Arjowiggins has a long history, but we have never let time stand still. Far from remaining a traditional paper manufacturer, we are a company with a relentless focus on what can be achieved with cutting-edge technology. Through a strategy of constant innovation, Arjowiggins is at the heart of technological evolutions and is able to develop new added-value and environmentally-friendly products and solutions that meet our clients’ individual needs.

Arjowiggins’ R&D programme is led by our central team in Voiron, in the south of France, which conducts research at its own facilities and in collaboration with R&D teams at Arjowiggins mills. It is the teamwork and cooperation between R&D, mills and marketing that has unlocked the creation of unique, patented products and ranges, such as Curious Matter or Soft Touch, as well as technical products such as PowerCoat for printed electronics or Sylvicta which offers a sustainable alternative to plastics for food packaging.

Our engineers and scientists continuously explore new processes, technologies and ideas, and the products of their research and development keep the creative and technical possibilities of paper alive and flourishing.

As a business, Arjowiggins is genetically programmed to explore, innovate and improve. Our drive to develop original, high added-value creative and technical paper products goes back a long way.

1800s: Created the fine papers business

1938: Launched the Gateway translucent paper brand that would become a world-leader

1990s: First to launch recycled fine papers in Conqueror, and to bring metallic papers onto the market

Late 1990s: Launch of our Digital range, for digital printers

2000: Launched Curious Collection, a suite of our most innovative products

2002: The launch of Soft Touch

2008: Conqueror 100% Recycled was launched, with high whiteness and cleanliness

2010: The launch of Conqueror Bamboo

2012: Our smart paper brand, Powercoat, was launched

2013: Curious Matter entered the market

2018: The launch of Curious Alchemy

2020: The launch of Sylvicta, a food-contact barrier paper to replace plastics in packaging

Collaboration is vital to our innovation process. Our R&D centre at Voiron has established strategic partnerships with French institutions and centres of excellence, such as the International School of Paper (INP–Pagora), the Center for Atomic and Alternative Energy (CEA Liten), and the postgraduate school of electronics at INP–Phelma. The aim is to constantly improve our processes and manufacturing performance, remain alert to new technological trends, and adapt our products to emerging needs.

Arjowiggins is also member of prestigious collaborative research programmes such as:

EIT RawMaterials (European Institute of Technology & Innovation) eitrawmaterials.eu

AFELIM (French Association for Printed Electronics)
afelim.fr

Our current collaborative projects include:          

• SUPERSMART (EIT): With a range of research institutes across Europe, Arjowiggins is developing materials to better enable the direct printing on paper of sensors, displays and electronics, and improve the recyclability of smart products.
supersmart-project.eu

• INNPAPER (H2020): INNPAPER is developing an electronic platform for the food, medical and security sectors that uses paper as a base material for integrating basic electronic items such as batteries, near-field communication (NFC) systems and displays.
innpaper.eu

• MADRAS (H2020): This project is developing new, high-speed manufacturing methods for organic printed electronics of the kind used in rollable handheld displays and organic photovoltaics.