WALKI IN EVERYDAY LIFE€¦ · Walki Group Customer Magazine 2017 Helping eco-friendly farming. COVER STORIES Publisher Leif Frilund Editor-in-Chief Marina Kurula Editorial board

Making baking easy!

Learning from the sea

‘ G R E E N ' L U X U R Y P A C K A G I N G • L I V I N G T H E A M E R I C A N D R E A M

WALKI IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Walki Group Customer Magazine

2017

Helping eco-friendly farming

COVER STORIESPublisher Leif FrilundEditor-in-Chief Marina KurulaEditorial board Kari Salminen, Ralph Mucha, Arno WolffEditorial content and layout Spoon FinlandCover photo Jamie Grill / Getty ImagesPrint Forsberg 2017Change of address [email protected]

CONTENTS4 Maximum baking minimum fuss 6 Wooing Europe10 The American dream12 Biopolymers

– the sustainable choice16 From the ground up17 Walki-Pack MOST18 Turning up the green quotient19 Luxury packaging

– the future is green 20Pipe section insulation – a vibrant

playground for Walki R&D 22 Setting the sails

OUTDOORADVERTISINGGOESGREENWalki Group has developed new ‘green’ print media that is better for the environment.

TACKLINGTHEINVISIBLE Walki’s radon-proof barriers prevent dangerous radon gas from seeping into homes.

CREATINGSUSTAINABLEPACKAGINGPackaging companies are embracing biopolymers.

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16

18

Always presentThis year Finland, the country where Walki was founded, celebrates 100 years of independence. Walki, founded in 1930, shares many of the events and trends that have shaped the country.

Making relevant products and solutions has ensured Walki's success through the years, and this is our guiding star for us still today. And while everybody talks about customer-centricity these days, for us it has always been a life condition. We focus on making solutions that satisfy our customers' customers's needs. In the end, it's the end users; the man on the street, that decides what works or what does not.

Walki is present in everyone's everyday life in several ways. How we package our food affects our daily lives very much. Efficient packaging has made our lives more effortless, as we can rely on the food staying fresh even though we do not go grocery shopping daily. We have to make sure that the packaging is not only hygienic, but also environmentally sustainable. In this magazine you can read about our new solution for oven trays; used in stores where we buy delicious bread baked on site.

Our solutions are also at the very core of how we live. We know that moisture leads to mould which can have terrible consequences for our health. The dangerous gas radon is another issue that we need to address as we build the houses where we live with our families. Our radon barriers are efficient in hindering this dangerous gas from seeping into our homes.

Farmers, upon whom we all depend for food, have long been waiting for a biodegradable mulch that really works. Our new mulching product is the result of tireless research and innovation work.

Persistence and an innovative attitude aiming at answering to our everyday needs have been of paramount importance to make independent Finland a prosperous country. The same spirit resides at Walki too and inspires us to make sure that we remain relevant in everyday life in a sustainable manner in the future too.

I hope our magazines will give you useful and interesting insights.

Leif FrilundCEO

COVER STORIES 2017 EDITORIAL 0302

WALKI COVER STORIES 2017

0504

Eating fresh food is crucial for one’s well-being and is key to a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, today’s fast-paced world makes that a difficult task. A large number of single and two-member households demand fast and convenient service,

leading to ever large quantities of frozen and chilled foods being consumed.

This trend is evident in the bread and baked foods category. Take Western Europe for instance. It is the world’s largest consumer of baked foods and has seen consumer preferences change dramatically over the past decade.

“Ten years ago, in Germany, baked products were mainly available in traditional bakeries. But today, they only account for 40% of the market with the rest distributed between supermarkets, fast food restaurants and other players in the food business,” claims Elke Wolf, Sales Manager at Walki.

As a result, consumers have so far been forced to choose between store-bought frozen and chilled foods, and their more expensive gourmet options. However, new options have emerged with companies like Walki developing products that allow people to buy freshly baked food right off the shelves.

Introducing Walki®Pack Tray and Walki®Pack Tray Lid

Walki has developed Walki®Pack Tray and Walki®Pack Tray Lid to be used by bakeries and supermarkets for precisely this purpose. Raw, prepared food can be stored and shipped to various supermarkets and bakeries in these protective, heat-resistant containers. Once it reaches its destination, it can then be baked at the supermarket itself.

“For this particular product, we combine a board (or paper/liner for corrugated board end use) and PET film which is a polymer which can withstand high heat. The board is pure enough to be placed in an oven without creating odour or smell at 200 degrees,” says Stefan Erdmann, Technical Service Manager – Consumer Packaging at Walki.

In this manner, the Walki®Pack Tray and Walki®Pack Tray Lid ensures easy handling, storage, and that the final goods customers consume are as fresh as they can be. What’s more, the manufacturing process involved ensures that

there are effective barriers to moisture, heat and grease to keep the prepared product fresh while it is in transit as well.

Aiding this process is Walki’s upgraded Glue Laminator, which delivers improved quality, and productivity while being sustainable. The new laminator uses less glue which is better for the environment and ensures that there is less swelling and shrinkage of fibres, resulting in improved flatness.

“With our glue lamination system, we can use a thin PET film, which is an advantage since it has less of an impact on the environment and uses less plastic raw material,” says Erdmann. “We laminate these two together with heat resistant glue. Having done this, we now have a barrier to the board or paper, which means a tray or plate can be produced out of this. Food like lasagne, spring rolls or bread can be placed onto this PET film and baked.”

A win-win proposition

That’s not all. From the board to the transparent PET film and glue, the materials used offer excellent heat resistance and can be designed to be heat-sealing as well.

Suppliers at supermarkets and bakeries see many benefits from this type of easy-to-use container. After all, it saves them time, an important factor given that their rivals are fast food giants.

