A packaging solution based on Stora Enso's Performa CTMP board developed for a Swedish cake manufacturer has won the internationally recognised Worldstar packaging award. The simple, yet practical design has met hygiene requirements and minimised packaging material costs.

From now on, non-smokers will be able to have unrestricted communication with their smoking colleagues without being exposed to passive smoking or odour problems. So says the manufacturer of a special smoking station, Smoke Free Systems AB, which already has its first 1 000 units in use in Swedish work places. Up to six people are able to smoke at the same time without their fumes spreading or polluting the indoor environment. All it takes is an electrical socket, two square metres of floor space and normal general ventilation to eliminate tobacco smoke and its odours in the work environment.

Airtable is the name of an air cleaner in the form of a table, that will improve the hotel room environment for both guests and staff. It does this by removing approximately 90% of tobacco smoke and particles from the room through a specially-designed filter. Apart from leading to increased room occupancy, the manufacturer claims that satisfied guests will spread goodwill, whilst room cleaning time is reduced.

Catering packs for airlines are the latest end-use applications of Stora Enso's ovenable boards. The annual value of the airline catering business is some EUR 3800 million of which packaging accounts for a considerable percentage.  Airlines are now interested in the recyclability and printing properties of the packs, which is creating demand for new packaging solutions. The most recent examples of innovative packaging are pizza packs made of Stora Enso's ovenable board, which are used on KLM's and Northwest Airlines' intercontinental flights.

Only 80 cm in diameter and able to capture signals from up to 8 satellites simultaneously due to its unconventional design and function. We're talking about the Cybertenna multi-satellite dish, a new star on the satellite horizon.Preliminary field tests are said to have shown very good results, and series production will begin shortly. TeleWide, the company behind Cybertenna, will be represented at the Cable & Satellite Mediacast trade fair to be held in London at the end of May.

Newly launched is an aluminium dual grade laser, the Ama Laser DL, which is said to be the only levelling instrument on the market with separate displays for x and y grades, which will reduce the risk of errors and ease measurement.The integrated handle and low weight make this measuring instrument - which is also claimed to be both shock proof and watertight - easy to carry around. Built-in rechargeable batteries will reduce operational problems.

Stora Enso, UPM-Kymmene and Tampere University of Technology (TUT) have commenced research and development co-operation on barrier-coated paper and board products. The largest European groups in the forest industry and TUT expect to make rapid development in four main fields of research: High barrier coating, packaging materials for frozen food, biodegradable plastic coating and intelligent packs. The aim is to develop barrier coated and laminated paper and board based products, and to promote the recycling of materials.

Acotec Ltd, the Finnish construction equipment manufacturer, believes it knows how to help its customers build new markets in the construction business. One of its customers, Rakennusbetoni ja Elementti Oy, has built up a 50 per cent share of the Finnish wet wall market over a period of only ten years. 

Just launched is a new patented servo motor, the Coupmotor, with an integral coupling that connects directly to the motor drive shaft.This motor solution is six times smaller than conventional designs. It will provide increased flexibility for designers and reduce costs for machinery manufacturers.The usual servo motor requires a separate coupling and a coupling housing, but this new model saves space by eliminating the coupling housing.