ePac Flexible Packaging is pleased to announce its third European facility, ePac Poland North, located near the cities of Poznan and Bydgoszcz. This expands ePac’s network of sales and production operations across the Continent, builds on the successful launch of European sites in the UK (Silverstone) and France (Lyon), and further signals the company’s intent to become the supplier of choice in local markets throughout Europe. ePac Poland North is a partnership between ePac and mFlex, and will operate from mFlex’s production facility, an established flexible packaging facility that already uses digital printing. The company will be led by Managing Partners Jacek Ciosek and Marcin Kowalski; both seasoned executives in flexible packaging who will manage ePac’s operations and customer relationships.

Highlights *Reported cash from operations of $556.8 million *Free cash flow increased 22% over 2020 to a record $466.1 million, representing a free cash flow yield of 10% based on year end stock price *Record full year volumes in the Dispensing and Specialty Closures segment, with a 9% increase over prior year record volumes *Record full year volumes in the Metal Container segment, with a further 4% increase on top of the 14% growth in 2020 *Completed the strategic acquisitions of Gateway, Unicep and Easytech *Issued the Company's inaugural sustainability report *Returned to year end target leverage ratio after completing three acquisitions in 2021

Smurfit Kappa has developed a new, entirely sustainable packaging solution for fast food following close collaboration with independent Packaging Consultant Juozas Baranauskas. The Twin Kraft Grease Guard MB12 packaging solution, created for Lithuanian fast-food restaurant Fresh Post, is part of Smurfit Kappa’s rapidly growing Better Planet Packaging portfolio of products, which offer sustainable alternatives to existing single-use plastic solutions. The new Fresh Post food box is made from Smurfit Kappa’s Twin Kraft Solid Board, which is a paper-based mono-material specifically designed for food packaging. By integrating the company’s MB12 technology, the recyclable material can adsorb mineral oils, keeping food safe whilst simultaneously protecting aroma and taste.

Sonoco announced it will raise the price for all paperboard tubes and cores by a minimum of 6 percent, effective with shipments in the United States and Canada, on or after March 1, 2022. “Ongoing market tightness, limited paperboard supply and additional inflationary cost pressures to our primary raw materials (uncoated recycled paperboard and adhesives) make this increase necessary,” said Doug Schwartz, Division Vice President and General Manager, North America Tubes and Cores. “Despite these market and supply chain challenges, we remain committed to maintaining the quality and service that our customers have become accustomed to when working with Sonoco.”

Amcor announced a further increase in its sustainability efforts by committing to science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. This commitment has been recognized by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and builds on the success of Amcor’s EnviroAction program. Since the program started in 2008, Amcor has already reduced GHG emissions intensity by 35% and is on track to deliver a cumulative 60% reduction by 2030. “For more than a decade, Amcor has been successfully reducing the footprint of its carbon and other GHG emissions,” said David Clark, Vice President of Sustainability at Amcor. “We are excited to step up those ambitions by committing to science-based targets as we continue our journey to net zero emissions.”

Kendall Packaging Corporation, a provider of high-quality flexible packaging solutions serving a variety of markets inside the food, personal care, and pet food industries, announced that Daren Roberts has been named Plant Manager at the company’s Pittsburg, KS facility. In his position, Roberts is responsible for overseeing plant activities to meet business objectives and is accountable for all aspects of plant performance. This includes establishing production schedules, managing the production control process, and ensuring timely delivery of customer products. “We are excited to have Daren join our team and serve as a leader of our Pittsburg facility,” said Eric G. Erickson III, Kendall Packaging President and Chief Executive Officer. “Darren’s experience and enthusiasm will help us to continue the growth of the Pittsburg location, providing flexible packaging products to a diverse client base.”

Mondi is making good progress in terms of integrating its new Turkish HD corrugated plants in Bursa, Corum and Gebze with its plants in Germany (Ansbach) and Poland (Simet), following the acquisition of Olmuksan in 2021. In recent years, Mondi has invested in new capacity, technology and machinery at its Ansbach and Simet plants, which are now some of Europe’s largest full-service, state-of-the-art facilities. Mondi Olmuksan is one of the leading players in the HD sector in Turkey, further expanding the group’s capacity to serve a broader range of industries and geographies. "Our customers have been impressed that a HD corrugated container can withstand a tonne of top weight, or that a corrugated box can safely transport heavy items through hot and humid climates. Once they realise that HD corrugated solutions are a viable alternative, they get excited about all the added benefits of customisation, handling and transport efficiencies. And of course, switching to a lightweight, paper-based, recyclable material helps our customers achieve their own sustainability goals." Gerald Dörzbach, Sales Director at Mondi Wellpappe Ansbach

Sonoco announced the completion of its inaugural offering of green bonds to support the Company’s sustainability strategy. The green bonds total $1.2 billion aggregate principal amount of unsecured notes, consisting of $400 million aggregate principal amount of 1.80% Notes due 2025, $300 million aggregate principal amount of 2.25% Notes due 2027, and $500 million aggregate principal amount of 2.85% Notes due 2032. “We are proud to have successfully placed our first green bonds, one of the largest such offerings in the U.S. packaging industry,” said Julie Albrecht, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “Sonoco is dedicated to operating with sustainability at the forefront of our strategy and committed to making investments to expand circular economy adapted products.” Sonoco intends to allocate an amount equal to the net proceeds from the offering, together with borrowings under a new term loan facility and its commercial paper program, to fund the $1.35 billion cash consideration payable in connection with its previously announced plans to acquire Ball Metalpack, a leading manufacturer of sustainable, permanently recyclable metal packaging. The acquisition of Ball Metalpack qualifies as an Eligible Project under Sonoco’s Green Financing Framework. Further details on Sonoco’s Green Financing Framework are available on the Company’s website.

PolkaLite is a recyclable* snap top closure that weighs 8.4g and utilizes 1.3g less plastic than the original Polka solution. This new closure, made of polypropylene, fits bottles with a 38-400 neck finish and a 55mm outer diameter, one of the most common neck finishes for sauces and condiments. And thanks to its large 9.7mm orifice and valve, PolkaLite can be utilized in a wide range of food products, even those with chunks or a high viscosity level such as honey, salad dressing, and more.

Pregis recently named Jon T. McClure, president of its new $80 million blown film extrusion operation in Anderson, South Carolina. McClure brings more than 40 years of blown film operational excellence to Pregis. In 1997, he founded South Carolina-based ISO Poly Films, Inc., and served as the company’s chief executive officer until the company was sold in 2014. Under his leadership, ISO Poly Films became a leader in custom film production with two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and 160 employees, generating $115 million in sales.

In its continuing efforts to discover and develop innovative technologies for the packaging industry, Amcor (NYSE: AMCR; ASX: AMC) announced today its strategic investment in PragmatIC Semiconductor, a world leader in ultra, low-cost electronics. Based in the United Kingdom, PragmatIC Semiconductor develops flexible, integrated circuits beyond the scope of conventional electronics. Their ConnectIC® family of radio frequency identification and near-field communications (RFID/NFC) integrated chips can be embedded into packaging to store and relay information to devices such as smartphones. This technology will enable smart packaging applications across the entire product lifecycle – from manufacturing and supply chain management to consumer engagement and even material recovery.

Rocket redefines beverage packaging safety standards by offering a unique, highly visible, and non-detachable tamper evidence system to the market. The sports cap complies with upcoming sustainability regulations, including the Single-Use Plastics (SUP) directive proposal in Europe. “Our goal was to develop a cap that meets consumers’ expectations of safety and drinking experience, while also addressing the increasing demand for companies to offer solutions that include sustainable packaging,” said David Haig, Aptar’s sales director, EMEA. “Partnering with ACTIPH Water to combine the Rocket sports cap with its brand speaks to the innovative nature of both companies, where ACTIPH wants to match the overall consumer experience with the quality of its water.”

We announce our ambitious commitment to align our global operations to a 1.5°C scenario as set out in the Paris Climate Agreement. The roadmap to 1.5°C has been submitted for verification by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)*. To achieve this, we are accelerating the reduction of carbon emissions for our own operations, as well as those of our partners and suppliers, by committing to reducing our Scope 1, 2 and 3 Green House Gas (GHG) emissions by 46% on an absolute basis by 2030, compared to 2019 levels. These targets will keep us, a member of the UN’s Race to Zero initiative, in line with our prior commitment to reach Net Zero** carbon emissions by 2050. "Today’s announcement demonstrates our ambition in reducing carbon as part of our long-term sustainability focus. This commitment not only ensures our business is leading the way in reducing our carbon footprint, but also guarantees we are challenging our suppliers and partners to do the same. Our business has ambitious growth plans over the coming years as we lead the transition to a circular economy and these commitments are a crucial part of our Now and Next sustainability strategy which will see us create a positive impact for people and the planet both now and in the future." — Miles Roberts, Group Chief Executive at DS Smith

Smurfit Kappa has continued to demonstrate its leadership in innovative and sustainable packaging solutions by winning 13 WorldStar 2022 Awards. Innovative solutions including groundbreaking corrugated packaging for the transportation of fresh fish, a paper-based ceiling luminaire that replaces metal and plastic fittings and a space-saving, easy-to-assemble packaging solution for confectionery all received top honours in the 2022 awards. The Beverage category was one of the areas where Smurfit Kappa shone at this year’s awards. Its popular TopClip packaging solution, which is a sustainable alternative for the shrink wrap which is commonly used to bundle multipacks of cans, took home an award. TopClip is one of Smurfit Kappa’s Better Planet Packaging portfolio of products which have garnered considerable interest from companies seeking to reduce their environmental footprint.

Printpack, a US-based manufacturer of flexible and specialty rigid packaging, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Sirane, a UK-based leader in paper coating and paper-based packaging. Together, the two companies will jointly enable customers to reach their sustainability goals by offering recyclable, coated paper packaging. The combination of Printpack’s printing and laminating knowledge with Sirane’s paper coating and pouch forming expertise creates the perfect partnership to fulfill the market need. Well over half of US consumers rank paperboard or paper as extremely or very sustainable. Further research reveals that 66% of US consumers think that paper is best for the environment. Its wide ability to be recycled helps positively position paper in the minds of consumers. Recyclability is one of the features most associated with environmentally friendly packaging.

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) today released preliminary 2021 data from U.S. paper and paperboard mills indicating record containerboard production, the material used to make cardboard boxes. The preliminary data indicates total containerboard production in 2021 increased 5.6 percent compared to 2020, the ninth increase in the past 10 years. “Paper products and materials like containerboard help to meet the needs of consumers seeking sustainable choices,” said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. “These are some of the most-recycled materials in the United States – in fact, more paper by weight is recycled from municipal waste streams than plastic, glass, steel and aluminum combined.”

