As reported in the media, during the night between September 5 and 6th, there was a fire in one of the buildings at BillerudKorsnäs’ production unit in Karlsborg. The fire started late in the evening on September 5th in and was isolated to one building. . The fire has been extinguished. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The production in Karlsborg has been stopped while the damage is being investigated.

BillerudKorsnäs invests in the area of cold chain packaging as it acquires a minority holding in the innovative company Vericool Inc., headquartered in California. The company’s solutions enable sustainable and compostable packaging solutions for unbroken cold chains in the grocery and pharmaceutical market, intended as an alternative to non-sustainable packaging solutions, such as polystyrene (EPS).

Smurfit Kappa, leader in complete Bag-in-Box® packaging solutions, will be attending the PACK EXPO event from 25th - 27th September 2017 at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. Smurfit Kappa will showcase its unique expertise in complete packaging solutions with its Bag-in-Box®, Pouch-Up®, Vitop tap and filling machines. Adapted for the food and beverage industry and also non-food industries such as automotive, agrochemical and pharmaceutical, these innovations show many advantages in terms of shelf life, cost, sustainability and consumer convenience.

A new infographic from the Flexible Packaging Association highlights how flexible packaging can help keep food fresher and prevent food waste. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, approximately 40% of food is not consumed. The annual amount of food waste is 36 million tons, which is worth $162 billion.

Greif is pleased to report that our steel, plastic, fibre drum and chemical filling services that were impacted by Hurricane Harvey are returning to operation. Operation may be limited depending on access to transportation, raw material, or other external services like export shipping Ports. We will keep the safety of our people as the top priority as we resume operations and meet our customers’ needs.

There’s high anticipation for this upcoming fall season at Foremost Graphics in Michigan and it’s not due to college football. That’s when the 100-employee firm will move its fast-growing packaging division from an old multi-floor furniture factory to a newly remodeled state of the art 80,000 sq ft facility outside of Grand Rapids and install its first-ever KBA Rapida 106 41-inch sheetfed press. Along with the press, new ERP software and additional material handling equipment will provide improved workflows and shared resources with its existing corporate headquarters in the city of Walker, MI. “We’re at an exciting crossroads in our packaging business. We’ve invested millions of dollars in new equipment, including the KBA press, as well as in a new facility,” says Paul Kelly, president of Foremost Graphics. “Our goal is to facilitate the strong expansion in the packaging segment of our business, where we see equal growth opportunities in market segments including health and beauty, automotive and food processing for our national client base.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Neenah’s paper-based gift card offering is now significantly strengthened by the recent acquisition of a state of the art lamination asset from Hazen Paper. Hazen Paper is a world-class paper converter whose expertise and products enjoy wide acceptance in this growing market segment. As part of this asset acquisition, more than 25 experienced employees will join the Neenah team to ensure a smooth transition. Brands such as Amazon, Facebook and Ben & Jerry’s have chosen paper gift cards over plastic. The list of brands making the switch from plastic to paper gift cards grows longer every day. Paper cards eliminate the need for fossil fuel-based production, and keep toxic plastic gift cards out of the landfill. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Atlantic Packaging Products, Ltd., of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, is pleased to announce the formation of a strategic partnership with York Container Company (YCC) of York, Pennsylvania. Details and terms of this partnership are not being disclosed. Stephen Tansey, President and representative of YCC's shareholders, commented "York Container is committed to growth and providing innovative solutions to our customers. We have enjoyed robust growth over the past several years, but we believe that in order to take our plans to the next level we need to partner with a like-minded company to expand geographically and extend our capabilities to a broader customer base. After an evaluation of our various options, we are thrilled to join forces with Atlantic. This is the best possible outcome for all of our stakeholders, in particular, our customers and employees." Irving Granovsky, Chairman of Atlantic Packaging, describes the rationale for this transaction: "Atlantic is always looking for progressive and well-managed companies to team up with. We feel York Container is a wonderful addition to our partnership portfolio." Click Read More below for additional detail.

Evergreen Packaging announced the launch of the Fall 2017 Made By Milk™ Carton Construction Contest. This year's contest theme – Sports – invites students to build milk carton creations inspired by games and recreation, from archery to ziplining, amateur to Olympic-level. Classroom teams can win up to $5,000 by building novel creations from empty milk or juice cartons repurposed from their school lunches. The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2017. "Now in its sixth year, the Made By Milk™ Contest gives students of all ages the opportunity to express their creativity while building design skills, teamwork and awareness of environmental issues including sustainability," said Katie Simmons, marketing manager at Evergreen Packaging. "We can't wait to see how students across the country will translate this year's Sports theme into imaginative carton creations." Click Read More below for additional detail.

Oliver Printing & Packaging Company, a leading provider of print, display and packaging services, announced the acquisition of Pohlig Packaging, a packaging manufacturer based in Richmond, Virginia. Pohlig Packaging is a manufacturer of folding cartons, micro-fluted corrugated boxes and setup boxes, serving the food and grocery, consumer products, automotive aftermarket and healthcare markets. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Mondi will show how its packaging solutions are addressing industry and consumer trends at the 2017 PACK EXPO trade fair in Las Vegas. “Industrial customers and consumers today are sophisticated and demanding,” says Georg Kasperkovitz, CEO Mondi Consumer Packaging. “Whether for their own customers or themselves as end-users, brand managers prefer packaging that is convenient and that helps with the buying decision. Producers of consumer goods, food, animal feed and seed are asking the packaging industry for solutions and materials that are easy to use, increase brand recognition, differentiate at the point of sale, and build trust with consumers.” At PACK EXPO, Mondi will show how it is using its capabilities to meet customer needs in the North American market and addressing these trends with its wide range of packaging solutions, including flexible packaging, bags and pouches, barrier coatings, technical films, and industrial bags. With a focus on food and beverage packaging, Mondi’s booth will feature a special product discovery area allowing visitors to discover how Mondi’s products touch millions of lives, every day.

Packaging Corporation of America announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Sacramento Container Corporation, and 100% of the membership interests of Northern Sheets, LLC and Central California Sheets, LLC in a cash-free, debt-free transaction for a cash purchase price of $265 million. The Company has also announced that it will discontinue production of uncoated freesheet (UFS) and coated one-side (C1S) grades at its Wallula, Washington mill in the second quarter of 2018 to begin the conversion of its 200,000 ton-per-year No. 3 paper machine to a 400,000 ton-per-year high-performance 100% virgin kraft linerboard machine. The acquisition transaction is structured as a purchase of assets resulting in a full step-up of the assets to fair market value. Under the terms of the agreement, PCA will acquire full-line corrugated products and sheet feeder operations in McClellan, California and Kingsburg, California. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Amcor’s CEO Mr Ron Delia said: “Amcor’s strong full-year results reflect the progress we have made on our strategic investments and the benefits of our broad mix of geographic exposures. Underlying PBIT and EPS grew 9 and 10 percent respectively on sales growth of 4 percent for the year, and cash flow was at the high end of our expectations. “Balanced earnings growth from a variety of sources again demonstrated the resilience of Amcor’s business and management teams. Earnings were up strongly in both the Flexibles and Rigid Plastics segments, driven by organic growth and acquisitions. Across developed markets, earnings grew at rates which exceeded overall market growth. In emerging markets, we delivered increased earnings in the face of difficult conditions in several countries. Click Read More below for additional detail.

