MODELPACK Project.

Objectives: The main goal of the project is to support the competitiveness of the European SMEs in the corrugated board packaging sector by the creation of a software tool, based on:

• Analysis of recycled materials
• Prediction of structural properties
  Application of practical models

Description: Effective utilisation of paper and paper products (such as carton board and corrugated board) in various products (such as packages) depends on their reliable and detailed characterisation. Pulps from recycled waste paper consist of a mixture of papers grades. Mixed waste paper varies in composition from source to source and from day to day from a single source. Nowadays, mixed waste is the most abundant grade of waste paper available. The difficulty of predicting the properties of paper products produced from heterogeneous sources puts several limitations and only a comprehensive characterisation will enable their efficient utilisation. Understanding the influence that time varying raw materials from alternative sources has on corrugated board properties offers great potential value to the corrugated board and packaging industry. The research includes the following activities:

• Control of raw materials sourcing and monitoring the use of those materials within specified products
• Establishment of complete databases for raw materials/semi-elaborates/final products addressing the actual SME needs
• Quantification of the performance requirements of packaging
• Exploring different modelling techniques in packaging
• Training for knowledge-driven packaging design and manufacturing

The project supposes an important innovation for the corrugated packaging companies and strengthens their competitiveness. It is also the aim of the project to help industry to explore how a technique may be applied to improve the quality of the final products through fundamental knowledge of the raw materials.

Duration: Years 2006-2009

Funding entity: European Commission. Sixth framework programme. Horizontal research activities involving SMEs. Collective Research

Partners: AIDIMA (Coordinator), FEFCO-Fédération Européene Des Fabricants De Carton Ondulé; Innovawood LTD; COBRO- Centralny Osrodeki Badawczo-Rozwojowy Opakowañ; Grupo de Celulosa y Papel del Departamento de Ingeniería Química de la Facultad de Ciencias Químicas de Universidad Complutense de Madrid; STFI- Packforsk AB; Hellenic Foreign Trade Board-Hellenic Packaging Institute; Aristotelio Panepistimio Thessalonikis; Cartonajes Santorroman, S.A; Ondupack, S.A.; Envases Industriales del Cartón Ondulado, S.A. (ENICO); Francisco Vento, S.A.; PAKA Glashütter Pappen- und Kartonagenfabrik GMBH; Haitoglou-HARTEL, S.A