Cover Stories English

Transcription

Walki Group Customer Magazine
2010
INNO/
VATION
WHERE IDEAS
AND REALITY MEET
Smart shelves
travel light
Noticeable luxury
Meet Mr Jazz
T HE L ID T H AT S TAYS ON •
THE ENERGY SAVING COVER
02 COVER STORIES 2010
EDITORIAL 03
CONTENTS
Tear open and close again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08
Investing in efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09
04
THE SMART SHELF
The Billy bookcase is a top seller all over the world.
Its smart, folding back makes freight packs small and light.
Let luxury show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Max energy from wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
All-weather super-boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20
Jazz as a lifeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
10
NO USE WITHOUT A LID
A yoghurt lid that isn’t sealed tight might spoil your snack.
With a fibre lid, eco-friendliness is another plus.
12
PROJECT FUTURE
Walki’s own futures group has an exciting job: identifying good
ideas and turning them into feasible functions and products.
WALKI COVER STORIES 2010
16
Cover Stories
Publisher David Ingham
Editor-in-Chief Marina Kurula
Editorial Board David Ingham, Arno Wolff, Tuomo Wall,
Marina Kurula, Petra Nylund
Editors Petra Nylund, Johan Svenlin, Timo Kankaanpää
Production Botnia Information
Layout Janne Nylund AD, Glenn Nylund, Annika Lillkvist
Print Forsberg, Pietarsaari 2010
Cover photo Jan Sandvik
Change of address [email protected]
T HE DNA OF WALKI
Last year we experienced a set of global challenges seldom
encountered before by our industry. In these circumstances,
the Walki Group delivered a robust and resilient operational
performance having responded to the challenges by overhauling
our cost structure and focusing on cash generation. Much of the
success was attributed to the strong support from our customers,
our owners and our dedicated people.
The recipe for survival was to have an organization
understanding and accepting the need for fast changes in a
marketplace with the lowest possible visibility. During the process
of change, we were also able to rely on our long-term customer
relationships.
Despite the challenging trading conditions, we did not lose
faith in the future but continued to invest in our growth initiatives.
A good example of such an investment is the new and highly
efficient sheeting line for our Steinfurt plant in Germany. With this
investment we will also be able to increase our sheeting capacity
in the UK, since one of the existing lines from Steinfurt is moved
to our UK plant in Garstang. Thanks to these moves, we will be
well positioned to serve our consumer board customers more
efficiently in the future.
Innovation has always been an essential building block in the
DNA of the Walki culture and the track record of what has been
done on the product development side is impressive. However, in
the fast moving world in which we are living, life cycles of products
and solutions tend to get shorter and shorter. Past achievements
will not necessary provide answers for future requirements. This
we know and that is why we spent more on R&D in the crisis year
of 2009 than we did in some of the previous years. Experience
has taught us that innovation is the engine that spurs new periods
of growth, provided that the new solutions create value to our
customers.
I guess it does not come as a
surprise that many of the articles in
this magazine deal with innovations
in one form or another. Hopefully,
these stories will give you a flavour of
what is in the Walki pipeline of new
products and solutions.
Enjoy your reading.
Leif Frilund
President and CEO
04 INNOVATIONS
INNOVATIONS 05
THE
BILLY SHELF
the slimmed-down bookcase
for heavy literature
The furniture industry is becoming increasingly
interested in materials which make intelligent use
of resources and reduce the impact of transport
on the environment. The folding back of the Billy
bookshelf is an innovation which has taken Walki
and Smurfit Kappa Lagamill into new markets.
06 INNOVATIONS
INNOVATIONS 07
IKEA’S BILLY
bookcase is one of the world’s best-selling
sets of shelves. Every year, five million flatpack bookcase kits are sent out from Sweden
to Ikea stores all over the world. For the last
three years, the back of the Billy bookcase
has been made of folding solid board. This
means that the back can be folded down
to a size which requires only a third of the
previous packaging and that the weight of
each bookcase can be reduced by two kilos.
The result is an annual reduction of 10,000
tonnes in the weight of transported goods.
Johanna Forsman
Since the Ikea Billy shelf is one of the
world’s best-selling bookcases, there
is a great deal to be gained in transport
volumes by using intelligent packaging
solutions.
Johanna Forsman
S
olid wood furniture became popular at a time
when transport routes were short and material
resources seemed limitless. Now the furniture
industry wants to find new solutions that
make intelligent use of resources. Today the
aesthetic demands placed on furniture are still high, but
now environmental and logistical factors, together with
production costs, have a significant impact on product
development. Smurfit Kappa Lagamill in Sweden has
developed a back for the Billy bookcase which makes
each flat pack two kilos lighter. The result is an annual
reduction of 10,000 tonnes in the weight of transported
goods.
