Tullis Russell’s Sustainability Journey So Far

20th July 2026 by Hannah Marsden

Our vision is to become the world’s leading creative and environmentally responsible coating company. Achieving this means continually improving the products we produce, our manufacturing processes and the way we work across the business. We know this is an ongoing journey, and we’re committed to making meaningful progress over time.

We’ve been part of the industry for decades, and our history is something we’re proud of. We want Tullis Russell to continue thriving for many years to come. To do that, we recognise that we must adapt to changing environmental expectations, evolving customer needs and the wider challenges facing our industry. By making thoughtful, practical changes today, we’re helping build a stronger business for the future.

Over the last few years, we’ve made good progress towards our sustainability goals. One of the most significant changes we’ve made has been switching to FSC-certified paper suppliers. By sourcing FSC-certified materials, we’re helping ensure that the papers we coat come through responsibly managed and certified supply chains.

This change also allows us to offer our customers products that support their own environmental objectives, making it easier for them to choose certified materials where appropriate.

Sustainability isn’t just about the products we make. It also influences how we operate as a business. Across the site, we’ve introduced a range of practical initiatives to reduce our environmental impact while encouraging colleagues to play their part.

We’ve introduced electric vehicles for our sales team where appropriate, offer a Cycle to Work scheme, and encourage simple energy-saving habits such as switching off monitors and lights when they’re no longer needed.

We’ve also invested in improvements across our site. Motion sensors help reduce unnecessary lighting in communal areas, and we’ve upgraded all site lighting to LED technology to improve energy efficiency. In addition, we’ve installed rainwater harvesting tanks that capture and store rainwater for uses such as washdowns, helping to reduce our reliance on mains water.

Our sustainability team meets every month to review the progress of ongoing projects, evaluate the outcomes of completed initiatives and explore new opportunities to improve the way we operate. These meetings help us keep improving and make sure sustainability stays part of the decisions we make as a business.

We know there’s still more we can do, and that’s why sustainability continues to be a focus across the business. By reviewing the way we work, investing in improvements and encouraging new ideas, we’ll continue making positive changes wherever we can.

Our sustainability journey doesn’t stop here. We’ll keep looking for practical ways to improve, so we can continue building a business that’s fit for the future.

Tullis Russell Makes Its Debut at Making Vinyl US

11th June 2026 by Hannah Marsden

At the end of May, we attended Making Vinyl US, which this year was hosted in Washington, DC.

The event brings together professionals from across the global vinyl record industry, providing a platform to discuss market trends, emerging opportunities, and the latest developments in vinyl production. From record labels and pressing plants to suppliers and manufacturers, attendees come together to share insights, build connections, and explore the future of the industry.

Sales and Marketing Director, Mitch Lambert, and TRAdvance Business Unit Manager, Simon Rumble, attended the show to promote our premium record label papers and connect with customers and industry professionals from across the global vinyl industry.

At the event, we showcased our premium record label papers, which have been specifically developed for the unique demands of vinyl record production. Designed to perform throughout the pressing process, our papers offer excellent heat resistance, lay-flat properties, and strong tensile strength to ensure consistent results. Combined with a specially developed coating that delivers outstanding offset lithographic print quality, as well as excellent curl resistance and die-cutting performance, our papers help manufacturers create high-quality record labels that look as good as they perform.

Attending this event was important for us as we continue to explore opportunities within the American market. Events like Making Vinyl provide an excellent platform to showcase our specialist papers and manufacturing capabilities while also allowing us to meet customers face to face.

The event also enables us to gain valuable insights into the industry, strengthen relationships with existing customers, and connect with potential new customers from across the vinyl supply chain.

Our team thoroughly enjoyed attending Making Vinyl US and are looking forward to returning to the event in Haarlem again later this year.

Introducing trubarrier®: A Sustainable Barrier Coating for the Future

20th May 2026 by Hannah Marsden

At Tullis Russell, we have over 50 years of experience in developing specialist coatings. Today, we are challenging our experts to push boundaries as we expand into new industries and markets.

Introducing trubarrier®.

What is it?

trubarrier® is a lightweight, water-based (aqueous) barrier coating that can be applied to paper or board. It provides coated materials with protective properties, delivering moisture and grease resistance.

What are the advantages of this coating?

This lightweight coating enables improved print clarity while maintaining flexibility, enhancing both print quality and handling processes.

Our coating is also industrially compostable and suitable for direct food contact. Odour and taint neutral, it is ideal for a wide range of food and beverage applications.

During the development of this coating, ensuring recyclability was a priority. As a company, we are committed to making a significant impact within the industry while minimising our environmental footprint. By offering a recyclable solution, we support the circular economy and enable our customers to reduce their carbon emissions.

Developed with sustainability in mind, trubarrier® supports a reduction in LDPE plastic usage, helping to minimise plastic waste across the packaging industry.

What does this mean for us and our customers?

The development of trubarrier® marks another step towards our vision of becoming the world’s leading creative and environmentally responsible coating company.

We are committed to producing the highest quality products for years to come. This means continuously evolving-embracing innovative, more sustainable alternatives that deliver for both our customers and the environment.

Through this approach, we aim to inspire our customers to make more sustainable choices. Together, we can shape a more sustainable future for packaging.