Walki offers two new recyclable steel packaging materials
Steel production emits up to 8 percent of global carbon emissions. Walki can help the industry decrease its carbon footprint by offering recyclable steel production during cargo.
Steel is transported across the globe. As it’s very valuable cargo, it needs to be protected from corrosion and damage. Walki can now offer two new recyclable packaging materials to protect steel coils and plates during transportation.
“Steelex Mono is a new steel packaging product that is designed to be recyclable and still deliver premium protection,” explains Steven Verheul, Automotive and Steel, Category Manager at Walki, adding: “We took the best properties from our existing portfolio and came up with a new mono composition for a more sustainable end result.”
Recyclable steel protecting
Steel is used across many industries, including construction, machining and marine applications, and the demand keeps growing. Since it is transported around the world in huge volumes, steel requires effective protection from outside influences to prevent corrosion and damage. Walki®Steelex customized metal wrap solutions are well known in the steel market for their outstanding protective performance.
Walki®Steelex Mono is a new version of Walki®Steelex made from Polypropylene (PP), which makes it recyclable and reusable. A hydrophilic nonwoven is used for water and energy absorption, while a PP-coated fabric delivers superior strength and barrier properties.
Unique absorption properties
Walki®Steelex Monolight is a version of Walki®Steelex Mono that is lighter, slightly less robust, and more affordable. Whereas Walki®Steelex Mono can be used for all kinds of transports, Walki®Steelex Monolight is intended for short distances of 500 km or less. Both products, designed specifically for steel coils and plates, can be customized for size and appearance in accordance with customer needs.
Steven Verheul explains that the nonwoven used in Walki®Steelex Mono has unique absorption properties that enable it to capture any condensation caused by temperature changes during transportation. Its thickness also gives it an energy-absorbing quality, making it ideally suited to protect the steel against physical damage.
“As Walki®Steelex Mono is recyclable, it can be reused in Walki’s own production process, in the appropriate the recycling chain. We will be able to collect the material after usage to ensure the optimal recycling process is applied,” he says, adding that Walki’s global presence gives it an additional sustainability edge since the product can be manufactured in multiple plants, close to the customer, thus reducing the need for carbon-intensive transports.
Up to now, most steel packaging solutions have been made from paper and multiple polymers. While they provide excellent protection, separating the plastics from the fibre content is not always possible due to differing recycling infrastructure.
“As companies become increasingly eco conscious, they’re looking to reduce the carbon footprint, not only of their own products, but also the packaging they use,” says Steven Verheul.