Nippon Using BioLatex as Replacement for Styrene Butadiene Latex Binder

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Nippon Paper Industries (NPI), Tokyo, Japan, has been commercially using EcoSphere biolatex binders at one of its mills since January 2009, as a substitute for styrene butadiene (SB) synthetic latex, according to EcoSynthetix, Lansing, Mich., USA, and Burlington, Canada. NPI is also running trials with EcoSphere at a number of its mills producing coated paper.

Working with FIMATEC, EcoSynthetix's Japanese Distributor, the parties undertook exhaustive testing and evaluation of EcoSphere as an SB latex substitute in 2008. The successful commercial substitution of SB latex with EcoSphere biolatex binders began in January 2009 and continues under a cooperation agreement. Nippon Paper Group, which has 24 paper mills in Japan, will use EcoSphere biolatex binders in a number of paper applications, replacing SB synthetic latexes in their proprietary paper coatings.

John van Leeuwen, EcoSynthetix CEO, stated he was "delighted that NPI, globally recognized as producing some of the whitest, brightest, fine paper in the world, chose EcoSphere to help them meet their sustainable development objective by replacing petroleum based synthetic latexes with EcoSphere biolatex binders produced from annually renewable sources." Van Leeuwen commended Masato Katayama, president and CEO of FIMATEC, for his team's "exceptional efforts in making this historic agreement possible."

NPI, a key company within the Nippon Paper Group, was founded in 1949. Nippon Paper Group is a producer of pulp, paper, paperboard, and paper related products in Japan. Fimatec founded in 1987, is a supplier of mineral products to the paper industry. EcoSynthetix, founded in 1996, focuses on biobased replacements for petrochemical performance products. Its flagship product EcoSphere is a biolatex binder that replaces petroleum based latex binders used in the manufacture of coated paper and paperboard. Biolatex binders reportedly improve sustainability, reduce cost, and reduce carbon footprint.

The global paper coating industry annually uses more than 4 billion lb (2 billion kg) of petroleum based synthetic binders valued at approximately $5 billion. First generation EcoSphere reportedly can replace up to 100% of these latexes.