During the 1990s, Smurfit Kappa Lagamill contacted
furniture industries and suggested replacing wood-fibre
based hardboard with a paper based alternative. At the
time, the price of hardboard was so low that no one in
the furniture industry thought that this was necessary.
“However, their problem was that the backs of
bookshelves and wardrobes needed very large packaging.
If we could find a folding board which would fit in much
smaller packaging, they would be very happy,” explains
Björn Karlsson, Sales & New Business Development
Manager at Smurfit Kappa Lagamill.
His team worked together with Walki’s team made
up of Jan-Anders Fagerhed, Gustav Grahn and Tomas
Nyström to develop a strong, printed surface material
that would hold the board together across the two folding
creases.
“It was a challenge for us. Until then, Walki had mainly
manufactured packaging material that protected the
contents during transport and storage, but now we had to
develop a material that would last for decades of domestic
use,” says Tomas Nyström, Sales Manager at Walki.
To a certain extent the assignment was clearly defined,
but it gave the Walki team scope for innovation.
“We wanted the back of the bookcase to be made from
paper based, non-toxic solid board instead of masonite,
which contains formaldehyde,” says Jan-Anders
Fagerhed, Technical Service Manager, Consumer Board.
The process involved choosing the right grade of paper,
the right colour and the right grease and moisture barrier.
“After Walki had solved the problem we started
marketing our new product to different industries.
Gyllensvaans Möbler, that manufactures the Billy and
Benno bookcases for Ikea, said that the new product was
exactly what they needed,” explains Björn Karlsson.
For the first generation of the
product, the focus was on ensuring
high quality. After that, Walki
looked at reducing the cost. Now the
third generation is in production and
the development work is continuing.
“There is huge potential for this
type of product made from recycled
fibre. The need to adapt to market
requirements and new directives
means that the furniture industry’s
interest in new solutions is growing,”
says Gustav Grahn, Managing
Director of Walki Sweden.
For Smurfit Kappa Lagamill, the
folding back of the Billy bookshelf
was the starting point for other new
furniture solutions, including the
backs of chairs, desks and wardrobes.
“We are now firmly established
in the living room and the bedroom
and we are aiming to move into the
bathroom and kitchen. These are
more challenging environments, but
there are a lot of potential uses for
our board,” says Björn Karlsson. i
The back of the Billy
shelf was the starting
point for Smurfit Kappa
Lagamill’s and Walki’s
ongoing development
of lightweight furrniture
materials with reduced
environmental impact.
Tomas Nyström (Walki), Björn
Karlsson (Smurfit Kappa Lagamill),
Jan-Anders Fagerhed (Walki) and
Gustav Grahn (Walki) believe that
there is great potential for paper based
materials in the furniture industry.
Jerry Gladh
08 NEWS
NEWS 09
Johanna Forsman
Bernd Schröer
What’s up in China,
Timo Saahko?
The new sheeter at
Steinfurt means even
better product quality
and efficiency.
SheetPro sheeter
New sheeter improves efficiency
Walki®Tear strip
FRESH FISH FINGERS
FROM AN OPENED PACK
“Birds Eye Iglo was looking for
new, consumer friendly packaging
IN ECONOMY PACKS, TAKING for its fish fingers. We came up
OUT THE NUMBER YOU WANT with various options,” says Stefan
Erdmann of Walki’s Technical
AND THEN RECLOSING THE
Sales Consumer Board in Steinfurt,
PACKAGING AND PUTTING IT Germany.
The goal was to find a reBACK IN THE FREEZER. WALKI
closeable solution.
HAS WORKED WITH ITS GER“The packaging has to withstand
MAN PARTNERS TO DESIGN temperatures as low as –40° C
and be approved for foodstuffs.
PRACTICAL FISH FINGER PACK- Another consideration is that the
AGING THAT IS APPRECIATED cartons are stacked on top of one
another in the freezer section.
BOTH IN THE INDUSTRY AND AT It’s also important to have print
friendly packaging.”
HOME.
The
development
team
produced a tear strip that was strong enough to break the cartonboard at exactly the
right point but also thin enough not to hold up production. Once the carton is opened,
one part can be pushed into the other to keep the contents fresh.
Development was closely coordinated between Walki, which manufactures the PE
extrusion coated board including the tear strip application, A&R Carton in Bremen,
which prints and die-cuts the box, and Frozen Fish International Bremerhaven, which
fills it with fish fingers and closes the boxes using hot air.
“Walki Pack Chill & Frost TS material has been received very positively and orders
are increasing. Consumers really like the packaging,” says Erdmann. Once you pop you
can stop. Thanks
to the Walki tear
strip, everyone can
enjoy the financial
advantages of
economy packaging
without eating 30
fish fingers in one go.
