Workshop: Procurement of Packaging for Exports

Guyana, April 19-23, 2010

Session 3:
Paper & Board Packaging; Properties,
Specifications & Sourcing

Executing/Host Partner: Supporting Partners: Supported with funding from:

 Paper & Board Packaging
specifications
Product considerations:
• Type/nature of the product: solid, liquid, etc.
• Quantity/weight/volume to be packed
• Critical attributes/characteristics of product
• Filling/packing method and conditions
• Product protection requirements – physical,
climatic, biological, security, etc.
 Paper Board and Packaging
specifications
Commercial Considerations:
• Quantities required/ordered
• Delivery required/agreed
• Packing & shipping instructions
• Pricing, if agreed
• Delivery clauses/insurance/terms of
payment
 Paper & Board Packaging Specifications
Technical Considerations:
• Designation of the pack (type, style, if known)
• Pack raw material(s): grade, quality, weight
• Construction of pack, if known
• Relevant dimensions & tolerances
• Special features/properties/accessories
• Graphic design/printing/decoration required
• Applicable standards & test methods
 Paper and Board Specification Concerns

Cellulose fibre sources and significance of fibre length

Fibre directionality and related physical properties

Common paperboard grades

Paperboard properties

Paperboard packaging styles

Measuring paperboard
 Sources of Cellulose Fibre

Source Fibre length

hardwoods 2mm
softwoods 4mm
straw, bagasse < 2mm
recycled paper wide range, depending on source

Physical properties of paperboard such as tear strength,

burst strength, fold ability and stiffness increase as fibre
length increases
 Paper Fibre Extraction (Pulping)
Mechanical economical
(ground wood) high fibre degradation
environmentally unstable,
poor colour
relatively weak papers

Chemical extraction costly

low fibre degradation
with sulphate makes strongest papers,
(Kraft process) environmentally stable
 Paper Bleaching and Brightness
Bleaching: increases whiteness and brightness
causes some loss of strength

Brightness:
not the same as whiteness
measured on an arbitrary scale of 1 to 100
brighter papers provide more brilliant printing
paper of brightness 78 to 85 most commonly
used in packaging applications
 Example of Cylinder (Vat-lined) Board
Typical construction of single white-lined newsback board

Top liner: bleached

short fibre furnish Under-liner: bleached
longer fibre furnish

Fillers: low quality recyclate

Bottom under-liner:
longer fibre recyclate

Bottom liner: recycled newsprint

 Common Paperboards
Common Name Description
Chipboard mostly low quality recycled paper

Bending chipboard mostly recycled with some longer fibre

Lined chipboard (SWL) single white lined for one side print
(DWL) double white lined for two side print
Clay coated newsback (CCNB) SWL with a gray newsback liner

Solid, unbleached (SUS) 100% chemical pulp

sulphate (may contain hardwood pulp)

Solid bleached sulphate (SBS) 100% bleached chemical pulp

 Other Paperboard Terms
Term Description

food board typically highly sized SBS

coated unbleached coated unbleached virgin fibre

unbleached kraft unbleached virgin wood fibre

CNB clay coated newsback
coated newsback variations of SWL board
coated recycled
greyback
duplex
Paper Directionality
Stiffness and Grain Direction

Paper is stiffer when bent across the grain (MD)

than along the grain.
 Folding and Grain Direction

MD
MD

Paper is stiffer folded across the grain (MD) than

along the grain
 Tearing and Grain Direction
CD tear

MD tear
MD

Tear strength across the grain (MD) is higher than

along the grain
Longer fibre length increases cross-grain tear strength
Hygroscopic Behaviour of Paperboards

Papers gain or lose moisture due to ambient humidity

All paper properties change with moisture content

Paper expands and contracts with moisture changes

typically 0.8% in MD and 1.6% in CD

Dimensional changes can cause register problems

Paper is always tested under standardized conditions

230 Celsius and 50% R.H.
 Paper Moisture Content
18
16
14
12
Moisture
Content % 10
8
6
4
2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
% Relative Humidity at 24 C o (75oF)
Humidity Change & Paper Curl

Paper/foil laminate
at 40% R.H.

Paper/foil laminate
at 20% R.H.

Paper/foil laminate
at 80% R.H.
Paperboard Constructions
Folding boxes tube styles tray styles
&cartons baskets novelties

Set-up boxes cannot be knocked down flat (KDF)

Liquid containers gable top Tetrapak /Combibloc,etc.

Fibre cans spiral wound convolute wound

Carded displays blister packs skin packs

Corrugated Board Box for Bottled
Water
Corrugated board with
re-applied offset-
printed
paper liner, for 24 PET
water bottles.

Print carries brand

name,
bar code and implies
tropical -sourced pure
water
Folding carton for Tea, Tanzania

Standard-tuck
folding carton with
foil liner for export
tea bags.
Offset print carries
product data, bar
code, use-by date
and Standards
Bureau (TBS)
Certification
Paperboard basket for fresh produce

Flexographic
printed, lined,
Ventilated
corrugated board
box with clip-on
plastic handle, for
fresh peaches
Set-up box with tray, for tea, China

Rigid set-up
box with
separate lid
and divided
tray, for
ginseng tea
bags
Liquid holding cartons, Prismapak style

Paper/plastic
film/foil cartons,
VFFS type, for
processed soup
and fruit juice,
with security seal
and pour feature
Wound paperboard drum for salt, France

Spiral-wound
board drum
with plastic or
cork lids and
security seal
Card blisterpack for saffron, Spain

Paperboard
hanging card
with PET
blister
containing high
value saffron.
Theft and
tamper
resistant
 Selection of Paperboard
Product weight Suggested paperboard caliper

Up to 1/2 lb. (230 g) 0.015 to 0.018 (380 to 450 mm)

1 lb. (450 g) 0.020 to 0.024 (500 to 600 mm)
2 lb. (900 g) 0.028 to 0.032 (700 to 800 mm)
Over 2 lb (>900 g) consider using E- or F- flute corrugated

Superficial characteristics of paperboard :

Colour and brightness Opacity Sizing level
Smoothness Gloss Cleanliness
 Typical Carton Production
structural
design
Sequence
CAD one-up machine production
sample die test die

sign-off
die finishing
cutting operations

art dept. production

printing
sign-off
digital mechanical press
proofs proofs approval

approved color printing press

art separation plates make-ready
 Tube-Style Carton Nomenclature

Manufacturer's
joint
Rear panel Manufacturer's
joint

Depth

Working Front panel Working

crease (principal display crease
Width panel)
Tube-Style Cartons - Grain Direction

Incorrect grain direction Correct grain direction

Grain crossing the corner creases contributes to panel

flatness
Tuck-End Carton Styles

PDP PDP PDP PDP

Standard French Straight Airplane

reverse tuck reverse tuck tuck tuck
Press-Sheet Utilization
 Carton Printing and Decorating
Offset Lithography
Represents the bulk of carton printing production

Rotogravure
Used where printing run lengths justify high initial plate cost

Flexography
Used for board cases and plastic films; not often for cartons
Improved quality has encouraged carton printing applications

Hot-stamp printing, embossing, windowing etc. are

off-line operations that require separate preparation
Paper & Board Thickness Measurement
Inch Gauge Mil Micrometre
0.001 inch = 100 gauge = 1 mil =25 mm

0.0005 inch = 50 gauge = 1/2 mil = 13 mm

0.002 inch = 200 gauge = 2 mil = 51mm

Metric measure definitions (ISO) & conversion factors:

“Micron” is an abbreviation for micrometre
One inch = 25.4 millimetres and
0.001 inch = 25.4 micrometres