The Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) Advantage for Coated Paperboard: Coated Bleached Paperboard
The use of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) as a coating pigment for paperboard applications is driven by the demand for improved quality and reduced manufacturing costs. Specialty Minerals Inc.’s (SMI’s) Opacarb® PCCs are excellent
pigments for pre-coating or top coating bleached paperboard. The optimized particle size of each PCC product contributes to good fiber coverage and
PCC pigments allow for improved paperboard quality at reduced manufacturing cost. For instance, changing from a coating system containing kaolin, ground calcium carbonate (GCC)
and
This star chart shows the typical properties achieved by coated bleached board
mills using SMI’s PCC coating products. The majority of board properties improves or remains unaffected when using PCC.

The benefits of SMI’s precipitated calcium carbonate coating products include:
- Improved brightness
- Excellent fiber coverage
- Improved caliper
- Improved surface strength
- Reduction of TiO2
- Reduction of plastic pigment
- Improved drying times
We deliver these benefits consistently with a successful history of coating experience and technical support.