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Benchmarking of Best Folding Boxboards

7 February 2017

Pekka.Komulainen@clarinet.fi

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Preface

This presentation aims to show a simple way to benchmark

the quality of FBB cartonboard (GC2) when only public

technical specifications are available.

The benchmarked quality characteristics and their weights

for the final evaluation are only my own judgement for a

general case of high quality boxboard printed in offset.

How to make high quality is not very much discussed here,

but I am interested and ready to receive consulting

assignments – not only about cartonboards but all areas of

paper and board manufacture.

My LinkedIn profile can be found by following this link:

https://fi.linkedin.com/pub/pekka-komulainen/12/896/a56

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SELECTED BRANDS AND BENCHMARKING

PRINCIPLES

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Boxboard definitions

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Table: Stora Enso

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The importance of cartonboard quality

In the category of cartonboard no liquid packaging, cup or plate board is included.

According to CEPI the European consumption of cartonboards has been quite constant

after 2007 (about 7 Mton). White lined chipboard of this has been about 3.5 Mton and

FBB less than 2.5 Mton.

New high capacity virgin fiber multigrade board machines have just started or will be

started in the near future:

Metsä Board Husum 2016 400 000 t/a multigrades

Kotkamills 2016 400 000 t/a multigrades

BillerudKorsnäs 2019 550 000 t/a multigrades

Together with smaller rebuilds the new capacity of virgin fiber machines will be about

1.5 Mton, which is 60% of the European consumption.

Even if this capacity would mainly be directed to the food service sector, this is in the

beginning a huge addition to the cartonboard market. Last year Husum’s new machine

produced only about 100 000 tons (25% of the final capacity).

In addition, considerable amount of new containerboard capacity has been added.

In this clear overcapacity situation the quality of the product will be most important.

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Example of multigrade board machine start-up

Several new multigrade machines will produce FBB before focusing on food service

sector (Kotkamills, StoraEnso Beihai). The following is an example of SE Beihai:

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Typical wet end of a cartonboard machine

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Three layers and hydraulic headboxes. Top wire unit for middle ply.

Two double felted presses and one smoothing press without felts for improving

smoothness.

Picture: Voith Paper

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Coating section of a cartonboard machine

Older slow machines can have MG dryer. New machines can have belt calender.

Normally base paper is surface sized and calendered before coating.

Typically there are 2-3 blade coatings for the top layer and one for the back layer.

After coating there is 1-2 soft calender nips and cooling before winding.

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Picture: Voith Paper

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Layout of coated barrier board

After surface sizing there are two curtain coatings and one blade coating for printed

surface (Valmet Kotkamills). Each curtain coating can have two layers.

All coatings are on-machine coatings.

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Picture: Kotkamills

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Opticom International Research rankings

The Brand Tracking Survey – Cartonboard for consumer packaging 2016 defining and

ranking the most valuable virgin fiber cartonboard brands in Western Europe according

to consumer goods brand owners:

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2016 2014 2012 Pulp Wood

1 3 2 Incada FBB RMP SW Iggesund

2 1 3 Tambrite FBB PGW SW Stora Enso

3 2 1 Invercote SBB BHKP HW Iggesund

4 7 11 Carta range FBB CTMP HW Metsä Board

5 5 7 Simcote FBB GW/CTMP SW/HW Metsä Board

6 11 10 CKB SUB Kraft SW Stora Enso

7 6 5 Alaska Plus FBB CTMP HW/SW IP

8 8 8 Rochcoat/Blanc/Perle FBB Careo

10 9 9 Ensocoat SBB Kraft HW,SW Stora Enso

11 4 6 Performa FBB CTMP SW Stora Enso

Ranking Middle ply Brand

ownerBrand Rank 2016 Grade

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Benchmarking of FBB technical specifications

It is interesting to benchmark the best FBB grades only by using

public technical information and to compare that with Opticom’s

results.

Some grades are more common and interesting than the others.

To get most relevant results only FBB grades were chosen.

Of course Tambrite and Incada as the best brands must be

included. Simcote is also interesting due to the metal belt

calender.

Performa with triple coating top side must be included.

After Opticom’s 2014 benchmark International Paper has

launched a new lightweight grade Alaska Plus, which is

interesting to be included.

Relevant comparability can be reached between Tambrite,

Incada, Simcote, Performa Cream and Alaska Plus.