Smurfit Kappa, one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions in the world, has announced an investment of over USD33 million in Brazil to expand the capacity of its plant in Fortaleza to meet the growing demand for innovative and sustainable packaging. The expansion, which includes the installa tion of a new corrugator, will significantly extend the plant’s Shelf Ready Packaging capability for FMCG customers in a range of sectors including fresh fruit, home appliances and pharmaceuticals. Several high-end printers will also be installed to provide the high level of precision and quality that is required for eCommerce packaging. In addition, a new innovation centre will foster even more customer collaboration and enhance the development of impactful, sustainable and market-leading packaging solutions.

Leading European thermoforming packaging specialist Waddington® Europe, a division of Novolex®, has introduced an innovative recyclable tray for meat, fish and poultry products. The container, called Piranha™, is sealed using a series of raised teeth that run around the sealing flange instead of applying a layer of polyethylene or adhesive, which are typically used to seal the lid of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The raised teeth maintain the seal’s integrity even if the flange becomes contaminated by animal fat, which can interfere with closure on traditional packaging for meat, fish and poultry (MFP) products.

Vonco Products LLC, an industry-leading risk-free turnkey contract manufacturer of medical devices and fluid bags, biohazard and specimen transport, infection protection and PPEs, and clean room assembly, packaging, sterilization management, and distribution, is excited to announce the acquisition of Flex-Pak Packaging Products, Inc. Based out of Batavia, IL, Flex-Pak provides world-class flexible barrier packaging and sterile barrier DuPont™ Tyvek® pouches for leading consumer and healthcare organizations. “Vonco is on a mission to create more value for healthcare devices and consumer products while reducing risk for our customers,” said Keith Smith, CEO of Vonco. “This acquisition puts Vonco in a very unique space of providing risk-free turnkey contract manufacturing of devices, packaging, and sterilization management, streamlining the supply chain for our customers.”

O-I Glass, Inc. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Paddock Enterprises, LLC, has filed its Plan of Reorganizationand related disclosure statement with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware as part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case Paddock initiated on January 6, 2020. The Plan, once confirmed by the courts, will result in a permanent resolution of all current and future asbestos personal injury claims. The Plan is jointly proposed by the “Plan Proponents,” which are O-I Glass, the Official Committee of Asbestos Personal Injury Claimants, Paddock, and the legal representative for future asbestos personal injury claimants.

Paper is a sustainable, capable packaging material. Here are some of the ways protective paper packaging can increase sustainability and reduce damages. Executive summary: *Paper is a sustainable option for shippers who want to simultaneously protect packages and meet sustainability goals. *Protective paper packaging is an excellent material for block and brace packaging and works well for industrial components like small automotive parts. *Pregis machines like the Easypack® Packmaster™ Pro complement paper packaging and allow workers to quickly and efficiently protect products during shipment. *Box-in-box products, like those commonly used by e-commerce shippers, can be filled with paper packaging to provide extra protection. *Paper is ideal for products with sharp edges or irregular shapes, as it can be ripped and torn without losing its cushioning qualities.

Tetra Pak, in partnership with Elvir, a subsidiary of Savencia Fromage & Dairy - a world leading milk processor - has become the first carton packaging player in the food and beverage industry to launch a cap using certified recycled polymers. This move marks a key step in both companies’ progress towards circularity. By helping to find an economically sound use for plastic waste and responsibly sourcing raw materials, Tetra Pak and Elvir continue to minimise their dependency on virgin, fossil-based resources. Elle & Vire chose the HeliCap™ 23 cap solution to complement its cream products, which are distributed in Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1L Slim carton packages. This one-step resealable screwcap is manufactured at Tetra Pak’s Châteaubriant plant in Loire-Atlantique, France – a site that has been awarded the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Advanced Products certification and boosted by a €100 million investment to accelerate the transition to the production of tethered caps. The HeliCap™ 23 cap offers consumers ease of opening and features a clearly visible tamper evidence ring, providing reassurance that the product hasn’t been opened before.

In a partnership with WestRock and Grupo Gondi, Grupo Modelo is investing roughly 4 million dollars in the sustainable, fiber-based CanCollar® Eco solution in Quintana Roo, a Mexican state on the Yucatan Peninsula. The partnership aims to help advance the beer company’s sustainability goals by eliminating its use of plastic rings in Mexico. Grupo Modelo is the first company in the Americas to adopt the recyclable CanCollar® Eco technology, which will replace hard-to-recycle plastic packaging and is expected to result in over 100 fewer tons1 of plastic waste each year. “At Grupo Modelo, we are continuing to evaluate various alternatives for plastic rings in the packaging of beer cans,” says Soqui Calderon, regional director of Sustainability for Grupo Modelo. “This is how we discovered CanCollar Eco, a new solution developed by WestRock and produced in Mexico by Grupo Gondi. Made from recyclable paperboard, this innovative packaging uses the least amount of material required to hold and to keep our beer cans secure through the supply chain.”

Aptar Food + Beverage proudly announces the 2″ Ultra Extra Large Valve (XLV), the newest expansion to its inverted closure product line with SimpliSqueeze® technology. The 2” Ultra XLV is Aptar’s first stock closure offering with a valve large enough to successfully dispense very thick or high viscosity products, including those with particulates. The 2” Ultra XLV can be used with a rigid bottle or paired with an inverted flexible pouch to ensure a clean, controlled, convenient dispense with every squeeze. “We are excited to showcase the new 2” Ultra XLV closure to the industry, as well as leading food brands and co-packers that can benefit from this innovative technology,” shared Susan DeGroot, marketing director at Aptar. “Our extra-large flow control valve allows consumers to experience the ultimate in clean, controlled, convenient dispensing in new, thicker or high viscosity product categories. All with the proven technology our easy-to-use SimpliSqueeze® valve has delivered to consumers for more than 25 years.”

Green Bay Packaging Inc. (GBP) announced they will begin construction of a new 600,000 square foot corrugator plant in Fort Worth, Texas. Construction on the site is set to begin in the first quarter of 2022 and startup operation is scheduled for the second quarter of 2023. The new “super-plant” will be replacing GBP’s current 200,000 square foot corrugator plant in Fort Worth. GBP has operated a plant in Fort Worth for over 50 years. The new plant will be equipped with a new 110” Fosber corrugator and all new state-of-the-art high-speed flexo folder gluers and rotary die cutters.

Oliver Inc. announces it has acquired Professional Image and aspecialtybox.com (collectively, “Professional Image”). Professional Image is a leading manufacturer of custom folding carton packaging and e-commerce provider of innovative stock packaging and accessories serving customers in food and beverage, beauty products, confection, health and wellness, and consumer goods markets. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Professional Image will continue delivering design-forward packaging solutions from its current location. “The addition of Professional Image accelerates Oliver’s position as one of the nation’s largest independent specialty packaging providers,” said Dan Rodenbush, President/CEO of Oliver. “We are proud to welcome the Professional Image and aspecialtybox.com team to the Oliver family. Together, we will better serve our customers with additional geographic reach, capacity, and high-end, design-forward product offerings.”

Amazon is tackling packaging sustainability at scale with several artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. In a corporate blog post, Amazon described how it is using machine learning (ML) approaches and a combination of natural language processing and computer vision to determine how to use the right amount of packaging for the hundreds of millions of products it ships. According to Amazon, these tools have helped it reduce per-shipment packaging weight by 36% and eliminating more than a million tons of packaging, equivalent to more than 2 billion shipping boxes, over the past six years. To make a prediction about whether a given product could be safely shipped in a particular package type, Amazon built an ML model based largely on text-based data from online product listings such as item name, description, price, and package dimensions.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company announced that Maggie Bidlingmaier will join Graphic Packaging as EVP and President of the Americas business unit. Ms. Bidlingmaier was most recently President, Performance Solutions for Invista, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, where she led numerous multimillion-dollar global businesses within the flooring, apparel and airbag fiber segments. Prior to that, she was Vice President, Surfaces at Invista, following a successful career with Avery Dennison in global sales and marketing roles of increasing responsibility. President and CEO of Graphic Packaging, Michael Doss, commented, "Maggie's expertise in driving comprehensive vision shifts to accelerate growth and expansion complements our vision of growing with the best customers in the best markets and generating superior returns for our stakeholders. We look forward to Maggie's leadership in developing team dynamics that will drive our high-performance culture to the next level." Joe Yost, previously EVP and President, Americas, has been appointed EVP and President of the International business unit, based in Brussels. In this role, Mr. Yost will have responsibility for converting operations outside the Americas, including the Company's businesses in EMEA, Australia and New Zealand.

Rocket sport cap offers visual consumer safety through a yellow-colored band that indicates whether the packaging has been opened on store shelves or at home. This solution redefines beverage packaging safety standards as the first one in the market providing a visual and intuitive non-detachable tamper evidence indicator. “Aptar is dedicated to creating solutions based directly on consumer feedback,” Nguyen Hoang, Sebastien, global business development director beverage, said. “Rocket was born from consumer insights to offer visual safety that provides reassurance, in addition to an improved drinking experience that brings the comfort and convenience consumers value.” In addition to its visible safety, Rocket provides further safety to consumers with its “no-dust”, double-wall lid design that protects the spout from external contaminants, in addition to being designed to adhere to child safety standards (BSDA & EN 71*). A large finger recess and audible closing “click” sound makes opening and closing Rocket easy and reassuring for consumers.

Greif, Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to divest its 50% share in the Flexible Packaging joint venture, or "FPS" to Gulf Refined Packaging (GRP) for a total cash consideration of $123 million, subject to certain conditions and post-closing adjustments. Greif expects to use the proceeds for debt repayment. "While we have worked closely with our joint venture partner, each partner held different views of the appropriate path forward for the FPS business," said Pete Watson, Greif's President and Chief Executive Officer. "As a result, we entered into a process to determine a single owner and utilized our disciplined capital allocation framework that resulted in an agreement to sell our ownership stake to GRP for significant value. I would like to thank our FPS colleagues for their hard work over the last 11 years and for their continued commitment to the business during the transition ahead."

