Papierfabrik Palm: 24/7 Lab Surfaces Built to Last (Aalen, Germany)

At its new paper mill next to company headquarters in Aalen, Germany, Papierfabrik Palm, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of papers and corrugated packaging—built a laboratory to support continuous production. The facility runs around the clock, requiring work surfaces that can withstand constant use, moisture, and chemical exposure.

“The lab fulfils a dual purpose. One is to monitor and analyze the pulp – which is made of broken-down post-consumer paper – as well as make sure the produced cardboard consistently meets our quality criteria,” says Volker Schuberth, Director of Technology at Papierfabrik Palm. “The other is related to water supply and wastewater. Since the mill is in operation 24/7, so is the lab. As a result, this is a very demanding environment for the lab equipment and the furniture.”

For the new lab, Köttermann, Palm’s trusted custom laboratory furniture partner, chose Trespa® TopLab® PLUS for its proven durability and chemical resistance. “The answer to this issue was obvious – with its TopLab® product line, Trespa® could provide worktops which would be ideally suited for such an environment. Considering the lab at Palm, the Trespa® worktops ticked all the boxes,” says Hans-Jürgen Laur, Sales Manager for Southern Germany.

Made from natural fibers and thermosetting resins and cured using Electron Beam Curing (EBC) technology, Trespa® TopLab® PLUS offers exceptional resistance to scratches, impact, water, and chemicals, while meeting SEFA 3 standards for laboratory surfaces.

Beyond durability, the new laboratory combines function and design to create an inspiring, professional workspace. The fresh, modern palette enhances both aesthetics and comfort for the team. “The combination of powder-coated metal in ‘Arctic White’ and worktops in ‘Baltic Blue’ is fresh and elegant,” says Schuberth.

“By using Trespa^® TopLab^® worktops, we have been able to meet all our requirements. The material is water and scratch-resistant as well as remarkably strong. It also resists many different chemicals,” he adds. “In addition, I expect it to be particularly durable. In this respect, Trespa’s 10-year conditional warranty sounds definitely convincing.”