From the technical specifications it is difficult to get exactly same

grammages. The maximum difference in grammage has been ±5

gsm.

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Principles of benchmarking

Selected grammages are about 200 and 250 gsm.

The best brands have totally/partly integrated pulp production.

Importance of each property is weighed from 1 to 5. The

weights are:

5 for CD stiffness, 4 for internal bond and smoothness, 3 for bulk, 2

for gloss and 1 for low MD/CD anisotropy.

Bulk is important. However, it got only 3 points because it is

almost same as stiffness and stiffness is the final target.

For Scott bond delamination resistance 4 is given because it is

difficult to get bulk and internal bond at the same time.

Gloss is smoothness in micro scale, but smoothness is more

important – at least PPS in Europe.

Anisotropy is included to understand, how much CD stiffness is

made with lower orientation. Given weight for stiffness

anisotropy is only 1.

Performa probably has triple coated top side. Rest of the

grades are double coated. Back sides of the selected grades

are only surface sized (GC2).

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FBB brands and cartonboard quality

The trend has been lighter boxes, higher bulk and slightly lower gloss and smoothness.

It is interesting to note that softwood mechanical pulp made with conventional pulping

methods such as GW, PGW and RMP suits very well for middle ply.

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Bulk Gloss Top

Pulp type Wood cm3/g CD, mNm MD/CD % coat

Tambrite PGW SW 200 350 1,75 5,0 1,80 1,2 n/a 130 2

Incada exel RMP SW 200 310 1,55 3,7 2,30 0,9 50 140 2

Performa cream CTMP SW 200 310 1,55 3,5 2,37 1,0 45 145 3

Simcote GW/CTMP SW/HW 200 350 1,75 4,7 2,23 1,4 35 n/a 2

Alaska Plus CTMP HW, SW 205 350 1,71 5,0 1,98 1,3 40 100 2

Bulk Gloss Top

Pulp type Wood cm3/g CD, mNm MD/CD % coat

Tambrite PGW SW 250 460 1,84 9,8 1,85 1,2 n/a 130 2

Incada exel RMP SW 255 450 1,76 8,3 2,31 0,9 50 140 2

Performa cream CTMP SW 245 405 1,65 6,9 2,28 1,0 45 145 3

Simcote GW/CTMP SW/HW 250 450 1,80 9,7 1,98 1,4 35 n/a 2

Alaska Plus CTMP HW, SW 255 470 1,84 10,0 2,01 1,3 40 100 2

FBB Brands Middle ply

gsmThickness

µm

Siffness, Taber PPS

µm

FBB Brands Middle ply

gsmThickness

µm

Siffness, Taber PPS

µm

Bond

J/m2

Bond

J/m2

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Benchmarking of FBB brands

Critical properties for benchmark must be important for the converter but also such that

improving one property has negative effect to some other properties.

For each property there must be weight of importance because some properties are more

important than the others. Weights are always dependent on converting and final usage of

the grade.

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Low number is better

CD MD/CD

Tambrite 1 2 1 3 5 3 15

Incada exel 4 4 4 1 1 2 16

Performa cream 5 5 5 2 2 1 20

Simcote 2 3 3 5 4 5 22

Alaska Plus 2 1 2 4 3 4 16

CD MD/CD

Weihts 3 5 1 4 2 4

Tambrite 3 10 1 12 10 12 48

Incada exel 12 20 4 4 2 8 50

Performa cream 15 25 5 8 4 4 61

Simcote 6 15 3 20 8 20 72

Alaska Plus 6 5 2 16 6 16 51

BulkStiffness

PPS Gloss Bond Total

Bond Total

Final points

Bacis point BulkStiffness

PPS Gloss

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Comparison of Opticom’s rank and technical rank

Opticom’s ranking in 2016 seems to be slightly different compared to the technical

ranking. Alaska Plus has improved technically but not in Opticom ranking.

Selected grades are all good. If you need an overall good grade it is Tambrite. If you

need gloss and smoothness it is Incada. If you need Scott Bond take Performa. Alaska

is good for CD stiffness but has low internal bond and smoothness.

If you need tonnage take Simcote but check internal bond.