A new MarquipWardUnited SheetPro
sheeter, incorporating the latest sheeting
technology, has been in operation at the Walki
plant in Steinfurt, Germany, since the beginning
of 2010. The investment forms part of Walki’s
ongoing initiatives to continuously improve
product quality and efficiency.
“We are pleased to be able to meet our
customers’ needs for sheeted, PE coated and
laminated barrier packaging materials even
more effectively. This investment is an indication
of the confidence that Walki has, as market
leader, in the future of barrier packaging,” says
Wolfgang Thissen, Vice President and General
Manager, Consumer Board. Johanna Forsman
IMAGINE BUYING FISH FINGERS
ARE YOU AN INNOVATOR?
WIN AN iPOD TOUCH!
!
solving our customers’ problems
is our day-to-day work at Walki,
as you can see in the story about
the Innovation Steering Group on page 12.
Innovation is however not the exclusive task of a
special group but the right of anyone with good
ideas. We are open to any proposal from you,
our customer, that could be the beginning of a
new product or a new function of an existing
product.
So what is your proposal?
Please send your ideas
to us and we will enter
all respondents into a
draw for an iPod touch.
The competition address
is www.walki.com, then
choose “Innovations” from
the top menu bar. The
competition draw will take
place on 29th of October
2010 with the winner being announced on our
website.
Walki has further
strengthened its
position in the ream
wrapping market
with the purchase
of new printers in
Finland and Poland.
Ream wrapping
Fast and flexible service
for ream wrapping
Increased flexibility, more reliable deliveries
and shorter delivery times are the results of
Walki’s investments in new printers for ream
wrapping. The new machine for cut size ream
wrappers in Pietarsaari, Finland, offers a more
flexible service for customers. As the plant now
has two machines which can operate in parallel,
delivery reliability has also been increased.
“Our customers use many different brands
of cut size ream wrappers, so it is important
for us to offer fast and flexible deliveries. We
can meet these expectations because we
are geographically close to our customers,”
says Arno Wolff, Vice President of Sales and
Marketing for Paper Packaging. As the printer
in Pietarsaari is equipped with the latest
technology, it also brings other benefits, like
efficiency from shorter set-up times and the
ability to print all required print repeat lengths
The plant in Jatne, Poland, has a new six
colour, folio format printer. Until now the Jatne
plant has only been able to produce cut-size
wrappers but in future will be able to support
Central European customers with folio wrappers
as well. The new machine offers customers
excellent print quality and the opportunity for
improved supply chain management
“The new printer is a response to the
increasing demands of the marketplace, and it
has enabled us to reduce our delivery times to
between 7 and 10 days,” says Arno Wolff. Timo Saahko is Managing Director at Walki’s plant
in Changshu, China. The Changshu plant started
its production in 2006, producing material for
paper packaging, consumer board and technical
products.
? How is Walki doing in Asia at the moment?
We are gradually increasing our market share in
Asia. The Asia Pacific area is the fastest growing
market in the world and China emerged rapidly
from the recession in the beginning of 2009, so
things are looking good. The most important
business areas for us on the Chinese market are
paper packaging and consumer board. We sell
roughly 75 % of our products in China and export
the rest to a number of other Asia Pacific markets,
with Malaysia and Indonesia being important.
Market areas of growing interest include the
Philippines. Australia and New Zealand.
? As a Northern European, what would you say
is most interesting about working in China?
China is very dynamic, growing and changing at
an incredible pace. That means we have to make
fast moves too. Since the role of leaders here is
traditional, you have to involve yourself in most
matters in the organisation. The Chinese way of
doing business is relations first, then business.
When you respect the culture and use your
common sense it works really well.
? What is life like in China outside of work?
Very interesting. I live with my wife and three
children in Shanghai and life here is an eyeopener. You learn to appreciate the positive things
here and the ones back home. I love Chinese
food, especially the spicy Sichuan kitchen. From
traditional Chinese medicine I’ve learned to eat
bamboo shoots and pears to fight coughs. I’m
proud that I actually gave my New Year’s speech
in Mandarin.
10 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 11
Karolina Isaksson
”
The lid is durable, protects the
product superbly and will not
get pierced in the shopping bag.
Recyclability
and a high quality
print surface give
Walki®Lid excellent
opportunities in the
market.
Karolina Isaksson
FIBRE
LID
keeps the snack in the container
Walki®Lid is a
fibre based lid that
is easy to open also
for little fingers.
We’ve all had this unpleasant
surprise when unpacking a
shopping bag: a tiny hole in
the lid of the container has
let the yoghurt leak out into
the bag covering everything
with yoghurt. This will
hopefully become a problem
of the past, as Walki®Lid
offers a solution.