BillerudKorsnäs has been awarded the Climate Prize as part of the supplier engagement initiative “Join us in protecting the planet”, driven by Tetra Pak. The company, which is one of BillerudKorsnäs’ most important customers, launched this initiative last year to create a movement aimed to accelerate sustainability actions across its value chain. “We commit to making safe food available, everywhere. And we promise to do that in a way that protects what’s good: protecting food, people and the planet. In order to shape the future with secure and sustainable food systems we are decarbonizing the materials we use as well as the production processes, and the key ingredient for success here is collaboration. Our supply partner BillerudKorsnäs has achieved the lowest greenhouse gas emissions for the products provided to us and has submitted the most ambitious climate action plan, that is approved by the Science Based Targets initiative in line with a 1.5°C pathway. By doing this, they are one step ahead and this award recognises that they are leading by example in fighting climate change,” says Lars Holmquist, Executive Vice President for Sustainability & Communications at Tetra Pak.

What do Italy, Australia and India have in common? In each country, new regulations aimed at reducing packaging waste and promoting alternatives to plastic will come into force in 2022. While packaging is often necessary to protect products, everyone in the industry is looking for ways to reduce waste and overpackaging. This goal is complemented with efforts to make packaging more sustainable with renewable and recyclable materials. The quest for sustainability unites big brands with responsible consumers and – regulators around the world. In recent years, governments have responded to public concerns by devising rules that seek to tackle packaging waste – single-use plastics in particular – and improve recycling and waste management systems. Many of these new norms will become effective in the next years, creating a worldwide regulative trend that can help promote more sustainable packaging. Here’s a quick look into what various countries are currently doing to reduce packaging waste and how this affects companies and consumers.

Huhtamaki has acquired full ownership of its Polish joint venture company Huhtamaki Smith Anderson sp. z o.o. from Smith Anderson Group Ltd. (SA). The company manufactures and sells foodservice paper bags in Eastern Europe at Huhtamaki's facility in Czeladz, Poland. Paper bags have become an increasingly important part of Huhtamaki’s product offering and the acquisition enables the company to invest in and further grow the business in Eastern Europe. The purchase price for additional shares and related manufacturing equipment is approximately EUR 2 million. The business has been reported as part of the Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania business segment since beginning of operations in 2018.

Sonoco Recycling, one of the largest sustainable global packaging companies, announced it has acquired American Recycling of Western North Carolina, a privately owned recovered paper recycler located in Asheville, N.C. American Recycling of Western North Carolina is a privately owned business that processes approximately 30,000 tons of recovered fiber annually at its well-capitalized Asheville material recovery facility. The business expects to generate approximately $9 million in sales in 2021 and it is strategically located approximately 65 miles from Sonoco’s Newport, TN, uncoated recycled paperboard mill. “This acquisition provides Sonoco’s mill operations with a stable, lower-cost supply of recovered fiber with the opportunity to grow volumes in the region,” said Palace Stepps, Division Vice President and General Manager of Sonoco Recycling.

Ox Industries acquires York, SC-based York Industries Inc. York Industries is a leading producer of green protective packaging and paper tubes and cores, converting over 16,000 tons of uncoated recycled paperboard. Founded in 1989, York Industries is traded under Customer Paper Tube SE and Edgeboard SE brand names and is a regional supplier servicing customers in the Southeast US. “This acquisition further expands our geographic footprint of providing niche products that vertically integrate into our mill network. We look forward to working with the York team members and expanding the service and products for our customers.” CEO Kevin Hayward.

O-I Glass, Inc. announced that a subsidiary of the company has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Cristar TableTop S.A.S. (“Cristar”) to Vidros Colombia S.A.S, an affiliate of Nadir Figueiredo S.A., a glass tableware producer based in Brazil. The sale would generate gross proceeds of approximately $95 million and is expected to close during the first half of 2022, subject to customary regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. Cristar owns a dedicated tableware manufacturing plant in Buga, Colombia, that exports tableware to approximately 40 countries around the world and generated approximately $14.6 million of EBITDA(1) during the last twelve months ended September 30, 2021. “O-I continues to advance its strategy including the company’s portfolio optimization program which will enable future growth in the core business,” said Andres Lopez, O-I Glass CEO. “We are deploying proceeds from the sale of non-core assets to help fund our expansion plan, leveraging our exciting new MAGMA solution, that includes investment with attractive returns.”

Stora Enso invests EUR 23 million in the Varkaus containerboard site. The aim of the investment is to increase the flexibility of the product range available for customers and to grow the site’s total capacity by approximately 10%. This will also increase the use of recycled fiber in the production in addition to fresh wood fiber. The Varkaus site produces unbleached softwood pulp and high-quality brown and white top containerboard for corrugated board, i.e. kraftliners. In addition to unbleached softwood pulp, the paper mill currently uses about one third of the total board packaging recycled in Finland as its raw material. The investment will further increase the use of recycled fiber in the site.

In a deal that expands its position in the food and pet food markets and beefs up its labeling capabilities, flexible packaging supplier ProAmpac has acquired Prairie State Group (PSG), an SQF-certified provider of flexible packaging and labeling services based in Franklin Park, Ill. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. PSG produces a range of SQF-certified and environmentally-friendly flexible packaging and label solutions, including wrappers, pouches, compostable film, roll stock, and pressure-sensitive labels.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company has been named to Newsweek's 2022 list of America's Most Responsible Companies for a second year in a row. The recognition is based on a detailed analysis of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) factors. "Being recognized for a second year by Newsweek for corporate responsibility as well as being included on Forbes' inaugural list of Top Female-Friendly Companies is a true honor," said Michael Doss, President and Chief Executive Officer. "At Graphic Packaging, we are committed to delivering sustainable fiber-based consumer packaging solutions through a high-performance company culture that embraces diversity. We are committed to positive change and advancement of our environmental, social and governance initiatives. The recognitions demonstrate the progress we have made and will continue to drive to benefit all stakeholders."

International technology group ANDRITZ has received a repeat order – now the third order within the past 12 months – from Nine Dragons Paper Industries to supply a complete OCC line to China. Start-up is scheduled for the third quarter of 2023. The highly energy-saving stock preparation system will have a design capacity of 2,000 bdmt/d and will process 100% LOCC (Local Old Corrugated Container) for the production of high-quality packaging paper.

Transcendia is excited to announce it is breaking ground on a 52,000 square foot manufacturing expansion at its Hebron, OH location as part of its ongoing commitment to investing in barrier film technologies. The new building will be equipped with additional multilayer blown and cast film lines, specialty converting equipment and a new testing lab dedicated to supporting new barrier applications in the food, pharmaceutical and industrial film markets. Upon completion, the Hebron, OH facility, with its ISO 9001:2015 certified quality systems, SQF certification and class 7 clean room capabilities, will have a total footprint of 84,000 square feet. The new building will complement existing barrier extrusion capabilities, including Transcendia’s most recent seven-layer blown film asset capable of producing films up to 78” wide with thicknesses between 1.0 – 10.0 mil. In addition to multiple asset investments, Transcendia will be adding to its application and process engineering team to provide additional technology resources for customers’ new application development. To support the expansion and 24/7 operation, Transcendia will hire approximately 36 new associates including machine operators, material handlers, maintenance technicians and supervisors.

Sonoco announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ball Metalpack, a leading manufacturer of sustainable metal packaging for food and household products and the largest aerosol producer in North America, for $1.35 billion in cash before taking into consideration tax benefits with an estimated net present value of approximately $180 million. Ball Metalpack is a joint venture owned by Platinum Equity (51 percent) and Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) (49 percent). Previously part of Ball Corporation, Ball Metalpack, headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, was formed in 2018 and has more than 100 years of experience in producing steel tinplate food and aerosol cans, as well as closures and packaging components from eight operations in Canton and Columbus, Ohio; Milwaukee and Deforest, Wisconsin; Chestnut Hill, Tennessee; Horsham, Pennsylvania; and Oakdale, California. Ball Metalpack is projected to generate approximately $850 million in revenue and $111 million of adjusted EBITDA in 2021.

Berry Global Group, Inc. is proud to announce the company received an A- rating for its action on climate change from CDP, the global not-for-profit charity that runs a leading environmental disclosure platform. The new rating places Berry in the top ‘Leadership’ band and underlines meaningful actions the company is taking to meet its sustainability goals. Only 12% of companies in the Plastic Product Manufacturing group, of which Berry is part, have reached leadership level. Berry’s A- rating is also higher than both the North America and global averages across the 13,000+ companies who participated in the CDP rating process as part of their commitment to environmental transparency. “Our CDP A- rating confirms Berry is on a successful pathway to support the transition to a net-zero economy while helping our customers meet their ambitious sustainability goals,” commented Tom Salmon, Chairman and CEO of Berry Global. “This is another significant milestone in our continuing drive to create innovative, sustainable packaging and engineered products that make life better for people and the planet.”

Toray Plastics (America), Inc., announces that Chris Nothnagle will be the company’s Senior Director of New Business Development, effective January 4, 2022. Nothnagle will replace Ken Chang, who is retiring after 25 years of service to the company. He will be responsible for managing the company’s R&D team and continue to oversee Toray’s Corporate Marketing Group. Nothnagle joined Toray in 2015 and held a variety of positions prior to being named the Senior Director of Sales and Marketing of the Lumirror® Division in 2020. Prior to joining Toray he worked at ExxonMobil for 28 years. Chang joined Toray in 1996 as a Senior Development Engineer for the Torayfan® Division and rose through the ranks, having held a variety of positions in R&D. Chang will maintain his relationship with Toray and consult on strategic projects. “Chris Nothnagle is the ideal candidate to help the company chart its course in new business development and guide our R&D team,” says Mike Brandmeier, President and CEO, Toray Plastics (America), Inc. “Chris is a very talented individual who possesses a vast knowledge of our products and the global films industry that has been instrumental in helping us grow our core films business since he joined Toray. I am confident he will excel in his new role leading our combined R&D and Corporate Marketing efforts for the future.”

Asahi Breweries, Ltd., one of the largest Japanese beer companies headquartered in Tokyo, announced that it will be the first user1 of CanCollar® Eco Plus technology in the Japanese market as it rolls out a market test with its Asahi Super Dry brands in October 2021. Made from WestRock’s PEFC-certified CarrierKote® paperboard, CanCollar® Eco Plus packaging is recyclable and comes from sustainably managed forests. The innovative can clip design uses no glue and significantly less material than a fully enclosed box. According to Asahi, using this packaging enables the paper surface to be reduced by 77 percent for 6-can 350 ml packs and 81 percent for 6-can 500 ml packs, compared to the 6-can pack materials used in the past. Furthermore, the weight of paper used can be reduced by 65 percent for 6-can 350 ml packs and 73 percent for 6-can 500 ml packs.