With a culture of innovation, Dominion Packaging of Richmond, VA selected the latest technology in flexo printing to produce premium folding carton packaging for the tobacco, food and beverage markets when deciding its print direction. Its formula for success lies in the combination of state-of-the-art machinery and a market-focused strategy to provide exceptional product appeal. A key driver – to offer quality packaging at a modest cost – led the company to develop new technology using a flexo press operation capable of replacing jobs that were previously printed on both gravure and offset presses. The advancement is based on the successful installation of a TRESU Flexo Innovator press (FI1400-10, 55-inch, 10-units). The new Innovator is a flexographic in-line press equipped with rotec® High Speed Sleeves and rotec® Atlas Adapters from Flint Group. This particular combination of sleeves and adapters provides optimal control of plate bounce by absorbing press vibrations and providing added stability, thus permitting the press to run at faster speeds while still allowing for a solid kiss impression. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Soyuz, based in Moscow, produces corrugated packaging for a range of sectors and has approximately 300 employees. Smurfit Kappa already has three plants in Saint Petersburg, Russia producing paper-based and Bag-in-Box® products for customers across Europe. This acquisition enables Smurfit Kappa to further strengthen its position in Russia and broaden its offering to its multinational and local customers. The acquisition also establishes Smurfit Kappa as the leading international corrugated packaging supplier in Russia. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Total Packaging Papers shipments were 230,900 tons, 4.7% higher than July 2016. Bag & Sack shipments were up 6.1% year-to-date, while Food Wrapping shipments were down 9.5% over the same period. The operating rate for July 2017 was 88.4%, in line with the year-to-date rate of 88.6%. Inventories were 173,100 tons, up slightly since June.

Containerboard production was 5.2% higher compared to July 2016. The month-over-month average daily production compared to June 2017 was 1.7% higher. The containerboard operating rate for July increased from 96.3% to 97.9%, which was 2.8 percentage points higher compared to July of last year. Year-to-date production of containerboard for export is up 6.3%.

At drinktec 2017, Graphic Packaging International (GPI) will reveal a new packaging machinery system and state-of-the-art robotic integration capabilities for the beverage industry, along with other industry-leading machinery and carton solutions. For the first time, the company will demonstrate ReShape™, a revolutionary technology capable of creating virtually any pack configuration seamlessly with one piece of packaging equipment. With ReShape, beverage manufacturers can reinvent, reimagine, and ReShape their cartons to produce the shapes and configurations they need today, along with unique structures for the future. "ReShape opens up many options in beverage packaging," said Doug Hicks, Director of GPI's Packaging Machinery Division. "The system can both internally and externally nest primary containers to create a variety of shapes and sizes with the potential to use less fiber. Also, unique handle designs deliver added comfort and strength." Click Read More below for additional detail.

Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and part of Metsä Group, is pleased to announce that its revolutionary new paperboard cup design, ‘Lidloc’, has been selected as a finalist in the prestigious 2017 PPI Awards. The Lidloc design was chosen for the Packaging Innovation category, clearly reflecting how it has broken new ground in paperboard cup design. The design has a patent pending and is based upon an extension to a standard cup structure that folds and locks into an integrated lid. This innovative design completely removes the need for a separate plastic lid and will re-invent how paperboard cups are produced, consumed and recycled. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Total boxboard production increased 2.9 percent when compared to July 2016, and increased 6.5 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production increased over the same month as last year and increased compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production increased when compared to July 2016, and increased compared to last month. The production of Recycled Boxboard decreased compared to July 2016, and decreased when compared to last month.

The Group’s consolidated sales rose slightly from EUR 1,142.2 million to EUR 1,150.3 million. Both divisions contributed to this rise. At EUR 102.1 million, operating profit was EUR 8.7 million or 7.9 % below the value for the first half of the previous year (EUR 110.8 million). Thus, the Group's operating margin was at 8.9 %, following 9.7 % in the first six months of 2016. Financial income of EUR 1.3 million (1st half of 2016: EUR 1.6 million) was offset by financial expenses of EUR -2.9 million (1st half of 2016: EUR -3.2 million). Owing to the deconsolidation of the Tunisian packaging companies, a one-off expenditure of EUR 2.3 million was incurred due to the accumulated foreign currency translation, which is reported under “Other financial result – net”. Click Read More below for additional detail.

At this year's Phoenix Challenge Foundation college competition promoting the flexographic printing industry, Clemson University utlilized UPM Raflatac's new Raflex MDO film labels as part of their team's successful entry. Partnerships with local manufacturers are very important to the university, and with two UPM Raflatac factories less than 100 miles from Clemson's campus, collaboration has never been easier. Raflex MDO films balance the best performance properties of PP and PE for maximum functionality and shelf appeal, which was key to the team's entry. Each year, participating teams are given a prompt and must work with a client/partner to fit into their packaging and promotional needs using flexography. In this year's challenge, Clemson's client/partner was the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA). Clemson's goal was to promote the FTA to younger generations and reinforce their scholarship program. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Second Quarter 2017 Highlights (as compared to second quarter 2016): * Revenue increased 4.3% to $210.2 million primarily due to an increase in average selling price including the impact of product mix, additional revenue from the Powerband Acquisition(1), and the non-recurrence of the South Carolina Commissioning Revenue Reduction(2) in the second quarter of 2016. * Gross margin decreased to 22.5% from 25.7% primarily due to the non-recurrence of South Carolina Flood Insurance Proceeds(2) of $4.5 million recorded in the second quarter of 2016. * Net earnings attributable to the Company shareholders ("IPG Net Earnings") decreased $3.5 million to $10.2 million, primarily due to a decrease in gross profit and an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”), partially offset by a decrease in manufacturing facility closures, restructuring and other related charges and income tax expense. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Metsä Board is delighted to announce that eight cartons using its paperboards have been shortlisted for the finals of the 21st European Carton Excellence Awards (formerly the Pro Carton ECMA Awards). With all the successful entries submitted by Metsä Board customers, there are finalists in Save the Planet, Most Innovative, Beauty & Cosmetics, Food & Beverages and Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals categories. The Awards will be presented at the ECMA Congress on 21 September in Salzburg and the winners will appear on www.procarton.com at midnight on 21 September. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Amelco Industries Ltd is one of the leading suppliers of raw materials and machinery for the manufacture of innerspring mattresses in the south-eastern Mediterranean and Middle East area. The company works hard to ensure that its products are the best they possibly can be – and with Mondi`s support it has now optimised the packaging for its mattress innersprings. With Mondi’s Advantage MF SpringPack Plus speciality kraft paper, the company exceeded customer and logistics expectations, while in addition it has set a new world record in innerspring packing together with Mondi`s Speciality Kraft Paper team. In order to enhance the loading capacity of the containers used during transportation, innerspring units are roll packed. Amelco made its first roll-packing machine more than 25 years ago, while by endorsing new customer needs and expectations, as well as its customers’ feedback, the machine has progressively been evolved to the version that is now been offered on the open market. Costas Georgallis, owner of Amelco Industries Ltd, explains: “We test our machine prototypes in real working conditions – e.g. with technical support from Mondi – and improve them before we release them to our customers who asked us to maximize the number of spring units packed in each roll. Together with Mondi`s speciality kraft paper experts we realised that controlling the paper tension was a major factor in achieving a successful result. We therefore had to use the best and strongest spring pack paper on the market – which is Advantage MF SpringPack Plus from Mondi. To us, there is no other packaging material that can match Mondi`s SpringPack Plus grade for roll-packing as it is the best suitable material to compress and roll-pack the springs in a safe way and without putting them at risk to be damaged.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

