Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has achieved home compostability certification for all its white kraftliners and folding boxboards (excluding PE-coated grades). The certification was issued by DIN CERTCO based on the compliance with standard NF T 51-800. “All our paperboards can be recycled, which is the preferable option when the packaging or food service container has served its purpose. But sometimes the packaging material can be stained by food, and then composting with biowaste is a good choice,” says Helena Moring-Vepsäläinen, Product Safety Manager at Metsä Board. “Our paperboards have had industrial compostability certification for several years now, and home compostability is one step further which is certainly welcomed by consumers.”

Packaging Corporation of America reported fourth quarter 2023 net income of $189 million, or $2.10 per share, and net income of $192 million, or $2.13 per share, excluding special items. Fourth quarter net sales were $1.94 billion in 2023 and $1.98 billion in 2022. Full year 2023 net income was $765 million, or $8.48 per share, and net income of $784 million, or $8.70 per share, excluding special items. Full year net sales were $7.8 billion in 2023 and $8.5 billion in 2022.

Supported by Sugar Land Economic Development, Accredo Packaging, Inc., a sustainable package solutions firm, has completed its fourth expansion at its Sugar Land headquarters, representing a $10 million investment. This expansion added 83,000 square feet of office space to the company's 650,000-square-foot LEED-certified campus, which is 100 percent powered by wind energy. Located at 12682 Cardinal Meadow Drive, the project added 30 jobs, and the company has pledged to maintain at least 525 jobs in Sugar Land through 2031. Opened in 2009, Accredo Packaging is the first and only flexible packaging manufacturing facility in North America with LEED Silver certification. Previous expansions took place in 2013 and 2021, and now, in 2024, the company has more than tripled in size.

To grow the Packaging Automation business in the packaging sector, Stora Enso has partnered with Radpak, a Polish packaging machinery manufacturer focusing on packaging automation for primary and secondary packaging. Packaging Automation is expanding their business outside of Gothenburg, Sweden where Stora Enso has its current factory. Radpak’s factory is located in Włocławek, Poland, which strengthens Packaging Automation’s growth strategy in Central and Northern Europe and gives a local presence with service and aftermarket. The partnership will grow the portfolios of the two companies which means Stora Enso can offer both primary and secondary packaging, one point of contact for the customer.

C-P Flexible Packaging (C-P), a leader in the flexible packaging industry, is proud to introduce Intelligraphix Systems—a new division specializing in prepress, platemaking and color management services designed specifically for flexographic printers. To ensure precision and efficiency from design to print, Intelligraphix Systems offers a comprehensive suite of prepress services, including art file optimization, extended gamut preparation, flexographic platemaking and optimization, color management, press profiling, file management and advanced quality check systems.

Smurfit Kappa has created a sustainable packaging solution to transport bees for Biobest, a world leader in biological crop protection and pollination. Biobest began back in 1987 when veterinarian Roland De Jonghe began breeding bumble bees in his garage to organically pollinate tomatoes. Tomato growers were quick to see the advantage of using bumble bees over chemical pesticides and the company flourished. Biobest approached the packaging giant to design an insulated and weather-resistant box to replace the EPS pack it was using to transport live bumble bees. It also had to be robust enough to withstand long periods outdoors as the boxes are used for outdoor pollination of fruit and vegetables.

Fourth quarter sales of $5.0 billion were in line with prior year, with organic sales up 3 percent, driven by a 2 percent increase in price from ongoing revenue growth management programs and a 1 percent favorable product mix, with volumes in line with the prior year period and volume trends improving for the fourth consecutive quarter. In North America, organic sales increased 3 percent over last year, including increases of 5 percent in Personal Care and 3 percent in Consumer Tissue that were partially offset by a 3 percent decrease in K-C Professional. Outside North America, organic sales were up 5 percent in developing and emerging (D&E) markets. Organic sales in developed markets (Australia, South Korea and Western/Central Europe) grew 1 percent versus prior year. Gross margin improved by 210 basis points to 34.9 percent, with higher net revenue realization, cost savings and favorable input costs partially offset by unfavorable currency impacts and higher other manufacturing costs. Fourth quarter operating profit was $670 million compared to $712 million last year, resulting in an operating margin of 13.5 percent.