“The producer of the raw pastry can ship the unbaked products to the client, and the client can bake fresh products in the same tray. They just have to take the bakery item out of the secondary packaging and then put the tray directly into the oven. This saves them both time and also personnel costs,” explains Wolf.

And if those qualities by themselves were not enough, the recyclable Walki®Pack Tray and Walki®Pack Tray Lid can be discarded by supermarkets and bakeries as paper waste. This is considered crucial especially in parts of Europe where there is a monetary charge for discarding of non-paper waste by companies.

At a time when consumers have become increasingly eco-conscious, these products are sure to get the ball rolling, helping people enjoy fresh food while doing their bit for the environment.

It's important to make sure that there are effective barriers to moisture, heat and grease.

INNOVATIONINNOVATION

”With our glue lamination system, we can use a

thin PET film that has less of an impact on the

environment and uses less plastic raw material.

People across the world are paying more attention to what they eat, its impact on the environment and the need for sustainable practices. Walki seeks to help them with sustainable products that keep food safe.text Lakshmi Sivadas photo Walki

MAXIMUM BAKING MINIMUM FUSS

WALKICOVERSTORIES2017

0706 INNOVATIONINNOVATION

Mulching is a process that involves placing a thin layer of material over soil, to improve its fertility and health.

WOOING EUROPE Walki’s new, fibre-based soil mulching solution, Walki®Agripap, has successfully completed its first field test in France, winning over French farmers who have been looking for a biodegradable mulch for their crops.text Isabelle Kliger photo iStock & Walki

Farmers the world over use a process called ‘mulching’ to improve the fertility and health of their plots. It involves laying a thin layer of material over the soil which helps stabilize soil temperature and moisture.

Every year, more than a million tonnes of plastic film is used for mulching with this plastic mulch eventually turned into waste material that has to be removed from the field or recycled at a high cost. It also leaves behind a plastic residue that pollutes the soil, reducing its future growth potential with yields estimated to be up to 20% lower than from non-polluted soil.

As the world’s first organic mulching solution made from natural, biodegradable fibres, Walki®Agripap holds a great deal of promise for environmentally aware farmers. What makes it unique is that unlike traditional soil mulching solutions which are typically made from polyethylene film, Walki®Agripap is made from paper.

In order to prove its advantages over conventional mulching solutions, Walki®Agripap underwent its first round of field-testing in Finland last year. The tests proved that Walki®Agripap was easy to lay in the fields and delivered excellent weed control, as well as good yield and durability. All of which paved the way to test it out in other markets.

“Our next challenge was to put the product to the test in one of Europe’s main mulching markets: namely France,” says Markus Ääri, Regional Sales Manager at Walki.

Put to the testThe field test was carried out at the Station d’Expé rimentation Rhône-Alpes Information Légumes (SERAIL), a specialist vegetable-testing station near Lyon. Three types of mulch were compared, including a traditional polyethylene mulch, a biodegradable polyethylene mulch and Walki®Agripap on a field used to cultivate Batavia lettuce.


”The new mulch has withstood

high temperatures, extensive

irrigation, as well as wind forces.


Tests show impressing results for the performance of Walki®Agripap.


INNOVATION08


INNOVATION 09

“We chose the Batavia lettuce because it’s one of the most typical products grown by local farmers with a medium-term growing period of five to six weeks. This makes it a very representative crop for this part of France,” says Ääri.

Based on the results so far, Alexandre Burlet, the techni-cian responsible for carrying out the field tests at SERAIL, says he is already impressed with the performance of Walki®Agripap.

“I have had a good impression, especially since it is a bio-degradable product that has survived long enough to pro-duce a lettuce crop at this time of year,” declares Burlet. “It has withstood high temperatures, extensive irrigation, as well as wind forces. Moreover, the black colour of the mulch ensures that no weeds are able to grow under it.”

The sustainable alternative

Burlet also admits that he was surprised by the ease with which Walki’s paper mulch was laid out on the fields.

“I didn’t think it would be possible to lay it mechanically with a conventional unwinder for plastic mulch, especially since paper mulch is supposed to be far less elastic than plastic mulch. But the mechanical installation didn’t tear or weaken it. This was a real surprise for me,” he adds.

The test is still ongoing, but Burlet explains that as far as he can see, Walki®Agripap has produced results equivalent to those of the two polyethylene mulches. He confirmed that no difference in the weight, size or volume of the lettuce had been observed and that all three mulches protected the lettuce from being attacked by the fungi in the soil. While that is great news by itself, Burlet emphasized that the eco-friendly aspect of Walki®Agripap would be its biggest strength.

“We expect the real advantage of this paper mulch to be that fact that it won’t leave any petroleum residue in the soil,” he says. “Producers using biodegradable plastic mulch can see that their soil still contains and accumulates micro-fragments of biodegradable plastic mulch. Meanwhile, Walki®Agripap is totally biodegradable. It should enable the soils to become virgin soils again.”

The Walki®Agripap trial was one of eight on-going tests presented to local farmers and distributors at the SERAIL testing station, and the results so far have gained it a great deal of interest.

“Farmers are waiting for someone to deliver a truly biodegradable mulch that really works,” says Ääri. “We hope this test will enable us to find a local distributor who can help deliver Walki®Agripap to these environmentally conscious French farmers.”

”Walki®Agripap is totally biodegradable.

It should enable the soils to become

virgin soils again.

Boris Miksic came to the USA as an immigrant in 1974. Today he lives the American dream.

As an innovator and an entrepreneur, Boris Miksic is always open to new ideas. Last year, he started looking for a supplier of high-quality steel wrap. He soon came across Walki – a company he had previously got to know in the 1980s when it was called Meuwissen Industrie and he had been looking into the reinforced paper market.

“Most suppliers of these products come from Asia, but, when I looked at what they’re selling, I wasn’t impressed with the level of quality. U.S. manufacturers aren’t making products like this any more, so I had to go to Europe to find a supplier with a product that was both competitive and good quality. I found that Walki offers the right mix of both,” says Miksic.

