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Agenda

Day one - Wednesday 3rd September 2025 Day two – Thursday 4th September 2025
Registration and welcome refreshments
Smithers welcome
Session 1: Industry requirements and market outlook – how paperisation and collaboration is refocusing the paper and packaging sector
Keynote: Collaboration is key – wider industry considerations and global challenges
Unlocking the future growth of specialty papers
  • Regulation, together with brand owners’ initiatives have been driving the demand for fibre-based packaging in Europe. Despite the long-term good growth outlook, so far, the growth has not materialized in such volumes as has been assumed. 
  • How to unlock the growth potential of specialty papers globally; Key trends driving the demand and demand outlook for specialty papers by key region and end use
  • Key challenges limiting the growth and how to tackle those; any foreseen market disruptors
  • Competitive environment; overview and recent changes and their impact on the business

Eliisa Ranta | Director, Vision Hunters
Session 2: Regulations update - PPWR practical implications for specialty papers and packaging
Navigating PPWR – a brand perspective
Brian Butka | R & D Packaging, BARILLA G.&R. Fratelli S.p.A
Networking refreshment break
New Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste – what’s in it for paper-based packaging?
  • Cepi outlook on PPWR
  • PPWR and speciality papers
  • Packaging recyclability
  • Substances in packaging

Maria Georgiadou | Recycling Manager, Cepi
Paper packaging: recyclability challenges and legislation
The developments for paper packaging have led to a range of innovations which are being put on the market. Besides the performance of the packaging product the recyclability assessment has become an important criterium. Some insight into the different recyclability methods will be discussed and the link with EPR fees. Finally, the coming legislation in relation to PPWR and what it could mean for market is discussed.
 
Panel session: PPWR – a practical perspective. Industry and supply chain alignment, what needs to be done? Brands as an enabler of change, future outlook
Moderator: Stephen Harrod, Consultant, Smithers

Panellists:
David Guerin, Global Director, Packaging Science Centre, L’Oréal
Brian Butka, R & D Packaging, BARILLA G.&R. Fratelli S.p.A 
Nils de Rybel, Senior Product Development Engineer, Amcor
Maria Georgiadou, Recycling Manager, Cepi   

More panellists to be announced
Networking lunch break
Session 3: Applications and new developments in specialty papers
Innovation meets sustainability with the novel breathable and heat-sealable cellulosic wrappers
Philippe Ragot – Vice President & General Manager SWM Packaging, SWM International
Soufiane Aksas, Business Development Manager, Novatec

SWM and Novatec have joined forces to develop an innovative, ultra-lightweight, heat-sealable paper designed to offer a sustainable alternative to plastic wrapping. This new material stands out for its breathability, a highly valued property in many packaging applications, along with softness, flexibility, and strong resistance. Its development reflects a shared commitment to advancing eco-friendly packaging solutions without compromising functionality.
 
Redefining paper strength with lighter shopping bag containing recycled fibers
Silvia Hanzelova, Sales Director Speciality Kraft Paper, Mondi
Marcin Płodzień, Production Director, Dobis Sp.z o.o.
 
Extrusion coating of dense specialty papers
•    Different dense specialty papers were coated with two different extrusion coating polymers.
•    Adhesion was improved with corona pretreatment and by optimizing the coating parameters, but this is also affected by the type of polymer and the base paper.
•    Significant improvement was obtained in the oxygen barrier depending on the base paper, but good contact between the coating and the paper is required to maximize the barrier potential.
 
Mika Vähä-Nissi | Principal Scientist, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Networking refreshment break
Session 4: Barriers and coatings innovations
Advancing seaweed-based coatings with industry collaboration
•    Seaweed based commodities for industrial barrier coating
•    Industry collaboration
•    Feasibility study on production equipment
 
Ludwig Schmidtchen | General Manager – Biomaterials, , Sea6 Energy
Next generation fibre based packaging materials
•    The use of natural polymers is an interesting option when developing next generation fibre based packaging materials
•    Several product cases where natural polymers are used in packaging will be presented
•    The potential and limitations linked to the use of natural polymers in packaging materials will be addressed
 
Mats Käldström | Manager -Developments and Innovation, Walki Group Oy
Alternatives to PFAS in Fibrebased Packaging
•    PFAS is no longer a viable option to achieve barrier properties for packaging papers. 
•    Suitable test methods are needed to access Oil and Grease Resistance of paper and paperboard to supersede the well-known KIT tests. 
•    There is no like-for-like replacement for PFAS, but there are some options we can use as alternatives. 
 