In autumn 2023, Finnish cosmetics company Lumene launched a moisturiser packaged in a bio-attributed* jar. The jar utilises a wood-based plastic raw material made from crude tall oil, a residue from pulp production. It is reportedly the first cosmetics jar that includes renewable materials in both the packaging and label. In the first phase, Lumene's Nordic-C [Valo] range of moisturisers will be packaged in this new type of jar. In the future, Lumene's entire range of 50 ml moisturisers will be packaged in a new bio-attributed jar. These are also the company's best-selling products. Reducing the dependency on fossil raw materials is a global challenge across many industries. For example, every year, the global cosmetics industry produces more than 120 billion containers. Many consumers are on the hunt for products with the lowest possible environmental impact, and industries are searching for raw materials to fulfil that need.

WestRock Company announced plans to build a new corrugated box plant in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, to meet growing demand from customers in the Great Lakes region. The Company intends to close its existing plant in North Chicago when construction of the new facility is completed. This investment will position WestRock to increase its production capabilities and improve its cost profile in the Great Lakes region. Construction is estimated to cost approximately $140 million and is expected to be partially offset by property sales. “Investing in a new state-of-the-art corrugated converting facility elevates our production capabilities and better supports our end market strategy and margin improvement targets,” said David B. Sewell, chief executive officer, WestRock.

As consumers increasingly voice their environmental concerns, industries worldwide are actively seeking sustainable alternatives to reduce their carbon footprint. Not surprisingly, corrugated cardboard packaging has emerged as an environmentally sustainable choice, boasting benefits that other packaging materials simply can’t match. Reports and surveys, including a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) recently published by the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) and the 2023 US Trend Tracker Survey commissioned by Two Sides North America, shed light on the environmental impact of cardboard packaging and illustrate why it is fast becoming the preferred choice of brands and consumers around the globe.

Two Sides Packaging Webinar: 15th February 2024, 9:25 – 13:00 GMT (10:25 – 14:00 CET). With 10 expert thought leaders, this webinar is focused on the sustainability of paper packaging. Register to the packaging webinar here: ttps://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W9MgIT28Qdu6Si1cyje-NA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Mondi has brought together industry leaders in an expert round table to discuss how to improve the circularity of used paper bags in the construction industry. The event looked at how to build systems that will prevent the disposal of used paper bags, working towards implementing a process of efficient collection, sorting, and recycling that can be managed on an industrial scale. The partners attending were representatives from different parts of the value chain, namely Mondi, Envalora, Neinor Homes, OHLA, Arpada, Macotran, RCD Asociacion, S. Solís, Uder, Alier, Saint-Gobain and CoCircular. These like-minded industry leaders share a vision of boosting the circularity of paper bags used in the construction industry and see collaboration and stakeholder dialogue as a critical activity to achieve this.

Greif, Inc. and IonKraft, a barrier technology company specializing in plasma-based coatings, are pleased to announce a new pilot-project partnership. The collaboration aims to revolutionize the challenges of recyclability and sustainability in plastic jerrycan packaging that requires an additional barrier solution. Industrial plastic packaging is highly recyclable, but certain applications that require barrier solutions can make recycling more challenging. IonKraft has developed a game-changing coating that utilizes a plasma-enhanced vapor deposition process to create a strong barrier that is non-reactive, chemically inert, and 100% recyclable. Beyond recyclability, the IonKraft barrier technology offers a sustainable alternative to fluorination.