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Tambrite 48 1

Incada exel 50 2

Alaska Plus 51 3

Performa cream 61 4

Simcote 72 5

FBB Technical

Rank 2016

Final

rank

Total

points2016 2014 2012

1 3 2 Incada

2 1 3 Tambrite

3 2 1 Invercote

4 7 11 Carta range

5 5 7 Simcote

6 11 10 CKB

7 6 5 Alaska Plus

8 8 8 Rochcoat/Blanc/Perle

10 9 9 Ensocoat

11 4 6 Performa

Opticom RankBrand Rank 2016

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Discussion of the benchmark criteria

For every converter or brand owner the weight of the scores is different. This

benchmarking tries to be an example of overall benchmark.

For example gloss is very important in Asia and North America. Expensive kaolin clay

or even more expensive pigments must be used there.

Everybody should consider how consistent are the quality numbers of each supplier.

As an example I would like to take PPS roughness and look what are the published

tolerances.

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Avg. of nominal

and maximum

Tambrite 1,2 ≤1,5 ≤1,35

Incada exel 0,9 ≤1,3 ≤1,10

Alaska Plus 1,3 <1,3 <1,30

Performa cream 1,0 ≤1,7 ≤1,35

Simcote 1,4 <1,4 <1,40

Roughness PPS Tolerance

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Benchmarking with tolerances

Some tolerances are very wide. It is interesting to see if the ranking is

same with tolerances.

Below are the critical properties with worst numbers from tolerances.

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Bulk Gloss Top

Pulp type Wood cm3/g CD, mNm MD/CD % coat

Tambrite PGW SW 200 350 1.68 4.5 1.80 1.5 n/a 100 2

Incada exel RMP SW 200 310 1.49 3.1 2.30 1.3 40 95 2

Performa cream CTMP SW 200 310 1.47 3.0 2.37 1.7 45 100 3

Simcote GW/CTMP SW/HW 200 350 1.70 4.2 2.23 1.4 33 n/a 2

Alaska Plus CTMP HW, SW 205 350 1.64 4.3 1.98 1.3 40 n/a 2

Bulk Glos Top

Pulp type Wood cm3/g CD, mNm MD/CD % coat

Tambrite PGW SW 250 460 1.77 8.8 1.85 1.5 n/a 100 2

Incada exel RMP SW 255 450 1.69 7.2 2.31 1.3 40 95 2

Performa cream CTMP SW 245 405 1.57 5.8 2.28 1.7 45 100 3

Simcote GW/CTMP SW/HW 250 450 1.75 8.7 1.98 1.4 33 n/a 2

Alaska Plus CTMP HW, SW 255 470 1.77 8.7 2.01 1.3 40 n/a 2

FBB Brands Middle ply

gsmThicknes

s µm

Siffness, Taber PPS

µm

Bond

J/m2

Bond

J/m2FBB Brands Middle ply

gsmThickness

µm

Siffness, Taber PPS

µm

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Benchmarking of FBB brands with tolerances

It seems that Tambrite is still the best. Simcote is better than Performa cream when

tolerances are taken into account. Alaska plus is also better than Incada with tolerances.

Anyway, the best and worst are the same brands as without tolerances.

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Low number is better

CD MD/CD

Tambrite 1 1 1 4 5 1 13

Incada exel 4 4 4 1 2 3 18

Performa cream 5 5 5 5 1 1 22

Simcote 1 3 3 3 4 4 18

Alaska Plus 3 2 2 1 2 4 14

CD MD/CD

Weihts 3 5 1 4 2 4

Tambrite 3 5 1 16 10 4 39

Incada exel 12 20 4 4 4 12 56

Performa cream 15 25 5 20 2 4 71

Simcote 3 15 3 12 8 16 57

Alaska Plus 9 10 2 4 4 16 45

Gloss

Total

Bond Total

Final points

Bacis point BulkStiffness

PPS

BulkStiffness

PPS Gloss Bond

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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IGT AND SCOTT BOND

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Surface strength and delamination

If coating layer is not strong enough, the

tacky ink pulls parts of coating away.

This is not very common case for FBB.

When coating and top ply are strong

enough, there will be delamination

between top ply and filler ply. This is

most common case with bulky FBB

cartonboards.

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Offset printing nip

Ink splitting causes high stresses close to the top surface in offset printing.

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Picture: KTH Lecture 8

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IGT test

IGT test measures only force but not

deformation.

In the commercial offset printing nip the stress is

quite similar with IGT test.

