M-real’s Kemiart Graph finds innovative use in IKEA’s Billy Bookcase

Weight of both bookcase and transit packaging reduced significantly 

The Ikea Billy Bookcase achieved icon status last year when it celebrated 30 years in production, with its global success attributed to its simple and adaptable design. Annually, around five million flat-packed bookcase sets are sent from Sweden to Ikea stores all over the world.  It can now be revealed that for the last three years the back wall of the Billy Bookcase has been made of a foldable solid fibreboard with M-real’s Kemiart Graph, a coated white top kraftliner, as the surface material.

As a result, the back wall can be folded and packed into a smaller unit, one third of the size of previous packaging.  Each bookcase now weighs two kilos less than previously, and the annual freight amount is reduced as a result by 10,000 tons.  In addition, Kemiart Graph provides the necessary strength and consistency to ensure excellent runnability in all the print and varnishing processes.

Kemiart Graph was chosen by Walki Group, the leading producer of protective packaging materials and technical laminates, together with its customer Smurfit Kappa Lagamill, who originally suggested a switch from a hard board to a solid fibreboard to Ikea as a way of utilising its resources soundly.  Jointly the two companies developed a backboard that had a strong surface material but which could be folded in two places.

Tomas Nyström, sales manager for Walki, says: ‘It was a challenge.  Walki mainly produces packaging materials that protect packed contents during transportation and warehousing.  Now we had to develop a material that will endure for decades in people’s homes.”

The commission left space for innovation by the Walki team.  “Our customer wanted to replace a formaldehyde containing hard board material with a paper based, non-toxic solid board,” says Jan-Anders Fagerhed, Technical Services Manager of Walki Consumer Board.  “The basic reasons for choosing Kemiart Graph are its strength and runnability in our printing process, as well as in the solid board lamination process at Smurfit Kappa Lagamill.  The properties of Kemiart Graph are optimal for this product.”

Kemiart Graph is a coated white top kraftliner for flexo, offset and screen printing, available in 115-250 gsm. Specially developed for flexo preprint, high-quality flexo postprint and offset, Kemiart Graph enables printing of half-tone pictures and colours with excellent gloss and colour density.

Link to the photo: http://databank.metsaliitto.com/metsaliitto/mreal.jsp?x=6066973&i=168205155255170762182117323697127149130126161

For further information please contact M-real Consumer Packaging:
Ritva Mönkäre, Marketing Manager
Mobile  +358 (0)50 598 7012
E-mail: ritva.monkare(at)m-real.com

<< BACK