According to a report Wednesday by PackagingNews, London, U.K., International Paper Co., Memphis, Tenn., USA, was awarded Poland’s European Medal for its Alaska Plus, a new and notably lighter GC2 board produced at IP’s Kwidzyn mill in Poland.

 

 

The European Medal is a Poland-wide initiative organized by the Business Centre Club and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the Honorary Patronage of the European Economic and Social Committee based in Brussels, Belgium. Since 2000 the European Medal project has been promoting investing in Poland to businesses in the European Union and growing consumers’ interest in the recognized companies and products.

In past years, International Paper’s Arktika GC1 board and Alaska GC2 board were also awarded a European Medal. "Alaska Plus represents a new generation of our GC2 board and we are honored to receive such an acknowledgment after the first year of its launch to the market" said Marek Krzykowski, mill general director at the Kwidzyn mill, during the European Medal gala held on June 10 in Warsaw. "Using the latest technology in board making, we have been able to develop a lightweight product without compromising its excellent product performance and consistent quality."

Alaska Plus was recognized specifically for enabling a notable reduction in packaging weight. Other environmental benefits include fewer resources being used, lower transport weights, and an overall reduction in waste. Alaska Plus is used in pharmaceutical, healthcare, chocolate, and all kinds of dry food applications.