Cement sack study finds advantages for both paper and plastic

The European Paper Sack Research Group (ESG) commissioned a survey on the preferences of the cement industry in sack systems. The research was carried out by Innventia AB, a Swedish institute, which designed a questionnaire to determine the key influencing factors when choosing a sack system and also asked about the strengths of paper or ffs plastic systems, without bias.

The results from ten cement fillers across Europe and the informal comments of one retailer can be summarised as follows:

• Paper sacks benefit from lower total cost and higher filling speed than polyethylene form fill seal sacks.
• Switching from one to the other is expensive and will only take place after careful consideration.
• Fillers find damage, product wastage and spillage to be similar for both sack systems. Furthermore, the greater strength and moisture protection offered by polyethylene is not typically required in the supply chain for cement.
• Environmental factors have minimal influence on the choice of sack system. However, fillers recognise the advantage of paper sacks being manufactured from renewable materials.
• Polyethylene sacks offer an advantage in terms of dust and cleanliness.

ESG is a collaboration between CEOI Eurokraft, whose members produce Kraft and Sack Kraft Paper, and EUROSAC, whose members produce Paper Sacks.

Adapted from press release by Katherine Guenioui

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/27032015/cement-sack-study-finds-advantages-for-both-paper-and-plastic-592/