The France-based Label & Packaging Div. of Ahlstrom Paper Group opened its new lightweight, coated-one-side paper mill at Ascoli-Piceno, Italy, to the press March 28.

Following an $18 million capital-improvement program last fall, the plant is now reportedly the most versatile converter of lightweight grades of C1S paper for flexible-packaging and wet-glue labeling applications, as well as base papers for direct metallizing. Converting attended the media tour.

Capable of yielding gravure- and offset-printable substrates, the line was improved with a new Valmet wet-end, a Valmet Optisizer precoater and modernization of the existing, offline Beloit offset-roll coating machine. Control equipment is supplied by ABB. C1S papers from 35-65 gsm are converted in widths to 360 cm at speeds of 900 meters/sec. Downstream capabilities include an 11-nip, high-pressure calendering system and Jagenberg Vari-Top slitter/rewinder and roll-wrapping equipment. Coatings from 0.5-10 gsm can be applied.

Ahlstrom is targeting the lightweight, C1S-paper market, which is expected to grow 2 percent a year in Europe and North America, and about three times that fast in Asia, says Label & Packaging Div. president Philippe Lavaud. Demand is driven by need to reduce the volume of packaging waste via source reduction. The global market is said to be 2 million metric tons, of which Ahlstrom has a 12 percent share.

Flex-pack applications of C1S paper—less than 70 gsm—planned by Ahlstrom include soup pouches, chocolate and cookie/cracker wraps and pharmaceutical pouches. Metallizing papers—less than 60 gsm—will be aimed at labeling for beer, soft and alcoholic drinks, gift wrapping and tobacco inner-liner packaging. Based on Ahlstrom's estimates, the fastest growing C1S-paper markets are bottled water (8 percent), pharmaceuticals (5.3 percent) and soft drinks (5.2 percent).

Ahlstrom foresees significant growth for metallized paper over aluminum foil, says C1S marketing manager Olivier Salaun. In addition to lower production costs, the material have environmentally friendly connotations, especially in Europe. It uses only 1/125th of the amount of aluminum as foil and is easier to recycle, being considered a single-ply material by the EU Commission.

European consumption of metallized papers in 2000 went 66 percent to labels, 28 percent into tobacco liners, 3 percent as gift wrap, and the rest into flex-packs and other products.

Restarted in October 2000, the Ascoli mill will increase its C1S paper output from 10 percent last year to 36 percent for labels and flex packs. About two-thirds of output will remain medium-weight coated publication papers. While about 82 percent of output will be sold into European and Italian market, Ahlstrom plans to export 5 percent to the U.S.