Walki’s Steelex metal wrap products are already well known in the steel market for their ability to meet the highest standard protective demands, providing effective moisture and rust protection during transport and storage.

”I think you can succeed

anywhere if you have the

right mix of ambition and

perseverance.Boris Miksic grew up in humble circumstances in Zagreb, Croatia, in the country that was then known as Yugoslavia. Having excelled at school, he went on to obtain a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of

Zagreb. In 1972, just as he was about to graduate, Miksic’s life changed forever.

An active member of the student movement against the Communist regime that ruled Yugoslavia at the time, Miksic had been identified as an agitator and blacklisted by the government. In practice, this meant he would never be able to work in Yugoslavia. He made a decision then and there to emigrate to the United States.

“I picked up my degree and fled the country, skiing across the border into Austria, before purchasing a one-way ticket to New York for me and my first wife, who was pregnant at the time,” he recalls.

He arrived in New York in February 1974, with $35 in his pocket.

“I did what all immigrants do, tried to find work. After three months of cleaning floors at McDonald’s, I landed a job as an engineer with a company in Minnesota.”

Hard work in the coldMiksic soon grew tired of working for the small construction company in St. Paul, Minnesota. He resigned, thinking he would find another opportunity.

“Turns out I was wrong, I couldn’t find another job,” he

admits. “In the end I started mixing chemicals in my garage. It was the winter of 1977, when temperatures reached -35 Celsius, and all I can say is that being that cold certainly makes you work harder.”

Fast-forward to 2017 and the business Miksic started in his garage has just celebrated its 40th anniversary. Cortec Corporation and its subsidiaries is the world's largest privately held corrosion protection enterprise. Today, it has an annual turnover of USD 120 million, 350 employees, nine plants, distribution in over 100 countries on all continents, and has amassed more than 60 patents. In addition to the basic metals and mining, Cortec serves the automotive, oil and gas, metalworking, construction, electronics, MRO (maintenance, repair and operation), military, water treatment, heavy industry and packaging segments.

“I think you can succeed anywhere if you have the right mix of ambition and perseverance but, of course, being in the U.S. has its advantages,” says Miksic. “Firstly, it’s a pretty big pond, so, even if you’re a little fish, you’re doing ok. Another plus is that people here like it if you have something new and different to offer.”

Simple formulaMiksic says the secret to his success is a rule he calls “20-20-20”: “Every year, we aim for 20 per cent growth, 20 per cent investment in new technologies and 20 per cent cost reduction. It’s a simple formula but it works!”

A variety of solutions are available for different end uses and metal applications.

Protecting covering for steel coilsBoris Miksic’s idea is to purchase Walki’s Steelex product, treat it with Cortec’s patented Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors (VCI), and sell it to the U.S. steel industry for use as protective covering for steel coils and steel sheets, as well parts and components for heavy machinery.

Slowly but surely customers are recognising the benefits of Cortec and Walki’s joint offering.

“Customers are shipping parts that are very expensive, so they need to be well protected. Walki’s metal wrap paper, combined with our anti-corrosion technology, offers an outstanding level of protection,” continues Miksic. “I call this a win-win-win partnership, because it benefits Cortec, it benefits Walki and it benefits the customers.”

THE AMERICAN DREAMWhen Boris Miksic arrived in the United States in 1974, he had 35 dollars in his pocket. Today, the chemical business he started from scratch in his garage has evolved into a 100-million dollar multinational enterprise. This is the story of a young man from Croatia who made the American dream his reality. text Isabelle Kliger photo iStock


PEOPLE 11


PEOPLE10


SUSTAINABILITYSUSTAINABILITY 1312

Going green is no longer a want, it is a necessity. People today are acutely aware of the need to make the right choices and as a result, companies and big businesses are switching over to green products. A trend that has affected the packaging industry, which has begun to embrace biopolymers in a big way. Here’s why.text Nikhil Narayan Sivadas photo iStock & Walki

BIOPOLYMERS THE SUSTAINABLE CHOICE

Whether you are buying a car, a computer or even food, the production, processing and use of these products have an environmental impact. That is especially true when it comes to the material that

these products are packaged in. Most of these are sourced from non-renewable materials and are non-biodegradable, sometimes ending up in landfills and in the world’s oceans, causing huge problems.

This has prompted companies like PepsiCo, Target and Nestle among others, to come together through the project – the New Plastics Economy, to build a more sustainable value chain. This along with increasing awareness among consumers to make clean and green choices is forcing a radical rethink by the packaging

in packaging. Today more and more polymers, even polyethylene, are made from renewable, naturally occurring sources such as plant starch, sugar cane, wood residues etc., making it a great choice for companies looking to ramp up their green initiatives.

“It has proven to be especially popular in consumer packaging, where a lot of companies are looking at sustainability. Food packaging, drinks packaging, etc. are a few of the areas where biopolymer use has increased steadily,” says Skåtar.

However, one of the biggest challenges in using such biopolymers which are biodegradable, has been the lack of moisture and vapour barriers, an essential feature in food packaging. This is a problem that Walki has tackled through intense research and development.

”The discussion these

days is all about the

finite resources we have

on our planet and how

best to utilise it in a

sustainable way.


industry. And the introduction of biopolymers is opening up a whole new world of possibilities for companies to lessen their carbon footprint.

“The discussion these days is all about the finite resources we have on our planet and how best to utilise it in a sustainable way. This is where biopolymer is having a big impact since their origin is its main feature,” says Rune Skåtar, Director of Development and Innovations at Walki.

Hitting the right notesTraditionally, packaging materials use polymers made from non-renewable oil and petrochemical sources to provide barrier properties which protect the product. Materials like polystyrene and polyethylene are traditional examples of petrochemical polymer used


WHAT’S UPSUSTAINABILITY 1514“We have studied different products and its properties,

the different kinds of packaging styles, to develop high barrier and medium barrier biopolymer coatings. These provide excellent protection for packaged foods,” explains Henri Torkkola, Technical Service and Development Manager – Flexible Packaging at Walki.

