19 May 2021

Germany/Sweden: Sweden-based BillerudKorsnäs and Germany-based Haver & Boecker have decided to continue jointly developing further standards for sack packaging following positive feedback in 2020. The sack packaging norms include recommendations for the development and use of packaging solutions and processes and define basic standard know-how or standard procedures. They are intended to provide orientation for regular questions that manufacturers of bulk materials face.

"Together BillerudKorsnäs and Haver & Boecker now offer a set of recommendations to minimise problems and maximise performance in the packaging chain. If manufacturers and users of paper sack packaging follow the recommendations and guidelines and implement usage of these norms in their supply chain, efficient and effective packaging production, filling, handling, storage and transport of the end products will be ensured," says Mikael Peterson, Technical Service Director at BillerudKorsnäs.

BillerudKorsnäs has contributed experience in packaging paper production as well as analytical tests, design and developments at the BillerudKorsnäs Packaging Development Centre. Haver & Boecker has contributed its experience in filling technology and handling of powdered bulk materials.

Sweden: Researchers at the department of architecture and civil engineering at the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg in Västra Götaland county are developing a technology to enable concrete to store energy in the manner of a rechargeable battery. The team has proposed a design based on cement mixed with short carbon fibres. The concrete is then fitted with a metal-coated carbon fibre mesh that forms the battery’s anode and cathode. The team says that a future product based on the technology would enable solar-powered roads and buildings to store their own energy. Additionally, the introduction of sensors to the system would enable full and constant monitoring of the condition of the structure.

Chief researcher Emma Zhang said, “Results from earlier studies investigating concrete battery technology showed very low performance, so we realised we had to think out of the box, to come up with another way to produce the electrode. This particular idea that we have developed – which is also rechargeable – has never been explored before. Now we have proof of concept at lab scale.”