Sweden. Billerud Aktiebolag (publ)
| Date of agreement: | 06 Mar 2024 |
|---|---|
| Country: | Sweden |
| Customer: | Billerud Aktiebolag (publ) |
| Amount in SEK : | SEK 400 million |
| Amount in EUR: | EUR 35.4 million |
| Maturity: | 8 years |
Project
The loan has been provided for Billerud’s R&D investments in barrier solutions for paper and board packaging products, package performance and carbon capture solutions.
Billerud’s R&D is focused on material technologies from renewable virgin fibres, aiming to replace plastic, aluminium foil, and glass packaging with innovative solutions such as bio-based barriers for paper and board packaging.
The R&D investments will also focus on enhancing package performance by creating stronger, more efficient materials.
Fulfilment of NIB's mandate
Productivity:
The loan will support Billerud’s R&D expenditure from 2023-2026, reinforcing its position as an industry forerunner in a niche segment, specialising in packaging products and materials made from virgin fibre.
The global megatrends of urbanisation, digitalisation, globalisation and sustainability are driving long-term demand for more sustainable packaging materials and logistical solutions. There is an increasing demand for resource efficient, lightweight packaging solutions that are able to protect the content along the production and logistic chain.
In the area of material performance, Billerud is working with resource efficiency by improving or maintaining strength without increasing the amount of raw material.
As a key player in the Swedish forest industry cluster, Billerud benefits from a rich pool of expertise and collaborative research with universities, contributing to its sector-specific knowledge and reinforcing the region’s strong competence in technology, processes, and machinery.
Environment:
Billerud’s R&D activities focus on three primary areas: advancing barrier technology, enhancing packaging material strength, and refining processes for greater efficiency and reduced chemical usage.
The company has initiated and integrated recyclability into its product development, recognising its increasing importance in the industry. Furthermore, the company is innovating new barrier materials aimed at replacing aluminum and plastics in food packaging, offering environmental benefits.
Sustainability summary
No significant environmental impacts are expected from the R&D programme.