Tetra Pak has announced a collaboration with Absolicon, a Swedish solar thermal company, to offer a standardised solution for industrial equipment powered by renewable thermal energy (heat)1. Absolicon has designed a scalable solar thermal module that can be integrated with current and new UHT lines and enable a range of decarbonisation options, including a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions2, based on the customer requirement and location.

Clearwater Paper Corporation announced that it has had to temporarily suspend its operations in Lewiston, Idaho due to uncertainty in natural gas supply and damage caused by extreme cold weather. The company is restarting equipment and production at the facility as weather conditions permit. “We are focused on the safety of our employees and protecting our assets during this period of extremely cold temperatures in the region,” said Arsen Kitch, president and chief executive officer. “We are in the process of repairing equipment and resuming our overall operations.” The company expects to provide an update on the anticipated impacts of the outage in a future announcement.

As the industry leader in flow control dispensing solutions for over 25 years, Aptar Closures is pleased to offer a line of fully recyclable flow control dispensing solutions suitable for a wide range of products, most notably food and beverage applications such as condiments and sauces. The company’s SimpliCycle™ valve is designed for brand owners seeking to enhance packaging sustainability without sacrificing precise, hygienic product dispensing and consistent consumer satisfaction. True to its name, SimpliCycle provides ease and function by streamlining mechanical recycling. Comprised of low-density thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), the valves float during the recycling sorting process, separating them from the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) stream; from there, they are recycled in the polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) stream. When assembled into a compatible Aptar closure, SimpliCycle creates a fully recyclable solution for use with PET, PE or PP containers.

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has been selected as one of the winners of 2024 WorldStar awards for their ultralight pizza box concept developed together with Adara Pakkaus and other industry experts. A total of 435 entries from 41 countries were included in this year’s competition. An expert panel of international judges compared the entries to similar solutions from around the world and awarded the ones that were superior in their category and market and were better in execution or innovation, in comparison to others. The awarded ultralight pizza box solution, made of MetsäBoard Natural WKL Bright, uses considerably less material than traditional solutions without compromising rigidity, function or print quality. The pizza box was about 38 per cent lighter and according to the life cycle analysis the pizza box’s carbon footprint was up to 50 per cent lower than those of traditional solutions made of recycled fibre. The environmental impact comparison was carried out on material and its production.*

Kimberly-Clark Professional™ announced the availability of new Kimtech™ Polaris™ Nitrile Exam Gloves for use in laboratory settings that afford users the highest level of protection, durability and comfort from a glove in the Kimtech portfolio. Featuring a new dark magenta color unique to Kimberly-Clark Professional and a proprietary high-quality nitrile formulation, Kimtech Polaris Nitrile Exam Gloves have one of the lowest acceptable quality levels (AQL) for pinholes at 0.65, when compared to leading competitors. The average tensile strength is 31 megapascal (MPa) after aging, more than double the strength of the industry standard. The gloves also have been tested against some of the harshest chemicals used in labs and industrial work environments,1 meeting and exceeding the industry standards for exam gloves.

Amcor has once again been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI): Australia Index (DJSI Australia), recognizing the company’s commitment to delivering innovative and more sustainable packaging solutions. Amcor ranked within the 91st percentile of the packaging and containers industry in the 2023 S&P Corporate Sustainability Assessment, which forms the basis for inclusion in the DJSI. The listing reaffirms Amcor’s leadership position in the industry. "This recognition is significant to Amcor, not just because we’re being honored in the country of our founding, but because it acknowledges our ability to deliver responsible packaging benefitting our customers and the planet,” said Amcor’s Global Head of Investor Relations, Tracey Whitehead. “We remain committed to continually innovating more sustainable packaging solutions across a wide range of materials, while enabling our customers to meet their own sustainability goals.”

