Packaging and specialty paper manufacturer Sappi will expand capacity at its Gratkorn mill in Austria to produce moisture-resistant label papers. By the end of 2023, the Austrian paper mill with more than 1,000 employees will produce high-quality wet-glue label papers in addition to the coated papers currently produced.
This investment - worth at least 10 million euros - includes the installation of equipment to optimize the paper machine's water and material cycles, as well as an embossing calender. "This is essential to produce the type of moisture-resistant wet-glue label paper used in the beverage industry (e.g. on returnable beer bottles) and to produce exceptional, high-quality labels." says Sappi.
Marco Eikelenboom, CEO of Sappi Europe, continues: "Our investment in Gratkorn underscores our strategy to make Sappi the leader in the label industry, adding value-added products to our overall business."
In June 2021, the group, which operates nine mills, expanded its product portfolio of non-moisture resistant wet glue label papers with the Parade Label Pro . This range has been "very well received" by the market since its launch, according to the manufacturer.
And in January 2022, it was followed by the Parade Label SG a high-performance semi-gloss face paper for self-adhesive labels. Today, this product is also "solidly established in the market" says Sappi.
