By agreeing on a universally standardized e-trade procedural language trading parties all over the world will benefit immensely in labour and time savings, while at the same time ensuring absolute correctness in trade communication exchanges.

The European and American paper industries announced today that they are well under way in development of a single, unified, international, XML-based e-business standard designed to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the paper supply chain, while reducing the cost of operations. This standard has been named PapiNet.

Today, SwanWhite is the most popular MF-type kraft paper used by European bag manufacturers. This has recently been verified in delivery statistics of the business branch organisation Eurokraft. "Our white kraft paper has succeeded in gaining a market share of 40 percent for machine finished (MF) paper qualities," says product manager Henrik Kass at the Wisapaper paper mill in Pietarsaari, Finland.

At Medica 2000 in Düsseldorf, exhibition visitors will be able to witness the launch of a new wireless level alarm that discreetly warns colostomy pouch wearers when it is time to empty or replace their stoma pouches. Swedish medical technology company Crafcare AB, developer of the "Living Free" alarm system, reports that persons who have undergone stomal surgery using the system enjoy greater confidence and increased freedom.

Bakery products are a new area for ovenable board. The low grammages of ovenable boards has been shown to be especially suitable for packing and heating semi-cooked bakery products. The Swedish company Pågen AB has launched a bun pack which utilises Stora Enso's Ensoven board.

A range of reusable plastic transport packaging now being launched can be tailor-made to suit the user. Its thin walls increase the available internal volume, and the packaging can be folded flat using hinges. According to the Swedish manufacturer Nefab RePak AB the design reduces in size by 80% when collapsed, resulting in decreased return costs. In combination with the increased internal volume and greater load capacity, this will provide better overall economy than other plastic-based packaging alternatives.A pallet collar also made of plastic is being launched at the same time, this being a hygienic material that neither generates dust nor other particles. These products are thus suitable for environments with high standards of cleanliness.

Two years ago, Finnish company Manner Castors launched the trolley castor Tango, which proved to be a market success. Now this castor family has been extended by a little brother, diameter 100 mm, and an antistatic castor alternative. As for its big brother, which has an 125 mm diameter, the new castor is specifically designed for trolleys used in rehabilitation centres, institutional kitchens and public premises, for example. Manufactured from glass fibre reinforced nylon, the castor is characterised by low rolling friction, good corrosion resistance, silent running, and an attractive design.

Using the dietary fibre Fibrex in bread and other baked goods has many benefits. This view from the company behind the fibre, Danisco Sugar AB, is now supported by the German food technology institute BILB (the Bremerhaven Institute of Food Technology and Bioprocessing) which confirms the positive influence of Fibrex in a new report after extensive testing in frozen doughs. According to the study, dough and bread tolerate freezing much better with the addition of Fibrex.

Can butter be packed in anything other than aluminium laminated paper or a plastic tub? The supermarket chain Carrefour has turned its board-based butter tub into a successful product. The design of the board-based container and the consumer-friendly packaging concept are the result of years of product development work.