Hood Container Corporation announced that it has acquired the corrugated packaging business of Sumter, SC based Sumter Packaging Corporation. This includes all of Sumter’s design, manufacturing, assembly and fulfillment operations in Sumter, SC as well as the business manufactured and serviced from the Statesville, NC facility. Benjamin DeSollar, CEO of Sumter Packaging Corporation stated, “Our roots in packaging go back over 100 years. Sumter Packaging was founded by Ed Fienning with traditions of family values, delighting our customers and being a strong community partner. The fantastic team at Sumter Packaging has built on those traditions and expanded on them to deliver world class quality, customer service, design and graphics. We are excited to be joining a family-owned company in Hood with strong values, vision, and the capability to further improve on the strengths we already have with its national network and the ability to offer vertical supply chain integration.”

The global furniture retailer XXXLutz Group is taking pioneering steps towards the goal of climate neutrality and sustainability. Teaming up with Stora Enso they are exploring game-changing alternatives to conventional packaging materials: Papira® and Fibrease® by Stora Enso. The collaboration is a milestone in the quest for eco-conscious packaging solutions and is a part of Stora Enso´s strategy to partner up with market leaders. By substituting traditional polymeric foams with lightweight wood-based alternatives, significant reductions in CO₂ emissions are possible. Similar to other used materials, like paper and cardboard, the foam materials are recyclable and can be disposed with paper and thus returned to the cycle. “Fibrease and Papira are the result of years of relentless research by a dedicated team. We believe that our renewable resource, the forest, is the solution to many of the environmental challenges facing us today. Producing a sustainable and recyclable packaging foam is a giant leap towards a greener future. Many industries today look towards lowering the CO2 footprint and Stora Enso´s dedication to innovation provides tangible solutions to this issue for companies and consumers alike”, says Ivan Christensen, Business Development Manager Biofoams.

Diversified Labeling Solutions (DLS) has expanded its RFID label offerings to help its distributor customers meet demand. DLS’ RFID expansion includes: • In-house RFID label conversion capabilities • Ready-to-ship stock RFID labels • Service bureau RFID label encoding/printing services • Dedicated RFID Product Manager • RFID label training. Driving DLS’ RFID label expansion is the significant increase in demand, largely due to RFID label mandates from major retailers, including Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Macy’s.

Hood Container Corporation announced that it has acquired the corrugated packaging business of Sumter, SC based Sumter Packaging Corporation. This includes all of Sumter’s design, manufacturing, assembly and fulfillment operations in Sumter, SC as well as the business manufactured and serviced from the Statesville, NC facility. Benjamin DeSollar, CEO of Sumter Packaging Corporation stated, “Our roots in packaging go back over 100 years. Sumter Packaging was founded by Ed Fienning with traditions of family values, delighting our customers and being a strong community partner.

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, will be exhibiting its future-ready premium paperboards, innovative new packaging solutions and services for co-creation to the beauty industry at the 2024 Paris Packaging Week in January. During January 17 – 18, the PCD event will gather packaging developers, designers and suppliers shaping future of packaging for the beauty market to the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. At Metsä Board’s booth (L60), visitors will have the opportunity to challenge a team of experts with their specific needs and hear more about how to lower the carbon footprint of their packaging or boost packaging design innovation through introduction of a unique co-creation concept hosted by the company’s state-of-the-art Excellence Centre.

With effect from January 2, 2024, SÜDPACK has acquired additional shares of CARBOLIQ GmbH and appointed Dirk Hardow as Managing Director. By doing so, SÜDPACK is demonstrating its commitment to a closed-loop system for plastics and to chemical recycling as a complementary recycling technology. Dirk Hardow, who as Manager of the BU FF&C is responsible for matters such as the development and implementation of closed-loop models, will lead the company as its managing director in the future. The acquisition of a majority stake in CARBOLIQ was signed on December 15. For Erik Bouts, CEO of SÜDPACK, this is “the logical next step. We regard CARBOLIQ technology as an indispensable building block in our industry’s process of transformation towards a circular economy.” With the acquisition, the film manufacturer is simultaneously substantiating its leading position in terms of a circular economy in the industry for flexible packaging. Because so far, SÜDPACK is the only manufacturer of flexible films with direct access to capacities for chemical recycling.