The failure of the paperboard can be:

1. detachment of smaller particles of only coating or

coating and fibers or coating and top ply

2. delamination between base board plies without

total separation (corrugated surface)

3. total separation of base board plies.

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Scott bond test

When IGT measures only force, Scott bond measures energy i.e. the area under the

stress-strain curve. In the picture below are two Scott bond tests, where max. force

is same but total energy very different.

23Picture: KTH Lecture 8

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Summary of comparison IGT vs. Scott Bond

IGT measures only force but not deformation. Scott Bond measures

energy i.e. force and deformation.

IGT measures similar forces as printing nip i.e. combination of

pulling and shear forces. Scott bond measures shear force, which is

not as important for printing as pulling force in the nip.

IGT loads mainly the top side of the sheet while Scott bond is

symmetric through the whole sheet.

Scott bond finds the weakest layer in z-direction, which normally is

between filler ply and back ply (top/wire-side joint). IGT stresses top

side more, and if the delamination is in the base board, it normally is

between top ply and filler ply.

If IGT test shows base board delamination, it is important to

increase the bond between top ply and filler ply, which may not be

critical at all in Scott bond test.

All this means that the correlation between Scott bond and IGT can

be very poor.

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To

p s

ide

wit

h c

oa

tin

g

Delamination

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Balance of board properties

Good stiffness is very important when lighter weight cartonboards are used. When

bulk is improved, internal bond can decrease and delamination problems are

possible.

The only reason why Scott bond is used for benchmarking is that all suppliers

specify Scott bond. However, studies should be made by using special IGT tests.

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Bulk

Stiffness Good level

Bad level

Bond

Smoothness

Delamination

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ORIGINAL AND CALCULATED QUALITY

SPECIFICATIONS BY GRAMMAGE

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Tambrite by Stora Enso Inkeroinen mill

Tambrite specification shows improved bulk but decreased smoothness.

Good CD stiffness due to low fiber orientation

Balanced properties but no gloss specified

Wide tolerances

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Property Unit Standard Toler.

Grammage g/m² ISO 536 ± 4% 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 285 310 335

Thickness µm ISO 534 ± 4%, ±20 350 375 400 420 440 460 480 500 540 600 650

Bulk cm3/g Calculated 1,75 1,79 1,82 1,83 1,83 1,84 1,85 1,85 1,89 1,94 1,94

Bending moment CD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 -0,1 5,0 5,9 6,8 7,8 8,8 9,8 11,0 12,3 14,6 18,5 22,4

Bending moment MD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 -0,1 9,0 10,7 12,4 14,3 16,2 18,1 20,5 23,0 27,6 35,5 43,7

Bending moment MD/CD Calculated 1,80 1,81 1,82 1,83 1,84 1,85 1,86 1,87 1,89 1,92 1,95

Roughness top PPS10 ISO 879 Max. 1,5 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2

Brightness top %, Illumination C/2° ISO 2470 ± 2 86 86 86 86 86 86 86 86 86 86 86

Gloss %, Hunter 75° TAPPI T 480

Values

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Tambrite original specification

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Incada Exel by Iggesund Workington mill

Tambrite did not specify gloss. It is good that Incada has all of the specified figures

even if the tolerances are wide.

The press section rebuild cannot be seen on the quality specification.

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Property Unit Standard Toler.

Grammage g/m² ISO 536 ± 4% 200 210 225 235 255 280 300 325 350

Thickness µm ISO 534 ± 4% 310 340 375 400 450 490 540 590 640

Bulk cm3/g Calculated 1,55 1,62 1,67 1,70 1,76 1,75 1,80 1,82 1,83

Bending stiffness CD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 -15 % 3,7 4,6 5,9 6,6 8,5 10,8 13,2 16,8 19,8

Bending stiffness MD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 -15 % 8,5 10,6 13,6 15,2 19,6 24,9 30,3 38,7 45,5

Bending stiffness MD/CD Calculated 2,30 2,30 2,31 2,30 2,31 2,31 2,30 2,30 2,30

Internal bond (Scott) J/m2 TAPPI 569 ≥95 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140

Roughness top PPS10 ISO 8791-4 ≤1,3 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9

Brightness top %, Illumination C/2° ISO 2470 ± 2 91,5 91,5 91,5 91,5 91,5 91,5 91,5 91,5 91,5

Gloss top 75°, % ISO B254-1 -10 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50

Values

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Double coated Incada Exel by Iggesund

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Performa Cream by Stora Enso Fors mill

Some tolerances are very wide such as in roughness and Scott bond.

