Wuppertal, June 2022 – (fpr) The successful history of Erfurt, initially founded as a paper mill, started with the production of different types of hand-crafted paper – handmade papers and decor papers gradually expanded the company's range of products. The invention of woodchip wallcoverings some 150 years ago marked a turning point in the company's history. The technically sophisticated incorporation of tiny slivers of wood into lengths of paper and, more generally, the production of multi-ply wallcoverings and nonwoven wallcoverings, was perfected over decades of continuous development in the German city of Wuppertal. Today, the family-owned company is the market leader in the production and sale of paintable and healthy wallcoverings for the homes, including Vliesfaser nonwoven and flat nonwoven wallcoverings and embossed wallpaper. Erfurt is now also making its papermaking expertise available to external companies: smaller batch sizes of highly resilient and water-resistant specialty papers, whether for packaging or as decorative materials, are now also being developed and produced in Wuppertal. The most recent example of a type of paper developed in close consultation with the client is the successful collaboration with a cookware retail chain.
What was needed: paper bags for heavy cooking utensils
Saucepans and frying pans generally tend to be bulky and heavy – especially if you have just bought them and need to carry them home. The Solingen-based cookware store sells over 2,000 different kitchen and tableware-related products in each of its nine separate branches and in a large factory outlet. Products for everyday use as well as selected specialty products are displayed across spacious sales floors – and many of the products are packaged in complex large-format boxes. Kochshop therefore wanted to offer its customers a large yet attractive carrier bag made of environmentally-friendly paper. When it became clear that there were no sturdy recycled paper bags available on the market, Kochshop decided to produce them itself. A crucial part of this approach was the retailer's wish to set an example in terms of environmental responsibility. When looking around for a production partner, the company came across Erfurt Tapeten in neighbouring Wuppertal. The company representatives met up to agree the core requirements for the product that they would develop together: first and foremost, the paper was to be sustainable, and so ideally largely made of recycled raw materials. Kochshop also needed the paper to have excellent tensile strength and printability – qualities that Erfurt fulfils as standard in the production of paper for its own wallcoverings and wallpaper. After all, the paper would be produced on the same machines on which Erfurt produces its own high-quality wallcoverings. Stefan Schmitz, CEO of Kochshop, regards the collaboration as a complete success: "All the qualities that we discussed in advance are fully met by the carrier bag. Our customers can now safely carry home even heavy saucepans and frying pans."
Individual small-batch specialty papers
Erfurt is creatively committed to developing new areas of use for wallpaper, nonwoven wallcoverings and nonwoven wallcoverings for renovation. Customers whose requirements cannot be met by standard paper qualities or who require only small volumes receive personal advice and are supported by a highly motivated team. Erfurt wallpaper and nonwoven wallcoverings are based on tried-and-tested formulations that have proven themselves over the decades. These formulations can be modified and adapted relatively simply, enabling Erfurt to offer even smaller volumes of its select specialty papers at reasonable cost. Erfurt can supply simplex, duplex and triplex papers, as well as nonwoven materials, together with extremely water-resistant and highly sized papers with different degrees of smoothness. Pre-pigmentation, varying degrees of opacity and whiteness, a high percentage of recycled fibres (up to 100%) and the incorporation of extraneous substances, such as wood grains, extend the range of finishes available – all naturally produced with outstanding quality. In conclusion: Erfurt specialty papers are an excellent recommendation for small batches of individually tailor-made paper.
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