New Dry Strength Technology for Weight Reduction in Packaging Grades, PaperCon 2010 Conference

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Board producers are constantly looking for new ways to reduce input costs and increase the efficiency and throughput of manufacturing assets. In the packaging sector the continuing trend is toward strength defined grades, which has repositioned the pivot points of production economics. In this highly competitive market, maximizing compression strength as a function of basis weight can be the tipping point for profitability. Manufacturers must be proactive in seeking out the latest and best technologies to improve their processes, or risk losing market position.

BASF has recently introduced a novel glyoxalated polyacrylamide (GPAM) dry strength technology that features a point of use manufacturing process. This technology combines unique starting materials with a new approach to product generation that results in twice the number of fiber reactive groups per pound, when compared to conventional GPAM programs. In machine trials and ongoing commercial applications, this technology has demonstrated a 25 to 50% efficiency advantage versus these conventional technologies. The higher level of fiber reactivity makes it particularly effective in mills utilizing low quality recycled fiber and/or high conductivity water systems.