For instance, Walki has a range of biopolymer solutions that have excellent barrier properties, including protection from light, moisture, mineral oil, gases and aromas. The biopolymer coating can also impair the spread of bacteria and fungi while ensuring that the packaging material is water repellent and breathable.

“We procure biopolymers from many different suppliers. It all depends on the kind of qualities that are needed from the material. We are in close contact with our raw material suppliers to ensure that the product fits our developmental requirements and also its sustainability. We review this regularly to ensure that

are searching for an optimal solution for our customers. We recently had to figure out the adhesive properties of coating for a product and managed to test 15 different kinds of material to find the right fit. You need much more material, time and money to do that in an industrial line, plus you will be taking time away from production,” says Perttu.

The adoption of biopolymers by the packaging industry has grown steadily over the past couple of years, says Skåtar, who believes that its adoption by the European markets will set the pace for the whole world to pick it up.

“Both from a utility and brand point-of-view, it makes sense for some companies to want to use biopolymers. And so, they are ready to pay a small premium to ensure that their packaging is eco-friendly,” he explains.

In the future thanks to economies of scale, widespread adoption of biopolymers may also cause its production costs to rationalise even further, making it as cost-effective as petrochemical-based packaging.

”It makes sense for companies

to use biopolymers. They are

ready to pay a small premium

to ensure that their packaging

is eco-friendly.

What’s up in Jatne?Karolina Ciesielska joined Walki as the Technical Sales and Development Manager at the Jatne plant in 2016. Responsible for sales support through product development and technical services for customers, Karolina ensures that customers’ needs are met with innovative products.

? What’s the best part about working for Walki?I like the open approach adopted at Walki, our focus on customers innovation and process improvements. I particularly like the ‘can-do’ attitude here. If you have new ideas like creating new products or improving the production process that you would potentially like to try out, you just have to pitch it. There is limited bureaucracy, and feasible ideas are implemented quickly.

? What makes Jatne so special?We at Jatne are experts in flexo-printing and paper coating. Apart from this, the main thing that helps us stand out is our use of eco-friendly water-based inks for production. We produce our products using the best available raw materials with the best standards in the market while ensuring that there are no emissions from the solvents in our inks.

? What should customers know about the printing work done at Jatne?At Jatne we can print up to ten colours on flexographic technology. All of this is produced on 5 flexo-printing machines, and products can be served to customers in reels, smaller bobbins or sheets as preferred by them. I think it is very important and valuable for our customers to know that we have very experienced specialists for pre-press, who can assist them with new graphic designs and advice on how to set up the printing process to achieve the best results.

? How do you like Jatne as a city?I moved to Otwock, a small town near Jatne about a year and a half ago from Łódź. The area around our plant is an interesting place. It is a typical village with a residential zone on one side of the main road, and an industrial area on the opposite side. It is funny because sometimes our meetings and videoconferences are interrupted by cows mooing from the neighbouring farm. That makes me laugh and I have nothing against it. I like it because I grew up on a farm and it reminds me of my carefree childhood.


all standards are met,” says Torkkola.Packaging materials that use cardboard and paper are

already sourcing about 80 to 90% of the material from renewable sources. Adding bio-based polymers to the mix ensures that companies are sourcing nearly 100% of their product from renewable sources. An attractive tag for any company to have.

As effective as polymers A big factor in Walki creating these different kinds of products has been its pilot line, a feature unique to the company. Unlike industrial lines, the pilot line allows Walki to experiment with different materials, allowing it to be perfectly matched with different products, says Inkeri Perttu, Product Development Engineer at Walki.

“We only need about 3 kilograms of material for testing if we are using the pilot line. This makes it easy for us to switch between different polymers when we

Walki has a range of biopolymer solutions that have excellent barrier properties, including protection from light, moisture, mineral oil, gases and aromas.

Radon gas is invisible and odourless, and chances are, you are exposed to it every day. Yet, people seem remarkably unaware of its effects on human health and the need to protect themselves. Read on to find out why this is important.

COLUMNINNOVATION

1 OECD; www.oecd.org, 2 Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung - BfR; www.bfr.bund.de, 3 AKTS AG; www.akts.com, 4 VTT, 5 Innoform GmbH; www.innoform.de

Walki-Pack MOST defines the future in safe paper and board packaging, says Dr. Rainer Brandsch from MDCTec Systems GmbH for Cover Stories.

10 COUNTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATIONS

Czech Republic 140 Bq/m3

Mexico 140 Bq/m3

Luxembourg 110 Bq/m3

Finland 120 Bq/m3

Sweden 108 Bq/m3

Austria 99 Bq/m3

Spain 90 Bq/m3

Ireland 89 Bq/m3

Norway 89 Bq/m3

France 89 Bq/m3

Worldwide average: 39 Bq/m3

Source: WHO handbook on indoor radon concentration

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FROM THE GROUND UPtext Nikhil Narayan Sivadas illustration Walki

Think lung cancer and cigarettes are likely to come to mind. And while people are well-informed about the dangers of smok-ing, they are not so aware about the effects of a gas that they are likely breathing in every day.

Silent, colourless and odourless, radon gas is a naturally oc-curring gas created from the disintegration of Uranium. It is today considered the second-biggest cause of lung cancer in the United States, with the U.S. Center for Disease Control estimating that it causes over 20,000 deaths each year.

Radon gas seeps into homes and buildings through the pores and cracks present in the foundation of different structures. Since the air pressure indoors is lower than the pressure outside, it cre-ates a suction of sorts, which pulls radon and other gases like methane from the soil.

