Sitma’s Journey in Sustainable Paper Packaging: Innovations and Insights

Sitma has taken significant strides in developing on-demand sustainable packaging solutions, driven by a commitment to environmental responsibility and innovation. The company offers a diverse range of technologies for mailer automation using paper types tailored for varying applications, targeting both different packaging use cases and sustainability, all with right-sizing, high throughput, reliability, and uptime.

The industry is moving swiftly from poly-based to paper-based materials in response to regulatory and consumer demands for sustainability. Based on years of investments in material testing and technology optimization, Sitma mailer automation technologies utilize a multitude of paper types, each suitable for specific packaging requirements:

Heat Sealable Paper: Available in two main forms – one using paper with a percentage of polytene (such as 95/5) and another utilizing heat-sealable glue. These papers are ideal for applications needing strong seals.

Pressure Sealable Paper: Made with paper and pressure-activated glue, providing efficient sealing without heat, for lower energy consumption.

Virgin Paper with Actively Applied Glue: An eco-friendly option that is biodegradable, offering versatility for high volume production.

In addition to sealing capabilities, paper types differ greatly by their thickness and protection, making them more suitable for one or another application. Sitma experience goes from light weight papers with thickness below 0,05mm up to 3mm thickness with highly protective materials. Here a few examples of different alternatives selected by industry leaders.

1. Lightweight Transparent Paper (32gsm): Ideal for applications needing transparency such as gift cards, serving as a great poly substitute when read-though capabilities are needed. It substitutes primary packaging for apparel and premium packaging products.

2. Standard Kraft Paper (80-130gsm): Versatile, strong, and widely used, it serves as logistic packaging for a wide range of ecommerce products and apparel. The 130gsm alternative offers higher rigidity and protection during transport.

3. Protective Paper: Includes single-face cardboard and additive protective material, suitable for delicate items like light electronics and luxury accessories.

There’s a wealth of innovation from paper producers to enhance the fields of application offered by mailer packaging. Sitma is working closely with paper producers regionally and globally. In addition to the poly to paper transition, protective papers are driving the shift from box packaging to mailers. This is based on the several advantages that mailer automation technologies offer in comparison with box automation technologies:

Material Savings: right-sized mailers use substantially less material, making the packaging more economical and generating lower waste and associated recycling cost;

Higher Throughput: with 700 to 3.200 packages per hour, mailer automation is considerably more productive;

Lower Investment: lower investment per throughput compared to box automation systems and lower dimensional shipping charges of a mailer versus a box;

Smaller Footprint: automated mailer systems can be as small as 10sqm offering lower space consumption compared to box automation systems.

Sitma’s expertise in on-demand sustainable packaging spans multiple segments including mailing and graphics (books, journals, envelopes, etc.), general packaging (single-use products), fulfillment, and e-commerce. Sitma’s solutions are versatile and uniquely capable of running a multitude of paper types and grades, including all the above mentioned.

Sitma places high priority on reliability and uptime with high packaging performance, ensuring smooth and efficient packaging processes. Moreover, the company’s innovative technologies ensure that the final product’s look-and-feel matches or exceeds that of traditional poly packaging, providing a visually appealing and tightly wrapped right-to-size package.

Sitma’s ongoing efforts in adopting paper packaging technologies demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and innovation. By offering versatile, efficient, and eco-friendly packaging solutions, Sitma continues to lead the industry, helping clients meet modern sustainability goals while maintaining high standards of quality and performance.