A former warehouse at Rani’s Bjölas plant has been transformed into a state-of-the-art factory hall. Its new purpose is tangible, in the hum of a brand-new cast line and the scent of hot film.

– This is the most advanced technology on the market, and only a handful of similar machines exist worldwide, says Production Manager Niklas Storbacka.

He is onsite to oversee the start-up alongside Magnus Lundén, Sales Manager for the Finnish market. The hall’s employees monitor the line as transparent RaniStretch film slowly glides over the rollers. As its speed is increased, the new line reaches an unrivalled production rate. Film as thin as eight microns is rolled onto cores, packed, and prepared for delivery. The packaging robots are also new, as is the line’s additional equipment. This includes testing apparatus, and an advanced system for incorporating an even greater proportion of recycled raw materials than before.

This is the most advanced technology on the market, and only a handful of similar machines exist worldwide.

Niklas Storbacka, Production Manager

Complete range

– Thanks to this investment, says Magnus, we can now offer a full range of stretch films and better meet customer demands — particularly for various types of industrial stretch films and products with a high proportion of recycled material. We can also produce exceptionally thin ‘hand stretch’ films with reinforced edges, known as Folded Edge film.

Hand stretch film is a new product for Rani. Magnus mentions its usefulness to clients in the food and beverage industry, and to smaller manufacturing companies, who can purchase the film from retailers.

– The key advantage of hand stretch film is its ease of use. You can handle a roll effortlessly on your own.
During the start-up of the new cast line, Rani is concentrating on standard products and thicker films. However, the objective is to produce increasingly thinner, high-quality stretch films.

High-quality recycled material

The start-up phase has exceeded expectations, and Niklas is pleased with the line’s supplier, Windmöller & Hölscher. He is now working with the factory’s experienced operators, to test new film specifications and produce increasingly specialised products. Rani’s customers are eager to see what the new line will bring.

An advantage of the new line is its ability to produce high-quality films made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. Niklas explains that the advanced technology is conducive to the manufacture of products with recycled material of a consistent quality, and products already complying with the EU packaging directive, PPWR.

– At Rani we are accustomed to being at the forefront of sustainability initiatives. Here, once again, we are early adopters. The new machine is part of the company’s sustainability strategy, and its commitment to producing high-quality PCR stretch film, says Niklas.

Rani Plast has acquired the Lithuanian packaging film manufacturer UAB Umaras. The two successful family-owned companies have joined forces to offer their customers a wider product range and better meet their needs. The acquisition also strengthens the companies’ market positions in a geographical sense.

Umaras, located in Utena, Lithuania, produces industrial packaging film, has 215 employees, and an annual turnover of around €40 million. Approximately half of its annual production is sold within the Baltic states, and the remainder in other export markets. Following the completion of the deal, Rani Plast’s sales director, Dennis Granqvist, will succeed Umaras’ former owner Milda Samsonaitė as CEO.

Stefan Kaptens, CEO at Rani Plast, describes the deal as an excellent way to expand the business and create new global partnerships in line with the company’s long-term strategy.

—I look forward to developing the business at Umaras and to investing in the facility. Integration with our main factory in Terjärv will start immediately.

I look forward to developing the business at Umaras and to investing in the facility. Integration with our main factory in Terjärv will start immediately.

Stefan Kaptens, CEO at Rani Plast

Milda Samsonaitė, former CEO and shareholder of Umaras, believes Rani Plast is an excellent fit for Umaras’ employees, clients, and the local community.

—Over the last 30 years, Umaras has become one of the leading Baltic manufacturers of flexible packaging. I am pleased to hand over a successful business to a company such as Rani Plast, which has a long tradition of quality packaging and strong values. I trust that the transition will benefit Umaras’ employees, clients, and the local community of Utena.

Packaging natural products such as wood shavings, pellets, and peat presents challenges. The products contain moisture, and the packaging will often be stored outdoors for extended periods. This makes plastic packaging film the best option by far.

– It is also important to us that the film is of the highest quality, and this is one of the main reasons why we work with Rani, said Björn Axelsson, CEO of Skutskärs Trä.

He is visiting the factory with his colleague Patrik Sjöberg to survey the production area. And he is pleased with what he sees.

– There is order and organisation, and this is evident in the end products.

Leading bedding manufacturer

Skutskärs Trä is the leading Nordic supplier of bedding products, which are sold under the YesBox brand. The company sorts, treats, and packages various grades of wood shavings to meet its customers’ needs. Its primary market is Sweden and its neighbours, but it also serves customers throughout Europe. Half of the production goes to retailers, and half is sold directly to customers, such as farmers, stable owners, and even those looking for a soft surface for their rabbit hutches.