On December 30, Trioworld Group signed an agreement to acquire the German company Wentus GmbH (Wentus), a leading player in solutions for high-performance food-, consumer- and hygiene packaging, from Egeria Group. “We are very pleased and excited to welcome Wentus into the Trioworld group. The acquisition will give us the opportunity to grow an even stronger position in the market for advanced food-, consumer- and hygiene packaging, in Europe and in North America. Wentus has a proven track record of supplying the market with premium products and superior support, to maximize value for customers. “We have great confidence in the capabilities of the Wentus organization and management and look forward to joining forces and continuing the successful journey” says Andreas Malmberg, CEO of the Trioworld Group.

MM Kwidzyn has completed the consultation process with trade unions and works councils. The company has taken the decision on the closure of the packaging kraft paper machine (PM3). As a result of this decision, the production of packaging kraft paper IPACK ESSENTIAL, IPACK BROWN, IPACK ULTRA will be discontinued. The last production run on PM3 will take place early January 2024.

When we think about corrugated packaging, boxes used for shipping goods are probably what comes to mind for most adults. However, when given to children, those same boxes bring to life a world of wonder and creativity. What child doesn’t gravitate to empty boxes for play? From castles and robots to forts and rocket ships, corrugated boxes inspire a child’s imagination and help them understand how the world around them works. We asked employees to share some creative ways they and their children have used corrugated boxes. While moving homes, six-year-old twins put extra corrugated packaging to good use building a private fort and backdrop for their toys. “I was worried the boys would have nothing to do while we packed up the last of our house,” said Mary Beth Sharp, Vice President of Marketing. “But they came home from school and were super excited when they saw the extra boxes. They each made their own space and were content long enough for us to finish loading the moving truck.”

Amcor announced Web-Based Intelligent Packaging Evaluation (WIPE) as the winning student and faculty team of the latest Amcor Lift-Off pitch competition, hosted in partnership with Michigan State University (MSU). WIPE competed for an investment and collaboration opportunity as part of Amcor’s Lift-Off program, an open-call initiative aimed at supporting early-stage start-ups focused on innovative packaging solutions and related technologies. WIPE, developed by the research group of Dr. Euihark Lee at MSU’s School of Packaging, is an AI-based digital tool designed to leverage information mined from online customer reviews to assess the journey of a package throughout the distribution process. Once collected, the data is categorized for sentiment and key metrics, providing analysis that helps manufacturers identify critical issues during distribution and the consumer experience.

With their business going through a high rate of growth, the founders of an Austrian candle company Looops felt that the brand’s look and feel had reached its limits. A rebranding — including a redesign of the packaging — was the next logical step. The business started small but has since grown into new heights. As production volumes grew, the founders could no longer sustain making the glass containers out of recycled wine bottles themselves. As new types of containers were needed for the candles, rebranding the whole product line became relevant. As the outer packaging is the first thing the consumer sees, it too had to communicate the quality of the product and its brand values: pure, reduced and authentic – just like the fragrances used in the candles themselves. “We wanted the new brand design to be more than just a visual impression. We wanted it to reflect Looops’ journey, the experiences we have gained over the years and how they have improved the quality of our products. The packaging as a whole — from the material, to the visuals and the tactile feel — had to illustrate this as well,” explains one of the co-founders Julia Schliefsteiner.

