IN Brief:
- The new laminated folding box board is available in 430–710 gsm grammages.
- Production is based on Incada board from Holmen’s Workington mill, with lamination in the UK.
- Applications include premium beverage and confectionery packaging, subject to final pack verification.
Holmen Board and Paper has expanded its Incada packaging board family with Incada Duo, a UK-produced laminated folding box board intended for premium packaging that requires greater thickness and stiffness. The new material is offered in grammages from 430 to 710 grams per square metre, with applications including higher-end drinks packs and confectionery. Incada base board is manufactured at Holmen’s Workington mill in Cumbria from fresh fibres, while the lamination stage also takes place in the United Kingdom.
Incada has been produced as a packaging-board family since October 2001. Holmen describes Incada as a lightweight, stiff board designed for reliable converting and print reproduction, qualities that become increasingly important when cartons carry premium graphics or require enough structural strength to protect their contents. The laminated construction of Incada Duo is intended to extend those properties into higher-caliper applications without requiring a completely different packaging material family.
Grammage describes the mass of a paper or board per unit area, whereas caliper refers to its thickness. The two properties are related but not interchangeable: stiffness depends on fibre structure, density, layer arrangement and final thickness. Joining layers into a thicker board can change bending resistance and the way the material performs under the loads imposed by rigid presentation packs. Designers must match the chosen board to the carton geometry, crease design, opening mechanism and handling loads rather than assuming that the heaviest grade is automatically the best choice.
Holmen says the outer layers are made from white chemical sulphate pulp and are fully coated to support print reproduction. The coated outer layers are intended to reproduce detailed graphics and support print and finishing processes. On a converting line, the board must also feed consistently, accept inks or coatings as intended and fold without unacceptable cracking. Premium pack appearance depends on both material properties and the conditions of printing, cutting, creasing, gluing and packing operations.
Holmen states that the raw materials used to manufacture Incada are approved for food contact, and highlights resistance to taint and odour transfer. The claim is not equivalent to a certificate covering every finished printed carton: adhesives, printing inks, coatings and any inserts can require further assessment. Direct or indirect contact with food also depends on the particular product, exposure conditions and applicable legislation. A confectionery manufacturer considering Incada Duo would therefore still need a complete packaging specification and food-contact compliance documentation for the converted carton.
Beverage applications offer a different set of packaging requirements. Premium spirits or gift packs may prioritise stiffness, surface finish and the protection of a primary bottle, while consumer confectionery cartons can require a food-contact assessment and high-speed forming performance. Material savings cannot be judged on sheet mass alone: a more rigid carton can sometimes allow a different structural design, but changes in overall consumption must be demonstrated using the finished pack rather than a supplier description of fibre efficiency.
Holmen points to the Workington mill’s use of fossil-free bioenergy since 2013 and to UK-based lamination as part of the product’s supply-chain proposition. Domestic production can reduce some transport distances for UK converters, although the total environmental footprint depends on the fibre supply, manufacturing process, laminate components, energy use, shipping routes and end-of-life pathway. Holmen has not supplied a product-specific life-cycle comparison for Incada Duo or recycling-performance results for a completed printed and glued carton, so lower impacts should not be asserted as measured outcomes.
Edvin Thurfjell, Product Manager at Holmen Board and Paper, described Incada Duo as suited to packaging where appearance and material efficiency are important. Mark Browne, Account Manager for the UK and Ireland, identified premium beverages, confectionery, cosmetics and gift packaging as target markets. Holmen has not named a beverage or confectionery customer currently using Incada Duo in commercial production.
Converters considering a laminated board need to examine how the construction behaves at score lines and glued joints, particularly where carton sides are tall or carry heavy primary packs. Board spring-back, cracking on folds and adhesive compatibility can limit a seemingly attractive design. Validation under the relevant humidity and transport conditions remains necessary even when print trials show the desired finish, because presentation and mechanical protection are separate requirements.
The 430–710 gsm range is now available for packaging specifications and conversion trials. Purchasers will still need to test printing, scoring, folding, glue performance and transport durability against their own carton designs, while checking the complete pack for food-contact obligations where relevant. Holmen has not disclosed initial customer order volumes or a capital expenditure figure linked specifically to the laminated product.