Walki®Lid, developed by Walki, is a
user friendly, renewable fibre based lid,
designed for milk product packaging.
Its excellent printability enables customers to design more impressive lids.
“Walki®Lid is not an entirely new
product, but in the last six months the
lid has been developed further and
interest in it has grown,” says Heikki
Lumme, Packaging Product Line
Manager, for Walki.
According to Lumme, Walki®Lid
has been developed into a more user
friendly product – peeling back the lid
has been made easier, for instance. In addition, the product
has many mechanical and environmental benefits.
“A fibre based lid is produced from sustainable raw
material, so it is easily recyclable and energy-efficient to
manufacture. The lid is durable, protects the product
superbly and will not get pierced in
the shopping bag. What’s more, the
lid does not tear but peels back neatly
when opened,” says Lumme.
The printability of Walki®Lid is
also excellent, which enables better
quality graphics and more attractive
and informative packaging.
GROWING MARKETS. Walki sells
its Lid product around the globe,
from Australia to Africa. So far,
use has concentrated mainly in the
Nordic countries. As the product has
been developed, there is now a desire
to enter larger markets.
“The hot sealing method used in
the early fibre lids created challenges
and problems. Now the sealing
properties have been developed further and
the functionality of the product has been
enhanced by the renewed packing machine
lines,” says Heikki Lumme.
By developing the fibre lids, Walki aims to
win larger market shares also in the field of
bulk products such as yoghurt. References
are needed for market growth, and a very
important one was acquired last year.
“Valio became enthusiastic about the
lid when looking for new options for its
aluminium lids. Now it looks like our fibre lid
is leading this competition, which is of course
magnificent. In Finland, Valio is an extremely
important customer to us,” says Lumme.
VERSATILE QUALITIES. Valio is the leading
brand of dairy products in Finland, and it
holds a strong position in the neighbouring
markets of Russia, Sweden and the Baltic
countries. The company has subsidiaries
in the USA, Belgium and China and it sells
industrial products globally. The international
operations, including licensing, export and
foreign companies, cover 65 countries.
When it comes to fibre lids, Valio has a long
history. Fibre lids have already been in use for
some time in various snack products.
“We’ve used approximately 20–25 million
fibre lids annually, mostly in desserts and
cottage cheese products,” says Juha Ylisiurua,
Valio Packaging Development Manager.
Environmental and technical benefits
also made Valio interested in using fibre lids
in other products as well. The fruitful cooperation between Walki and Valio in the
development of the fibre lid advanced so well
last autumn that in early 2010 Valio was able
to test the lids on yoghurt cartons with great
success.
“The prospects for Walki®Lid look good.
Advanced packaging methods and improved
qualities of the lid are bringing extremely
satisfactory end results. Good usability,
printability and durability of the lids bring
substantial added value to the product and
user-friendliness to the consumer. Another
important factor is the recyclability of the
fibre lid, which is of course environmentally
significant,” says Ylisiurua. WALKI COVER STORIES 2010
Mikael Nybacka /Johanna Forsman
12 INNOVATION
INNOVATION 13
The Walki Innovation
Steering Group has
its finger on the pulse.
Tommi Lehikoinen,
Rune Skåtar, Mats Holti,
Steve Pye and Peter
Martin (on the screen)
are constantly seeking
new ways to use Walki’s
specialist knowledge
of coatings and barrier
materials.
ASSIGNMENT:
REFINE
THE BEST IDEAS
Predicting the future is not an exact science, but developing
products and solutions for future applications is. Walki has a
core team, the Walki Innovation Steering Group that works
right at the intersection of desires and ideas supplied by the
market, customers, suppliers and Walki’s own personnel.
14 INNOVATION
INNOVATION 15
AN?
U
O TORge 8
Y
E VAon pa
R
A NOtition
INompe
C
Longer lifespan and fewer gases
Fruit and vegetables have one major drawback:
as they age they emit gases that speed up their
ageing process. Removing these gases extends
their lifespan. One method of doing this is
to coat the surface of the packaging with a
polymer containing hollow inorganic particles
with the capacity to absorb gases and odours.
This polymer is approved for direct contact
with foodstuffs.
Stop others stealing your value!
A brand can be priceless. Unscrupulous people
who copy top-quality brands know this too
well. Marking something that is valuable to you
can be a way to avoid this kind of theft. This
can easily be done by adding a marker to the
packaging material, e.g. the plastic coating, ink
colour or lacquer. It is easy to scan products to
check which packaging contains the real thing.
Open Sesame
Packaging protects products during transport,
but when it is time to use the contents too
much packaging may cause a struggle.
