The Greaseproof Printing Company (GPC) was set up last month and is based at the same site as its parent in Hengoed, Mid Glamorgan. It will make use of the same litho and flexo printing equipment that serves its sister brand, the Gourmet Food Wrap Company (GFWC).
While GFWC offers short-run, bespoke print jobs on greaseproof paper for smaller entities such as independent pubs or cafes, GPC will serve primarily as an educational tool for national and international chains to understand the difference between naturally greaseproof paper, and chemically-treated grease-resistant papers, which Chevlar said are harmful to the environment.
It will also seek to work with the clients it educates on longer runs, ranging from 1,000 to a million greaseproof sheets.
Chevler sales and marketing director Mike Wescomb said: “We have been working on these kinds of products for a number of years. The papers we source from our favoured Scandinavian mill come with naturally greaseproof properties perfect for our clients.
“The inks we use are water-based and chemical-free, making them eco-friendly, too. If end-users are after a greener product, then we have plenty on offer.
“Our aim with the new brand is to be an educational tool because many companies do not understand the difference between paper that is naturally greaseproof, and paper treated with harmful chemicals to be grease-resistant. We were approached by several companies who did not understand those differences, so we are trying to make it simple for everyone.”
According to Wescomb, grease-resistant papers are often treated with a process known as fluoro-chemical treatment (FCT) and have a tendency to tear more easily and have less thermal resistance than paper that is inherently greaseproof.
GPC’s paper acquires its properties during pulping when its fibres are tightly entwined, making the spaces between them smaller than a grease molecule can fit through, according to Chevlar. Its products are recyclable, biodegradable and compostable.
GPC's portfolio of products now includes the Au Naturel range, which incorporates naturally greaseproof paper and natural inks for print runs of 20,000 sheets or more.
GFWC currently turns over £700,000 and shares its seven members of staff with its new sister brand. GPC is expected to develop its own independent turnover in the coming year.