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, and Euroports have signed an agreement on 16 December 2021, according to which Metsä Board Corporation will sell the entire share capital of its fully owned subsidiary Oy Hangö Stevedoring Ab to Euroports Finland Oy. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022. The parties have mutually agreed that the transaction price will not be disclosed. The gain on sale will be reported as an item affecting comparability and will not have a material impact on Metsä Board's key financials. Hangö Stevedoring is a port operator in the Port of Hanko and its business is not part of Metsä Board's core business. The company has approximately 180 employees and its sales in 2020 were approximately EUR 20 million.

Mondi has teamed up with the UK’s number 1 frozen food retailer to provide renewable, recyclable packaging in a move that further validates Mondi’s approach of using “paper where possible, plastic when useful”. Iceland is replacing its previous packaging with Mondi’s versatile functional barrier paper across a number of its ranges. The first newly packaged product to hit the shelves earlier this month was the retailer’s frozen chicken dippers, which reduces the amount of plastic used per year by 80%. The functional barrier paper is made from renewable resources with Mondi managing the paper production and coating in-house, providing a fully integrated solution. It is easy for consumers to recycle the paper in existing waste streams and as paper is the most widely recycled material in the world - 74% of paper and 83% of paper-based packaging in Europe are recycled – the solution ensures that the paper can be recycled at the end of its life, contributing to a circular economy.

International Paper announced it will build a state-of-the-art corrugated packaging plant in Atglen, Pennsylvania. The facility will employ approximately 150 team members. "We are excited to expand our footprint and continue serving our customers with the highest level of safety, quality, operational excellence and customer service," said Greg Wanta, senior vice president, North American Container. The facility will allow International Paper to expand its Industrial Packaging footprint in the northeastern United States. Construction is set to begin in the first quarter of 2022 and the company expects the plant to be fully operational in the first quarter of 2023.

To keep up with increasing e-commerce demand during peak season, shippers are looking to switch from boxes to mailers to save on costs. *Shippers and 3PLs are searching for new ways to cut costs and reduce their environmental impact. *Record high e-commerce demand puts even more strain on these efforts, emphasizing efficiency in a challenging supply environment. *Mailers, including the Pregis sustainable, curbside recyclable EverTec mailer, can replace unnecessary boxes for shippers, saving on costs and creating better processes in shipping and fulfillment. *Picking the right kinds of products to shift from traditional boxes to mailers is the first step to rightsizing a product line for maximum efficiency. Part of the joy of shopping online is the experience of coming home to boxes and packages on your front porch or in the lobby of your apartment building. More and more, these packages arrive to consumers in the form of mailers instead of bulky boxes. For certain items, switching from boxes to mailers not only saves money — it also supports sustainability.

Sonoco ThermoSafe and Asiana Airlines Inc., a South Korean airline headquartered in Seoul, are pleased to announce a global partnership agreement for leasing the new Pegasus ULD® temperature-controlled bulk shipping container. The agreement enables pharmaceutical freight forwarders access to Pegasus ULD® containers directly from Asiana Airlines. Sonoco ThermoSafe’s Pegasus ULD® is the world’s first FAA and EASA-approved passive bulk temperature-controlled ULD container for pharmaceutical use, which enables it to speed through international air freight handling and customs processes at the lowest possible cost. With a focus on sustainability, the Pegasus is engineered with composite materials, offering a lighter solution that is also substantially more damage-resistant than traditional metal containers. Additionally, the Pegasus ULD® contains a fully integrated, FAA-approved telemetry system providing real-time, cloud-based data on payload and ambient temperature and key environmental factors, precisely synchronized with GPS location.

Mondi; IMA Ilapak and Les Crudettes have won three prizes at the prestigious French packaging award and the Trophées de l’innovation LSA for a new paper packaging. Mondi developed a recyclable functional barrier paper, which is converted on VFFS machines of IMA Ilapak for a selection of Les Crudettes’ pre-washed, ready to eat salads. Their solution won the environment and production categories at the prestigious French packaging awards as well as the Trophées de l’innovation LSA.

For fish wholesalers Bröderna Hanssons, the sea is their livelihood. People have been enjoying their fish and shellfish since the company began in 1880. To ensure that also future generations can enjoy their seafood, Bröderna Hanssons focus not only on the fish, but also sustainability. One step in taking better care of the sea was to replace the polystyrene box with a fiber-based fish box made of corrugated board. Bröderna Hanssons are leaders in the fishing industry, and are passionate about producing, refining and selling fresh fish and shellfish products to their customers. The majority of the company’s sales go to grocery companies such as ICA, Coop and Axfood, but customers also include restaurants, schools and large-scale kitchens. Bröderna Hanssons care about the climate, and are constantly looking for more eco-friendly means of production and distribution. “We want to take responsibility for fish and shellfish production, in order to preserve the ecosystem and make sure that future generations can enjoy the fruits of the sea too. And we welcome our customers and partners to join us in this endeavour!” says Daniel Thunberg, Head of Marketing at Bröderna Hanssons.

Berry Global Group, Inc. is honored to be named number 35 out of 2,000 public companies on America’s Most Responsible Companies presented by Newsweek and global research firm Statista, Inc. Berry secured the number four spot on the list within its respective industry. The list includes the top 500 most responsible companies in the United States across fourteen industry subcategories. Companies were evaluated on their publicly available performance data for the three areas of ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance). Within this focus on environmental sustainability leadership, Berry has recently announced the following: *Our goal to achieve 30% circular plastics use by 2030, surpassing our previous goal to use 10% post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin by 2025 *Agreements to secure over 600 million pounds of recycled material, including advanced recycled material from top suppliers (PureCycle, LyondellBasell, Borealis, and Repsol) *Secured ISCC PLUS certification for 39 sites globally *Led through participation in industry organizations like the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition and the Film & Flexibles Coalition

The new ePac digital flexible packaging plant in Melbourne is seeing two HP Indigo 25K digital flexible printing systems go in, with installation by Currie Group. The first ePac production facility in ANZ is eight kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, at the new Newlands Road food manufacturing hub, located in the heart of Coburg’s thriving industrial district. It is being headed up by Jason Brown, formerly group divisional general manager at Ball & Doggett. He said, “Our quick turn-around production time, no setup fees and digitalised process from computer to print allow us to enable small and medium sized brands to achieve higher quality packaging with low minimum orders at optimal prices.” “This strategic collaboration with HP Inc has and will enable us to continue transforming the flexible packaging industry, and ultimately continue to be disruptive in new categories to serve more brands and communities.”

Amcor Flexibles North America continues to forge an innovative path to its 2025 sustainability goal. This time, the stepstone is the combination of critical machinability performance and barrier characteristics for product protection of shelf-stable liquid foods. Amcor’s AmPrima PE Plus heat resistant recycle ready solutions for pouches delivers significant value in multiple ways. It offers: *Pre-qualification of film by How2Recycle® in the U.S for applications that meet the clean and dry requirement *Sealing and spout insertion without distortion due to heat-resistant outer web *Ability to match current run cycles per minute achieved with a non-recyclable oriented polyester laminate *Product quality and flavor preservation with high-barrier properties comparable to AlOx or metallized films *Excellent durability for distribution, including puncture and scuff resistance *A 22% reduction in carbon footprint for AmPrima PE Plus heat resistant pouches compared to a 3ply foil solution even when the used packaging is landfilled. Once recycled the reduction increases to 49%.*Verified by ASSET™ - Amcor’s proprietary lifecycle assessment tool certified by the Carbon Trust

Fourth Quarter Results Include (all results compared to the fourth quarter 2020 unless otherwise noted)(1): *Net income of $104.5 million or $1.74 per diluted Class A share compared to net income of $44.4 million or $0.74 per diluted Class A share. Net income, excluding the impact of adjustments(2), of $115.4 million or $1.93 per diluted Class A share compared to net income, excluding the impact of adjustments, of $46.4 million or $0.78 per diluted Class A share. Adjusted EBITDA(3) increased by $56.8 million to $211.3 million. *Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by $63.1 million to $137.3 million. Adjusted free cash flow(4) decreased by $79.1 million to $94.8 million primarily as a result of inflationary raw material costs. *Total debt decreased by $261.4 million to $2,225.6 million. Net debt(5) decreased by $280.1 million to $2,101.0 million and decreased by $66.8 million sequentially from the third quarter of 2021. The Company's leverage ratio(6) decreased to 2.49x compared to 3.66x, within our targeted leverage ratio range of 2.0x - 2.5x.

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has been recognised for leadership in corporate sustainability by global environmental non-profit CDP, securing a place on its prestigious ‘A List’ for tackling climate change as well as acting to protect water security and forests – all three environmental themes covered by CDP. Metsä Board is one of only 14 companies that achieved a triple ‘A’, out of nearly 12,000 companies that were scored based on data submitted through CDP’s questionnaires in 2021. Metsä Board’s mission is to create packaging solutions that respect nature. The fresh fibre raw materials that come from sustainably managed Northern European forests, resource efficient production and the low carbon footprint of lightweight paperboards provide a solid foundation for responsible operations. “Sustainability is a prerequisite of a profitable business. It is also important for our customers and other stakeholders that the cooperation with Metsä Board is built on a responsible foundation. We have ambitious sustainability targets including 100% fossil free mills and raw materials by the end of 2030. These ‘A List’ positions are a recognition of our systematic work to achieve these goals," says Mika Joukio, CEO of Metsä Board.

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. announced that its Board of Directors elected Vito J. Consiglio to succeed Paul G. Boynton as President and Chief Executive Officer and Board member effective January 1, 2022. Mr. Boynton, who has served as President and CEO since the Company’s spin-off in 2014, announced his decision to retire from the Company, and, as part of the leadership transition, he will assume the role of Vice Chair of the Board until the May 2022 Annual Meeting. “In 2021, the Board of Directors commenced an extensive and well-planned search for a CEO candidate with the expertise and ability to effectively capitalize on the Company’s tremendous growth potential,” said Lisa Palumbo, Chair of the Board’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. “With his broad commercial expertise and operational acumen, Vito has a proven track record of driving strategic growth in the specialty materials sector. Given his strengths in areas of critical importance to RYAM, including strategy deployment, technical sales and innovation, we believe Vito is the ideal CEO to lead RYAM into its next chapter of growth and success.”

Kellogg’s, in partnership with Tesco, have announced that it will trial paper liners within cereal boxes in a select number of stores from January 2022. According to the company, the plastic inner liner in cereal boxes is not currently widely accepted in kerbside recycling. The new paper liner is reportedly recyclable and will make Kellogg’s entire cereal packaging paper-based, as the cereal’s outer card packaging is already fully recyclable. The new packaging, developed by Kellogg’s packaging technologists, is apparently suitable for the process of filling and sealing bags inside of cereal boxes that takes place at the company’s factory, as well as for transporting the cereal to retailers.