As one of the policies under the EU Green Deal, the European Commission in November 2022 proposed a new regulation on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR) that will repeal the present directive (PPWD). One of the objectives is to make all packaging in the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030. But already now recyclable packaging is being encouraged through the implementation of eco-modulated fees in the different national Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. Sign up for the webinar at: https://triowor.webinargeek.com/how-to-ensure-recyclability-in-your-value-chain Key takeaways: After watching this webinar, you will have the latest updates regarding recyclability in the coming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and you will be aware of the standards that are being developed by request from the European Commission to support the regulation. You will also understand the difference between “design for recycling” and “recyclable” and know the coming steps in the legislation process and how it might affect your business. You will have seen concrete examples of adjustments made in flexible plastic packaging to meet coming EU legislation as well as requirements from national EPR schemes.

Moelven Wood and Billerud are joining forces to examine the possibility of developing a new sustainable packaging solution for Moelven's interior panels. The goal is to create a paper-based solution to replace the current plastic shrink wrap. The collaboration stems from an innovation competition organized by Paper Province. "Billerud's team presented a sharp and concrete solution that conveys sustainability, reflects the content, and visually stands out in stores. We are confident that we together can develop a packaging with good technical properties, that can add value to our products and have an achievable implementation in the factory.", says Tjalling Chaudron, Product Development Manager at Moelven Wood. Replacing the current shrink wrap packaging with one made from renewable materials is a step towards reducing Moelven Wood's carbon footprint. "The packaging solution that we presented offers a modern and attractive packaging for a modern and attractive panel.", says Björn Larsson, Business Development Manager at Billerud.

Novolex® announced that two of its brands, Eco-Products® and Vegware™, have earned coveted awards for their innovative solutions in compostable packaging. Eco-Products and Vegware were each honored with the Foodservice Packaging Award for Innovation in Manufacturing, tying for first place. Eco-Products earned the award for making high-quality digital print a reality on molded fiber packaging. Vegware was recognized for creating a compostable paper cutlery solution for markets that need fiber solutions across all packaging categories. “We are extraordinarily proud of our brands for their tireless commitment to innovation, creating new products that redefine excellence as we lead the way to a more sustainable future,” said Adrianne Tipton, PhD, Chief Technology Officer of Novolex.

Georgia-Pacific reinvested approximately $2 billion back into its business and operations in 2023. These capital improvement projects include launching and completing new facilities and enhancing existing operations. Each investment helps Georgia-Pacific better serve customers, and increase productivity and efficiency, while also creating greater economic opportunities for each facility's local economy. Georgia-Pacific made several investments large and small across its businesses. The projects listed below are large initiatives valued at approximately $100 million and up. For an overview of the projects, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATZglG3C5m4

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Papel Prensa S.A. to supply a complete old corrugated containers (OCC) line including a reject handling system to its mill in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In its initial production phase, the new line will process 180 t/d of local OCC. The line's processing capacity can be easily increased through a minor adjustment to configuration to support the expected rise in pulp demand for the production of corrugated paper. The new line will provide high pulp quality at cost-efficient and resource-saving operation, with the latest technology available.

Work has begun on Saica Group’s new corrugated board factory in Barcelona, which will start operating in the spring of 2025. Located in the municipality of Sant Esteve Sesrovires, the plant will combine the operations currently carried out at Saica Pack El Prat and Saica Pack Barcelona. The new project involves an investment of more than Euro 100 million and aims to increase the current joint production of the two factories by up to 45%. The new factory will be equipped with the latest technology, seamlessly combining flexography and offset processes. It will offer significant advances through the digitalisation of customer services, enabling Saica to deliver the high-quality standards and service that set them apart from the market.

SCA is Europe’s largest private forest owner; and in addition to producing wood, the company’s 2.7 million hectares of land offer considerable wind power production capacity. This provides the company with excellent opportunities to produce renewable electricity with land-based wind power. More than 20 per cent of Sweden’s installed wind power is currently on SCA land in northern Sweden. By investing in its own wind power capacity, SCA is striving to become fully self-sufficient in electricity. In order to achieve a high degree of self-sufficiency at the lowest possible risk, the company has actively chosen not to enter into so-called Power Purchase Agreements (PPA). “We want to be able to produce renewable electricity and have a high degree of self-sufficiency to meet our own needs. We want to do this at low risk and have therefore waived PPA, for example regarding production at Skogberget,” says Mikael Källgren, President Renewable Energy at SCA.