Oliver Waddington | Global lead for functional paper coatings , Siegwerk
The natural coating revolutionizing paper packaging
•    What if the solution to revolutionize paper coatings already existed?
•    Sustainable and water-soluble natural polymer for functional packaging
•    Functional coating performances
•    Improved recyclability in standard paper recycling streams
•    Non-toxic and safe for both environmental and human health 
Benoit Berny | Product Innovation Manager, Lactips
Chair’s summary and end of day one
Networking drinks reception until 19:30
Registration and refreshments
Chair’s opening remarks
Session 5: Latest developments in plastic free packaging and coatings
Flexible paper materials – a way to reduce virgin plastic packaging
Nestlé’s journey in exploring fiber-based materials in packaging has delivered a diverse range of materials suitable for different product applications. 
Many of these developed applications have been launched across the world in the past 5 years in line with its commitment to reduce the use of virgin plastic. 
Applications using flexible as well as in rigid primary and secondary packaging for products with different sensitivity and filling requirements have demonstrated that there are many scalable commercial opportunities ahead. 
Recyclability confirmation of the developed packaging formats with these innovative fiber-based materials in markets around the world has been one of the major challenges in all these developments. 
Technology adoption and investment in the industry is showing promising trends for the future of fiber-based packaging material alternatives. 
 
Kiril Dimitrov | Flexible Packaging Platform Lead, Nestlé, Nestlé
Revolutionising Foodservice Packaging: A Case Study on Xampla and Just Eat Takeaway’s Plastic-Free Breakthrough
Dr Scott Thompson, Head of Technology & Development, Xampla 
Representative from Just Eat 
 
Innovative, biobased, waterborne barrier coatings showing excellent MVTR performance
A plastic-free, biodegradable, highly recyclable coating formulation for water barrier cupstock applications
  • An aqueous coating dispersion that is bio-based, plastic-free, and consisting only of direct food-contact approved materials.
  • It meets the target criterion for water, grease resistance, and heat sealability for paper barrier coating applications.
  • Its application meets typical paper drying requirements, and it is expected to be biodegradable and highly recyclable.
Networking refreshment break
Release of synthetic polymer particles from paper-based packaging
  • Development of a laboratory method to evaluate the release potential of synthetic polymer particles from coated fibre-based material Analytical method for particle analyses with μ-Raman spectroscopy
  • Impact of polymer coatings on the recycling process
  • Evaluation of a method to analyse particles in fibre suspensions and process water by flow cytometry
Session 6: Converting and heat sealing challenges and solutions
Maximizing operational efficiency & performance of paper in packaging value chain
Dr. Esa Saukkonen, Manager, Packaging Portfolio Development, UPM R&D

Teemu Houhala, Business Manager, Quality Management Systems, Automation Systems Inc., Valmet Automation 

Ville Leminen, Professor, Packaging Technology, LUT University, Finland

•When selecting packaging materials, numerous factors must be considered. 
•Packaging plays a crucial role in ensuring products reach consumers in best condition by offering protection during transport, handling, and storage. 
•The material must be compatible with packaging lines and adhere to sustainability targets and regulations within the value chain, with a strong focus on recyclability. 
•The optimal approach to creating innovative, fibre-based, recyclable alternatives to fossil-based flexible barrier materials involves leveraging the combined strengths of value network partners from various fields of expertise through co-creation.


 
Adhesive-free sealing of paper by laser-based material modification
  • laser-based material modification for paper
  • adhesive-free heat contact sealing process for paper
  • quality of the paper sealing seam
Printing, a way to functionalise paper
  • Paper Functionalisation by printing
  • Tailor-in-made barrier properties
  • High added value paper for niche market
Networking lunch break
Session 7: Cellulose based barriers solutions
Improved performance and sustainability of dispersion coated packaging with microfibrillated cellulose
  • Current challenges of water based dispersion barrier coatings
  • Benefits of MFC on the performance of barrier coatings
  • Higher barrier performance with lower coat weight and lower quality paper – Impact on sustainability and value
Microfibrillated Cellulose (MFC) Products from Wet Stirred Media Grinders: Applications in Specialty Paper products
  • FiberLean’s MFC grinders produce high performing, costs effective MFC that improves quality and reduces cost across many paper and packaging grades.
  • FiberLean’s presentation will outline the benefits of using MFC in  a arrange of Specialty Paper applications

David Skuse | Managing Director, FiberLean Technologies
Cellulose derivatives and fibrillated cellulose-based coatings: solutions for recyclable and grease barrier paper
Julien Bras, Associate Professor, Grenoble Institute of Technology - LGP2
Suzy Ruano, PHD Student, LGP2 Grenoble and Gascogne Papier industry  

In this study, the potential of cellulose derivatives as a coating solution for the elaboration of barrier papers is being investigated. The objective is to evaluate the barrier properties of commercially available cellulose derivatives in relation to water, oil, water vapour and oxygen.
 
Chair’s summary and end of event