Ensuring that packaging opens easily and in the
right way is one of Walki’s areas of expertise.
The product may use heat-sealing solutions,
peelables, tear strips or other innovations. The
main thing is that it works.
Innovation:
the intersection between question and answer
day-to-day work at walki revolves around solving our customers’
problems and improving their products. Our core skills are in barrier
materials and coatings that need to protect, be functional and user friendly,
and able to be used to promote a brand. This knowledge can be applied in
an almost unlimited number of areas. A few examples of current areas of
interest are given below. Take a look, allow yourself to be inspired, and get
in touch. The Innovation Steering Group is happy to hear your ideas for new
applications.
Stop microbes!
Bacteria can multiply on almost any surface.
Covering the material with a special polymer
coating is an efficient way to stop the growth of
bacteria, fungi and algae. This type of polymer
is approved for direct contact with foodstuffs
and can be used on almost anything that has
a polymer surface. Food and healthcare are
obvious applications.
The outside counts
The surface can sometimes be crucial. For
example, when packing furniture for transport,
the inner surface of the packaging material
should be soft enough to protect the furniture
from scratches. This is just one example of
products for which Walki can provide the
right solution. The surface need could be
almost anything, from shiny printed surfaces
needing to be scratch resistant to surfaces of
packages needing a lot of friction so they can
be stacked on top of one another. The surface
is important: it’s what comes first.
Easy in, easy out
If you have purchased a package of product
X, you will probably want the contents to
come out when you want it to. To ensure easy
emptying Walki offers an array of solutions
for internal packaging surface and design
suitable even for floury, sticky or oily products.
As another example, sometimes the internal
surface of packaging needs to produce a crispy
surface in microwave foods such as pizza and
hamburgers. The right internal surface also
facilitates package filling.
Back to nature
Walki uses renewable materials in
conjunction with films or polymer coatings
to achieve an efficient end use barrier or
function. But sometimes the material needs
to be compostable. To enable this to be
accommodated in industrial composting such
as anaerobic digesters, Walki is developing
a new range of biopolymer coated papers
and boards. These will give barriers and
performance appropriate for purpose and
will comply with end user requirements for
renewable material with low environmental
impact.
Rolf Andersson
16 DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN 17
If you want emotion and style,
you might as well take it all the
way. This was how Iggesund
Paperboard in Sweden felt
when they gave their Invercote
premium cartonboard a wrapper
that stands out from the crowd.
P
NICE OUTFIT
FOR HIGH PROFILE
CARTONBOARD
Iggesund Paperboard and Walki
created an eye-opener
An appealing wrapper for sheeted cartonboard that
would make an impression on the major brand owners who
use it: that was Iggesund’s vision for its flagship product,
Invercote.
art of the Holmen Group,
Iggesund Paperboard has a
longstanding partnership
with Walki for its sheeted
cartonboard wrappers.
Invercote is Iggesund’s flagship
brand and is used in consumer
packaging for products such as
luxury perfume and chocolate.
Last year Iggesund instigated a
comprehensive makeover of the
brand.
“We wanted to create a stronger
voice – something unexpected,
appealing and young. Something
that makes you want to find
out what’s inside,” says Carlo
Einarsson, Director of Marketing
Communications at Iggesund
Paperboard.
Iggesund developed an initial
proposal for a new layout in bold,
strong colours. They then passed the
proposal on to Walki and Prepress
Manager Niklas Käldman.
“For Walki, it was about sketching
out something that works well in
terms of technical printing and also
takes into account the extrusion
process. This is a win-win situation,”
says Käldman.
Because Walki was able to view
the proposal at an early stage, it was
easy to make adjustments to create
an even better impression, yield a
faster printing speed and bring down
costs. Walki’s extensive experience
and knowledge of flexo printing
meant new layouts could be set up
smoothly and cost-effectively.
“We want to make it easier for the
customer to produce a new layout,
so it’s important for us to come on
board at an early stage. Our ideas
are mainly about optimising the
print layout, so it’s a shame if the
layout has already been approved by
the customer’s top management,”
Käldman explains.
Adjustments are often required
because graphic designers and
advertising agencies developing new
layouts aren’t used to thinking in
terms of flexo printing. Instead they
adapt the layout to another printing
method such as offset printing.
Iggesund and Walki performed
a similar makeover on Iggesund’s
other high profile cartonboard,
Incada. Niklas Käldman and Gustav
Grahn, MD at Walki Sweden,
agree strongly that the work on
Invercote and Incada is an example
of cooperation at its best.
“The new Invercote layout was
a challenge for us because we
switched from a white wrapper with
one-colour printing that covered
about ten per cent of the surface to
a wrapper covered in strong colours.