There is no gloss tolerance available.

Bulk and stiffness are low due to the thicker total coating.

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Property Unit Standard Toler.

Grammage g/m² ISO 536 ± 4% 200 220 230 245 260 290 315 340 360

Thickness µm ISO 534 ± 4% 310 340 360 405 440 500 560 610 650

Bulk cm3/g Calculated 1,55 1,55 1,57 1,65 1,69 1,72 1,78 1,79 1,81

Bending stiffness CD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 -15 % 3,5 4,5 5,4 6,8 8,2 11,1 14,5 18,1 20,3

Bending stiffness MD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 -15 % 8,3 10,8 12,8 15,5 18,6 24,6 32,4 39,8 44,9

Bending stiffness MD/CD Calculated 2,37 2,40 2,37 2,28 2,27 2,22 2,23 2,20 2,21

Internal bond (Scott) J/m2 TAPPI 569 ≥100 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145

Roughness top PPS10 ISO 8791-4 ≤1,7 1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0

Brightness top %, Illumination C/2° ISO 2470 ± 1 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90

Gloss top 75°, % Tappi 480 n/a 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45

Values

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Performa Cream – triple coated top

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Alaska Plus by IP Kwidzyn

Alaska Plus has reduced gloss from 45 to 40% from the former Alaska, but bulk

and stiffness are very much improved.

For roughness, gloss, and internal bond no tolerances are given.

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Property Unit Standard Toler.

Grammage g/m² ISO 536 ± 4% 190 205 220 235 255 270 280 305 330

Thickness µm ISO 534 ± 4% 320 350 385 425 470 500 520 570 620

Bulk cm3/g Calculated 1,68 1,71 1,75 1,81 1,84 1,85 1,86 1,87 1,88

Bending stiffness CD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 ± 15% 3,9 5,1 6,2 7,7 10,2 11,6 13,1 16,1 19,8

Bending stiffness MD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 ± 15% 7,7 10,1 12,5 16,0 20,5 24,3 27,0 35,0 44,9

Bending stiffness MD/CD Calculated 1,97 1,98 2,02 2,08 2,01 2,09 2,06 2,17 2,27

Internal bond (Scott) J/m2 TAPPI 569 >100 >100 >100 >100 >100 >100 >100 >100 >100 >100

Roughness top PPS10 ISO 8791-4 <1,3 <1,3 <1,3 <1,3 <1,3 <1,3 <1,3 <1,3 <1,3

Brightness top %, Illumination C/2° ISO 2470 ± 1 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

Gloss top 75°, % Tappi 480 >40 >40 >40 >40 >40 >40 >40 >40 >40

Values

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Alaska Plus by International Paper Kwidzyn

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Metsä Board Simcote FBB

Good bulk due to metal belt calender for base board

Roughness is not the best

Anisotropy is quite high

Internal bond strength is not published

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Property Unit Standard Toler.

Grammage g/m² ISO 536 ± 2% 200 210 225 235 250 260 275 290 315 340

Thickness mm ISO 534 ± 3% 350 375 400 425 450 475 500 550 600 650

Bulk cm3/g Calculated 1,75 1,79 1,78 1,81 1,80 1,83 1,82 1,90 1,90 1,91

Bending stiffness CD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 ± 10% 4,7 5,8 7,0 8,4 9,7 11,0 12,6 15,8 18,9 22,1

Bending stiffness MD mNm Taber 15° ISO 2493 ± 10% 10,5 12,1 15,0 17,0 19,2 22,6 25,2 31,0 37,8 45,2

Bending stiffness MD/CD Calculated 2,23 2,09 2,14 2,02 1,98 2,05 2,00 1,96 2,00 2,05

Roughness top PPS10 ISO 879 Max. 1,4 1,4 1,4 1,4 1,4 1,4 1,4 1,4 1,4 1,4

Brightness top %, Illumination C/2° ISO 2470 ± 1 84 84 84 84 84 84 84 84 84 84

Gloss %, Hunter 75° TAPPI T 480 ± 5 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35

Values

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Metsä Board Simcote original specification

Simcote is made without MG cylinder by using metal belt calender.

Higher production speed is possible, but combination of CD stiffness and

roughness is not as good as with smaller machines and MG cylinder.

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