International Paper, Memphis, Tenn., USA, has launched its new lightweight board called Alaska Plus. This significantly lighter weight GC2 product responds directly to customers’ growing demand for economically attractive and environmentally sustainable packaging solutions, the company notes. The production of Alaska Plus was enabled by the modernization project completed at IP’s Kwidzyn mill in Poland earlier this year.

 

"Alaska Plus represents a step-change in lightweighting, with basis weights significantly lower across the range compared with other standard GC2 products," explained Michael Krüger, commercial director Coated Paperboard and Recycled Specialties at International Paper. "Using the latest technology in board making, we have been able to lower the basis weights of this product, while keeping all other technical parameters stable. The performance of Alaska Plus in printing, converting, and packing is as excellent and effortless as our customers would expect from a product with ‘Alaska’ in the brand name." 

 

Packaging converters and brand owners will be able to switch to Alaska Plus without any performance related adjustments, while enjoying the commercial and environmental benefits of a modern lightweight folding boxboard, IP pointed out. The production of Alaska Plus consumes fewer resources, offers lower transport weights, and produces less waste, thereby decreasing the environmental impact and cost at all stages of a products life cycle.

 

Alaska Plus is designed for pharmaceutical, healthcare, and beauty care packaging as well as for chocolate and all kinds of dry food applications. Currently, three basis weights are available to all customers throughout Europe. The full range of products, comprising seven basis weights starting from 200 gsm, will be available in the coming weeks.

 

The standard Alaska GC2 board will continue to be available with unchanged technical specifications for a certain period of time to facilitate the transition to Alaska Plus. IP will inform its customer base as soon as a final decision about the end-of life of standard Alaska has been made.