Rottneros AB, one of the world's leading suppliers of first-class market pulp, is now investing in Blue Ocean Closures and becomes a co-owner of the Swedish start-up, developing proprietary fiber-based packaging materials. Since just two years, Blue Ocean Closures AB has developed technology to produce fiber-based closures for consumer packaging at large scale, aiming to replace current plastic solutions on a global market. The innovative technology and material have potential for many more high volume use cases and making an impact in terms of reducing plastic pollution and its climate effects.

Five small timber growers in KwaZulu-Natal, have made history by becoming the first participants in the Sappi Khulisa programme to achieve forest certification through the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) in the Sappi Group Scheme for small growers. The five timber growers, with a total 8,143 hectares of timber area, have been successfully audited and awarded a PEFC Group Scheme certificate. The recipients of this significant award and founding members of the Sappi PEFC Group Scheme are the iMfume Cluster, consisting of more than 20l individual small growers from the Mfume district near Scottburgh, Sobengwe Trading from Ixopo, MG Farming from Richmond, Mclean M from Underberg, and Braecroft Timbers (Pty) Ltd from Underberg.

She will take office during the first half of 2024 and will be part of the Rottneros group management. The background is that Rottneros Packaging is now entering the next phase as the leading supplier of high-quality fiber-based packaging. This involves an increased focus on developing market position and reaching the right customers with full force, as well as increasing production capacity. So far, the main focus has been on developing the product and production process. Interest and demand are growing strongly for molded fiber trays as a sustainable alternative to fossil-based packaging. As part of Rottneros' commitment, the organization needs to evolve with both more people and new skills to maintain the pace of business development and enhance the group's leading market position.

Our durable packaging material can be recycled up to 25 times, and still do an important job in society. They also play an essential role in the global loop of paper recycling, which requires long fiber to be constantly added in order to work. With the ability to be born again and again – first as strong packaging, later as egg cartons or tissue. After six cycles the paper material can continue its journey, being recycled up to 25 times* into various everyday applications such as egg cartons and tissue. With an estimated shelf time of two years a single batch of our paper could potentially remain in use for about 50 years. Our durable paper is an important element in the recycling loop. By choosing our paper, you are not just selecting a product; you are participating in a cycle of environmental responsibility.

Stora Enso will record non-cash impairments of approximately EUR 514 million in its IFRS operating result in the fourth quarter of 2023. The impairments will be reported as an item affecting comparability (IAC). Including the estimated positive tax effect of EUR 65 million, the net result impact will be approximately EUR 449 million negative. The fixed asset impairments in the Packaging Materials division mainly relate to the Business Unit Containerboard and in the Biomaterials division to the Nordic production units. The impairments are mainly a consequence of Stora Enso's predictions of a weaker outlook compared to previous estimates.

RM Machinery announces the installation of a second press from the RMGT 10-Series line to Relevant Packaging of Omaha, Nebraska—the RMGT 1060TP-8 (7/1)+DD+LD. The installation, which took place in September 2023, coincided with the folding carton company’s milestone of achieving 40 million impressions on its RMGT 1050LX-6+CC+LD, a press purchased from RM Machinery in November 2022. The two RMGT presses from the 10-Series line are now predominantly responsible for Relevant Packaging’s folding carton production. Prior to purchasing the RMGT 1060TP, Relevant Packaging operated an offset press from another manufacturer that required multiple passes during production over the course of seven days. With the 1060TP, Relevant Packaging was able to cut its production time to four days thanks to the press’s ability to print seven colors on one side and an eighth on the other using UV ink in a single pass.