For the second quarter ended June 30, 2017, net sales were $12,812,000 down 9.5% from net sales of $14,151,000 for the Second Quarter 2016. For the six month period ended June 30, 2017, net sales were $28,171,000 down 4% from net sales of $29,355,000 for the same period of 2016. The second quarter net loss was ($526,000) or ($0.15) per share basic, ($0.14) per share diluted, compared to a 2016 second quarter net loss of ($83,000) or ($0.02) per share. For the six month period ended June 30, 2017, there was a net loss of ($468,000) or ($0.13) per share compared to a net loss of ($76,000) or ($0.02) per share for the same period of 2016. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Pratt Chairman Anthony Pratt has been named as the 6th most influential person in the world of pulp, paper and packaging by our industry’s leading information provider. RISI compiled the annual power list for the July/August issue of Tappi’s Paper 360 magazine after polling pulp and paper industry experts from around the globe to determine the top 50 industry executives wordwide. Anthony, who ranked 23rd last year, shot up 17 places as his U.S. company continued to show rapid growth. The entry reads: “The company’s go-getter global chairman received a standing ovation from President Donald Trump at an event in New York City in May after pledging to invest in the US. ‘I’d like to pledge another US$2 billion over the next 10 years, doubling our rate of investment, to create an additional 5,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs mainly in the Midwest,’ Pratt said. During the past couple of decades, the Australian billionaire has spent about US$2.5 billion building Pratt Industries into the sixth largest US containerboard producer, with four recycled containerboard mills and more than 60 box plants generating US$3 billion in sales. The Midwest has been a major area of recent investment, but recent speculation has been on Pratt Industries’ future expansion plans in the West, where the company bought Robert Mann Packaging. Pratt has talked of plans to build a US$1 billion corrugated box business in California and possibly add a mill on the West Coast. More recently, he mentioned plans to build a ‘high-tech, robotic’ box plant in California for more than US$70 million that could be capable of producing 135,000 tons/yr of corrugated.”

Q2 2017 Highlights • Sales of $1,130 million (compared to $1,006 million in Q1 2017 (+12%) and $998 million in Q2 2016 (+13%)) • As reported (including specific items) • Operating income of $48 million (compared to $31 million in Q1 2017 (+55%) and $65 million in Q2 2016 (-26%)) • OIBD 1 of $104 million (compared to $78 million in Q1 2017 (+33%) and $112 million in Q2 2016 (-7%)) • Net earnings per common share of $3.41 (compared to net earnings of $1.70 in Q1 2017 and net earnings of $0.38 in Q2 2016) • Adjusted (excluding specific items) 2 • Operating income of $51 million (compared to $28 million in Q1 2017 (+82%) and $65 million in Q2 2016 (-22%)). Click Read More below for additional detail.

Cascades Inc. announces that it will close its packaging plant in Maspeth, New York, as part of the Corporation's modernization and optimization efforts in the Northeastern United States. "To support our future development and better serve our customers, we are announcing today that the Maspeth plant's output will gradually be redeployed to our other facilities. This decision was necessary as the current site has reached its physical limits. This transition will be seamless for all of our customers. The property has already been put up for sale for US$72 million," said Charles Malo, President and Chief Operating Officer of Cascades Containerboard Packaging. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Net sales of $1.1 billion increased 3.0% on an as reported basis. Currency had a negative impact on total net sales of 0.7%, or $7 million. As reported, net sales in North America increased 9%. Asia Pacific declined 2% while Latin America and EMEA declined 4% each. Net income from continuing operations on a reported basis was $29 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, as compared to net income from continuing operations of $2 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, in the second quarter 2016. Net income in the second quarter 2017 was unfavorably impacted by $40 million of special items, including $18 million of tax expense and $18 million of charges related the pending sale of Diversey. Special items negatively impacting the second quarter of 2017 also included costs incurred related to the sale of Diversey, and restructuring and other restructuring associated costs. Net income in the second quarter 2016 included $72 million of special items, including charges related to ceasing operations in Venezuela, restructuring charges and other costs associated with our restructuring programs, and a loss on the remeasurement of our Venezuelan subsidiaries. Click Read More below for additional detail.

President and CEO Kari Jordan: “Metsä Group’s profitability in 2017 has improved from the previous year. The most significant reasons for the improved result are the clearly higher volumes in paperboard deliveries and the increased price of pulp. Metsä Group’s key development projects aiming for profitable growth are progressing according to plan. The construction of the bioproduct mill in Äänekoski, which has proceeded on schedule and on budget, is nearly completed, and the mill’s start-up will begin in mid-August. Pulp deliveries to customers will start at the beginning of September. The new production line at the Kerto® LVL mill in Lohja will likewise start up in August. The construction of the birch plywood mill in Pärnu, Estonia, and the work of converting the old paper machine hall at Äänekoski into a birch veneer mill are proceeding well. The Husum paperboard mill’s new extrusion coating line started up in April, and the related quality feedback from customers has been good. In June, we began work on rebuilding the baking paper machine at the Düren mill in Germany. The new machine will also allow us to expand our cooking paper business in the future. After years of stagnation, Finland’s economy has started to pick up. For this growth to continue, our country needs investments. Metsä Group and Finland’s forest industry in general have met this need. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Peter Oswald, Mondi Group chief executive, said: “Mondi delivered a robust performance in the first half of 2017, with revenue up 8%, underlying operating profit of €497 million and a return on capital employed of 18.7%, reflecting management’s ongoing value focus and the strength of our business model. Profitability was down on the comparable prior year period, mainly driven by a significantly lower forestry fair value gain in South Africa and the impact of mill maintenance shuts. We continue to drive growth through our capital investment programme. During the period, we commissioned the second phase of our major investment in the ongoing development of our world-class facility in Poland, while good progress is being made on the modernisation of our kraft paper facility in Czech Republic. The integration of acquisitions completed during 2016 and early 2017 is on track. These acquisitions enhance our geographic reach and product portfolio in Corrugated Packaging and Consumer Packaging. The market outlook remains broadly positive. We saw strong demand across Packaging Paper and Corrugated Packa ging in the first half and successfully implemented price increases across certain paper grades, the full effect of which is anticipated in the second half. The second half of the year will be impacted by planned maintenance shuts at a number of our mills and the usual seasonal downturn in Uncoated Fine Paper. While we continue to see some inflationary cost pressures, we remain confident of making progress in the year and continuing to deliver industry leading returns." Click Read More below for additional detail.

Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE:BERY) today reported results for its third fiscal 2017 quarter, referred to in the following as the June 2017 quarter. “This continues to be an exciting year for Berry as we celebrate our 50th year in business while also achieving a milestone in the quarter with our placement into the Fortune 500. We achieved quarterly records for net sales and operating EBITDA and continued our work integrating the AEP acquisition. Adjusted free cash flow improved 20 percent, and adjusted net income per diluted share was also 13% higher at 93 cents,” said Tom Salmon, CEO of Berry.

Cascades Inc. (TSX: CAS), the leader in recuperation of recyclable materials and in manufacturing of green packaging products and tissue paper, announces an investment of $80 million USD for the construction of a new containerboard packaging plant in Piscataway, New Jersey, United States. This new plant, which will create 120 jobs, will manufacture corrugated packaging products and will be among the most modern of its kind in North America. It will begin operations in the second quarter of 2018. Once all equipment is installed, total annual production capacity will be 2.4 billion square feet. Ultimately, this represents an increase in the integration rate of approximately 5%. The facilities will have a surface area of more than 400,000 square feet.

Project M Plus has designed the label and packaging for Atlantico rum, distilled and blended in the Dominican Republic. To elevate the product and the brand, the designers capitalized on their love of the Caribbean, taking their cues from the culture and lifestyle — including “the beautiful ceramic tiles found throughout the islands, the sun at Golden Hour, the salt on your skin to the salt on your rim.

The company reported net sales of $429.7 million for the second quarter of 2017, down 1.6% compared to net sales of $436.7 million for the second quarter of 2016. Net earnings determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, for the second quarter of 2017 were $8.0 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, compared to net earnings of $20.9 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2016.

WestRock Company ("WestRock") (NYSE:WRK), a leading provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, today announced results for its fiscal third quarter ended June 30, 2017. “Our WestRock team delivered strong earnings and cash flow, and grew our differentiated packaging business by completing the acquisitions of MPS and U.S. Corrugated, which have expanded our presence in attractive markets and increased our vertical integration,” said Steve Voorhees, chief executive officer. “We increased our daily box volumes over the prior year by 5.7%. While we continue to face a challenging cost environment, we are focusing on areas within our control – serving our customers well and driving synergy and productivity improvements across our company.”

On April 20 PCA’s sheet plant in Roanoke, Virginia, hosted 35 students from Virginia Tech’s packaging program for their annual Plant Tour and Social Day. Students toured the box plant, watched a presentation about PCA and enjoyed lunch with employees. In addition to the Plant Tour and Social Day, PCA Roanoke is proud to partner with Virginia Tech in a number of other ways. The plant has hired a number of interns from the Packaging School, some of which have gone on to become PCA employees after graduation.

Digital print for packaging and displays has many benefits and is ideal for customers who are looking for alternatives to traditional offset printing which is a plate or tooling driven process. It offers a way to professionally brand protective packaging and in-store signage and displays with custom print without the need for large production runs. Digital printed packaging, labels, and displays is a fast-growing market – and for good reason – it offers many benefits to the customer including: •Cost Effective: Digital print requires no die-cut tooling or print plates which can be an unexpected upfront expense for the customer or out of range cost for smaller businesses. •Small Production Runs: Digital print allows for production of small volume jobs and print runs. •Universal Application: Digital print has a universal application and prints on any substrate including metal, plastic, wood and corrugated paper. Click Read More below for additional details.

Sealed Air Corporation announced that it is implementing a price increase on all products in its North American Product Care division. The increases will be effective September 1, 2017. The price adjustments are the result of escalation in resin costs of over 7% since the start of the year with over 9% of additional increases expected to be announced in the near term. Other raw materials costs have also been on the rise including chemical components (MDI/Polyol) which are up 15% since the start of 2017, and recycled paper and corrugated up with Old Corrugated Container (OCC) costs climbing more than 50% year-to-date with further increases expected. Click Read More below for additional details.

Second Quarter & Half Year Key Points: *Group revenue growth of 5% for the first six months with strong demand in most markets. *Second quarter EBITDA of €292 million with increased sequential EBITDA margin of 13.9%. *Kraftliner demand robust with additional €50 per tonne price increase implemented in the third quarter. *Containerboard price increases feeding through to corrugated price recovery. Click Read More below for additional details.

"With half of the year behind us, expected strong business performance through the second half and favorable non-operational tailwinds, we are raising our guidance on our full-year earnings performance." Net sales in the second quarter of 2017 were $1.8 billion, similar to the prior year second quarter. On a global basis, the 1 percent increase in price was offset by modestly lower sales volume and adverse currency translation. For the first half of 2017, the net sales increase of more than 50 basis points reflects a stronger first quarter and softer second quarter which was partly due to higher shipping days in the first quarter. Click Read More below for additional details.

WestRock Company announced that it is expanding its consumer packaging portfolio with the acquisition of Hanna Group Pty Ltd (Hannapak), one of Australia’s leading providers of folding cartons to a variety of markets, including beverage, food, confectionary, and healthcare. The acquisition will build on WestRock’s established and growing packaging business in the region. “Hannapak has built an outstanding folding carton business in Australia based on their superior capabilities and customer service,” said Steve Voorhees, chief executive officer of WestRock. “We have a strong relationship with the company and the Hanna family based on an 18-year partnership as one of our key converting partners in the region, and we are excited about the clear cultural and operational fit between the two companies. This acquisition expands our geographic footprint to better serve global and local customers, and will enable us to improve WestRock’s beverage packaging business in the region while expanding our participation to a variety of other attractive end markets.” Click Read More below for additional details.

