Total Packaging Papers shipments were up 12.3 percent compared to April 2017, but down 1.0 percent year-to-date. Bag & Sack shipments were flat year-to-date. Multiwall shipments were down 6.7 percent, Converting shipments were down 0.4 percent and Food Wrapping shipments were up 3.1 percent. The operating rate for April increased slightly to 92.9 percent from 92.7 percent in March. Inventories were down 0.8 percent since March.
http://afandpa.org/media/news/2018/05/17/american-forest-paper-association-releases-april-2018-u.s.-packaging-papers-specialty-packaging-monthly-report
Related Posts
Just as direct-to-consumer delivery has grown in popularity, so has consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging and products has increased. Packaging components ranging from the actual container (ex. box) that the product is shipped in, to the outer package wrap and void fill each must be considered. If you are committed to sustainability but still use foam or plastic void fill, it is time to explore eco-friendly alternatives. Void fill (sometimes called “box filler”) exists to fill the empty spaces in your packaging and protect your product from too much movement during the shipping process. Customers are used to getting packages filled with styrofoam peanuts, plastic air pillows, plastic bubble wrap, and so on. However, many of these methods are reliant on unsustainable materials. Additionally, they may demand an avoidable amount of messy packing space or disregard the customer's unboxing experience.
Crown Holdings, Inc. announced the acquisition of Helvetia Packaging AG, a beverage can and end manufacturing facility in Saarlouis, Germany. The acquisition of the Saarlouis facility will expand Crown's European beverage can platform to Germany with approximately one billion units of annual can capacity. At closing, and as part of the agreement, Crown will assume the existing Helvetia customer base and accompanying contracts. The unmatched sustainability benefits and infinite recyclability of aluminum has led to an increasing preference for beverage cans to serve both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks segments.
Last year, Mondi announced that it would expand its existing plant in Ansbach, Southern Germany, to become the largest heavy-duty corrugated cardboard plant in Europe. The “Ansbach 2020” project, an investment worth €30 million, is in its final stages of completion and is meeting its customers' needs with innovative sustainable packaging solutions. The plant successfully installed state of the art machinery, including a new corrugator, die-cutting-machine, inline-machine, paper storage, shipping facility, waste processing facility and intralogistics system. The investment is strengthening the plants position as the go-to-expert for innovative and sustainable packaging solutions in the region. Furthermore, the updated machinery results in less energy consumption and reduces the carbon footprint of the plant.