Cortec® Stands Out in VCI Paper Industry with Portfolio of USDA Certified Biobased Products

April 21, 2021

When it comes to minimizing environmental impact in the corrosion control industry, Cortec® Corporation is a clear leader and has been for decades. Today, a key example of this is Cortec’s growing portfolio of USDA Certified Biobased Products. While these are fairly unusual in the overall category of corrosion prevention, they are not found elsewhere in the realm of VCI paper. Cortec® stands out specifically with three VpCI® Papers that are USDA Certified Biobased Products: CorShield® VpCI®-146, VpCI®-146 Creped Paper, and EcoShield® VpCI®-144.

Each of these papers allows end users to participate in the “circular economy” by using a packaging product that was sourced from renewable materials and can be recycled into new paper products. This is important not only for environmentally responsible customers but also for U.S. federal agencies and their contractors who need to meet minimum biobased content requirements under the mandatory federal purchasing initiative of the USDA BioPreferred® Program.*

Cortec® VpCI® Papers are premium nitrite-free multi-metal corrosion inhibiting papers, perfect for wrapping individual metal components or interleaving between layers of parts—rods, castings, bearings, auto parts, etc. The VpCI® coating on these papers vaporizes and reaches all metal surfaces within the package, forming an invisible molecular layer that protects against corrosion and does not require removal prior to further
surface finishing. Cortec® VpCI® Papers do not contain nitrites, phosphates, silicones, chromates, or other heavy metals. They are effective against aggressive environments including humidity, SO2, H2S, and galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals.

A closer look at each paper reveals specific features. CorShield® VpCI®-146 is made from 100% recycled content paper and contains 92% USDA certified biobased content. It offers corrosion protection on both sides, eliminating packaging guesswork. It is available in a wide variety of stock and custom sizes and can be ordered at a discount in cradle pack pallets that save on packaging time and material.

VpCI®-146 Creped Paper offers the same double-sided protection as CorShield® VpCI®-146 but in a crepe paper format that offers an extra cushioning effect.

EcoShield® VpCI®-144 is another multi-metal corrosion inhibitor paper with an added dimension of moisture resistance. One side of the paper is coated with VpCI®, while the other side is coated with a water-based barrier coating that resists water vapor, moisture, and grease. This serves as a competitive environmentally responsible alternative to polyethylene and wax coatings that have traditionally been used to seal porous paper and create a moisture barrier but pose a challenge for recycling. EcoShield® VpCI®-144 is recyclable and contains 69% USDA certified biobased content.

In addition to these three core VpCI® Papers, Cortec® also offers EcoShield® Barrier Paper, a non-VCI paper that contains 65% USDA certified biobased content. Like EcoShield® VpCI®-144, EcoShield® Barrier Paper is a competitive repulpable alternative to polyethylene and wax coated papers, minus the corrosion inhibitors. This opens EcoShield® Barrier Paper to a variety of other moisture sensitive packaging applications where corrosion prevention is not a concern.

More and more today, packaging must take into account the entire product life cycle, from sourcing to disposal. Cortec® does this with recyclable papers that are USDA Certified Biobased Products with special qualities of corrosion protection, extra cushioning, or moisture resistance. Contact us to learn more about our portfolio of USDA Certified Biobased Products: https://www.cortecvci.com/contact-us/.

*For more information about the BioPreferred® Program, go to http://www.biopreferred.gov.

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