Cortec® is pleased to announce that its Cortec® Coated Products (CCP) division in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, has won the Wisconsin Recycling Excellence Award! CCP is one of 11 organizations that received the award this year from the Wisconsin DNR (Department of Natural Resources) in recognition of outstanding efforts to recycle and reduce waste. CCP’s award falls under the category of “Projects and Initiatives” that have led to the recycling of more material and/or better recycling cost-effectiveness. In addition to sourcing most of its paper rolls from recycled content, CCP’s specialty is to apply a corrosion inhibiting coating that still allows the paper to be recycled after use. This is an important environmental benefit for manufacturers and distributors that use Cortec® VpCI® Paper to package and protect metal parts in a variety of industries.

Mondi has introduced its Advantage StretchWrap, a paper wrapping solution that replaces plastic stretch film and enables a more efficient logistics process, to Sentrex, a European manufacturer of paper bags. Advantage StretchWrap is a fully recyclable kraft paper that is made from responsibly sourced materials. Mondi developed it to stretch and resist punctures, making it ideal for replacing the plastic stretch film that has traditionally been used for pallet wrapping and transportation. Advantage StretchWrap has 62% lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when compared to virgin plastic stretch film, and 49% lower GHG emissions when compared to plastic film made with 50% recycled content, according to a peer-reviewed independent life cycle assessment.* By switching to Mondi’s kraft paper solution and using EW Technology’s fully automated machinery, Sentrex was able to increase efficiency in the wrapping process: The production of the paper bags requires a drying process to remove moisture from the bags before they can be wrapped in plastic stretch film, to avoid condensation within the packaging. Mondi’s Advantage StretchWrap is breathable and can therefore be used to wrap and pack products immediately after paper bag production within one in-line process.

Elopak has announced plans to build its first U.S. production plant with the latest state-of-the-art technology for better and more efficient production. The plant will produce Pure-Pak® cartons for liquid dairy, juices, plant-based products and liquid eggs. The new production facility will be located in Little Rock, Arkansas and is expected to start production in H1, 2025. It represents a significant investment for the region of around USD 70 million including the land, the building and the equipment. The new plant will create more than 100 permanent jobs in the region for engineers, printers, operators, logistics specialists and other support groups.

The newest products made with at least 10% PCR include: • Signature dessert cups: Designed to enhance dessert presentations, these transparent cups are available in three sizes and come with a universal lid. All are made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a strong, lightweight and recyclable plastic. • CakePak™ bases and lids: These clear containers offer the patented EZ Release™ system that features easy-to-use lift tabs, making the containers simple to open and seal. They offer different bases to fit various cake designs, with customization options available. • BreakAway™ tamper-evident containers: These clear containers keep food safe and secure with a tamper-evident feature indicating when the top has been removed. They also are stackable and available in various popular sizes and shapes. • Multi-use clamshells: These clear containers provide optimal product visibility and enhance food presentation. They also feature a secure closure that provides a tight seal to keep food fresh. The clamshells come in a variety of custom shapes and sizes, making them ideal for loaf cakes, cookies and more.

UPM Raflatac has released the findings of a new neuromarketing study. Results show the power of different label materials and finishes to shape consumer perceptions and drive purchasing. Focused on white wine labels, the research carried out in collaboration with partners in the packaging value chain, ARGEA, SenseCatch, Kurz, and Krämer Druck, shows that label material and finishes all have a significant part to play in consumer purchasing behavior and post-purchase enjoyment. The research has been summarized in a book, which also features a foreword by Uwe Melichari, a sustainable packaging expert, designer, and Pentawards jury member. The book is available in three languages and as a digital version. A wine’s label plays a pivotal role in the consumer’s decision to buy it or not. In fact, according to a study on the wine sector conducted by wine.net, it was found that 82% of a sample of 2000 consumers relied primarily on the label to choose their favorite wine. Many other studies have also commented on the link between the perceived taste of wine and expectations, and how these are influenced by the label’s color, shape, paper, printing technique, and overall design.