“The half-life is very short, but on the other hand, radon accu-mulates. It is being emitted from the soil all the time and the flow does not decrease as in other materials. So, you are constantly

exposed to it,” explains Juho Hyytiäinen, Technical Services and Development Manager – Membranes at Walki.

Radon gas can be found all over the world and is considered to be present in higher quantities in mountainous areas like Scandi-navia, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. For instance, the average level of radon in Ireland is 89 units; compared to 39 units in other parts of the world.

As governments and authorities wake up to its danger, they are scrambling to prepare maps to pinpoint locations which have a high concentration of the gas, while at the same time, enacting policies to make structures radon proof. Advisories have been is-sued, asking people to check Radon levels in an area before build-ing their homes. If the levels are high, it is recommended to use Radon-barriers in the foundation of the building.

“During construction, care must be taken to keep radon gas levels to their lowest point,” explains Joris Kraak, Business De-velopment Manager – Membranes at Walki. “You must install a

radon-proof membrane in the foundation to prevent the gas from coming into the house.”

The use of these barriers and membranes have been proven to reduce radon exposure considerably. In fact, countries like Ireland have put in place policies mandating the use of these barriers in high-exposure areas. Walki has a range of products to help pro-tect buildings from this threat.

“We have fully certified radon barriers and methane barriers to prevent all these dangerous gases from entering your homes and work places,” explains Kraak. “We have protective layers which can be laid onto the walls of these buildings as well, so if you are refurbishing a building, you are protected and don’t have to tear it down.”

Walki’s product range consists of distinct products such as the Walki®Radon Block and Walki®Radon Block 400, which are elastic, scrim-reinforced polymer coatings and membranes that offer protection from Radon and water vapour. On the other hand, the Walki®Gas Block and Walki®Methane Tight solutions are de-signed to prevent these gases from seeping into buildings, while acting as a moisture barrier.

“These products are highly durable and are built to last a life-time,” emphasizes Hyytiäinen. “They are elastic, and can be used on different kinds of foundations, from rocky to other forms. They contract and detract as needed during the lifetime of the building.”

What makes Walki’s products different from others is the level of customization that can be introduced into the product. Unlike other membrane suppliers, Walki has a dedicated pilot line which they use to manufacture membranes to the customers specifica-tions. This allows people to see test samples, make changes as needed, and have the finished product ready for installation, all in record time. Something that is simply not possible with industrial lines.

“We can run samples within a few weeks to show to our clients. If they require something very specific, like an extremely strong gas barrier which is resistant to the impact of trucks before it is covered with concrete, we could create a new sample in three weeks. In eight to nine weeks after approval it is possible to sup-ply the first industrial order,” explains Kraak.

As more and more people become aware of the dangers of ra-don gas, this speed and efficiency will prove essential. With more countries contemplating mandating the installation of these bar-riers, demand is expected to soar exponentially.”

Packaging technology is one of the main contributions to sustainable food manufacturing. Due to today's packaging solutions up to 90% of all foods are transferred "from farm to fork" in the highly developed European countries. The main focus of today's packaging solutions is on protection of food against loss of aroma and nutritional constituents, contamination and mechanical stress. Pack-aging solutions need to preserve quality, facilitate communication and distribu-tion, be convenient and compliance with legal demands.

Investigations of Swiss authorities have shown that a high risk of food contami-nation from secondary paper and board packaging by mineral oil exists. Mineral oil concentrations in food exceed in many cases reference values established based on toxicological considerations 1,2. The mineral oil originates from pack-aging solution based on recycled paper and board which contains a fraction of recycled fibers from printed newspaper. The mineral oil from printing inks is not removed completely from the fibers by the recycling process and is transferred from the secondary packaging (recycled paper and board) to packaged food by gas phase transfer and/or migration, i.e. interaction.

Interaction between packaging materials and food is time dependent and caus-es a compositional change in the system packaging/food with respect to one or several substances which may have an impact on the quality and/or safety of the packaged foods. Contamination of the packaged food from "the environment", i.e. secondary packaging in direct vicinity to food, is not a question of occurrence – it will happen in all cases - but only a question to which extent. More precisely po-tential contamination by thousands of substances used in printing inks, adhesives, coatings, etc. from outside the packaging is possible.

Pack MOST is Walki's innovative answer to this demanding issue. MOST tech-nology consists of a multilayer extrusion coating with a functional barrier layer at the interface to food. It offers barrier properties against mineral oil but also against other contaminants. Unfavorable circumstances like invisible set-off during processing and storage of packaging materials in the stack or on the reel are minimized.

Numerical simulations with the SML software 3 have demonstrated that the Walki-Pack MOST extrusion coating is capable to safe guard packaged foods against contamination with mineral oil by gas phase transfer and/or migration. The predictions and proof of concept were confirmed by numerous tests per-formed in internationally recognized laboratories 4,5. Simulating respectively testing functional barrier properties for 10 days at 60°C is equivalent to 2 years storage of food at room temperature.

Walki-Pack MOST defines the future in safe paper and board packaging. Pro-tection of packaged foods against contamination from external sources is one of the main challenges for future packaging development. It is worth to mention that processing of Walki-Pack MOST compared to the base paper or board is not affected by the functional coating.

WALKI-PACK MOST

The use of radon-proof membranes in building foundations has been proven to considerably reduce Radon exposure.

GUEST

COLUMN

BY Dr BRANDSCH

LUXURY PACKAGING THE FUTURE IS GREEN

Gourmet chocolates, luxe cosmetics, fine liquor and beverages, all these luxury products have one thing in common, brilliant and eye-catching packaging. After all, companies have always been ready to invest in luxury packaging, using the best designs and finest material to attract consumers.

