Latex Enhances the Properties of Paper
Eka Synthomer Oy, based in Oulu, is one of Scandinavia’s largest manufacturers of styrene-butadiene latex.
When styrene and butadiene are combined in a polymerizing
Environmental standards are also constantly becoming
process, the resulting product is latex. Two quite flammable
more stringent. What’s more, paperboard used in food
raw materials—both reprocessed oil products—are used to
packaging must meet increasingly demanding odor and taste
produce an everyday product that is unknowingly encoun-
requirements.
tered, e.g., when reading the paper or buying food packed in
“I would also like to mention the significance of cost-
paperboard. Namely, latex is used as a binding material in the
efficiency. We ourselves need to be cost-efficient, but we need
manufacture of paper and paperboard.
to help our customers operate cost-efficiently, as well. Another
Eka Synthomer Oy, based in Oulu, is one of Scandinavia’s largest manufacturers of styrene-butadiene latex. The plant has 40 years of experience in latex production. It has a selection of
one of our merits is our customer-orientedness—we are fast, fit, and flexible,” Kurikka describes. A large part of customer-orientedness is the ability to help
around ten different types of latex. The company’s customers
customers find the best solutions for their changing needs.
include paper and paperboard plants in Finland, Sweden, and
Eka Synthomer has excellent capabilities to do this, thanks to
Russia.
its ownership background—the company is partly owned by
Latex is a critical component of coated paper and paper-
Synthomer Deutschland GmbH in Germany and Akzo Nobel
board production. Eka Synthomer’s managing director Antero
in Holland. According to Antero Kurikka, the Oulu-based
Kurikka says that latex binds the pigment—usually kaolin
company’s R&D relies primarily on the strength of Synthomer,
or calcium carbonate—used as a coating to the paper. Other
one of Europe’s largest latex manufacturers.
coating binding materials are also used, but latex is the most common. “Paper is coated because it improves the paper’s printability and gloss, surface strength, and opacity,” he explains.
“We get a lot of R&D resources, expertise, and skills through Synthomer. Our large, well-known owners also help us in marketing. It’s easier to function in the market as a member of a large family,” he states.
Customers’ expectations for latex are continuously increasing. It has to be of top quality and it has to contribute to the printability and other properties of paper and paperboard.
Eka Synthomer Oy Address: Phone: email: Web pages:
Nuottasaarentie 17, FI-90400 Oulu +358 (0)10 3879 500 info@ekasynthomer.fi www.ekasynthomer.fi FIND 2014–2016
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