen Process and Digital Imaging jumped at the chance to visit Smurfit Kappa Solid Board’s recycled board mill in Oude Pekela. The goal of the trip was to investigate a new product designed to provide large format printers with a competitive 100 per cent recyclable exterior solid board.
On 1 January 2007 Smurfit Kappa Attica merged with Smurfit Kappa De Halm and Smurfit Kappa Triton. The new company name is Smurfit Kappa Solid Board and this company claims to be the only European board manufacturer focused on graphic, packaging and speciality products. With global sales of over 400 different product specifications (sheet and reel), the organisation has placed R&D, innovation, quality and after sales service at the heart of its business plan. This is an important fact because the investment required to take a novel board product from concept to market is vast in terms of product development, manufacturing equipment and customer support. It takes commitment.
At the time of writing the customer and application that drove the development of the new product within their Displayline, called All Weather Board, was classified. However, it seems highly likely that issues of corporate environmental responsibility and landfill costs will have been two major contributory factors.
Naturally, for unprotected outdoor applications, polymer substrates have always been hot choice. However, things are changing with both cost and marketing advantage of being first to market with a more acceptable finished product being key drivers. Yet, despite these clear advantages, no printer or end customer is going to sanction the switch from tried and tested polymer materials to a new recycled board without first ensuring the alternative material possesses the properties required to deliver a quality finish and reliable operation.
Ready for all weathers
Hence Smurfit Kappa Solid Board has released details of All Weather Board’s construction and application test results. The board’s grey core is produced using fibres recovered from domestic waste, resulting in a range of weights from 400 to 950g/m2. During the core’s production process, alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) synthetic sizing agent is added to the pulp to provide internal water repellent properties. The back side of the board is typically brown (white is an option) produced using internally sized Kraftliner, followed by a thin layer of transparent low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Likewise, the front face is produced using white internally sized Kraftliner, plus a thin layer of white LDPE. The Kraftliner layers are applied using an inline lamination process which is part of the overall production line.
During water repellent pick-up tests, 250 by 250mm samples were submerged in water for 24-hours. On removal, maximum water absorption was measured at less than 20 per cent of the initial weight. In addition the All Weather Board has superior colour and brightness characteristics. The company also claims high dynamic stiffness and high bursting strength for All Weather Board.
Of greatest interest to both printers and their customers, are the results of the laboratory simulation of outdoor conditions. Three tests were involved. Firstly, samples were left outside, 24-hours a day for two-weeks. Secondly, samples were frozen to -10°C during the night and warmed to 20°C during the day to simulate the frost cycle. Finally, each day, samples were immersed in water for 15-minutes (similar to the pick-up test) and then left to dry in open air. This simulated repeated showers. Throughout the tests the board samples remained in good condition with only a little warping after two weeks.
Ready to print
To guarantee a sound printing surface for screen, digital and offset processes, the LDPE layer is corona treated.
In terms of print process optimisation, Smurfit Kappa Solid Board has extensive reports regarding specific screen, digital and offset hardware, including acceptable sheet sizes and thicknesses.
With the laboratory application test data and hardware configuration guides, printers and their customers have most of the information they require to start putting All Weather Board to use.
Question of recycling
Manufacturing All Weather Board from domestic waste is one thing. To complete the environmental circle, the product itself naturally needs to feed back into the recycling loop at the end of its useful life. Readers will be pleased to hear that while walking the Oude Pekela mill, there was an opportunity to see the closed-loop recycling in action. Quite simply, any new board removed from the production line (off-cuts, test samples etc) was moved straight to goods-in where it joined the six-tonnes of domestic waste paper arriving every hour.
For those interested in a more detailed analysis of All Weather Board’s recycling credentials the following should suffice. Recovered fibre used in the grey core accounts for two thirds of the product. Virgin fibre weighs-in at approximately 28 per cent, comprising the Smurfit Kappa manufactured Kraftliner which is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and manufactured using a chlorine-free bleaching process. The LDPE and the adhesive are responsible for the remaining five per cent.
Smurfit Kappa Solid Board’s sales manager, Bert Blaauw, summed-up the project: “In All Weather, Smurfit Kappa Solid Board has developed a new product that offers sustainability on outdoor display applications. The board suits screen, digital and offset printing techniques which means it can be applied in applications ranging from one-off signs to production runs comprising thousands of printed items. Outdoor tests on buses showed that All Weather Board lasted for at least 18-weeks.
“All Weather Board’s proven environmental resistance, coupled with its high whiteness and excellent mechanical properties make the switch a low risk decision for both printers and end customers.”
All Weather Board will be distributed in the UK by Pyramid Display.
www.pyramid-display.co.uk or 0161 872 5666
www.smurfitkappa-specialties.com
How many of your customers have asked about the carbon footprint of your printing service?