However, this comes at a great cost to the environment. For decades now, most luxury products have been packaged lavishly with little concern paid to the amount of material being used, how they are disposed and the impact that the manufacturing and disposal process will have on various eco-systems. But that trend has begun to change, with consumers becoming more discerning about choosing sustainable products

And luxury product manufacturers are following suit. Luxury brands the world over, from cosmetics giants to champagne houses, are increasingly focusing on more sustainable packaging to reduce their environmental footprint. The pressure on luxury packaging manufacturers to go green has never been as intense.

“Companies in the luxury packaging segment are today looking for sustainable products for general development. It is an added advantage for them to be able to advertise to their end-customers that they too are doing their bit for the environment,” explains Manfred Ertle, Business Line Manager at Walki Group.

However, for most luxury brands, this switch is not easy. They face a dilemma. How can they balance sustainability in luxury packaging without compromising on design and attractiveness?

Companies like Walki have come up with solutions that can help packaging manufacturers produce more sustainable products. For instance, Walki has recently upgraded its glue laminator system, opening the door to a whole new range of possibilities in packaging.

“The upgraded glue lamination system has given us many ad-vantages. For one thing, it uses half the amount of glue than it used to. It also gives us better web tension control and improves quality with variations in smaller tolerances. This is important especially for laminating two thin materials like films and papers together,”

TURNING UP THE GREEN QUOTIENT

For decades, OOH advertising had to depend on using either pasted blueback paper panels or heavyweight PVC-based bill-boards & banners for their products. And while they do serve their purpose, the industry today is consciously switching over to more environmentally sound options.

The reasons for this are many. Take the case of blueback paper panels for instance. Most are chemically-treated and have poor visual quality. Then there is the high cost of labour involved in piec-ing together smaller panels into a bigger one.

The other favoured material for OOH advertising has been Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) internally reinforced with a pet-based scrim, which is mainly used in big displays and mounted with bun-gees onto giant metal frames. It is widely known that PVC poses substantial environmental risks, with the manufacturing process releasing chlorine gas. Disposal is an even bigger problem since PVC is not bio-degradable, leaving incineration or dumping it in landfills as the only option. This in turn releases dangerous toxins into the environment.

This is why the OOH sector has been seeking solutions that solve these problems. Solutions that Walki Group, a leading, inter-national producer of technical laminates and protective packaging materials has introduced via the Walki®Print Media XXL family of products, which provides green printing and imaging solutions.

“Our products demonstrate environmental awareness and re-sponsibility, both of which are key drivers that enable our custom-ers to choose products with the lowest carbon footprint possible.

The Out-Of-Home Advertising sector is one of the most prevalent and visible forms of advertising with banners, placards and hoardings all around us. Today, this industry is going through a sea change with players switching to green solutions that are better for the environment.

There is a pressing need to turn businesses and products sustainable, and one area of focus is the packaging used by companies in the luxury goods category. Walki is helping them by developing sustainable, cost-effective and appealing products.

And producing them locally in the European market within the proximity of our customer base also adds important value,” ex-plains Luk Meys, Category Manager, Imaging – Technical Prod-ucts at Walki Group.

Using ultra-light, tear resistant and recyclable raw materials, the Walki Group has developed new green print media by com-bining specific base materials and functional polymers. What’s more, they weigh less than 50% the weight of traditional PVC products, making transportation, storage and handling a much easier task.

There are three products available within the Walki®Print Me-dia XXL range. The first is the Walki®Backlit, a reinforced coated paper that has been established in the graphics market for about a decade. This is useful for long-term usage in outdoors scroll boxes and is exclusively sold via selected media wholesalers. The second is the Walki®Billboard, a PP or PET-based coated multi-purpose nonwoven product for mid-term outdoor advertising on panels, rollup banner stands, and for home decoration. And last, but not the least is the Walki®Banner, a HDPE or PP-based coated woven material for short-term outdoor advertising on frames and fences such as at sports events, exhibitions etc.

The development of these cutting-edge and innovative prod-ucts has also taken into account the unique needs of the OOH sector when it comes to printing applications. For example, Wal-ki’s solutions can be used for both front-lit and back-lit applica-tions, with a non-reflective, inkjet-receptive layer which is suitable for both UV-curable and Latex inks.

“The Walki®Print Media XXL range has been tested by estab-lished printer OEMs and is available in master roll sizes. Widths range upwards of +3200 mm, making it a unique offering in Eu-rope,” explains Meys.

Walki has one coextrusion production line available that is dedi-cated to the Walki®Print Media XXL product range. 2 other similar lines are available to function as back-up solutions and to secure lines of supply. All three production lines have optional printing and lacquering capabilities that can be provided as needed.

With these products, Walki has taken a lead in providing the OOH sector with cleaner and greener materials and develop eco-sensitive business practices. But that is just the beginning. The company’s dedicated R&D team in Finland is also concentrating on a whole range of options for the indoors printing media market, with innovative flame-retardant products being developed. The future is here as far as Walki is concerned.

Companies in the luxury packaging segment are looking for sustainable products that are eco-friendly.

explains Stefan Erdmann, Technical Service Manager - Con-sumer Packaging at Walki.

These improved features help in the production of metallized packaging that can be used by luxury brands for luxury packaging while still ensuring that it is environmentally sustainable.

“We can now produce metallized products, film-free edge and transfer metallized products using less glue. When it comes to transferring metallized products, there is no PET or plastic present in the final product. We use only a small amount of aluminium metallized dust, board and glue. It gives the same smoothness, high gloss and printability without the environmental conse-quences,” explains Erdmann.

Walki’s metallized packaging under the Walki®Pack Metalex family of products brand uses a primarily water-based glue with 50% water content, a feature that allows packaging to be recycled easily.

And in going green, the quality of the product is not compro-mised either. For instance, Walki®Pack Metalex uses a silver or gold metallic PET film to create a visually appealing finish and an excellent print surface, making it a perfect fit for high-end prod-ucts including beverages, cosmetics and luxury confectionary.

