Fedrigoni Tests Papkot PA Additive, Cutting Fiber Usage by 20% and Enhancing Paper Stiffness

Fedrigoni Group has successfully tested Papkot PA, an innovative additive developed by Papkot, at its Italian sites in Cordenons and Fabriano, demonstrating a significant reduction in fiber use in paper production. Papkot PA, a plastic-free mineral nanostructure additive, interacts at the molecular level with cellulose fibers, increasing paper stiffness by 30% while allowing a 20% reduction in fiber content without compromising mechanical performance. This breakthrough enables lighter finished products, such as egg cartons, which weigh 20% less, offering substantial logistical savings. Fedrigoni estimates potential annual savings of $12.6 million for a 280,000-tonne production site. Papkot PA also enables recycling of siliconized glassine scrap, previously challenging due to laminates, transforming waste into valuable material—a world first in fiber circularity. Papkot is developing a second solution to enhance elasticity of molded fibers, aiming to match long Nordic fiber performance with lowered costs. This innovation marks a major step toward sustainable, cost-effective paper manufacturing.