Iggesund Paperboard has introduced its new folding boxboard, Incada, following rebuilding and development at its Workington paperboard mill as part of a 51m investment.

International merchants manager Vim Gommeren said the reason for the investment was that Iggesund did not have the "same whiteness and consistency" as its competitors boxboard.

The firm also found there was a growing market for quality packaging and graphic applications.

Gommeren said that Workington would still continue to focus on the UK and Western European markets, with Incada aimed at packaging and graphics users.

"In the graphics area Incada will mainly be used for CD covers and book covers, but on the packaging side the focus will be on runnability with a more consistent finish," said Gommeren.

Iggesund Paperboard, part of the Holmen Group, has two paperboard mills Iggesunds Bruk in Sweden and Workington in Cumbria.

Workington has two paperboard machines that produce folding boxboard, primarily for the European market.

The rebuild focused on board-machine two (BM2) shut down at the end of September last year for the rebuild and the production of mechanical pulp to supply both board machines.

The mill capacity has also been increased, from 190,000 tonnes to 235,000 tonnes a year.

The investment included a rebuild of BM2s drying section, new drives and the installation of a new control and instrument system.

Incada will be distributed in the UK through Robert Horne, MoDo Merchants and James McNaughton.

Story by Andy Scott