Barrier coating for paper and board: Practical and fundamental aspects
Organized by:
Sponsors:
Lecturers:
| Geert Dumortier (Ircon-Solaronics) | Adj. Prof. Janet Preston (Artemyn Minerals Ltd. and Åbo Akademi University) |
| Per Emilsson (UMV Coating Systems) | Peter Roggeman (EURIKAS) |
| Dr.Bernhard Kainz (Independent Consultant Barrier Coatings) | Dr. Esa Saukkonen (UPM) |
| Dr. Samuel Michel (Kuraray) | Dr. Alexey Vishtal (Capsul’in Pro S.A.) |
| Magnus Nilsson (UMV Coating Systems) | Dr. Yves Wyser (Nestlé Research) |
Fibre-based packaging has a potential to replace a significant share of difficult-to-recycle packaging materials. However, the scope applications for paper and paperboard are still largely limited to products that do not require protection from water, water vapour, oxygen etc. Enabling barrier functionality in fibre-based packaging is key to unlock wider opportunity window for these materials and improve circularity and environmental performance of packaging systems globally.
UMV Coating Systems together with Åbo Akademi University are organizing a three-day course in barrier coating technology. In addition to doctorate level university students, the course is designed for industry professionals who want to broaden their knowledge of barriers and barrier technology for paper and paperboard. The course is a repeat of four previous successful courses. The programme combines pilot scale trials to provide practical experience in combination with an introduction to the fundamental and key aspects of barrier coating on fiber-based substrates. The focus is in the area of water-based barrier coatings.
Course participants have a unique chance to witness “live” barrier coating processes with a typical barrier coating on two different base papers and one board grade with a narrated guidance on the process parameters and end results. Furthermore, specific troubleshooting guidance along with the “on-the-go” measurements and analytical methods to evaluate quality of produced material will be demonstrated.
For details of the UMV Pilot line, see here.
Time and venue: August 25-27 2026, Säffle, Sweden
This course builds on the success of the 2024 event, which brought together participants from 16 nationalities representing a broad spectrum of the paper packaging value chain, including paper and board producers, chemical suppliers, machine suppliers, converters, brand owners as well as consulting and academia.
Programme
Day 1 – 1st Lecture Day
08:30 – 8:45
Welcome & introduction – Per Emilsson, Dr. Bernhard Kainz
08:45-9:15
General market & legislation update – Dr. Alexey Vishtal
09:15 – 10:30
Dispersion barrier coatings on paper and board: Chemistries and general considerations – Dr. Alexey Vishtal
10:30 – 11:00
☕ Coffee break
11:00 – 12:00
Barrier fundamentals, food shelf life, material properties, and measurement techniques – Dr. Yves Wyser
12:00 – 12:45
🍴 Lunch
12:45 – 13:30
Barrier fundamentals, food shelf life, material properties, and measurement techniques – Dr. Yves Wyser
13:30 – 14:30
Influence of base substrates on barrier performance – Dr. Esa Saukkonen
14:30 -15:30 Formulation basics & tricks – Peter Roggeman
15:30- 16:00
☕ Coffee break
16:00-18:00
Coating methods and coating colour preparation, safety briefing for visit of pilot line – Magnus Nilsson
18:00 Dinner at the hotel
Day 2 – Pilot Plant Trials
Group 1:
08:00 – 12:00
Pilot coating trials at UMV – Per Emilsson
Group 2:
08:00 –12:00
Alternative activity – tbd
12:00-13:00
🍴 Lunch
Group 1:
13:00 – 17:00
Alternative activity – tbd
Group 2:
13:00 – 17:00
Pilot coating trials at UMV – Per Emilsson
18:00 Dinner at the Lighthouse, Duse Udde
Day 3 – 2nd Lecture Day
08:00 – 08:45
Review pilot trials – UMV
08:45 – 09:30
Other coating techniques (spray, dip, lamination, extrusion) – Dr. Bernhard Kainz / Dr. Alexey Vishtal
09:30 – 10:00
☕ Coffee break
10:00 – 11:30
Polyvinyl alcohol solutions for barrier coating of paper – Dr. Samuel Michel
11:30 –12:30
Drying of coatings with emphasis on barrier applications – Geert Dumortier
12:30 – 13:15
🍴 Lunch
13:15 – 14:30
Aqueous polymer dispersions: Preparation, stabilization, and film formation – Dr. Bernhard Kainz
14:30 – 15:30
Pigments in barrier coatings and coating defects – Adj. Prof. Janet Preston
15:30 – 16:00
Course feedback – All
16:00
End of Course – Per Emilsson, Dr. Bernhard Kainz
Registration and course fees:
You can register through this link: https://forms.office.com/e/XBC8TNnDSF
- Fulltime doctoral students at a university: 500€
- Industrial participants: 1050€
The fee includes the course material, the lunches, the dinners and the coffee breaks. This course is not-for-profit and the course fee is intended to cover the catering expenses and consumables for the coating trials.
ECTS study credits:
For doctoral students who want to receive study credits, please discuss first with your thesis supervisor. For more information contact: Martti.Toivakka@abo.fi
Organizing committee:
Per Emilsson, UMV Coating Systems AB
Dr. Bernhard Kainz, Independent Consultant Barrier Coatings
Adj. Prof. Janet Preston, Åbo Akademi University and Artemyn Minerals Ltd
Prof. Martti Toivakka, Åbo Akademi University
Dr. Alexey Vishtal, Capsul’in Pro S.A.
Dr. Yves Wyser, Nestlé Research
Course coordinator:
Maria Lindh (UMV), Email: maria.lindh@umv.com
Recommended hotels:
First Hotel Royal, booking through:
- Via email: Royal@firsthotels.se
- Via phone: +4653312660
For a discount and access to the allocated rooms please provide the code: “UMV ABO BARRIER COATING” at booking.
Villa Billerud Säffle (located approximately 2 km from the course venue):
- https://www.villabillerud.se/en
- Via email: info@villabillerud.se
- Via phone: +46 533 12 660
Rooms have been reserved for course participants at both locations. You are strongly advised to book your room directly with the hotel as soon as possible—ideally at the time of course registration—and mention the UMV course when making your reservation.
Travel to Säffle:
Säffle is easily accessible by train or rental car from nearby airports:
- Gothenburg, Sweden (215 km)
- Stockholm, Sweden (371 km)
- Oslo, Norway (210 km)
The course is limited to approximately 50 participants. Once capacity is reached, additional applicants will be placed on a waiting list and contacted if cancellations occur.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation and an invoice for the course fee. Your place in the course is only secured once full payment has been received, no later than July 28, 2026. Please note that credit card payments are not accepted. Registrations for which payment has not been received by this deadline will be cancelled.
You may cancel your registration free of charge (in writing) up to the registration deadline of July 28, 2026. Any payments already made will be refunded after the course.
Cancellations made after July 28, 2026 are non-refundable. However, your registration may be transferred to another person at no additional cost.
If the course is cancelled by the organiser, all course fees will be refunded. In such cases, the organiser accepts no further liability. Registrations will remain valid if the course is postponed.
The course programme may be subject to change. Course materials will be made available to registered participants after the course for personal use only.
During the course and associated social events, photographs may be taken. By participating, you agree that images of you may be shared with other participants and used for course-related public relations. If you prefer not to be photographed, please inform the photographer.