The world's leading producer of pure vegetable parchment innovative materials for butter and margarine packaging, reported its more recent developments at a Special Conference at the OKURA HOTEL, AMSTERDAM, (see page 312 for Conference Programme)
Pure vegetable parchment is a unique paper for flexible packaging. It has been a very important product for many years. However, this does not mean that this product has not changed over the years.
Recognizing the potential of a 100% cellulose-based paper that is truly greaseproof, water resistant, non-stick and fully recyclable and biodegradable, the Ahlstrom Paper Group have invested substantially in product development, new equipment and in marketing for its products.
The Ahlstrom Paper Group was formed in Autumn 1996 after the acquisition of the French group Sibille-Dalle by the Ahlstrom Corporation. The Group is now the world's major producer of speciality papers and other advanced web materials such as nonwovens and glass-fibre, and has 38 production plants world-wide, Its 1997 turnover was FFR 7.65 billion.
Label & Packaging, one of Ahlstrom Paper Group's seven divisions, had a turnover of FFR 1.85 billion in 1997. Besides being the world market leader in vegetable parchment, this division is Europe's most important producer of calendered papers and one-side coated papers for flexible packaging and poster printing. Furthermore Label & Packaging is one of the most important suppliers of one-side coated papers for wet-glue bottle and can labelling.
The division operates five paper mills in France and Belgium. It also sells products from three mills from other divisions in the Group. The head office of Label & Packaging is in Vitry-sur-Seine near Paris. Pure vegetable parchment is produced by two mills in the group. The St-Severin mill, specializes in making vegetable parchment for food-contact applications. The main uses are for packing butter, fats, margarine, frozen food and bakery products. Another important market is pan liner (baking paper) for use in the home as well as in professional bakeries.