Moelven Wood and Paper Province are working together to find a sustainable packaging solution to replace the fossil-based plastics that currently surround Moelven's interior panels. To do so, they invite to an international innovation competition.
To contribute to the annual reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by five percent, Moelven seeks a sustainable solution through an international BioBoosters innovation challenge. They now invite startups, companies, innovators, and researchers to propose a smart packaging solution for their wood-based interior panels.
Moelven is a Scandinavian industrial group that produces building products and systems for the construction industry. Among their products are wood panels for indoor use, which can be found in several of the country's major DIY retail chains.
Each year one million packages of the panels are sold. These are up to 5.4 meters long and 24.5 centimeters wide. The packaging material is made of fossil-based plastic.
"If we can replace the packaging with a sustainable material, it can help us reach our climate goals. We have not been able to come up with a good idea for how to replace the plastic without compromising the properties needed to store the panels," says Tjalling Chaudron, Product Developer at Moelven Wood.
To find a more sustainable packaging solution, Moelven Wood turns to companies, start-ups, innovators, and researchers for help.
"We want to find a renewable and degradable solution that can meet the requirements for protection, moisture control, and visual presentation, that also is cost-effective and scalable. It doesn't have to be a solution ready for use, it can be an idea, a material, or a product that we develop together,” says Tjalling Chaudron.
To achieve this, Moelven Wood in collaboration with the forestry bio-economy cluster Paper Province, will use the BioBoosters innovation process. It is an international concept developed by Jamk University of Applied Sciences in Finland to promote innovation, create business, and accelerate sustainable development.
On September 25, the application will open to the innovation challenge – MoelvenHackathon, with a webinar that further describes the challenge and innovation process.
“Anyone with an idea for a possible solution should apply. It is possible to participate on your own or as a team. The solution presented in the application does not have to be complete. The idea is that it will be developed with support from Moelven Wood and mentors with different skills and experience," says Per Myhrén, Project Manager at Paper Province.