Mondi supports Swiss Krono in transitioning laminate flooring packaging from plastic to paper. (Photo: Mondi, PR373)
Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, has collaborated with Swiss Krono to replace plastic-based packaging for the company’s laminate flooring products with paper. The partnership demonstrates how Mondi’s kraft paper grades can meet demanding industrial packaging requirements traditionally served by plastic.
Swiss Krono, a global manufacturer of wood-based materials for interior design and construction, has introduced Mondi’s Eco/Vantage Kraft Pro and Ad/Vantage StretchWrap paper grades in its German operation. The two kraft paper grades replace plastic shrink and stretch films previously used to wrap boxed flooring panels and secure palletised loads, simplifying logistics while reducing plastic usage and carbon emissions of the tray and pallet wrapping.
In the primary packaging step, Swiss Krono now uses Mondi’s Eco/Vantage Kraft Pro, a high strength kraft paper containing 20% recycled content, that is recyclable in conventional paper streams. A packaging machine from Hugo Beck wraps the material around trays holding 10 laminate panels, protecting edges through high puncture resistance. According to an internal product impact assessment by Mondi, the paper-based solution has lower CO2e emissions than conventional polyethylene shrink film[1]. Excellent printability enables Swiss Krono to integrate branded designs and user instructions directly onto the paper in-house, eliminating the need for additional inserts.
The switch from plastic to paper also improves handling for end-users: As paper allows the wooden panels to breathe during transport, flooring can be installed immediately on delivery, removing the 24-hour acclimatisation period previously required with plastic wrapped products.
In a subsequent process step, Mondi’s Ad/Vantage StretchWrap secures palletised loads of wrapped boxes on dedicated machinery from PaperWrap. The 70 gsm kraft paper provides high stretch properties, tear resistance, and load stability. Produced from 100% kraft paper, Ad/Vantage StretchWrap contains no plastic coating and is fully recyclable in conventional European paper waste streams. For this application Mondi's in-house assessment also shows significant CO2e reductions compared to the plastic stretch wrap[2].
The new packaging concept also removes the need for a heat-shrink tunnel, reducing energy consumption and streamlining production. By integrating printing and wrapping processes, Swiss Krono reports savings in time, materials, and operating costs.
Ronald Symossek, project manager, Swiss Krono says, “Mondi helped us address our packaging challenges with paper solutions that deliver both sustainability and process efficiency gains. The materials perform reliably on our automated lines, and we’ve already received very positive feedback from our customers and end users.”
Carsten Breiter, International Key Account Manager, Mondi Kraft Paper, says: “Welcoming Swiss Krono as a new customer shows how our kraft paper portfolio can be applied in demanding industrial packaging environments. By replacing unnecessary plastic with paper solutions, we are supporting customers in their transition to circular packaging while contributing to our own MAP2030 sustainability framework.”
[1] The product impact assessment compares conventional LDPE shrink film and Mondi’s Eco/Vantage Kraft Pro for paper-based box wrapping.
[2] The product impact assessment compares conventional LDPE shrink film and Mondi’s paper-based Ad/Vantage StretchWrap for wrapping Swiss Krono’s pallets.