Novel folding technology for light-weight design structures and protective packaging

The overall vision for the Fold consortium is to create a completely new portfolio of industrially foldable products that increase export volume and open new business opportunities for Finnish companies. The Novel folding technology will be a radical innovation in the paper and packaging industry, as well as in other industry areas, enabling industrial scale production of never-before novel structures for a wide variety of applications. Through large scale implementation, the Fold technology supports and contributes to realizing the EU Green Transition Goals.

The key objective for the Fold project is the design of a production line concept that will lay the foundation for investments in industrial production lines. Secondly, design of product concepts, development of tools and knowhow for tessellation designs will be carried out through a highly multi-disciplinary approach.

In Fold project, solution concepts will be developed for packaging, abrasive materials, interior decoration and design, light-weight panels, and packaging machines. This creates immense potential for new business opportunities and increment of export potential for consortium companies and relevant Finnish industry being the first at global market. VTT aims to be a leading expert internationally as a developer and pilot of folding technology.

VTT is the coordinator of the Fold project. VTT leads the design of the Fold technology concept and also performs related special design. VTT focuses to research materials and model pieces, which includes simulating modeling and experimental research. VTT has the main responsibility fo experimental performance tests. VTT leads the design of application concepts and ensures the compability of the production technology to be developed and the application concepts. VTT works closely with a consortium of of companies (Anpap, Elomatic, Lumene, Metsä Board, Mirka, Orfer, Soften and Stora Enso) and research partner Aalto University.