Innovate together for sustainability

We cannot challenge the conventional alone. Our ability to establish strong, dedicated collaboration networks with key customers, suppliers, brand owners, start-ups and universities has been an innovation success factor for many years. A strong external research portfolio, including bi- and multilateral collaborations with leading scientists in the world, is a tool to effectively generate state of the art know-how. We continuously scout for new sustainable materials and enabling new technologies.

Curiosity and openness to other people’s ideas are crucial in finding synergies and creating joint development projects with converters, brand owners and other actors. Broad collaborative projects are invaluable in laying the foundation for more radical research result.
Here are examples of projects that we are driving right now.

Future Innovation Projects

2020-2023

The Paper Bottle. A paper bottle in every hand – that’s what the future will look like. Imagine that all plastic packaging in your store one day has disappeared, and eventually all glass bottles and metal cans. That all packages are made of renewable materials that can be recycled or returned to nature without harm. The sustainable and commercial potential is huge. After six years we are now approaching the first test launch. We are under the name Papboco, now together with our partner Alpla, creating a complete ecosystem for paper bottles.
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2022-2024

The Paper Battery. What if paper could be used as electrodes to store electric energy? Soon this will be possible through the BillerudKorsnäs paper battery. The concept, proven in production, could be used for intelligent packaging where small amounts of energy are needed to communicate, sensor and store data but also for sustainable large scale energy storage in conventional battery concepts. The development of the Battery is a story of innovation and collaboration where grams of specially cellulose invented by Uppsala University has turned to a product in paper mill scale. The future will also be one of collaboration where the electrode concept will be developed forward together with partners in battery technology and end-users in energy storage.
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2020

A 180° bendable paper straw for drink packaging that are strong, last long without dissolving, and which are bendable without breaking – that is something the world has been waiting for. The U-Bend straw is a patented solution and environmentally friendly alternative to plastic straws. This is a user-friendly alternative for your everyday drinks. The end users will be consumers buying individual drink cartons filled with juice, milk or water. The U-Bend straw has been developed in partnership with the Paper Straw Co.
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2020

BillerudKorsnäs FibreForm Caps is an innovative alternative to the traditional metal caps used for sparkling wine around the world. It looks just as good as metal including embossing and excellent print quality, but is made of 100% recyclable and 100% biodegradable primary fibre paper from well-managed forests.
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Inspiration

Trends that shape Future Business Perspectives

In the BillerudKorsnäs trend report we present six perspectives how to respond to the megatrends that influence the world.

WHAT IF the most sustainable packaging is the one that disappears?

D-Sack® is the first plastic free cement sack that fully disintegrates and becomes part of the building material.

Challenge your eco-footprint

Sadly, a good amount of the things we throw away aren’t naturally compostable, and should never be treated as such.