Moorim P&P strengthens molded pulp competitiveness by signing MOU with ‘Nanu,’ a startup with eco-friendl…
Moorim P&P, a comprehensive pulp, paper, and new materials company, announced on the 25th that it has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ‘Nanu,’ a startup with eco-friendly coating technology, in a drive to expand the post-plastic market. Moorim P&P’s molded pulp ‘moohae’ is made from Korea’s only natural virgin pulp. It is hygienic and has excellent water and heat resistance and is used in various fields such as hotel amenity packages and fried chicken boxes. It is more durable, biodegradable, and recyclable than ordinary paper products, and it is playing a role in various fields such as food containers, packaging materials, and cushioning materials. Through this MOU, Moorim P&P and Nanu will be the first in Korea to apply eco-friendly water-based biodegradable coatings to molded pulps, further strengthening the durability of existing molded pulp, and fully realizing its function as a plastic substitute. In the case of molded pulp, unlike simple flat paper coatings, there are limitations in applying coatings to the surface due to its three-dimensional and diverse designs, and there were concerns that applying general plastic-based coatings would harm the eco-friendliness of the product. However, through the rendezvous of Nanu, which has its own patent for eco-friendly coating application technology for molded pulp, and Moorim P&P, which has the latest mass production facilities, an innovative molded pulp that overcomes these technical limitations is expected to come into the world. In addition, the durability of the molded pulp products is expected to be further upgraded. By incorporating the eco-friendly coating technology, water resistance, heat resistance, and strength will be enhanced, making it possible to expand its application to containers for hot food, such as cup noodles, as well as ready-to-cook food containers for microwave ovens, making it an ‘all-around’ eco-friendly product. The industry expects the collaboration to establish Moorim P&P’s molded pulp as a true plastic substitute and a catalyst for the expansion of the Korean molded pulp market. Moorim P&P’s molded pulp, which is loved by many companies for its eco-friendliness and customizable design, is expected to provide infinite use value in all industries, as well as the durability of the plastic through the use of the eco-friendly coating technology. “This MOU by two leading companies in the field of molded pulp and coating technology will become an opportunity to raise the level of Korean molded pulp to the next level,” said Lim Yongsu, the head of the Molded Pulp Division. “We will focus on expanding the molded pulp market this year by developing various products that can be used in various fields, starting from the molded pulp with eco-friendly coating technology.” “We are pleased to partner with Moorim P&P, which has the largest molded pulp production scale in Korea,” said Lee Yunno, the CEO of Nanu, “and we will do our best to become a successful example of shared growth towards ESG values through cooperation in technology and know-how.” Meanwhile, Nanu is a startup founded in 2021 that develops upcycled eco-friendly containers and packaging materials by utilizing discarded resources and is the only company in Korea to hold a technology patent for ‘molded pulp coating device and coating method utilizing the same’ and received the Prime Minister’s Award, the grand prize of the ‘2022 Youth Public Technology Startup Contest.’
Date 2024.01.25