Sonoco-Alcore announced that due to continued inflationary pressure on the business, it will raise prices by 10 percent on all tube and core grades sold in the Company’s EMEA regions. The increase will be effective for all shipments made on or after the 13th December 2021. “We continue to experience further cost increases in all sectors of our operations and supply chain. Even with a strong focus on implementing productivity initiatives, they are not enough to offset inflationary pressures from energy, packaging, transportation, adhesives and raw materials. As such, we are forced to pass on cost increases to the market,” said Karsten Kemmerling, Division VP - Sales & Marketing EMEA.

OpenGate Capital portfolio company, Duraco Specialty Tapes (“Duraco” or “Company”), a leading manufacturer of pressure-sensitive tapes and specialty materials, announced today that it has acquired 3 Sigma, a custom solution provider of pressure-sensitive products and specialty coatings from Brixey & Meyer Capital. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 3 Sigma has an established track record of providing unique, high-quality custom solutions to customers in high-growth health and beauty, flexible packaging, food and beverage, and medical end markets. The add-on acquisition of 3 Sigma significantly broadens Duraco’s technical toolbox and manufacturing capabilities to better serve customers with a more expansive and diverse set of custom formulated products and high value manufactured solutions.

ND Packaging has officially opened its 350,000 Sq. Ft. corrugated packaging plant in southeastern Wisconsin. At full operation, this new facility will add more than 80 full-time job to the region. Today marks the beginning of a new a new and experience-backed venture into the growing packaging industry. The company is excited to bring jobs to the community and add growth to import Wisconsin business sector. Furthermore, ND Packaging is thrilled to start producing high-quality corrugated sheets and containers and provide exceptional solutions for customers in the Chicagoland and greater Wisconsin marketplace. “While it has certainly been an endeavor, essentially starting from scratch has its distinct advantages,” said Ken Liu, CEO of ND Packaging and its affiliate ND Paper who, along with and a dedicated team of hard working and talented professionals, including Jon Hospodar, the new General Manager of the Sturtevant facility, has spearheaded this initiative. “We acquired the space and have been filling it with the right equipment and the right people to provide a value-added solution for our customers,” Mr. Liu continued.

A plastic-reducing alternative to potato packaging has been introduced by Finnish Tuorekartano Oy when it recently launched its special potatoes in paperboard packaging. Tuorekartano Oy's premium quality La Ratte potatoes will now be packed in easily recyclable and biodegradable packaging made of a lightweight and durable paperboard produced by Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group. The paperboard is ideally suited to protect the potatoes from damage and sunlight. The small package size will also help to reduce food waste. "Tuorekartano is a company committed to Agenda 2030 and Commitment 2050 and has set itself clear sustainability targets. Plastic-free packaging, such as La Ratte cartons, is part of these goals. We have already reduced the amount of plastic in our packaging materials by 25%," says Kari Kastari, CEO of Tuorekartano Oy. The packaging is made of lightweight MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB paperboard, which is made from pure fresh fibres and is suitable for direct contact with food. The dispersion coating of the board improves the moisture and grease resistance of the board, and the packaging can be easily recycled and is also suitable for home composting.

Amcor announced the opening of its greenfield packaging facility in Tuas, Singapore. The dedicated healthcare packaging facility will address a current and future market need, as demand for healthcare packaging is rapidly increasing across the region. Amcor’s new Tuas facility comprises cleanroom manufacturing environments, capability in three-, seven- and nine-layer co-extrusion blown film, and state-of-the-art flexographic printing. It is also fully certified to ISO 13485, ensuring the ability to fully satisfy industry regulatory requirements.

Smurfit Kappa has completed a two-phase upgrade of its facilities at the Barranquilla Paper Mill in Colombia. The 7.5 million USD investment saw the implementation of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) with state-of-the-art anaerobic technology, which reduces water intake from the nearby Magdalena River and improves the quality of water returned to it. The investment is a further example of Smurfit Kappa’s ongoing commitment to good water stewardship through using water sustainably and supporting natural water ecosystems. The upgraded facilities allow the Barranquilla site, which produces containerboard from 100% recycled materials, to contribute towards Smurfit Kappa’s ambitious sustainability targets that were expanded in January 2021.

ANDRITZ’s delivery for the hardwood Fiberline capacity increase for the Puma I line includes modernization of the cooking, washing, screening and bleaching processes, which will increase the capacity from 3,742 adt/d to 4,080 adt/d. The order also includes a new ANDRITZ DD-WasherTM (drum displacer washer), which will ensure production of high-quality pulp, maximum operating time, and low chemical consumption, thus minimizing the environmental impact. The DD-Washer supplied to Klabin will be the 400th such washer to be sold worldwide. Pablo Cadaval, General Mill Manager of Klabin – Puma Unit, says: "We selected our reliable partner ANDRITZ to supply a new DD-Washer, a washer whose capabilities are already very familiar to us, especially its flexibility for higher production rates and low chemical consumption in bleaching.”

Mondi has opened a new ISTA-certified laboratory at Mondi Bupak in České Budějovice (CZ), which is one of its Central European corrugated solutions flagship plants and a hub for development and production of eCommerce packaging. The laboratory offers various transport performance tests, including ISTA 6 certification testing for packaging. In addition, Mondi’s laboratory is an approved member of the Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier Network (APASS) and hence a partner of choice for testing Amazon’s Tier 1-3 compliant packaging (FFP, SIOC and PFP)(1), which is a market standard of the online retailer for reducing packaging volume in eCommerce logistics.

Stora Enso is extending its packaging offering with a new portfolio of bio-based foams from wood. The products are fully recyclable and can be used for protective and thermal packaging. Lightweight wood foams address the need for climate-friendly, renewable and circular cushioning materials in inner packaging. Stora Enso’s offering consists of Fibrease™ by Stora Enso and Papira® by Stora Enso. Both foams come with versatile technical and sustainability properties, and customers can select a suitable foam based on their specific packaging requirements. The foams can be used for protecting fragile goods and are optimal for thermal packaging of temperature sensitive products. Fibrease is commercially available now, while the pilot plant for producing Papira has started operations at the Fors site in Sweden, following the investment announced in August 2020. Fossil-based packaging is a major contributor to pollution, accounting for 40% of the world’s plastics. With Fibrease and Papira, Stora Enso now introduces renewable and climate-friendly alternatives to fossil-based packaging protection. The bio-based foams come from certified wood and are recyclable in paper recycling streams.

Tredegar Corporation reported that its approximate 18% ownership interest in kaleo, Inc is expected to be sold pursuant to an agreement dated November 28, 2021, whereby Marathon Asset Management will be providing kaléo shareholders a full liquidity event opportunity. Closing of the Transaction, which is contingent upon the satisfaction of customary conditions, is anticipated to occur by December 31, 2021. Closing of the Transaction as of December 31, 2021, is projected to result in cash proceeds for Tredegar of $45.8 million.

Eco-Products® announced the addition of seven new items to its Vanguard™ lineup. Made from plant-based sugarcane fiber and certified as compostable, these two-piece compostable take-out containers are perfect for restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and snack bars seeking environmentally preferable options. Vanguard is an award-winning line that uses a proprietary chemistry to achieve grease resistance without the use of PFAS. Vanguard recently earned the coveted GreenScreen Certified™ Silver designation for avoiding the use of PFAS and other chemicals of high concern or known regrettable substitutes. Eco-Products is now expanding its Vanguard formulation to other products, including its popular WorldView™ line of to-go containers.

The Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box Ibi facility in Spain has started the production of bags with a new and more sustainable thermo-laminated metallised film – M-Compact 77. Thanks to the thermo-lamination technology, which bonds individual films together through exposure to heat without using the adhesives that are required for classic lamination, production of M-Compact 77 is more environmentally friendly and resource efficient. Smurfit Kappa has achieved a 12% bag weight reduction and 7% less CO2 emissions.1

Fredrik Davidsson (52) has been appointed as Executive Vice President, Digital and Process Performance and a member of the Global Executive Team at Huhtamaki as of June 1, 2022 at the latest. He will report to President and CEO Charles Héaulmé and will be based in Espoo, Finland. Fredrik joins Huhtamaki from Tetra Pak where his latest position has been Vice President Services, Europe & Central Asia. Prior to this he has worked in various leadership roles driving large-scope R&D programs and key change management programs, as well as large European services businesses. Prior to his career at Tetra Pak, Fredrik worked at Sony Ericsson and at the Swedish Armed Forces.

Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and part of Metsä Group, has successfully started to deploy Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform in development and testing of packaging solutions at its Excellence Centre. With packaging simulation Metsä Board can notably speed up packaging development and reduce carbon footprint of packaging. Simulation enables 85% faster development compared to the traditional way of making multiple tests with physical prototypes. Simulation technologies help manage the development of the entire product life cycle, from material selection to delivery. The new technology helps Metsä Board recommend optimal packaging materials as well as packaging structures to its customers.

As the result of a successful Challenge Brief presentation at the 2021 Aptar Global Supplier Summit, we are excited to announce that Aptar has joined Nextloopp. Nextloopp is a multimember project that is comprised of a diverse group of companies with the common goal of creating a circular pathway for post-consumer Polypropylene (PP) packaging. Aptar will help play a key role in validating the use of this technology, which includes proprietary decontamination and marking technology developed by Nextek. Participation in the project gives Aptar access to early production materials from Nextloopp pilot facilities that can be tested using Aptar’s resin validation control process. These materials have the potential to obtain food-grade approval in addition to inert grades that could be used for cosmetic applications. Aptar will also be able to influence the development of specific types of material that are relevant to our key customers as well as support dossier preparation to regulatory agencies. Delivery of pilot material is scheduled before the end of 2021 and the project will last until October 2022.

UPM Raflatac announces great progress toward a more circular economy for plastics and a future beyond fossils. This progress is detailed in the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment 2021 Progress Report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). As highlighted in the report, UPM Raflatac has continued to develop its SmartChoice™ and SmartCircle™ product ranges and increased the sales volumes of these products. SmartChoice label materials are designed to reduce material usage and promote the use of recycled content and renewable materials. SmartCircle label materials support packaging recyclability and reuse and so promote the circular economy. Reducing unnecessary plastic packaging is a priority for UPM Raflatac, and through raw material optimization, it has reduced more than 450 tonnes of plastic film raw materials. UPM Raflatac has signature products, e.g., PP Lite, that have a strong reduce element, but it is also applying the reduced principle to its standard films. In addition, the company supports the switch to renewable materials by enlarging and promoting its RAFNXT+ product range, as well as bio-based plastic product range.