This was quite demanding for our
production process. We also have to
balance the composition of the ink
so that the print does not mark in
use and to ensure that the wrapper
surface friction is strong enough that
the reams don’t slide when stacked
on top of one another,” says Grahn.
Iggesund is not the only company
looking to upgrade and vary its
wrapper design. The trend of
revamping products more frequently
continues. So what was the reaction
of Iggesund and its customers when
they saw the final product?
“It was very successful; we
had positive reactions from the
market. We’re happy about the high
quality printing surface, colour
reproduction and how strongly
the wrapper fits into the packaging
line. Above all, we’ve strengthened
Invercote’s identity,” says Einarsson. i
“We wanted to create
a stronger voice –
something unexpected,
appealing and young.
Something that makes
you want to find out
what’s inside.”
Carlo Einarsson, Director of Marketing
Communications at Iggesund Paperboard.
Johanna Forsman
Niklas Käldman, Prepress Manager
at Walki, has extensive experience of
print planning. Becoming involved in
new layouts at an early stage makes
the result better and the process
simpler for everyone involved,” he
says.
18 ENERGY SAVING
WALKI’S
BIOMASS
COVER
maximises energy
content of woodchip
Walki®Biomass Cover is a cover material made
mainly of paper which shelters whole trees and
logging residue harvested from the forest from rain,
snow and freezing. Thanks to the cover, the energy
content of the wood rises as the solids content
increases. Thus, protecting energy wood with a
biomass cover saves time and money.
ENERGY SAVING 19
”
Experience has shown that the
cover can raise the solids content
by as much as 10–15 per cent.
SAVINGS AND SHELTER. Walki®Biomass Cover is
a paper based, sustainable solution that has some very
valuable qualities.
“One of the most important benefits of the cover
is its energy efficiency. When the top of the pile is
covered, the wood can dry, and thus its energy content
rises significantly. The cover shelters the top of the pile
and keeps out water and snow. The pile is open from
the sides, so that wind can blow in and dry the wood.
Experience has shown that the solids content of wood
can be raised by as much as 10–15% by using the cover,”
says Wall.
According to Wall, the biomass cover also has a
clear economical function. Energy companies pay for
woodchip according to its energy content, which means
that the price is determined by the solids content.
The financial benefits of the cover for the woodchip
seller are obvious, and its costs will be paid back with
interest,” says Wall.
OPTIMALLY SIZED. The biomass cover has some
qualities that are significant from the perspective of the
entire supply chain. The laminate has been produced
mainly from natural fibre-based paper and is therefore
suitable for use in the forest. The width of the biomass
Mikael Nybacka
cover is four metres, which is, according to Wall, an
optimal size for a woodchip pile.
“The ease of spreading and chipping the cover are
unarguably its key benefits. Thanks to its rigidity, the
cover is easy to spread. The cover is also thick, which
makes for easy chipping and does not leave shreds that
might cause problems on the conveyors of incineration
plants. The cover is chipped along with the rest of the
material and becomes fuel, which can be easily burned
along with the woodchips in the boiler,” says Wall. In
cold countries, the cover also effectively protects the
energy wood pile from freezing.
“If the pile is not covered, it freezes in the winter
into an enormous heap that is almost impossible to
handle. Thus, the added financial value of the cover
is once again demonstrated. When the wood pile has
been covered from the start and is easy to process, the
chipping stage becomes considerably more efficient.”
UNTOUCHED RESERVES. Finland and Sweden
have long been pioneers in harvesting energy wood.
According to Wall, other countries too are starting
gradually to collect material for chipping.
“The process is also underway outside the Nordic and
the Baltic countries. In the future, the use of biofuels
will increase everywhere, and different applications
connected to it will multiply. The use of energy wood
is an enormous, untouched reserve, which has so far
been used only in the Nordic countries, where its use is
still increasing. With growing interest in other parts of
the world as well, the possibilities are great.” “One important biofuel reserve is harvesting residue,
for which Walki has designed the Walki®Biomass
Cover,” says Tuomo Wall.
One of the most
important benefits of the
Walki®Biomass Cover is
its energy-efficiency. The
cover shelters the top of
the pile so that water and
snow cannot get in. The
pile is open from the
sides, allowing the
wind to blow in and
dry the wood.
i
The use of biofuels
as an efficient and
sustainable energy
source is increasing
all the time.
T
he use of biofuels as an efficient and
environmentally friendly energy source
is increasing all the time. One important
biofuel reserve is logging residue, for which
Walki has designed a biomass cover.
“When forests are harvested, logs are acquired for
the needs of the sawmill industry and pulpwood for the
pulp industry. In the past, residual branches, crowns
and small diameter stems from young forests, were
left in the forest as they are unsuitable for
pulpwood. Now, however, their harvesting
and use in incineration plants has begun.
