Weedon Corrugated Products is expanding its reach in the high-end printed Retail Ready Packaging (RRP) sector with the introduction of ‘Less-flute’, a new range of economical board grades.
According to the Staffordshire-based company, the move has been made possible by an investment in a new state-of-the-art corrugator for the company’s plant in Audenshaw, Manchester.
Less-flute is said to be a new type of board, launched in response to the RRP market’s growing demand for better print quality, cost efficiency and sustainability.
Less-flute uses ‘eco-friendly’ paper in a new flute profile, which delivers a similar performance to B flute, while being thinner.
“This makes Less-flute more economical in terms of both production and logistics,” Weedon says.
“Less cost, less space in stock, less to transport and fewer resources consumed, yet with a better surface for printing, which delivers better print quality than the more conventional B flute.”
Its characteristics make it ideal for display packaging and RRP, particularly for food products and the FMCG market, the company points out.
Once the new corrugator becomes operational in December 2013, Weedon will add Less-flute, E flute, EL double wall (E flute combined with Less-flute) and EB double wall corrugated to its range.
“The introduction of LE flute offers the POS display market a fully recycled display board grade, which is also more space-efficient than the current EB option,” the company says.
The new corrugator is expected to increase Weedon Corrugated Products’ capacity by 30%.
Managing director John Weedon says: “These new board grades are a major breakthrough for the retail side of the corrugated packaging market, addressing two of the biggest factors which concern our customers – quality and cost.
“This investment…is a major capital investment in the company and enables us to expand our range of products within the RRP and POS markets.”