Leading print consumables provider to the global packaging industry, Flint Group Packaging Inks has revealed its new range of chlorine-free heat sealable coatings under the NexisCode brand name. Launched in support of its overall sustainability vision of ‘supporting packaging markets with responsibly built products and sustainable solutions designed for circular economies’, the new portfolio is designed for a wide range of film, paper and aluminium packaging applications and is based on a number of binder technologies ensuring suitability no matter what substrate is used. The chlorine-free heat sealable coating range meets all technical and regulatory requirements and provides a solution for the latest mono-material packaging structures designed for today’s recycling infrastructure. Stephen Butler, Product Manager for Flint Group Flexible Packaging in Europe, said: “Many brands and corporations are seeking to eliminate polyvinyl chloride from their packaging due to concerns about its impact on the recyclability of packs, as well as the environment. When PVC is mechanically recycled in today’s typical recycling stream, the high processing temperature can cause degradation of the resin into smaller chlorinated components, which can impact the quality of the resulting recyclate.

Mondi has taken home a Hungaropack award for its sustainable paper-based FlexiBag at this year’s contest organised by the Hungarian Association of Packaging and Materials Handling. Mondi’s FlexiBag is made from renewable paper resources and enhanced with a functional plastic barrier ensuring premium product protection. The packaging impressed the jury with its potential to minimise plastic waste across numerous industries and sectors, most notably for dry perishable goods. In addition, the paper-based FlexiBag was recognised for its high-quality flexoprinting quality, which offers brands great shelf appeal. "We are honoured that this award acknowledges Mondi’s drive to deliver packaging that is sustainable by design. It is a testament to our EcoSolutions approach that puts our customers’ unique needs and environmental objectives at the heart of every project. Our paper-based FlexiBag is a direct result of this and a great example of impactful innovation as its adoption contributes to a better world." Sandor Kardos, Managing Director Mondi Békéscsaba

The carbon footprint of food is approximately 30 times higher than that of its packaging. So, preventing food waste by protecting food with the right packaging is a crucial step towards a sustainable society. “As a Frenchman, food is definitely part of my heritage. At the same time, as I have experienced living in many and diverse countries, I have seen the importance of making food safe and available everywhere across the world,” says Charles Héaulmé, President and CEO of Huhtamaki. Food packaging is essential. It promotes hygiene. It secures food safety. Furthermore, the pandemic serves as a reminder of the importance of reducing cross contamination and enabling food availability – affordably and at low emissions. Food packaging also helps prevent food waste, which accounts for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As the carbon footprint of packaged food is approximately 30 times higher than that of its packaging, having the right packaging for each food system pays off from a climate protection perspective.

Felix Schoeller Group expands packaging product portfolio: Environmentally friendly packaging solution made of 95% paper – suitable for disposal with waste paper The Felix Schoeller Group of Osnabrück, Germany, has expanded its packaging product portfolio – with great success. An international audience of industry professionals got their first glimpse of the varied new range at the Fachpack trade fair in Nuremberg at the end of September.One of the highlights was the innovative FlexPaper pure, which is made using an extrusion lamination process and renewable, FSC-certified pulp from sustainable forestry. FlexPaper pure packaging is an eye-catcher at every point of sale thanks to the outstanding properties of the specialty paper, which lead to optimum flexographic and gravure printing results. But that’s not the only reason it is already causing such a stir – thanks its high total paper content of 95 percent, Felix Schoeller’s new packaging solution can be disposed of easily with the waste paper once it has been used. This has been confirmed in an independent packaging analysis using the “Made for Recycling” test method, which concluded that FlexPaper “recycles well”.

Sonoco in partnership with Tellus Products, LLC, a company that produces USA grown and made, plant-based compostable packaging for foodservice products, today announced the receipt of a prequalified label, Check Locally for recyclability from How2Recycle for the Natrellis line of food packaging. Natrellis, a dual-ovenable package made with upcycled sugarcane fiber and other U.S. grown plant fibers features a highly engineered surface that delivers outstanding performance through the product’s full lifecycle, providing consumers a great product experience. This performance helps maintain the package strength during all phases of use, preventing loss of food moisture and eliminating wicking through the package to outside surfaces. Sonoco also provides custom rigid lidding and flexible lidding for these market solutions. The flexible lidding is customized for strong heat-seals around the perimeter of the fiber tray lip, preventing leakage prior to freezing and freezer burn while maintaining adhesion during cooking and easy to peel consumer use. The rigid lid is developed to include a click audible sound, ensuring the product is sealed tight for transportation but easy for consumer use.

Aptar announced that it has been ranked #1 on Forbes’ Green Growth 50 2021 inaugural list. As part of the Green Growth 50, Forbes is highlighting large American corporations that have managed to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, while simultaneously growing earnings. “We are honored to be recognized with the #1 spot on the Green Growth 50 list by Forbes. This is a tremendous recognition of our progress to both drive earnings growth and become a more sustainable, diverse and inclusive company that is focused on furthering a circular economy. In fact, it is these very efforts that help grow our business.” said Stephan B. Tanda, Aptar’s President and CEO. “We look at everything we do through a sustainability lens because our patients, customers and consumers are actively seeking more sustainable solutions.”

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year Highlights: *Net sales growth of 22% and 18% in the quarter and fiscal year, respectively *Fiscal year organic volume growth of 4%; HHS +5%, CPNA +4%, EM +4% and CPI +3% *Fiscal year net income per share (EPS) up 28% to $5.30 and adjusted EPS up 20% to $5.80 ($7.21 including amortization of intangibles from acquisitions) *Cash flow from operations and free cash flow of $1.6B and $904M, respectively

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced its most ambitious sustainable packaging goal to date: 30% circular plastics use across its fast-moving consumer goods packaging by 2030. Circular plastics include recycled and renewable resins like bioplastics. Berry’s global footprint and purchasing scale offer unique access to the supply of high-quality recycled material. As the Company moves away from its reliance on virgin plastic, Berry’s new 30 by 30 goal surpasses its previous goal to use 10% post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin by 2025. The new target aims to give natural resources multiple lives and increase the use of bio-based products made from renewable resources as Berry envisions decoupling from virgin plastic and fossil fuels in the long term. Leveraging its unmatched global capabilities, intellectual knowledge, and deep innovation expertise to serve customers of all sizes around the world, Berry plans to meet its new recycled content goal through: *Leading and early access to innovative materials like recycled and renewable resins. *Agility in its global manufacturing capabilities aligned with evolving recycled content legislation. *Continuing significant sustainable packaging progress by collaborating with leading brands.

Sonoco ThermoSafe, the leading global provider of temperature assurance packaging, and Singapore Airlines, a trusted partner in transporting high-value, time and temperature sensitive pharmaceutical cargo across the world, are pleased to announce a global partnership agreement for leasing the new Pegasus ULD® temperature-controlled bulk shipping container. The agreement enables pharmaceutical freight forwarders access to Pegasus ULD® containers directly from Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines and mutual clients will also have access to other Sonoco ThermoSafe containers as part of this agreement. Sonoco ThermoSafe’s Pegasus ULD® is the world’s first FAA and EASA-approved passive bulk temperature-controlled ULD container for pharmaceutical use, which enables it to speed through international air freight handling and customs processes at the lowest possible cost. With a focus on sustainability, the Pegasus is engineered with composite materials, offering a lighter solution that is also substantially more damage-resistant than traditional metal containers. Additionally, the Pegasus ULD® contains a fully integrated, FAA-approved telemetry system providing real-time, cloud-based data on payload and ambient temperature and key environmental factors, precisely synchronized with GPS location.

ThinkBox was created to support customers from a variety of industries in any phase of their quest for improved corrugated packaging. It is a knowledge pool continuously filled by industry and sustainability experts and the ideas and expertise of a large network of award-winning designers. The first three ThinkBox sites are located at Mondi Bupak in České Budějovice (Czech Republic), Mondi Tire Kutsan in Tire (Turkey) and Mondi Ansbach (Germany). The ThinkBox concept invites customers to unleash their full potential in a variety of possible settings: *Think Co-creation – individual workshops to solve a specific packaging issue or to explore how to bring visions to life *Think Skills – a variety of training courses and skill transfer events *Think Inspiration – interactive webinars and insight events *Think Verification – performance tests of packaging solutions

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced an agreement with PureCycle that will provide Berry with PureCycle’s Ultra-Pure Recycled (UPR) advanced recycled resin. This agreement is the latest in a growing list of advanced recycling material sourcing announcements from Berry and is the Company’s second based in North America. If given the option to buy products with recyclable or compostable packaging, 47% of Americans opt for recyclable products as their first choice, and 20% prefer compostable products. (Ipsos, Aug. 2021) *77% of Americans are concerned about the environmental impact of products they buy, and 78% are more likely to purchase a product that is clearly labeled as environmentally friendly. (Greenprint, April 2021) *64% of consumers say that buying sustainable products makes them feel happy about their purchases (this reaches 72% in the 25-35 age group). (Capgemini Research Institute, July 2020). As demand for sustainable products grows, customers look to Berry for access to recycled material and packaging design expertise to maintain their brand image and package performance. As a result, Berry continues its leadership position in the converter market for access to recycled plastic material – over 600 million pounds per year by 2025.

Meal kits aren’t a new concept. In fact, the delivery service has been around for more than a decade. But, during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a newfound demand for fresh, shipped groceries started to skyrocket. As going to your local grocery store to grab everything on your weekly list became more difficult, people around the world searched for services that not only shopped for them but also taught them how to cook. As profitability and membership among meal kit services surged, some companies even saw sales rise more than 100 percent compared to the year prior. Success has permeated into 2021, bolstering the top meal kit players’ subscriber bases. For example, HelloFresh reported a 74.2 percent increase in active users compared to 2020 during the first three months of the year. While it’s hard to predict what the future holds for meal kit services, it’s safe to say the market is viable and growing in the short term.

Transcontinental Advanced Coatings is thrilled to announce the launch of the Total Care product portfolio of medical components used in the manufacturing of advanced wound care dressings, consumer & cosmetic dressings, ostomy devices, IV, patient monitoring devices, and medical antimicrobial hard coats. This new, technically superior portfolio provides leading tailored solutions that support the highest level of brand confidence, patient comfort, care, and healing. The Total Care line is a comprehensive medical product portfolio that features the trusted and newly enhanced inspire® product range of ultra-thin polyurethane films and innovative medical-grade adhesives for advanced wound care. Additionally, we have added new complementing platforms of silicone adhesives and hydrophilic foams used in bi- and tri-laminate constructions and wound dressings. The Total Care line also extends to z-flo™ conductive films for patient monitoring and medical devices, and reflex™, our range of antimicrobial hard-coated, optical-grade films, that stand up to the most challenging applications for HMI (human-machine interface) and MTS (membrane touch switch) applications.