MillerCoors has named CROWN Beverage Packaging Mexico as its 2016 Packaging Materials Supplier of the Year. Crown’s facility in Monterrey, Mexico supplies MillerCoors with crowns and aluminum roll on closures for glass bottles. “CROWN Mexico has been a longtime supplier to MillerCoors’ operations in the United States, consistently providing us with excellent quality bottle crowns and great customer service throughout the years,” said Tod Galloway, Vice President, US Head of Regional Procurement, MillerCoors. “They continuously strive to innovate with us and help grow our brands, all at a competitive cost within the industry. 2016 was a particularly strong year for CROWN Mexico, and as such, they were presented our Packaging Supplier of the Year Award. We are fortunate to have such a long-standing and reliable partner.” Click Read More below for additional details.

International Paper Company announced that it has priced $1.0 billion of 4.350% senior unsecured notes due 2048. The notes were issued at a public offering price of 99.898%. The offering was made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement. International Paper intends to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with available cash and other borrowings, to make a voluntary cash contribution to its pension plan in the aggregate amount of $1.25 billion by September 15, 2017.

As a result of its customer focused research and development, Mondi’s technical films business has created and introduced a water soluble film for the smart and convenient packing and dosing of powders, tabs and granulates. Dissolving completely in water, the film is ideal for single doses of dry materials, such as dishwasher and laundry tabs or bath salts. The water soluble film is an example how customers benefit from Mondi’s synergized research and development strategies having its core competencies in areas such as plastic films, packaging, paper and coating brought together under one roof. The film offers excellent sealing and deep drawing properties, provides an effective barrier to oxygen and is completely soluble even in cold water. Consumers are also protected from direct contact with the contents, which adds an extra layer of safety. Customers can bolster their sustainable credentials too, through the environmental benefits water soluble films provide compared to standard plastic films. In addition to reducing overall packaging waste, the films are also considered to be biodegradable, non-toxic and non-inhibitory. Click Read More below for additional details.

Following the recent decision of the Supervisory Board of Papierfabrik August Koehler SE, the globally active paper specialist will have invested approximately half a billion Euro in growth by 2020. “We’re able to do this thanks to our position of strength and exceptional business developments in the past,” explains Kai Furler, CEO of the German family-owned company. More than €300 million is also being directed to the Kehl production facility, where Koehler will be creating more than 100 new jobs over the next two years. The primary investment is going to a leading global technology in the form of a specialty paper machine with Yankee cylinder. The off-machine coater will be equipped with multiple cutting-edge coating application technologies in order to help shape attractive market segments in the sector of flexible packaging. The total capacity will be well over 100,000 tons a year. That represents a clear commitment to paper and board, says CEO Kai Furler, as well as the largest individual investment in the company’s 210-year history. Click Read More below for additional details.

Second Quarter 2017 Summary: • Reported sales were in line with the prior year. • Excluding the negative impact from changes in foreign currency exchange rates, core sales increased 1% as robust core sales growth in the Pharma and Food + Beverage segments offset a decline in Beauty + Home. • Reported net income (11% of net sales) increased to $65 million (+10%) primarily due to a lower effective tax rate. • EBITDA (20% of net sales) decreased to $124 million (-7%) primarily due to decreases in business in certain markets and higher raw material costs. • Reported earnings per share were $1.01 compared to $0.91 reported in the prior year (+11%) and $0.90 in the prior year when adjusting for changes in currency exchange rates (+12%). Click Read More below for additional details.

Cascades Inc. announces that it has reached an agreement to sell all of its shares in Boralex to the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (the Caisse) for an amount of $ 287.5 million. Cascades was formerly a majority shareholder in Boralex, but has gradually had its ownership stake in the company diluted to 17.3% as Boralex has grown over recent years. Over the last several months, Cascades management has undertaken an in-depth assessment, and has evaluated the Company's alternatives with regards to its investment in Boralex. As a result of this analysis, management made the strategic decision to monetize its investment and selected the Caisse to complete this major transaction. Click Read More below for additional details.

Second Quarter Operating Highlights: Consolidated net sales of $823 million in the second quarter of 2017 increased by $38 million, or 5 percent, compared to $785 million for the 2016 second quarter. Revenue growth in the paper and packaging segment resulted from higher prices and volume. The Company's average mill selling price of $661 per ton in the second quarter of 2017 increased by $37 per ton, or about 6 percent, compared to the second quarter of 2016 due to higher domestic and export containerboard prices, higher specialty paper prices and a more favorable product mix. Revenues in the distribution segment increased $8 million, mainly due to higher prices. Operating income of $41 million for the 2017 second quarter decreased by $2 million, or 5 percent, compared to the 2016 second quarter. Click Read More below for additional details.

Bemis Company, Inc. reported financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2017. Refer to the reconciliation of Non-GAAP measures detailed in the attached schedule, including adjusted earnings per share, adjusted EBITDA, and net debt referenced in this release. “Total company profits were less than expected this quarter due to the impact of the challenging economic environment in Brazil. Sales volumes declined sharply in Brazil versus our run rates as consumers, retailers, and our customers reacted to the latest political instability. In our U.S. business, profits were in line with the expectations we shared last quarter,” said William F. Austen, Bemis Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “During June, we initiated a restructuring and cost savings plan to better position the Company in the current environment and for the long term. These efforts are progressing well to create a more agile, streamlined, and efficient business that continues to be successful over the long term.” Click Read More below for additional details.

Stora Enso has today signed an agreement to divest its 35% holding in the equity accounted investment Bulleh Shah Packaging Ltd. (BSP) to the main owner Packages Ltd. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2017. The cash consideration for the divestment of the shares is EUR 6 million. The loss on disposal amounts in total to approximately EUR 19 million. These will be recorded as items affecting comparability (IAC) in Stora Enso’s third quarter 2017 results. Click Read More below for additional details.

Net sales for the second quarter of 2017 were $1,021.8 million, an increase of $147.2 million, or 16.8 percent, as compared to $874.6 million in 2016. This increase was the result of the acquisition of Dispensing Systems in April 2017 and higher net sales across all of the businesses. Income from operations for the second quarter of 2017 was $75.2 million, an increase of $7.5 million, or 11.1 percent, as compared to $67.7 million for the second quarter of 2016, while operating margin decreased to 7.4 percent from 7.7 percent for the same periods. The increase in income from operations was the result of the net benefit from the acquisition of Dispensing Systems and higher income from operations in each of the businesses. The decrease in operating margin was due primarily to the negative impact from the purchase accounting write-up of inventory of Dispensing Systems and acquisition related costs in the quarter. Rationalization charges were $3.0 million and $5.0 million in the second quarters of 2017 and 2016, respectively. Click Read More below for additional details.

