Siegwerk’s CIRKIT coatings: pioneering sustainable solutions with UPM and DG Press for a circular future Oliver Waddington, Global Business Development Lead, Circular Economy Coatings (CEC) Business Unit, Siegwerk

PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL
Siegwerk’s CIRKIT coatings: pioneering sustainable solutions with UPM and DG press for a circular future Leading the paperization movement
Oliver Waddington, Global Business Development Lead, Circular Economy Coatings (CEC) Business Unit, Siegwerk
INTRODUCTION:
The global packaging industry stands at a transformative crossroads. Driven by escalating environmental concerns, shifting
consumer expectations, and increasingly stringent regulations, the industry is being forced to rethink its reliance on plastic. Plastics,
for decades, have been the material of choice for packaging due to their versatility, durability, and cost-effectiveness. However, their
environmental impact—particularly the difficulty to recycle, their persistence in ecosystems and contribution to marine pollution—has
prompted a global push toward more circular alternatives.
In recent years, governments, environmental organizations,
and consumers have amplified their calls for change. Regulatory
bodies across Europe, North America, and Asia have introduced
legislation aimed at reducing plastic waste, banning single-use
plastics, and mandating the use of recyclable or compostable
packaging materials. As a result, brands and manufacturers are
seeking new ways to meet these requirements while maintaining
the functionality, safety, and aesthetic appeal of their packaging
solutions.
Amid this shift, paper and board have emerged as viable
alternatives to plastic for many applications, in a trend that has
been named paperization. These fiber-based materials offer several
intrinsic advantages: they are renewable, widely recyclable, and
biodegradable, making them ideal candidates for circular economy
models. Unlike plastic, fiber-based packaging can be more
easily reintegrated into the production cycle, reducing waste and
conserving natural resources.
However, while the environmental benefits of paper-based
packaging are undeniable, its inherent limitations must be addressed
to compete effectively with plastic. Uncoated paper, for instance,
lacks the barrier properties required to protect products from
moisture, grease, oxygen, and other external factors. Additionally,
paper’s natural porosity and mechanical properties can compromise
its suitability for certain applications, such as food packaging, where
safety, hygiene, and shelf life are critical.
This is where Siegwerk steps in. With a legacy of over 200
years in the inks and coatings industry, Siegwerk has consistently
demonstrated a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and
customer-centric solutions. Our CIRKIT range of coatings is the
culmination of extensive research and development aimed at
transforming paper and board into high-performance packaging
materials capable of meeting the most demanding requirements.
The CIRKIT portfolio is designed to functionalize paper,
enabling it to offer the necessary barrier protection, sealability, and
printability to operate effectively as a packaging material, all while
maintaining its recyclability and compatibility with existing recycling
systems. By leveraging advanced water-based coating technologies,
we are empowering brands and manufacturers to transition from
plastic to paper.
In addition to our technological expertise, Siegwerk
recognizes that collaboration is key to driving industry-wide change.
Our collaboration with leading companies such as UPM and DG
press exemplify our commitment to working across the packaging
value chain to develop innovative, scalable, and sustainable
solutions. Together, we are not only addressing the challenges of
today’s packaging landscape but also shaping the future of a circular
economy where fiber-based materials play a central role.
Understanding the role of functional coatings in
fiber-based packaging
Typical packaging papers and boards, while ideal for certain
applications like cartons or dry goods packaging, struggle to meet
the performance demands of other applications, particularly primary
packaging for food, beverages, and personal care products. To
expand the use of fiber-based packaging into these areas, the paper
or board must be enhanced with functional coatings that address its
limitations while preserving its environmental benefits. Let’s examine
some of the critical challenges that functional coatings are designed
to solve:
1. Moisture
One of the most significant challenges with paper is its
porosity and hydrophillic nature, which makes it highly absorbent
and vulnerable to moisture ingress as a packaging material. When
exposed to humid environments or direct contact with liquids,
untreated paper can weaken, warp, and eventually lose its structural
integrity.
In packaging applications, particularly for food and
beverages, maintaining moisture resistance is critical to protecting
the contents, ensuring shelf life, and preserving product quality.
Products like frozen foods, dairy, and beverages require
packaging that can withstand cold storage or refrigeration without
compromising performance.
Siegwerk’s CIRKIT coatings provide a robust solution to
this challenge. By applying a water-based barrier coating, we can
significantly reduce the porosity of paper, creating a hydrophobic
layer that repels moisture and protects the substrate from
environmental conditions. This enhancement allows paper-based
packaging to maintain its strength, rigidity, and appearance even in
moisture-rich environments.
81

Paperturn flipbook viewer