As an added benefit, Walki also offers a film-free-edge com-ponent that is of particular use to brands that require barcodes on their packaging.

“The liquor and beverage industry are required to print a barcode on their products. Very often, in metallized packaging of heavy boxes like whiskey, the barcodes can get scratched or damaged in transit and storage,” says Ertle. “Our film-free edge component will allow them to add an area of non-metallization that will solve this problem.

Thanks to their upgraded glue laminator and efficient produc-tion lines, Walki is able to deliver tailor-made luxury packaging requests at standard delivery times of four to six weeks, helping the luxury industry deliver on its goals of sustainability.


SUSTAINABILITY 19INNOVATION18

text Nikhil Narayan Sivadas photo Walki

text Lakshmi Sivadas photo iStock


PIPE SECTION INSULATIONA VIBRANT PLAYGROUND FOR WALKI R&Dtext Isabelle Kliger photo Walki

As the construction segment seeks to reduce its environmental impact, the need for more efficient Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems is becoming a hot topic. As a leading producer of facing materials for insulation pipes, Walki has a key part to play in this process.

Buildings consume close to 40% of the overall energy used in the industrialised world. With energy costs rising and sustainability higher up the global agenda than ever, the need for more energy-efficient construction practices is coming to the fore.

For many years, Walki has been producing facing materials for insulation. More recently, it has entered more extensively into the pipe insulation market, producing multi-layer facings for pipe insulation made from a variety of materials, ranging from polyurethane and phenolic foams to mineral and glass wool.

“At Walki we have an incredibly

innovative Research & Development team and this dynamic new market is like a playground for them,” says Olivier Lucas, Walki’s Business Line Manager responsible for insulation products. “By juggling with all our customers’ various insulation materials and matching them with a wide variety of combinations of raw materials – ranging from technical films, to macromolecular chemistry, woven and non-woven fabrics, and protective coatings – they can create an almost endless number of facings with all kinds of different properties.”

Another factor that makes this so-called playground even more exciting for Walki is that it already works with such a large number of different raw materials across all its various business lines.

“When we get our R&D people talking to their colleagues from the other business lines, and looking at all the materials they’re using for various applications, that’s when things really start getting exciting because we get to juggle with so many different combinations,” Lucas adds.

Why do we need pipe insulation?In buildings, the air and water used for heating and cooling is transported in pipes. Pipe insulation helps conserve energy as it reduces heat flow from pipes that often operate in conditions far removed from the ambient temperature.

The pipe insulation facings that Walki produces and delivers are all custom-made, specifically designed to complement the application and raw material used by each individual customer. The facing contributes additional protective properties to the insulation material.

Juuso Rinkinen is the Technical Service and Development Manager for Walki’s construction facings business. As a company with a passion for innovation, Rinkinen explains that Walki relishes the opportunity to operate in a market in which fast-paced advances are the name of the game.

“Customers’ requirements differ depending on the conditions in which the insulation is used and the properties it needs, so we develop every facing from scratch,” he says.

Extensive testing In order to do this effectively, Walki uses its pilot lines to test different multi-layer laminate structures. Rinkinen says the pilot lines make it possible to carry out a high number of tests in a short space of time.

“We test lots of different types of combinations, present the samples to the customer, and then decide together how to proceed,” he adds.

Once the optimal combination of raw-material layers has been selected, Walki’s extruder line is used to to produce the complex multi-layer facings.

To further enhance the speed of innovation, Walki is also collaborating with Finnish universities on research projects seeking to improve fire resistant properties of different kinds of facings.

Revolutionary new productOne customer that has even challenged Walki’s innovative capabilities is Climate Recovery, a Swedish start-up that is transforming the HVAC segment with its state-of-the-art pre-insulated ductwork system.

Made almost entirely from recycled glass and sand, the revolutionary feature of the CR Duct System is that it can be compressed, allowing it to be packaged and shipped flat. This results in lower logistics costs and significantly reduced CO2 emissions.

“The facing we developed for Climate Recovery had to withstand compression without breaking, losing its adhesion to the mineral wool, or changing its properties in any way. Moreover, as there’s no metal pipe to protect the insulation, we had to comply with even stricter fire and moisture resistance demands,” says Jens Desthon, Sales Manager Sweden, who has been working closely with Climate Recovery.

As Olivier Lucas concludes, the insulation market is an exciting place to be.

“This is a really energising, dynamic market to be operating in right now. Walki’s Research & Development department loves a challenge and takes every opportunity to find new, innovative solutions to our customers’ needs,” he says.”

”The pipe insulation facings that

Walki produces and delivers are

all custom-made, specifically

designed to complement the

application and raw material used

by each individual customer.

WALKI COVER STORIES 2017 WALKI COVER STORIES 2017

2120 WHAT’S UPINNOVATION

What’s up in Safety?Kenneth Granö is a Continuous Development Manager at Walki and has been with the company for close to two decades. At Walki, Kenneth helps formulate and develop safety measures that ensure employee health and safety is at peak efficiency, while risks are reduced.

? What’s the best part about working for Walki?I have been with Walki since 1999, joining directly after university. It has given me the possibility to develop myself in different ways, through the sheer number of tasks and jobs that are available here. I have gone through many different roles in my time here and learnt a lot as a result.

? Why is safety important at Walki? At Walki, we care about our employees´ health and safety. After all, our people are our biggest assets and our daily operation depends on everyone’s inputs. Everybody must be able to work safely so that they can go home to family and friends at the end of their shifts. To help with this, we have three safety principles that are the bedrock of our safety actions. These are - “Say no to accidents”, “Safety starts with me” and “Think before doing”.

? What are the challenges in creating a safe workplace?Any workplace has hazards. At Walki, we take the risk of hazards very seriously. We make technical improvements to our machinery to reduce risks and we´ll continue to do so. But we also need to train our employees to create better and safer working methods. We need to continuously develop our ability to recognize and handle the hazards around us.