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has won both the Finnish Circular Economy Award and the Finnish Quality Award in the Laatukeskus Excellence Finland assessment. The circular economy prize was awarded for the first time this year. Both the Quality Award and the Circular Economy Award are based on the international EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) model. The jury of the Circular Economy Award stated that the operations of Metsä Board are clearly outlined, with a systematic approach to defining the company’s direction, implementing its strategy and monitoring and reporting on its performance. This was considered a sign of excellent performance and good business practice, as well as strengthening a company’s competitiveness from the perspective of a circular economy.

Third Quarter 2021 Highlights (as compared to third quarter 2020): • Revenue increased 22.5% to $395.6 million primarily due to the impact of higher selling prices in tape, film, woven, and protective packaging products driven by increases in the cost of many raw materials and freight. • Gross margin decreased to 22.0% from 26.0% primarily due to the impact of maintaining dollar spread on higher average selling prices and increased plant operating costs, partially offset by a favourable product volume/mix. • Net earnings attributable to the Company shareholders ("IPG Net Earnings") decreased $1.4 million to $25.3 million ($0.43 basic and $0.42 diluted earnings per share) primarily due to an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A") resulting from an increase in employee- and technology-related costs mainly due to the growth of the business in 2021 and the non-recurrence of cost saving measures implemented in response to COVID-19 related uncertainty in 2020. This unfavourable impact was partially offset by an increase in gross profit.

Sales of $1,030 million (compared with $956 million in Q2 2021 (+8%) and $1,014 million in Q3 2020 (+2%)) *Operating income of $73 million (compared with $23 million in Q2 2021 (+217%) and $54 million in Q3 2020 (+35%)) *Net earnings per common share of $0.32 (compared with $0.02 in Q2 2021 and $0.51 in Q3 2020)

Eco-Products® announced that it has earned the coveted GreenScreen Certified™ Silver designation for its groundbreaking line of compostable plates and containers made from sugarcane. Called VanguardTM, the award-winning line uses a proprietary chemistry to achieve grease resistance without the use of PFAS, a class of materials sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals.” In addition, GreenScreen Certified products do not contain other chemicals of high concern or known regrettable substitutes.

The Hämeenkyrön Voima power plant, from which Metsä Board's Kyro mill buys energy, has replaced the peat it burns with renewable energy. In the future, the power plant aims to use wood-based fuels from Metsä Group's production and wood procurement by-products. By not burning peat, Metsä Board Kyro's share of fossil fuels in total fuel demand will be reduced from just over a quarter to about a tenth. The phase-out of peat has required significant investments in power plant technology to control boiler corrosion damage and optimise running conditions. Previously approximately one fifth of the fuel used by the plant has been peat. Thanks to the investments, the energy and local district heat from the mill will be produced in a more environmentally friendly way. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, targets to achieve fossil-free production and products by the end of 2030. Moving away from peat-based energy will help Metsä Board towards these goals.

Notable items in the fourth quarter include: *Record net sales of $5.1 billion increased 14% compared to $4.5 billion in the prior year quarter *Net income of $324 million compared to a net loss of $1,156 million in the prior year quarter, which included a $1,314 million goodwill impairment net of tax. Full Year 2021 Highlights: *Record net sales of $18.7 billion increased 7% compared to $17.6 billion in the prior year *Net income of $838 million compared to a net loss of $691 million in the prior year *Generated net cash provided by operating activities of $2.28 billion and record Adjusted Free Cash Flow of $1.49 billion; ended the year with a net leverage ratio of 2.38x

Sonoco announced it has acquired the assets of D&W Paper Tubes, Inc., a Chatsworth, GA-based manufacturer of sustainable industrial paper tubes and cores. Founded in 2000, D&W is a family-owned company that produces 100-pe rcent recycled paperboard convolute tubes, spiral-wound cores and yarn tubes primarily serving the carpet and textile industry from operations at its Chatsworth facility. The company expects to produce approximately $18 million in sales in 2021. “D&W is complementary to our Industrial Paper Packaging segment and further strengthens our position serving the carpet and textile market in Northeast Georgia. In addition to acquiring an attractive book of business, we expect to drive meaningful business synergies from our integrated industrial products operations in the Southeast,” said Howard Coker, Sonoco President and Chief Executive Officer.

BillerudKorsnäs, one of the leading global packaging companies, has partnered with Oatly, the world’s original and largest oat drink company, to develop innovative packaging solutions for Oatly’s Singapore produced products. Oatly recently opened its first production facility in Asia to supply the nearby markets as part of the company’s global expansion. Products produced in the factory will be packed in boxes and transported on pallets during demanding climate conditions offering hot and humid weather which generates challenging logistics chains. The conventional packaging solution to manage high humidity is adding additional material for sturdier packaging. But the team at BillerudKorsnäs BoxLab found a different solution to ensure enhanced sustainability performance while maintaining the high quality standards of Oatly’s secondary packaging. This innovative solution is based on the following principles: *Minimizing damage and waste throughout the logistics chain *Focus on resource efficiency – using as little material as possible and minimize water usage *Use packaging material that is recyclable and comes from renewable sources *Transparency throughout the value chain securing renewable energy sources

Third quarter 2021 net income from continuing operations was $6.2 million (0.19 per diluted share) compared to net loss from continuing operations of $17.0 million ($0.51 per diluted share) in the third quarter of 2020. Net income from ongoing operations, which excludes special items and discontinued operations, was $7.2 million ($0.22 per diluted share) in the third quarter of 2021 compared with $13.2 million ($0.39 per diluted share) in the third quarter of 2020. John Steitz, Tredegar’s president and chief executive officer said, “Bonnell Aluminum's production and sales continue to fall below robust demand and bookings due to a shortage of labor while backlog continues to grow. Price increases have helped keep pace with inflationary cost pressures.” Mr. Steitz also stated, “PE Films' profitability has been adversely impacted by previously disclosed customer product transitions and resin price increases. In addition, competitive pricing pressures are anticipated to further erode profitability by $6 million in 2022. PE Films is very focused on generating sales of new surface protection products, applications and customers and driving production efficiencies and cost savings.”

The Mayr-Melnhof Group (MM) has joined the global initiative “Business Ambition for 1.5 ° C” in order to use suitable measures to help limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. As part of this platform, which was launched by the UN Global Compact and the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), MM is committed to setting science-based climate targets. These provide for net zero emissions in the entire value chain by 2050 at the latest. MM is thus increasing the pace of its engagement against climate change at the time of important global milestones such as the UN climate conference COP26. Peter Oswald, CEO of the MM Group: “MM is a sustainability company that is at the forefront of avoiding plastic waste with innovative recyclable packaging made from renewable raw materials. In addition, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change is an integral and fixed part of our corporate strategy. That is why we set ourselves ambitious, science-based goals and take an active part in the Business Ambition for 1.5 ° C initiative in order to jointly promote climate-friendly economic activity. "

Mondi commissioned a life cycle assessment (LCA) comparing its new ground-breaking paper pallet wrapping innovation, Advantage StretchWrap, with conventional plastic stretch film wrapping. The full study was conducted by an external consultancy, is ISO-compliant and includes an external critical review. Based on the assumption that both materials are recycled at the end-of-life, the findings showed that the paper-based pallet wrapping by Mondi has a lower climate impact as one of the LCA indicators. The basis of comparison is the potential environmental impacts arising from wrapping one pallet. The LCA examined 16 indicators to understand potential trade-offs between the two materials. It covers all relevant life cycle stages, from raw material extraction, production, up to the application on a pallet at the customer. In addition, the impact of the end-of-life stage is assessed. The LCA found that 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 stretch film made with 50% recycled content. Advantage StretchWrap has a lower environmental impact than plastic in a number of categories including climate change and fossil resource use. The plastic stretch film did perform better in some indicators, such as land use and freshwater eutrophication.

UPM Raflatac is leading the way by introducing a full range of paper label products made with 100% recycled fibers designed for food, retail and logistics labeling needs. The range includes the first commercially available Total Phenol Free thermal paper labels made with 100% recycled fibers. These labels are a good choice for logistics and retail labeling applications and contribute to the overall sustainability of the packaging. UPM Raflatac’s new product range offers brand owners a way to increase the share of recycled materials in their packaging. This reduces the pressure on forests and enables a circular economy. The range is FSC® certified and the labels maintain the same functionalities as label material made from virgin fibers. “The need to reduce waste and alleviate the pressure to virgin raw material sources is evident and increasing. One of the ways to achieve that is by recycled materials. We continue to lead the way in sustainable labeling as we introduce thermal paper labels with 100% recycled fibers to the market. Making the switch to these labels offers a host of sustainability benefits for both the brand owners and the environment,” says Ville Pollari, Director, Business Segment VIP & Prime, UPM Raflatac.

SEE announced it has completed the sale of its Reflectix® business to an affiliate of Balcan Innovations. Under SEE’s ownership, Reflectix grew to become the largest brand of reflective insulation solutions serving construction, HVAC, and insulation applications for residential do-it-yourself and pro-channels. Reflectix’s products are widely distributed in North America through more than 3,500 dealer, distributor and retail locations. The transaction includes Reflectix manufacturing facilities in Markleville, Indiana, where they employ approximately 80 employees.

