Environmental Impact Reduced: Madura Tea Switches All Flexible Packaging Materials to Paper from Koehler Paper in Conjunction with Gundlach Packaging Group.
Oberkirch, Germany: Madura Tea, Australia’s biggest tea grower, has taken a huge step towards decreasing its own environmental impact: all packaging materials previously based on metalized OPP (oriented polypropylene) have been switched to flexible packaging paper.
In collaboration with Gundlach Packaging Group and Koehler Paper, Madura Tea found the appropriate packaging paper for its products in the form of “Koehler NexPlus Seal Pure MOB 72 gsm,” which includes a mineral oil barrier and gives protection against MOSH/MOAH. The products are now accessible on the Australian market following many promising tests.
Gundlach Packaging Group and Koehler Paper provided Madura Tea with a range of test materials from the NexFlex product range. “Koehler NexPlus Seal Pure MOB, which is made from 100% virgin fiber pulp and is, therefore, suitable for contact with food, impressed everyone involved thanks to its outstanding barrier properties,” explains Yevgen Zolotkovski, Sales Manager for Flexible Packaging Papers at Koehler Paper. Rüdiger Brinkmann, Senior Sales Manager at Gundlach, adds: “Although it’s an uncoated paper, the printing results are excellent and highlight the new environmentally friendly concept.”
Like all other Koehler NexPlus papers, Koehler NexPlus Seal Pure MOB is also heat-sealable, and its strength properties make it ideally suited for further processing on all commercially available packaging machines. “Madura Tea has made the right decision in demonstrating its environmental responsibility by using recyclable materials from sustainable sources,” says Carsten Loemker, Lead Engineering/Technology at Madura Tea, explaining the tea producer’s motivation.
In Koehler NexPlus Seal Pure MOB, Koehler Paper is offering a packaging paper with a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to conventional plastic packaging, and it also boasts the significant benefit of being 100% recyclable.
With the NexFlex product range, the research and development team at Koehler Innovation & Technology and the experts at Koehler Paper developed a unique and 100 per cent recyclable generation of flexible packaging papers. The aim is to replace plastic in packaging using so-called barrier paper wherever possible. The range covers a broad spectrum: It includes standard coated and uncoated papers used in laminates for pouches, sachets, and other applications, making them suitable for a wide range of packaging for food and non-food products.
The next generation of papers for flexible packaging is sustainable barrier papers with functional surfaces for product-specific protection (Koehler NexPlus). The NexFlex product family also includes papers coated on one side with good dimensional stability and high smoothness (Koehler NexCoat), as well as uncoated paper with a natural appearance (Koehler NexPure). Various flexible packaging papers from Koehler Paper were awarded a score of 19 out of a possible 20 points by the environmental service provider Interseroh, along with the “Made for Recycling” seal.
About Madura Tea Estates
Madura Tea Estates is a family-owned tea plantation nestled in the lush countryside of Clothiers Creek, New South Wales. With over 40 years of experience, the company has gained a reputation for producing some of the finest organic tea blends in Australia. What sets Madura Tea Estates apart is its unwavering commitment to sustainable farming practices that prioritize protecting and preserving the natural ecosystem surrounding its plantation.
About the Gundlach Packaging Group
Founded in 1847 in Bielefeld, Germany, the core business of the Gundlach Packaging Group is the complete service package in the areas of folding cartons and web printing in gravure, offset and flexo. The Gundlach Packaging Group is much more than just an association of printers; it is the partner for the entire value chain and focuses exclusively on fibre-based packaging. With this approach, Gundlach has the leverage to support the sustainability of its customers tangibly.
About the Koehler Group
The Koehler Group was founded in 1807 and has been family-run from that moment to the present day. The group’s core business activity lies in developing and producing high-quality specialty paper. It includes — among others — thermal paper, playing card board, drinks coasters, fine paper, carbonless paper, recycled paper, decor paper, wood pulp board, sublimation papers, and also innovative specialty papers for the packaging industry since 2019.
Source: Madura Tea