? What should be the main focus areas in improving safety?Safety is as much about attitude as it is about action. One of the big root causes for accidents is human behaviour. People tend to look for shortcuts and not act in a safe way. We are all responsible for our own behaviour and we can make a choice to be safe. Our safety performance can be improved by paying attention to the human factor. And what’s more, we need to always treat safety as a normal business goal. Safety is not something that should be treated as a project, we need to treat it as a part of our daily lives.

An important lesson Jan has learnt from sailing is that performance is continuously improved through preparation and training.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SAIL

A gennaker sail is used when sailing downwind and is a cross between a genoa and spinnaker. It is optimal for generatinglift at larger angles of attack

The spinnaker sail is designed for sailing off the wind from a reaching course to a downwind. The spinnaker is filled with wind and balloons balloons out in front of the boat. This is called flying.

The genoa sail is a large jib or staysail that overlaps the main sail.

Although Jan van den Brink has been sailing since he was a little boy, he truly got bitten by the sailing bug at the age of ten.

“My father used to have an 18-metre ‘Skûtsje’ sailboat – a traditional type of sailing vessel that

was historically used to transport cargo on the canals in the Netherlands. There’s still an annual race for these boats on the lakes in Friesland,” Jan says.

It was on one of these boats where he experienced his first storm. These days, Jan and his wife Yolanda, to whom he has been married for 25 years, mainly sail their two fast dinghies, but also spend a couple of weeks abroad every year, mainly at beach clubs that organise sailing training and races. The first time Jan and Yolanda went out together on a dinghy, they set the gennaker sail, which is a huge, asymmetrical type of sail made from parachute material that can only be used when sailing downwind.

“The wind was high and the boat just took off and doubled its speed. It turned into an incredibly exhilarating ride that gave us a huge adrenaline rush together and put a smile on our faces for a long time,” Jan recalls.

High performance sailing skiffs are his thing

“I’m really passionate about sailing in high performance sailing skiffs, which is much more acrobatic than sailing a yacht,” he continues. “I still do this on occasion, either whilst on holiday when we rent a boat either in the Netherlands or abroad.”

Jan’s most memorable sailing experience was when he participated in the world championships that were held in the Netherlands in 2015, sailing in his RS500 double-handed trapeze skiff.

“It was an incredibly intensive week, during which all my focus was on sailing – at exhilarating speeds and in high winds, as well as on days when there was almost no wind at all,” he adds.

Continuous improvement

The most important lesson Jan has learnt from sailing is that performance is continuously improved through preparation and training, as well as learning from experience – an insight that serves him well in his work at Walki.

As the Plant Manager for Walki BV in Haarlem, the Netherlands, Jan looks after the day-to-day performance of the plant, with responsibility for everything from finance to safety, quality, costs and delivery. He says there is never

a dull moment in his job, which involves working with a variety of different products and machines.

“The most important and satisfying part of my job is working with the team to help the company improve from year to year. We do this through information-sharing, constant learning and by involving everyone in improving our performance,” he says.

“The extruder lines in Haarlem can only run if people have the right knowledge and willingness to be better. It’s crucial to prepare and have a clear view of how to start and run the machine. The key to success is having people who know their tasks and operate together as a team that’s in full control and willing to excel,” he says.

Looking after the seas

Jan has also experienced first hand the changing state of the environment and the seas. He says that, on the one hand, we are diluting the resources on the planet, while, on the other, the water quality in the Netherlands has actually improved. This is causing the vegetation to grow again in the major lakes, making it difficult to sail due to the plants that catch the keel of the boat.

“In my view, we need to find a way to switch away from plastics in favour of bio-degradable materials. In the meantime we have to look for lighter, smarter solutions,” he says. “I’m proud to work for a company like Walki that innovates and develops materials that produce less waste and support recycling efforts.”


23PROFILE


22 PROFILE

SETTING THE SAILSJan van den Brink is a keen amateur sailor.

The things he has learnt sailing can also be applied to his work as Walki’s Plant Manager in Haarlem.

text Isabelle Kliger photo Jan van der Brink

3 QUESTIONSWhat is needed to be a good sailor? A good sailor needs knowledge of aerodynamics, weather, boat tactics and race rules. He or she has to have a winning mentality and be willing to invest a lot of practice time to reach the desired level. Is there a famous sailor you look up to? Why? Ben Ainslie has gone from being an excellent Finn dinghy sailor to becoming a captain in the huge America's Cup competition.Do you have any as yet unrealised dreams in sailing that you would still like to achieve? I would like to develop my skills in the musto skiff, which is an extremely sensitive one-person high-performer in which you have to handle a gennaker sheet, mainsheet, trapeze hook and tiller with just two hands.

”It’s crucial to prepare and have a clear view of

how to start and run the machine. The key to

success is having people who know their tasks

and operate together as a team.

Construction • Consumer Packaging • Industrial Packaging

Walki• Operates in 11 countries• Has 10 production plants• Over 900 employees• And over 300 million euros in annual sales

Walki is an expert on technical laminates and protective packaging materials. Here are a few examples where you might meet our products from our various market areas:

We made this base material for billboards, too!

ALSO IN THESE AREAS

YOU FIND OUR PRODUCTS:Steel and metals

RFID and flexible circuit boardsTechnical

OFFICE:Copy paper wrapper

BUILDING & LIVING:Breathable construction

membranes

PAPER & FOREST:Fibre-based soil

mulching solution

FOOD, RETAIL & TRANSPORT PACKAGING:Sustainable biopolymers

FOOD, RETAIL & TRANSPORT PACKAGING:Heat-resistant containers

for baking

Documents

WALKI IN EVERYDAY LIFE€¦ · Walki Group Customer Magazine 2017 Helping eco-friendly farming. COVER STORIES Publisher Leif Frilund Editor-in-Chief Marina Kurula Editorial board