Sonoco ThermoSafe has launched a new range of reusable, universal solutions for the pharmaceutical and biologics markets. ChillTech® is a pre-qualified range of 2°C to 8°C PCM systems providing exceptional temperature control from 2 days up to 6 days for payloads from 4L to 40L. ChillTech® utilizes Sonoco ThermoSafe's patented Zero Bench-Time® technology, where systems can be packed-out straight from the freezer, saving customers space, time and money. Similar shippers on the market are qualified for just 4-days and typically use high-value components, which translate into higher costs for customers. These shippers also typically need time outside of the freezer prior to packing out, making Sonoco ThermoSafe's Zero Bench-Time technology a real benefit. Each ChillTech solution has the same pack-out configuration and is used year-round, regardless of season. In addition, following Sonoco ThermoSafe's philosophy to Embrace Simple®: simply change the outer insulated shipper to switch shipment duration from 48 hours to 96 hours to 144 hours. Click Read More below for additional details.

Sonoco announced it has completed the acquisition of Clear Lam Packaging, Inc., a family-held developer and manufacturer of flexible and forming plastic packaging films, for approximately $170 million in cash. Founded in 1969, the Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based company is projecting 2017 sales of approximately $140 million and operates state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Elk Grove Village and Nanjing, China, with nearly 400 total employees. Clear Lam is a technology leader in the development, production and conversion of high barrier flexible and forming films used to package a variety of products for consumer packaged goods companies and retailers, with a focus on structures used for perishable foods. Clear Lam President and CEO James Sanfilipo and other key members of its management team are expected to remain with the company. Clear Lam’s financial results will be added to Sonoco’s Consumer Packaging segment. Click Read More below for additional details.

April-June 2017 compared with April-June 2016: · Net sales EUR 576.9 million (EUR 561.0 million), showing a gain of 2.8%. Comparable net sales increased by 1.8% at constant currency rates. · Comparable EBITDA EUR 77.4 million (EUR 77.3 million), representing 13.4% (13.8%) of net sales. · EBITDA* EUR 75.0 million (EUR 76.0 million). · Operating result* EUR 43.3 million (EUR 42.5 million). · Net result* EUR 27.5 million (EUR 23.7 million). · Earnings per share* EUR 0.28 (EUR 0.25). · Comparable EPS excluding merger related items (PPA) EUR 0.39 (0.25). · Net cash flow from operating activities EUR 41.2 million (EUR 89.1 million). Click Read More below for additional details.

Highlights: Q2 Net Sales were $1,094.7 million versus $1,103.2 million in the prior year period. Q2 Net Tons Sold were 733.9 thousand tons versus 721.9 thousand tons in the prior year period. Q2 Earnings per Diluted Share were $0.14 versus $0.24 in the prior year period. Q2 Adjusted Earnings per Diluted Share were $0.15 versus $0.19 in the prior year period. Q2 Net Income was $42.0 million versus $77.8 million in the prior year period. Q2 Adjusted EBITDA was $170.6 million versus $195.2 million in the prior year period. Returned $42.8 million to stockholders in Q2 through dividends and share repurchases. Click Read More below for additional details.

Carolina Container LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of New-Indy Containerboard LLC, has acquired Dixie Reel & Box Company, a complete manufacturer of corrugated packaging and a provider of packaging solutions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Dixie Reel & Box Company is based in Charlotte, North Carolina and has been in business for over 40 years, most recently operating as a division of Lone Star Container, based in Dallas, Texas. Click Read More below for additional details.

Lecta will exhibit at the Munich's next Drinktec trade fair, the world's most prestigious platform for the beverage and liquid food sector. From September 11 to 15, it will present and exhibit its innovations in specialty paper labels for this sector, within this excellent platform for launching new products and developments. Visitors will discover the exceptional quality and versatility of three of Lecta's product lines: Metalvac metalized papers, the wide range of Adestor self-adhesive materials and Creaset one-side coated papers. Metalvac, Lecta's high-vacuum 100% recyclable metallized paper, will be presented at Drinktec in the form of a new catalogue. The sample book is made up of three folders that correspond to the brand's three application segments: wet-glue labels, pressure-sensitive labels and tobacco and packaging. Each​ multi-lingual folder (ES/EN/IT​/FR) contains technical specifications and product samples in different colors and finishes. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Evergreen Packaging Equipment is introducing its NEW QL-30 and QL-30ESL gable top packaging machines. Designed for low-volume production capacity, the QL-30 can handle fill volumes of 6 to 32 oz (180 ml to 1 liter), and fills quarts/liters up to 3,000 cph (cartons per hour) with a single stage bottom-up fill system. Allen Bradley PLC controls and servo driven technology provide repeatable package performance and automatically controls fill volumes and profiles based on product and carton size. Infinite fill adjustments allow for less downtime with quick and easy changes in carton size or product.

Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Sonoco (NYSE:SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today reported financial results for its second quarter, ending July 2, 2017.

Go into virtually any major grocery, drug, club, or hardware store today, and you almost certainly will come across a package that has been handled by Sterling Contract Packaging, Inc. Sterling CPI, of Moore, SC, is one of the largest providers of contract packaging services in the Southeast, providing complete turnkey solutions—from product and package procurement through to the point of distribution—for non-regulated consumer products.

Following the successful launch of the Draft Latte, a distinctive crafted coffee drink using Crown’s InnoValve technology, La Colombe Coffee Roasters and CROWN Beverage Packaging North America, a business unit of Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) (Crown) (www.crowncork.com), have partnered again to bring another unique experience to coffee lovers everywhere. The MiniVault, a pre-portioned single-use can, delivers café quality ground coffee to consumers in a vessel that is both convenient for at-home use and extends the shelf life up to five times.

Sonoco (NYSE:SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today announced that Philippe Guillemot has been named to its Board of Directors. Guillemot, 58, was chief operating officer of Alcatel-Lucent SA, Boulogne-Billancourt, France, prior to its acquisition by Nokia Oyj in 2016. Before his tenure with Alcatel-Lucent, Guillemot was chief executive officer and board director of Europcar Group from 2010 to 2012, Guyancourt, France; Chairman and CEO of Areva T&D, Paris, from 2004 to 2010; group executive vice president, Faurecia SA, Paris, from 2001 to 2003; and group vice president, Valeo, Paris, from 1998 to 2000; and held several global executive positions with Michelin from 1983 to 1998.

Greif, a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, announces the expansion of its Houston, Texas, footprint by making a multimillion-dollar investment in an intermediate bulk container (IBC) manufacturing facility. The existing 100,000 square foot building is located in Baytown, Texas, and is scheduled to be operational during the second quarter of 2018.

KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE: KS) announces the recent release of its fifth annual sustainability report which shows ongoing progress towards meeting its 2020 sustainability goals. Conforming to the Global Reporting Initiative's (GRI) G4 rigid and voluntary standards, the report details accomplishments along with areas for improvement necessary to meet those goals. KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation CEO and President, Matt Kaplan, states: "Operating in a sustainable manner is core to doing business the right way. As we look ahead to meeting our 2020 goals, we are inspired by the great work of our employees and know by reaching higher, we will position ourselves to achieve our goals."