Walki®Biomass Cover has been designed
to protect energy wood to be used
later as fuel”, explains Tuomo Wall,
Vice President Sales & Marketing,
Technical Products, at Walki.
20 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 21
WEATHERRESISTANT
BOARD GAINS
GROUND
R
Strong yet light as a feather – a tricky combination.
Design Force has joined forces with Walki
to create Re-board – a light, durable triumph
for display material and furniture.
The partnership between
Design Force and Walki has
produced a weather-resistant
light board. The most important
requirement for the board was
a surface that could withstand
water and moisture while
offering good printing options.
e-board has clear advantages
over traditional materials.
“Our Re-board furniture
and interior boards weigh 7
to 8 times less than chipboard
or plywood equivalents. They are also
completely recyclable and contain no
toxic substances,” says Kurt Aldén, who
launched Design Force in 2002 after
selling his successful company SCA
Display.
Design Force produces new, creative
paper based products in Norrköping,
Sweden. Corrugated board is not
an innovation in itself, but Kurt
Aldén has created a new, efficient
production method and discovered
new applications for the material.
“We have turned the production
method upside down. The board is first
glued together in large blocks and then
sawn into slices,” he explains.
Aldén turned to Walki to achieve a
water-proof, printable surface on both
sides.
“Walki has given the board a
moisture barrier and printable surface.
Walki’s strength lies in their expertise
and in their tradition of working in close
cooperation with the customer on
various sorts of laminates,” says Aldén.
Kurt Aldén
Design Force founder Kurt Aldén has
found new applications for Re-board.
In a 2006 charity project for the Red
Cross, Design Force developed small,
easily assembled, weather-resistant
temporary buildings for disaster areas.
Walki adapts the Re-board with
various laminates, depending on the
environment and application. To
minimise the risk of fire, a flameproof surface can be laminated onto
the board. When the board needs to
withstand year-round outdoor use, it
is laminated to an even more resilient
board.
“Our product looks simple but is
a result of a lot of work and testing.
The board has a certain rigidity and
thickness, and the laminate must
produce the required properties
without being visible and without
negatively affecting the production
process,” explains Jan-Anders Fagerhed,
Technical Service Manager at Walki.
TOUGH TEST. The material has been
exposed to a range of tests. Kurt Aldén
built a dog kennel, which has survived
rain and wind for several years without
material damage. Re-board has also
provided backing for several outdoor
advertising campaigns in open urban
spaces, attracting attention with large
and colourful designs.
“Pictures, patterns and text can be
transferred from a computer and turned
into sharp images on the boards via inkjet printing. Customers can easily have
their campaigns printed on Re-board,”
says Gustav Grahn, Managing Director
at Walki Sweden.
Design Force’s main market is
in retail, where store décor is being
replaced at an increasing rate. The
company boasts both boutiques
and some of the major international
retail giants among its customers.
There is also potential in trade shows:
instead of producing display material
on chipboard, plywood, metal or
cardboard, an increasing number of
exhibitors are choosing Re-board as a
light yet durable material.
“We sell to customers in around forty
countries and this number is growing.
All conversions are digital, and we can
produce a small series quickly at low
cost. We believe that this is the future,”
says Kurt Aldén. What’s up in France,
Marie Barge?
Marie Barge works as Sales
Manager for Walki in Lyon, France.
? You joined Walki in 2009 with
the task of developing the consumer
board business in France. What are
your experiences so far?
Walki is a very innovative company,
which is an advantage in the French market since the
French in general are open to new products and creative
solutions.
? What are the challenges for Walki in the French market?
France suffered badly in the global recession, and the price
competition is hard. But I like challenges and enjoy creating
relationships with our customers. Good personal contacts
and the ability to speak French are keys to developing
partnership with a French company. When it comes to
our products, Walki has a lot of good opportunities – for
example, in frozen food packaging and ovenable tray lids.
? If you were to invite someone to France, what would you
recommend the most to do there?
I would really recommend visiting Marseille, in spite of
its reputation. It’s a beautiful city, and trekking along the
seashore between Marseille and Cassis, sleeping in a tent
on the beach, is something above the ordinary. The national
park on the island of Port-Cros is good for scuba diving.
? What do you do when you’re not working?
I spend time with my family and my friends – we love
having friends over! I also enjoy skiing and playing tennis,
when I find the time.
Re-board facts
1 A patented sandwich design, with good
temperature and sound insulation, which
withstands various weather conditions.
2 Eco-friendly production via energy-efficient
production methods and water based adhesive.
Can be recycled as paper.
