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
Collaboration as a catalyst for innovation
Innovation does not happen in isolation. It requires a
synergistic ecosystem where value chain partners (e.g. converters,
paper suppliers, and chemical technology providers) work together
to solve complex challenges. Siegwerk recognizes that the future of
sustainable packaging depends on collaboration across the entire
value chain. By partnering with industry leaders like UPM and DG
press, Siegwerk is able to optimize its CIRKIT coatings for specific
substrates, printing technologies, and end-use applications. These
partnerships enable Siegwerk to deliver fiber-based solutions that
meet the functional, economic, and environmental requirements of
modern packaging, driving the industry closer to a circular economy
Case Study: Razor Blade Pouches
UPM: Enhancing Substrate Performance
UPM Specialty Papers, a global supplier of highperformance barrier and barrier base papers, plays a critical role in
the success of Siegwerk’s CIRKIT coatings. As the substrate serves
as the foundation for any coating application, the properties of the
paper—such as smoothness, density, porosity, and mechanical
strength—directly impact the performance of the coating.
The partnership between Siegwerk and UPM Specialty
Papers focuses on maximizing barrier performance, print quality,
and recyclability by combining CIRKIT coatings with UPM’s barrier
base papers, which are designed for coating.
The Challenge
Develop a recyclable, heat-sealable paper pouch for razor
blades that could replace traditional multi-layer plastic laminates.
The packaging needed to provide robust barrier protection, heatseal strength, and durability to safely contain and protect the sharp
blades, while maintaining full recyclability.
Solution:
The solution involved using UPM’s Solide™ Lucent and
UPM Prego™ substrates, which offer excellent surface smoothness
and structural integrity. These substrates were coated with
Siegwerk’s high-performance CIRKIT BAR SEAL PR 1643 and
CIRKIT BAR SEAL PR 1684 barrier coatings, designed for heatsealing and moisture resistance.
Results:
•
Heatseal Strength: Achieved seal strength of up to 3.2
N/15mm, ensuring secure and tamper-evident seals.
•
Barrier Protection: Provided robust resistance against
moisture and external contaminants, critical for
maintaining the integrity of razor blade packaging.
•
Full Recyclability: The paperbased pouch met recyclability
standards, aligning with circular
economy principles
Outcome:
This project demonstrated that fiberbased materials could meet the requirements
of razor blade packaging, providing a viable
and sustainable alternative to plastic.
The collaboration with UPM underscored
the importance of optimizing substrate
performance to fully leverage the capabilities
of CIRKIT coatings.
Case Study: Peppermint Pouches for Drupa 2024
DG press: Scaling Coatings for High-Speed Printing
While substrate optimization is critical, the ability to scale
coatings for industrial production is equally important. This is where
Siegwerk’s partnership with DG press comes into play. DG press
specializes in high-speed hybrid web offset presses in which flexo
and gravure printing units are integrated, enabling the efficient
application of Siegwerk’s CIRKIT coatings at an industrial scale.
This collaboration ensures that Siegwerk’s solutions are not only
technically robust, but also commercially viable for large-scale
production.
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