On July 13, 1937 the first Krispy Kreme kitchen opened in Old Salem, North Carolina. Founder Vernon Rudolph purchased the still-used secret yeast doughnut recipe from a French chef in New Orleans and began selling the pastries to local grocery stores. The smell from the kitchen was so enticing to passers-by that Rudolph decided it was in his company’s best interest to start selling the doughnuts directly to customers on the street. So, he cut a hole in one of the building’s outer walls and started selling doughnuts directly to customers on the street. Seven years later in 1944, the doughnut display cases we’re so familiar with today were brought into Krispy Kreme stores for the first time.

Imagine walking into the liquor store on a Friday night. You look past the brews you’ve already tried for something new. You spot a silver and gold capsule of a can, with a strange goggled figure on the label. The copy tells you this beer was formulated to fuel your journey through the multiverse, and it contains a sci-fi album as the soundtrack. To get the album, there’s a special hashtag. By tweeting it, you’ll receive a message telling you what you’re doing right now in a parallel reality, and a link to the music. Curiosity piqued, you bring it home, crack it open, take out your phone, and experience audio, visual, touch and taste in a single moment in time.

The global biodegradable paper packaging materials market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of close to 11% from 2017 to 2021, according to a new market study from Technavio. The study covers the present scenario and growth prospects for global biodegradable paper packaging materials and also lists bioplastic packaging materials and paper packaging materials as the two major application segments, of which bioplastic packaging materials dominated the global market in 2016, accounting for 54% of the market share in 2016.

Smurfit Kappa held its eighth Innovation Event this year in Paris. More than 250 customers came to the “Packaging and Perspectives” event, which took a look at how packaging will be affected by supply chain and network fragmentation using a variety of media. Alongside the conference, visitors had the opportunity to participate in an interactive live session with two Smurfit Kappa design teams tasked with developing complete shelf ready packaging and display solutions in real time. The designs that were created were based on votes from the customers.

Following “The Easy Way”, Flint Group Flexographic Products expands its product range with a further inherent flat top dot flexo plate, which provides significant fluting reduction on various corrugated boards from fine to rough flute. Holding the finest highlights, the nyloflex® FTC Digital plate offers outstanding print quality - sharp and defined elements with precisely reproduced text and codes, inviting printers to push the boundaries of print resolution in corrugated postprint. Furthermore, the new flexo plate features excellent ink transfer, resulting in very smooth solids with even ink laydown, which allows for high and consistent print quality on a variety of substrates. “With a continuing trend for lower quality liners due to cost reasons, however, uncompromised requirements for quality printing, printers, retailers and brand owners demand good quality in corrugated postprint, both for superior liners and more challenging materials,” says Dr. Eva Freudenthaler, Vice President Technology, Flint Group Flexographic Products. “With the development of nyloflex® FTC plate, we therefore had two focal points with regard to print quality - to reduce the fluting effect across many different liner qualities and to further enhance the quality of fine highlight screens in corrugated postprint - while at the same time keeping it simple for the pre-press operation by providing a plate that can be processed like any normal digital printing plate.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Mondi Industrial Bags, in collaboration with its customer and cement producer LafargeHolcim, has created SPLASHBAG – a paper-based solution designed to satisfy the need of dealing with materials that are often exposed to wet conditions or environments. The product has been developed as a direct response to the customer’s packaging needs in this area, and is suitable for the protection of moisture-sensitive filling goods, including building materials, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Having successfully launched in Europe, the product is now gaining traction in many other markets around the world. Based on Mondi`s Advantage Protect sack kraft paper – a grade that offers both a water-repellent surface and high wet tensile strength – the bag maintains high strength even in wet environments. Thanks to its bespoke benefits, within the last year SPLASHBAG has quickly gained global recognition – from Azerbaijan and Bulgaria to France and La Réunion. The key to SPLASHBAG‘s success lies in its enhanced sack kraft paper properties – absorbing less moisture than conventional paper bags and maintaining both integrity and product quality. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l. announced it will again raise prices for paper-based tubes and cores, effective from shipments beginning on 24th July 2017. "Prices of coreboard continue to rise, driven by fundamental changes in recovered paper markets. As this trend continues, we are forced to keep pace and apply a further increase to our tubes and cores," said Karsten Kemmerling, Director of Sales and Marketing - Tubes and Cores, Europe. "We continue to invest in our operations to generate manufacturing productivity, but this will not cover the significant increase in material costs. The outlook for the second half of this year could well be a further tightening of material availability and inevitably further price increases for our base raw material."

The Protective Solutions division of Sonoco, North America’s leading provider of protective packaging, components and material handling solutions, has released its Cost of Damage Calculator, a robust online tool designed to calculate the real cost of damage to businesses when shipping their products. With packaging an essential part of the supply chain, determining how best to ease risk for product damage throughout the entire process is paramount. The calculator successfully breaks down the customer’s e-commerce and retail damage to show the percentage of damage, number of units, total cost and the percentage of profits this affects. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Cascades Flexible Packaging, a Cascades unit that specializes mainly in the manufacture of flexible plastic packaging for the food market, has earned the IFS PACsecure certification, which is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). IFS PACsecure is one of the world's leading food safety standards for primary and secondary packaging materials. Cascades Flexible Packaging passed the independent evaluation with a score of 99.16%. The plant, based in Mississauga, Ontario , proved that its processes and products comply with global packaging materials safety standards notably in terms of maintenance, hygiene, traceability, management commitment and food defense. "Although the [Cascades Flexible Packaging IFS PACsecure certification] program is young, it has been well developed and a strong commitment to the standard is evident," states the final audit report. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Color-Logic--the leader in metallic color communication and decorative effects--has certified Platinum Recycled Cast Coat, a luxury carton stock offered by Midland Paper, for use with the Color-Logic process. Discussing the certification, Mark Geeves, Color-Logic Director of Sales and Marketing, said : "The new Midland stock for carton applications, in combination with Color-Logi c BEST Silver ink and software, is a game changer for luxury packaging applications. The samples submitted for certification--produced by a Midland client--have the smoothest glass-like surface of any cast coat we have seen." Also commenting on the certification, Mike Jacobson, Midland Paper Senior Vice-President Sales, said: "We knew our new Platinum Recycled Cast Coat stock would provide exceptional print quality. After tests with the Color-Logic software and BEST silver ink, however, we now know our customers can enjoy dramatic effects at an economical production cost. What can be done with five ink colors--and the fact that all the decorative effects can be done at the design stage with no post finishing necessary--opens up new markets for our new recycled board." Click Read More below for additional detail.

