Premium Beauty News - How would you describe M-real’s current offer?

Riikka Joukio - The group is specialising on high-performance coated paperboards and papers made of primary fibre, with related packaging services for brand owners, carton printers, converters and merchants representing end uses such as: beautycare, healthcare, foods, cigarettes, consumer durables, graphics and wallcoverings.

The range of virgin-fibre based cartonboards features five main references:

 Carta Integra. Fully coated BCTMP board with coated back for offset, gravure, flexo, serigraphy and digital printing. Recommended for fragrances, make-up products, toiletries, medical products, hygiene products, chocolate confectionery, and other demanding packaging. Available in 170-330 gsm.

 Carta Elega. Fully coated folding boxboard (GC1) with coated back for offset, gravure, flexo, and serigraphy printing . Recommended for fragrances, make-up products, toiletries, hair coloration products and other demanding packaging. Available in 200-380 gsm.

 Carta Solida. Fully coated BCTMP board with white back for offset, gravure, flexo, and serigraphy printing. Recommended for chocolate confectionery, fragrances, make-up products, toiletries, medical products and hygiene products. Available in 185-320 gsm.

 Avanta Prima. Fully coated folding boxboard (GC2) for offset, gravure, flexo, and serigraphy printing. Recommended for toiletries, hair coloration products, medical products, hygiene products and general packaging. Available in 200-360 gsm.

 Simcote. Fully coated folding boxboard (GC2) for flexo and offset printing. Recommended for tea, bakery products, chocolate, frozen foods, medical products, hygiene products and general packaging. Available in 205-340 gsm.

Premium Beauty News - What are yourcompany’s main assets?

Riikka Joukio - First of all, M-real’s research and development is focused on end-use needs. Not only our products, but also the services and processes are systematically developed, improved and streamlined. R&D resources are at Consumer Packaging mills Cooperation with customers, research institutes, universities and suppliers. We do our best to increase co-operation opportunities with our customers, research institutes, universities and suppliers. Eventually, we are member of industry networking groups such as PrintCity and Spirit-of-Synergy.

M-real Consumer Packaging adds value energising the whole packaging chain through:
 lightweight paperboards of consistent quality for improved efficiency, economy and ecology,
 innovative development of products, concepts and services for competitive advantage based on customer needs,
 timely deliveries, technical support, and other services for complete customer care,
 environmental commitment throughout the supply chain for enhanced sustainability.

Our range of service is particularly wide and entirely devoted to helping customers optimizing quality and productivity. It includes local delivery solutions and e-business solutions, technical services, expertise and problem solving, sustainability advising, consumer perception studies,brand protection solutions , and of course our Integrated Brand Packaging (IBP ) located in Asia, which features print management packaging procurement and design.

However, as everybody knows, the right packaging choice helps to decrease costs and increase efficiency in production. We are therefore committed in reducing the amount of packaging material without compromising performance, streamlining and optimizing efficiency in all steps of the value chain, responding to increasing consciousness and regulations regarding sustainability and safety, making the most of packaging as the main brand communicator at point-of-sales, reducing lead times and improving flexibility in packaging supply chain, achieving high product quality and performance at low unit cost, streamlining and optimizing efficiency in all steps of the value chain.

Premium Beauty News - Sustainable development is now a priority for you?

Riikka Joukio - Sustainable choices will never go out of fashion. M-real continues its commitment to the environment through the use of wood only from sustainable managed forests and the promotion of reliable forest certification systems, through efficient energy use, vast energy-saving projects implemented at all our mills, through the use of renewable energy (65% of M-real’s on-site fuels are wood-based), through open and transparent communication (using e.g. Paper Profile specifications and carbon footprint calculations), and also by proposing products that are safe for people and the environment, as well as recyclable products (or that can be incinerated for energy recovery or composted at the end of their lifecycle).

Premium Beauty News - What will be the main highlights of your participation in Luxe Pack Monaco?

Riikka Joukio - At LuxePack 2009, M-real focuses on virgin-fibre based cardboards, in particular the Carta range, and of course our Efficient Packaging concept and its lightweight cartonboards that improve efficiencies throughout the whole value chain, meeting the need for improved sustainability and faster service. Lighter weight boards offer the same properties of stiffness and bulk as heavier conventional grades but in lower substances. They consume fewer resources, decrease transport volumes and produce less waste. Lightweight products and consistent quality improve efficiency, economy and ecology.

Come and visit M-real at Luxe Pack Monaco, from October 21 to 23 on the stand RC 18.