PulPac licensee Hébert Group has partnered with Andritz to scale up production of Dry Molded Fiber trays and lids, aiming for water- and energy-efficient manufacturing that uses renewable or recycled fibres.
Hébert Group is based in Orgelet, France, and specializes in developing and manufacturing custom-moulded packaging solutions for brands in the food, dairy, cosmetics, and reuse sectors.
In response to growing consumer and brand owner demand for alternatives to traditional plastic packaging, Hébert Group has established a separate business unit, Herpulp, for Dry Molded Fiber operations and installed its first Dry Molded Fiber line.
Herpulp currently manufactures Dry Molded Fiber trays and lids under the Herpulp brand name, with deep-draw products currently being investigated for future production.
The Group has also invested in several first-generation Modula lines featuring Andritz Dan-Web mill-to-web forming technology; a dedicated expert team from Andritz previously helped Hébert Group complete the commissioning and stabilize process.
“We listen closely to our customers to create products that are chosen by the top names in the food and cosmetics industries,” says Hébert Group’s chief commercial officer, Julien Hébert. “In the course of these discussions, we have gained a deeper understanding of their expectations regarding sustainable development.
“This approach has naturally driven us to diversify our technologies, creating new opportunities and strengthening our position as a pioneer into other raw materials and environmentally friendly processes.
“We pride ourselves in our approach to sustainability in our manufacturing processes, which are energy and water efficient and where we can use materials of renewable or recycled origin that are free from fossil fuels. And this is why we have made the decision to add Dry Molded Fiber to our process offerings.”
Technical visits, parameter optimization, and process upgrades were conducted throughout 2025. This included the signing of a comprehensive service contract with Andritz, which allows for continued support during the commissioning of the lines – intended to secure a Site Acceptance Test (SAT) and ensure that lines are operated correctly and reliably.
“Fibre integration began even before the installation of our first line in Orgelet, with the construction of a dedicated facility designed to prevent any risk of cross-contamination,” explains chief operating officer Mathieu Hébert.
“Today, we are incorporating this activity into the scope of our standards and, in the long term, aim to position this technology as a complement to our core business, allowing us to extend our product portfolio and meet a wider range of customer requirements.
“We have been supported in this process by the experienced Andritz team that is highly dynamic, motivated, and committed. Customer feedback is already highlighting the cost-effectiveness, high-quality finishing, and unique premium perception of our Dry Molded Fiber products.”
The companies highlight the importance of technology partners for supplying equipment and supporting long-term service and optimization. These partnerships are expected to help packaging specialists meet consumer expectations, maintain cost and performance standards, and meet regulatory pressure to phase out single-use plastics.
“We strongly believe in the Dry Molded Fiber concept as a way to scale up sustainable packaging, even more so since we started working with Andritz,” continues Julien Hébert.
“For us, this partnership represents an excellent opportunity for several reasons: Andritz’s extensive experience in providing complete industrial solutions to the pulp and paper industry, technical support in project management, and strong market demand for this type of packaging solution.
“Our next ambitions together include lowering the cost to the market, securing the stabilization of production lines, and co-developing molds tailored to the Dry Molded Fiber technology.”
Andritz argues that manufacturers can justify new investments in pulp mills if ‘even a fraction’ of its single-use packaging is replaced with fibre – and underlines its own long-running experience in pulp, paper and tissue technologies, including scalable pressing and moulding.
It also points to its ‘full suite’ of sustainability-minded energy solutions to help partners unlock affordable and fit-for-purpose raw materials. Additionally, its Solution as a Service concept is thought to de-risk innovation under strict confidentiality, from pilot trials to full-scale turnkey Dry Molded Fiber lines.
Andritz’s collaboration with Hébert Group is described as a ‘clear example’ of how targeted investment, technical expertise, and a common goal can scale up sustainability-minded packaging formats without impacting production quality or speed.
Bruno Roche, senior vice president of Andritz Nonwoven & Textile, comments: “Replacing single-use plastic with natural cellulosic fibres is definitely the most sustainable path forward for packaging.
“Dry Molded Fiber is made industrially possible by combining well-known, proven technologies – Airlaid forming, nonwoven converting, and thermo-forming – all recognized solutions within the Andritz portfolio, now integrated into a seamless industrial process that significantly reduces water and energy consumption while supporting recyclable and circular packaging solutions.”
Andritz adds that its investment in a complete Airlaid Dry Molded Fiber Technology Center in the ‘Cellulose Valley’ in Grenoble has enabled proximity with Hébert Group’s team and helped to validate solutions in a full industrial environment in Orgelet, spanning from fibre formulation and forming to mould validation and end-product applications.
PulPac is said to work closely with licensees, machine partners, and technology partners to industrialize Dry Molded Fiber and help bring fibre-based packaging applications to market.
“Dry Molded Fiber is moving forward because committed people and companies are making it happen,” concludes Sanna Fager, chief commercial officer at PulPac. “Together with licensees like Hébert Group and machine partners like Andritz, we are building the industrial foundation needed to scale the technology. This is how Dry Molded Fiber moves from ambition to industrial reality,”
This development was initially published in an article by Andritz.
The news comes after PulPac worked alongside Future Materials Sweden and Yoik AB to develop a Dry Molded Fiber snus can concept for Yoik’s Helwit brand. Future Materials also signed a license agreement with PulPac to commercialize Dry Molded Fiber products.
Andritz is also helping Metsä Group to operate a carbon capture pilot plant at its Rauma mill. This is thought to be the first instance of harnessing carbon dioxide from pulp mill flue gases in the fibre-based packaging industry.
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