KemTalks is an expert-led video podcast series featuring 30-minute interviews with Kemira specialists. In this episode, we explore barrier solutions for today’s demands and introduce FennoGuard™ GWR, Kemira’s latest water-based dispersion barrier for recyclable fiber-based packaging.

As packaging increasingly shifts from plastic to fiber, the demands on fiber-based packaging are growing – and with it, the need for recyclable and safe alternatives to conventional barrier solutions like PE or PFAS. For producers looking to develop new barrier coated grades, the question becomes how to deliver the performance the end use requires without compromising recyclability and cost efficiency.  

In this episode, Joonas Hokka, Senior Manager, Business & Market Development, joins Riikka Tietäväinen-Arola to explore what today’s market expects from fiber-based packaging and how Kemira’s dispersion barrier coatings respond to these demands.  

In this episode:

• Hear how the sustainability demand and regulatory drivers such as the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and expanding Extended Producer Responsibility schemes are reshaping packaging requirements globally
• Understand the balancing act between performance, recyclability, and cost efficiency in developing new barrier coated packaging grades
• See how Kemira’s newly launched FennoGuard™ GWR dispersion barrier performs on grease, oil, and water resistance in fully recyclable paper and board packaging 
• Find out where the solutions in the FennoGuard™ barrier portfolio fit across packaging applications and end-uses   
• Discover how Kemira’s barrier coatings perform against market alternatives in recyclability testing using the CEPI laboratory test method   
• Explore what’s ahead in barrier development, from new technologies to biodegradable and fully renewable solutions 
• Learn how Kemira supports barrier coated grade development every step of the way, from coating formulation and performance testing to regulatory compliance, pilot trials, and commercial launch 

If you’re a paper and board producer or converter working on barrier coated packaging grades, this episode is for you. Get practical perspectives on balancing performance, recyclability, and efficiency, and hear expert advice on choosing the right barrier solution for today’s demands. 

Episode highlights:

Watch this episode to hear how Kemira’s FennoGuard™ dispersion barrier coatings enable the shift to fully recyclable fiber-based packaging. Key topics covered in this episode: 

• The challenge: Building barrier performance into fiber-based packaging for increasingly demanding applications without compromising its recyclability or safety. 

• Regulatory landscape: How evolving regulation from PPWR to expanding EPR schemes are tightening demands on recyclability, among others, and creating direct cost consequences for producers. 

• Innovation in action: Introducing FennoGuard™ GWR, Kemira’s latest water-based dispersion barrier for oil, grease, and water resistance in fully recyclable paper and board packaging. 

• Technical insights: Benchmarking recyclability with the CEPI laboratory test method, understanding the repulpability of coated paper and board in in practice, and exploring the benefits of the open formula concept. 

• Practical support: How Kemira’s papermaking know-how, application expertise, and support for regulatory and food contact compliance help producers tailor barrier performance for their targets and move from first trials to full-scale production 

Sign up now: Get practical perspectives on barrier performance, recyclability, and what’s ahead. Sign up to receive the episode link directly to your email.