Press ReleasesNippon Paper Industries Develops "NSATOM^®", a New Aseptic Filling System for Paper PackagingA new package system equipped with world-first features with support for new beverages with particles, long fibers and high viscosity

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.
Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd.

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (President: Fumio Manoshiro; headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter "Nippon Paper Industries") and Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd. (President: Shigeru Ueda; headquartered in Itano-gun, Tokushima; hereinafter "Shikoku Kakoki") have developed "NSATOM", an aseptic filling system for paper packaging based on new concepts that supports filling involving particles, long fibers and high viscosity, and allows for ambient distribution. The two companies will launch "NSATOM" onto the market in 2019.


■A new paper package filling system enabling the filling of beverages in high market demand with a unique shape and closure

Previously, Nippon Paper Industries and Shikoku Kakoki jointly developed "NS-FUJI^*1", an aseptic filling system for brick-shape paper packages that designed for long shelf-life in ambient distribution, and this system has been used for more than three decades to deliver products safely and securely to Japanese customers.

In the beverage market, consumers have become increasingly health-conscious. They favor beverages whose contents have a genuine texture and demand products that include particles, long fibers and high viscosity. Consumer lifestyles and consumption situation have also become increasingly diverse. In line with feedback indicating that consumers want to drink when and where they want, there is a growing demand for packages that are easy to carry around (portability).
Meanwhile, with labor shortages at beverage manufacturer production sites in recent years, demands for labor-saving and easier operation have been increased day by day.
Unfortunately, existing aseptic filling systems for existing paper packages do not accommodate these demands adequately.

The newly developed "NSATOM" satisfies these needs as the world's first aseptic filling system for paper packaging in ambient distribution that supports 'particle, long-fiber and high-viscosity filling', 'high hygienic quality with 6 log reduction^*2' and 'reduced on-site workload thanks to automated cleaning of filling sections'. Amid the worldwide trend to shift away from plastic, these paper packages can be widely proposed as alternatives to plastic-based packages.

Paper Packages of NSATOM

Filling machines of NSATOM

■Features of "the NSATOM System"

"NSATOM" is the world's first aseptic filling system for paper packaging in ambient distribution that supports 'particle, long-fiber and high-viscosity filling', 'high hygienic quality with 6 log reduction' and 'automated cleaning of filling sections'.

[Features of the Paper Packages]
1) Highly eye catching in stores with the unique shape
2) Resealable with application of a closure, offering similar portability to a PET bottle
3) Easy opening with an one-step opening closure that incorporates tamper-evident features
4) The unique shape and closure positioning make it easier to pour out the contents
5) Three volume variations (200ml, 250ml and 300ml)
6) Significant reduction of plastic amount used

[Features of the Filling Machines]
1) By incorporating double clean zones and a sterilizer with a 6 log reduction, high levels of hygiene are ensured
2) An automated cleaning feature for filling sections adapted to reduce filling operator workload
3) IoT technology is utilized to support maintenance services

■The origin of the name "NSATOM"

N　　　 S　　　 A　　　　 T O　　　　　 M

Nippon- Shikoku Aseptic Total Optimized Method

The name was created by taking the initials of the method rendered in English to incorporate the concept of an aseptic filling system optimized for paper packages that was developed by Nippon Paper Industries and Shikoku Kakoki.

Nippon Paper Industries embraces the slogan of "shaping the future with trees" and is committed to the field of paper packaging as part of its efforts to contribute to better living and cultural progress. True to the words "Let paper do what it can do," Nippon Paper Industries is pursuing the possibilities of paper packages produced from trees, a renewable resource, and will continue to make various proposals in the future.
Shikoku Kakoki maintains a domestic market share of about 70% in paper package forming and filling equipment supporting products such as milk cartons, and also provides state of the art machinery and technologies to more than 50 countries around the world, particularly throughout Europe and the United States. Nippon Paper Industries is the exclusive domestic distributor for Shikoku Kakoki.
Based on their track records as major domestic producers of paper packages for liquids, the two companies will continue to expand sales of systems that integrate the trinity of cartons, filling machines and maintenance service through extensive expertise and advanced technological capabilities, and are committed to providing services optimized to each customer and proposing new products.


Please note that the contents of this press release are based on current specifications and are subject to change without notice.

*1 "NS-FUJI" brick-shape paper packages. In addition to standard volumes from 100 ml to 1,000 ml, a wide range of volumes down to the industry's smallest 65 ml volume are available, while an extensive range of shapes from standard to Slim, NewSlim, SuperSlim, UltraSlim and Grip can satisfy all customer needs.

*2 log reduction is a figure indicating the sterilizing ability of packaging materials needed for aseptic filling. 6 log reduction, for example, means that for an initial bacterial count of 10⁶, bacteria are reduced to less than 1. The global standard for commercial aseptic filling is at least 5 log reduction, but Japanese customers demand the more stringent 6 log reduction, and "NSATOM" targeted to meets this level.