3 Perfect for marketing communications. Durability
allows it to function as both product carrier and
communicator.
4 Digitised process can make each product unique.
The customer can print logos or campaign slogans onto Re-board fittings.
The weight is a fraction of that of similar wooden fittings.
5 Weight properties reduce transport costs and make
it easy for shop staff and exhibitors to handle.
Jan Sandvik
22 PROFILE
NOTHING CAN
BEAT THE FEELING
ON STAGE
Walki’s Technical Service
Manager Jan-Anders
“Jonte” Fagerhed caught
the jazz bug when he was
just thirteen years old. Thirtyseven years later, he still
hasn’t found a cure. He plays
in several different jazz bands
and runs his own annual
jazz event.
PROFILE 23
Just like athletes
who go out running,
Jonte practises the
trumpet on his own a
few times a week.
“To play the trumpet you
need strong stomach and
face muscles. After playing
two or three sets you’re
totally exhausted.”
I t was the music teacher at Jonte’s school who helped
him find his musical means of expression, the trumpet.
“First I tried the tenor horn, but I soon decided
it was not for me. The last thing I wanted was to be
hidden away at the back of the orchestra. I decided
to play the trumpet because it would give me a better
chance of being in the limelight and playing solo. That
way everyone would hear me play,” says Jonte when we
meet in his office at Walki in Pietarsaari.
On the wall is a poster showing the jazz vocalist Reija
Lang who appeared in 2008 at Jonte’s annual jazz event
Föusjazz (Cowhouse Jazz) in his home village of Fagernäs.
“I’d once said to my sister that when I moved back
home I wanted to organise a jazz festival in an old barn,
that the village association had turned into a venue for
events.”
Alongside his studies and work, Jonte has always made
sure that he is surrounded by a flourishing jazz culture.
When he moved back home at the end of the 1990s he
soon became part of the local music scene in Pietarsaari
and was one of the co-founders of the busy jazz club
Jazzoo.
“When my sister reminded me about what I’d said, I
brought together a few friends who I jammed with and
organised a public jazz concert in June 2000.”
Since then the event has grown and become an
institution, fully booked every year. Now he gets phone
calls from artists who have heard of Föusjazz and want
to take part.
“From a humble beginning it has grown and become
a big success. I would never have believed that it could
become so popular, but people here are increasingly
interested in jazz because of the club and the talented
musicians around.”
Jonte himself plays in the Föusjazz house band and is
happy to admit that he likes to be at the heart of things
alongside other artists. Even though he enjoys organising
the event, the best part for him is performing on stage.
“We are all exhibitionists to a certain degree and for
me there’s nothing that beats the feeling of being up on
stage when everything’s going well. I can’t describe it in
words.”
Jan Sandvik
Jan-Anders Fagerhed
Jan-Anders Fagerhed plays regularly
with the Jakob Big Band and the St
Marcus Blues Band and, in the classic
jazz style, he also plays in a range of
spontaneous groups.
whether it’s a jazz concert or a
technical presentation. Then it’s just
a case of putting things behind you
and trying again.
“It’s interesting that professional
musicians are just as nervous as I am
about going on stage. The worst thing
is seeing someone trying to cover up
a mistake and being embarrassed
about it. You just have to forget about
it and move on.”
After having spent ten years as an
ice hockey dad supporting his sons’
junior team, Jonte now has more
time for jazz again. But music will
remain his passion, not becoming a
profession.
“Throughout my life I’ve thought
about trying to make a career in
music and becoming a professional
trumpet player, but you build up
your lifestyle on the basis of your
income and the most sensible
solution is to have an interesting job
and devote yourself to music in your
free time.” Within the Jazzoo jazz club, Jonte
is also involved in organising the
three-day Jeppis Jazz Festival which
takes place every year at the end of
September.
In his job as Technical Service
Manager at Walki, Jonte enjoys the
day-to-day contact with customers
and colleagues. There are also
occasions when his job gives him
as much pleasure as being on
stage at a jazz concert:
“When I give a presentation
that goes well, I have the same
the best jazz track ever? The original
feeling of satisfaction. I’m
version of So What from Miles Davis’ 1959
album Kind of Blue. It sends shivers down
nervous for a few days before.
my spine just thinking about it. It’s so simple,
Sometimes I find it a bit
so magical – just outstanding!
difficult to sleep at night and I
who would you take with you to a desert
struggle with stage fright, but
island? My family, of course, (wife and sons)
the buzz I get afterwards makes
and I’d want Rocco (the dog) to come too.
it all worthwhile,” says Jonte.
what do you always take with you on
Occasionally things don’t
business trips? My laptop and MP3 player.
go as planned up on stage,
3
QUESTIONS

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