When Björn Axelsson came on board in the early 2000s, the company had already established a partnership with Rani. There is good collaboration, and he saw no reason to change it. On the few occasions that the company has looked into working with another supplier, it always chose to stay with Rani instead.

– We have seen consistent growth over the years and now produce around two million bales annually. We could soon be up to 2.5 million providing the construction industry picks up again, says Björn Axelsson.

Focus on sustainability

Skutskärs Trä packages its products with FFS Dry film, customised as to dimensions and branding. The YesBox orange and black logo on the film makes it stand out in the factory hall.

– The FFS film is one of our best sellers in Sweden, says Marko Ahonen, sales manager at Rani Plast and responsible for the Swedish market.

We emphasise reliability and innovation and aim to produce films with increasing proportions of recycled materials.

Mathias Karlsson, Account Manager

His colleague Mathias Karlsson is the account manager for Skutskärs Trä and is in regular contact with them.

–We are continually exploring ways to improve our products to better meet customer expectations, and collaborate closely with our product developers. There is an emphasis on reliability and innovation, and we often talk about sustainability. We aim to produce films with increasing proportions of recycled material.

– We are investing in a stretch film line which is scheduled to undergo test runs early in 2025. When the line is ready to go into operation, Skutskärs Trä will be among the first customers to hear about it.

High levels of automation demand high quality

Björn Axelsson returns to the subject of quality:

– Sustainability is an important matter for us, providing it doesn’t compromise a product’s quality. We must be able to rely on the film’s capability to protect our products and trust that it won’t cause any production stoppages. We have a high level of automation on our packaging lines, which means that we need the film to perform consistently.

Moreover, compromises on quality lead to immediate feedback from our customers. Simply put, the bags must withstand handling.

He sees a large poster illustrating Rani’s Packaging for Life strategy on the wall inside the production hall.

– That’s like our way of thinking. We also focus on reliability and quality.

Skutskärs Trä

What: a Swedish company that manufactures and sells bedding and pellet products under the YesBox brand.

Where: the main factory is located in Skutskär. The company has three other smaller plants.

About: has 28 employees and a turnover of around €14 million.

Products: uses Rani FFS Dry film as packaging material.

Art-Pak is the only Finnish supplier of timber hoods produced locally. Our factory is at the forefront of sustainability, which greatly adds to our customers’ appreciation of us. Our timber hoods and films are made from recycled raw materials as much as possible, and contain a high proportion of recycled materials. Account Manager Tom Vikman explains:

—Instead of burning used hoods and film, which was once the norm, we now collect used products as much as possible. In countries with recycling systems, used products are collected, sorted, and turned into new raw materials. Hoods are made from a single raw material – polythene, making them easy to recycle.

Close co-operation with customers

The plastic film is manufactured and supplied by Rani, the parent company, in Terjärv. Art-Pak processes it into finished products of various sizes.

– For us, the quality of the film is crucial. The biggest challenge with recycled film lies in achieving consistent quality, says Factory Manager Christer Karlsson.

Around 80% of the hood material is recycled – reducing the carbon footprint by 30%.

Art-Pak uses around 5.5 million kilograms of recycled plastic annually. The hoods’ colourants, UV protection, and friction surfaces are made from virgin material; the rest is made from recycled content. Our commitment to sustainable products is long-term, and we have chosen to be transparent about our manufacturing, providing detailed recycling figures.

Product development is advancing constantly. In the past, half of the hood material was recycled. Today the figure is around 80 per cent – a carbon footprint reduction of 30 per cent.

Demand for timber films made from recycled material is increasing as the requirements for the use of recycled materials become stricter.

Tom Vikman, Account Manager at Art-Pak

Another aspect that is constantly evolving is material thickness. Our work with Versowood, one of our customers, is a case in point. Thanks to joint efforts, their film is now 10 percent thinner, using less plastic, offering easier handling, and reducing the carbon footprint—with no reduction in durability.

Expansion phase

Art-Pak employs around 20 people. About half of its production is sold in Finland, while the rest is exported primarily to Sweden and the Baltic States. The main customers are sawmills, and companies that process sawn timber.

The factory has four hood lines and three timber wrapping lines. At the end of 2024 two winders will be replaced with a new, more efficient line. Tom Vikman says there is a need for more capacity.

—The requirement to use recycled materials in timber films is continuously tightening, which will increase the demand for products made from recycled materials.

Read more at Art-Paks website.