Dole GO Berries!™, which utilizes Sonoco’s packaging, was awarded Best New Packaging as part of the Produce Innovation Awards at United Fresh 2017, an expo dedicated to innovation in produce and fresh foods. The berries are packaged in 3-packs of fun, snack-sized containers that offer snap, rinse and go convenience. The ventilated packaging promotes increased airflow around the berries, aiding cooling and improves freshness, while also making rinsing easy for consumers. “Nearly half of people snack three or more times a day, and Sonoco has developed a suite of solutions – ranging from pouches to composite cans to single-serving plastic tubs – that protect food on the go, while also offering convenience to busy consumers,” said Pete Gioldasis, director of marketing, Sonoco. “Our latest solution for Dole is exciting because it’s a great way for consumers to take fresh and healthy food on the go.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Adestor HM300 is a permanent hot-melt adhesive with a very high tack especially formulated for high-speed air-blow labelling. It performs well at low temperatures and can be used at room temperature of -5ºC. Its immediate strong adhesion makes it ideal for rough and curved surfaces. The new HM300 adhesive has been designed for use in the food industry and is available in a range of different paper and film face stock. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Graphic Packaging International, Inc., has completed the previously announced acquisition of substantially all the assets of Carton Craft Corporation and its affiliate Lithocraft, Inc.

In order to ship summer produce like peaches, tomatoes, and berries safely, it’s important to partner with a packaging company that understands the unique needs of agricultural packaging. Each crop requires special handling and unique packaging design in order to ensure food safety and minimize loss. The following considerations are key to ensuring successful shipping from farm to store. •Ventilation: allows heat to escape and accelerate cooling •Protection: reduce loss through successful package design •Water Loss Reduction: maintain freshness by reducing the potential for water loss. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Smurfit Kappa’s SupplySmart service has reached 50,000 supply chains, taking optimisation of packaging to a new level. The industry-leading service uses evidence-based analytics and insights, to work with businesses to benchmark risk and optimise efficiency in their supply chain. SupplySmart is the first service of its kind that combines big data from over 50,000 supply chains in over 30 countries with creative solutions, expert knowledge and years of practical experience. The service enables businesses to reduce logistics costs, streamline production and lower packaging costs without compromising on performance. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l. today announced it will again raise prices by a further €50 per tonne (£40 / tonne) on all recycled paperboard grades sold in the Company's European regions. The price change is effective with shipments on or after 17th July 2017. "Demand for raw materials has continued to rise throughout the year as a result of China's "National Sword" initiative, new capacity within the paper packaging sector, and the European economy currently being stronger than we have seen in recent years. The resultant continued increase in raw material costs are again unsustainable and we now have no choice but to pass these increases through into the market," said Phil Woolley, Director - Paper Europe.

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. announced the completion on July 1 of the previouslyannounced transaction to acquire substantially all of the assets of Canadian Technical Tape Ltd. (d/b/a “Cantech”), a North American supplier of industrial and specialty tapes based in Montreal. The expected aggregate purchase price is approximately $67 million (as updated from the previously-communicated purchase price of $63 million due to certain purchase price adjustments), subject to further post-closing adjustments. All amounts in this press release are denominated in US dollars. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Sappi Limited is pleased to announce that it will bolster its Packaging and Speciality Papers Business through the acquisition of the barrier film technology of Rockwell Solutions Limited (Rockwell Solutions). The transaction will mean that Rockwell Solutions will become a subsidiary of Sappi Europe. Sappi is one of the world’s leading producers of speciality papers and carton board with a strong presence in meeting the increased global demand for sustainable barrier paper solutions. Commenting on the transaction, Thomas Kratochwill, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Packaging and Speciality Papers for Sappi Europe said “By gaining access to the barrier film technology of Rockwell Solutions Sappi will be able to accelerate the development of our own solutions and be able to offer our customers an even wider range of barrier coated packaging solutions.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Stora Enso has today signed an agreement to divest the business and assets of its Swedish subsidiary Stora Enso Re-board AB, a producer of rigid paperboard for expositions and displays, to Culas AB, which is partially owned by the current managing director of Stora Enso Re-board AB, John-Åke Svensson. “Stora Enso’s focus within packaging is on developing and delivering fibre-based solutions throughout the value chain. Re-board delivers a niche product and we believe that a new owner can better give this business the attention it deserves and develop it further,” says Peter Torstensson, SVP and Head of Corrugated Nordics, Stora Enso’s Packaging Solutions division. Click Read More below for additional detail.

The project consists of building a state-of-the-art recovery boiler by 2020 and a new steam turbine by 2022. This equipment will reinforce the industry-leading position that Smurfit Kappa Nettingsdorf currently holds, by virtue of having the lowest energy consumption in the paper industry. The new boiler will produce energy out of biomass, reducing CO₂ emissions at the Nettingsdorf mill by 40,000 tonnes, which represents a 1.5% reduction in Smurfit Kappa Group’s total CO₂ emissions. Smurfit Kappa recently announced in its 2016 Sustainability Development Report that it has already cut CO₂ emissions by 23%, well on the way to meeting its 2020 target of 25%. Click Read More below for additional detail.

An Elkhart-based manufacturer of cardboard boxes already working to expand its operations in Elkhart is expanding elsewhere through a merger with another box-maker. In a deal announced Tuesday, July 7, Welch Packaging Group is merging with American Corrugated Products, a Columbus, Ohio-based company that specializes in packaging for the automotive industry. “American Corrugated Products has a mix of custom packaging solutions built on strong design capabilities which fits the Welch model like a glove,” Welch founder and CEO Scott Welch said in a statement. “This expands the talent, design and niche products that we can bring to our customer while broadening our automotive industry expertise. American Corrugated Products customers will greatly benefit from Welch’s geographic coverage and product capabilities.” Combined, the companies have 900 employees across six states. Welch Packaging was founded in Elkhart in 1985 and has facilities in Elkhart, Marion, Indianapolis, Chicago, and three Ohio plants in Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo. American Corrugated has plants in Jackson, Mich.; Evansville; Morehead, Ky.; Columbia, Tenn., and Dyersburg, Tenn. A statement from Welch Packaging did not specify how or if the companies’ leadership would be consolidated or how the merger might impact the people currently working at the companies. Calls and emails to a Welch company spokesperson for comment were not returned Tuesday afternoon. Welch Packaging has grown significantly in the last few years through the acquisition of other box-making companies. In May 2014, it acquired Go Packaging LLC in Lombard, Ill., and in March 2014 it bought Marion-based Indiana Corrugated. In November 2013, officials announced the acquisition of Nova Packaging, also in Marion. http://www.elkharttruth.com/news/business/2015/07/08/Elkhart-s-Welch-Packaging-group-merges-with-Ohio-based-American-Corrugated-Products.html