Highlights - Three Months Ended September 30, 2021: • GAAP Net Income of $202 million, up 2%; GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of 13.1 cents per share, up 4%; • Adjusted EBIT of $381 million, up 7% on a comparable constant currency basis; • Increased returns to shareholders: $64 million of shares repurchased and quarterly dividend increased to 12.0 cents per share; and

First Nine Months Overview: *Revenue growth year-on-year of 15% to €7,287 million *EBITDA growth year-on-year of 10% to €1,235 million with a margin of 17% *Third quarter EBITDA growth year-on-year of 16% to €454 million *Issued €1 billion in bonds under our Green Finance Framework

Transcontinental Inc. announced that it has acquired H.S. Crocker Co., Inc., a manufacturer of die cut lids for the food industry and labels for the pharmaceutical industry. Primarily serving North American customers, with approximately 150 employees, H.S. Crocker operates two facilities, in Huntley, Illinois, and Exton, Pennsylvania. For the 12 months ending July 31, 2021, H.S. Crocker’s consolidated sales were around US$50 million. “H.S. Crocker is a die cut lidding leader in North America, serving markets that are highly strategic for us,” said Thomas Morin, President of TC Transcontinental Packaging. “The integration of H.S. Crocker’s Huntley facility to our platform will broaden our packaging solutions portfolio, especially in the dairy, coffee lids as well as shelf stable and chilled desserts markets, and provide significant cross-selling opportunities with our respective customers. As for the Exton plant, it will allow us to expand our pharmaceutical and medical expertise in the advanced coatings product offering through the addition of value-added and specialized labels, while increasing our market share in the healthcare industry. We are also planning on leveraging the excess capacity within both H.S. Crocker’s facilities in order to support our organic growth. We wish to extend a warm welcome to all of H.S. Crocker’s talented employees.”

Graphic Packaging Holding Company announced the successful close of its acquisition of AR Packaging Group AB, Europe's second largest producer of fiber-based consumer packaging. The acquisition accelerates Graphic Packaging's growing position serving consumer packaged goods companies around the world with sustainable fiber-based packaging alternatives. Graphic Packaging announced its intent to acquire AR Packaging Group AB on May 14, 2021.

Third quarter net sales in Food were $797 million, an increase of 13% as reported. Third quarter net sales in Protective were $609 million, an increase of 14% as reported. Net sales of $1.4 billion increased 14% as reported. Favorable currency impact contributed $12 million, or approximately 1%, to net sales growth, as compared to the prior year. Net earnings in third quarter 2021 were $108 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, as compared to net earnings of $132 million, or $0.85 per diluted share, in the prior year. The decline is due to higher income tax expense and a $15 million pre-tax loss on the debt redemption of 4.875% senior notes due 2022.

Pregis celebrated production start-up at its new 265,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Arlington, Texas with a ribbon cutting attended by the city’s mayor The Honorable Jim Ross. The new facility is now producing the Pregis EverTec™ mailer which is a durable, lightweight, curbside recyclable, paper cushioned, shipping solution. Pregis is currently employing 75 people in Arlington with plans to scale up to 105 over time. Pregis acquired the technology to manufacture the envirotech shipping solution in October 2020 with the goal to scale the production of the curbside recyclable product to meet consumer demand. The company self-manufactures the proprietary equipment used to produce the mailers. The new capacity in Arlington is in addition to the recently announced facilities in Bethel, Pennsylvania and McDonough, Georgia, as well as the Elk Grove Village, Illinois facility. The company is expanding with additional sites to serve strategic geographic markets which will create approximately 450 new jobs, in total.

SCA increases the prices on white and brown kraftliner in Europe by €50 per tonne. The new price is valid from December 1, 2021. “The kraftliner market remains strong”, comments Mikael Frölander, VP Sales and Marketing Containerboard. “We have a firm confidence in transport packaging, while we see a limited product supply.”

Third Quarter 2021 Summary *Reported sales grew 9%, primarily driven by double-digit core sales growth in Beauty + Home and Food + Beverage from a combination of price increases and volume growth *Core sales (excluding currency effects) increased 8% *Pharma sales declined slightly compared to the prior year *Reported net income totaled $47 million *Acquisition Updates: -Completed the acquisition of 80% of Weihai Hengyu Medical Products, adding elastomeric and plastic component manufacturing capabilities in China for injectable drug delivery -Completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Voluntis, a provider of digital therapeutic solutions

The Twin Rivers Paper Company, a leading producer of specialty paper products, has received compostability certification from the Biodegradable Products Institute® (BPI®) for its portfolio of EcoBarrier® PFAS-free packaging papers. Products that receive BPI compostability certification have gone through rigorous third-party testing to ASTM standards that ensures items can be safely cycled back into the soil at a commercial composting facility. The BPI certification mark helps consumers identify and trust that an item is compostable. “In addition to meeting our customers’ stringent grease-resistance performance requirements, we’re committed to helping customers meet their sustainability goals,” stated Rachel Van Wychen, Director of Sales – Specialty Packaging and Technical at Twin Rivers Paper. “With the achievement of BPI certification, our EcoBarrier products are 100% recyclable, biodegradable and compostable, making EcoBarrier papers the optimal substrate for sustainable packaging.”

The modernisation of the Metsä Board Kyro mill’s finishing area has now been completed and the finishing line with new advanced equipment has started up. During the mill’s annual maintenance shutdown in October, a new state-of-the-art reeler and winder were installed on the production line, and the reel broke handling system was significantly upgraded. The investment, announced in December 2019, was worth EUR 20 million. Metsä Board is part of Metsä Group. "The new high automation finishing line will further improve the quality consistency of the paperboard reels and increase the runnability on our customers' converting lines. In addition, the automation will improve upon the existing occupational safety level in the mill's finishing area and reduce the physical workload," says Petri Huiko, Mill Manager at Metsä Board Kyro mill. The Kyro mill produces coated high-quality folding boxboard and innovative dispersion coated barrier board, which helps reduce plastic in consumer packaging. The mill has a production capacity of 190,000 tonnes per year.

Smurfit Kappa has developed an innovative new packaging solution for detergent together with McBride, the leading European manufacturer of private label products for the cleaning and hygiene market. The Click-to-Lock Pods Box is a 100% paper-based solution which provides a sustainable and safe alternative to the traditional plastic box for laundry pods. The new packaging solution reduces CO2 emissions by 32% during production and is 100% recyclable and biodegradable. It is the latest example of how Smurfit Kappa utilises its circular business model to identify the best packaging solution for each situation alongside reducing the environmental impact. The Click-to-Lock Pods Box is tamper-proof thanks to an effective, certified child-lock system in line with the International Association of Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products, following successful protocol testing. It is also moisture resistant, due to a varnish inside the packaging that provides a barrier against any type of moisture from accessing the contents.

Due to ongoing inflationary pressures across most cost categories, including freight and storage, energy, labor, packaging materials, PET resin feedstocks, and other operating costs, Toray Plastics (America) is announcing a price increase of $0.18/lb. on all PET film products effective with shipments on or after December 1, 2021. As you are aware, we at Toray always strive to improve productivity and to reduce internal costs so that such measures can generally be avoided. However, in this highly unusual economic climate, this step has become necessary to allow us to maintain our long-term ability to provide industry-leading technology and product quality while offering the reliable service upon which our customers have come to rely.

Rottneros is partnering with KAPSU, a startup company within the beverage industry, based in Karlstad, to develop and produce a new plastic-free beverage solution. The new container will be made of 100% fiber from local certified forests. The aim is to use their groundbreaking solution to transform the beverage industry through competitive plastic-free solutions, resolving an environmental challenge that people face every day, globally. The solution features a three-part system; a stainless-steel bottle, a container made of 100 percent fiber containing the drink mixes and KAPSU´s own lid technology. The container will be manufactured by Rottneros Packaging. Main focus will be on healthy, functional drinks which are nutritious and low on sugar.

Performa Light CarbonZero™ by Stora Enso is the first carbon neutral cartonboard offer in the market. It helps Stora Enso’s customers to have a smaller climate impact. Performa Light CarbonZero is a carbon neutral, renewable and recyclable cartonboard offering that helps Stora Enso’s customers to achieve carbon-related sustainability targets and show concrete and measurable actions on climate change through their packaging. Performa Light CarbonZero is produced at Stora Enso’s Fors site in Sweden, which is fossil carbon emission-free in its electricity and steam production and from the beginning of 2022 also in internal logistics. This is a result of continuous work and investments in improving the operations. The production is therefore already very low on greenhouse gas emissions. To make Performa Light CarbonZero carbon neutral, the currently unavoidable emissions originating from raw material production are compensated with a well-established offsetting service provided by external partner South Pole.

HIGHLIGHTS: *Third quarter net earnings (loss) attributable to International Paper of $864 million ($2.20 per diluted share), compared with $432 million ($1.09 per diluted share) in the second quarter of 2021 and $204 million ($0.52 per diluted share) in the third quarter of 2020. Third quarter 2021 net earnings include a net after-tax gain of $350 million ($0.89 per diluted share) on the sale of our Kwidzyn, Poland mill. *Third quarter adjusted operating earnings* (non-GAAP) of $532 million ($1.35 per diluted share) compared with $421 million ($1.06 per diluted share) in the second quarter of 2021 and $280 million ($0.71 per diluted share) in the third quarter of 2020 *Third quarter cash provided by operations of $645 million and year-to-date of $1.9 billion compared with $2.3 billion year-to-date in the same period of 2020. Third quarter 2021 cash generation also includes pre-tax sources of $737 million (net of cash divested) related to the sale of the Kwidzyn, Poland mill and $630 million related to the unwind of timber monetization notes. *Ilim equity earnings of $95 million, bringing year-to-date to $245 million *Debt reduction of $235 million, bringing year-to-date to $1.1 billion *Share repurchases of $212 million, bringing year-to-date to $398 million

Net sales for the third quarter of 2021 were $1.65 billion, an increase of $162.6 million, or 10.9 percent, as compared to the same period in the prior year. This increase was the result of higher net sales in all segments. Income before interest and income taxes for the third quarter of 2021 was $167.9 million, a decrease of $6.1 million, or 3.5 percent, as compared to $174.0 million for the third quarter of 2020, and margins decreased to 10.2 percent from 11.7 percent for the same periods. The decrease in income before interest and income taxes was primarily the result of higher costs attributed to announced acquisitions and lower income in the Dispensing and Specialty Closures segment, partially offset by higher income in the Custom Container segment. Costs attributed to announced acquisitions for the third quarter of 2021 were $4.1 million for the acquisitions of Gateway Plastics and Unicep Packaging in September 2021 and Easytech Closures S.p.A in October 2021. Costs attributed to announced acquisitions were $0.7 million for the third quarter of 2020. Rationalization charges were $2.3 million and $2.5 million in the third quarters of 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Cascades inc. announces that it has completed the sale of its 57.6% equity stake in Reno De Medici S.p.A. (BIT: RM) ("Reno de Medici", or "RDM Group"), previously announced July 5, 2021, to a subsidiary of funds managed by subsidiaries of Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO) for an all-cash price of €1.45 per share corresponding to a total cash consideration of approximately €315.3 million (approximately CAN$ 461 million, before transaction related fees). The selling price represents a multiple of approximately 11x of the adjusted operating income before depreciation of Reno De Medici for the last 12 months as of June 30, 2021.

January–September 2021 (compared to 1–9/2020) • Sales were EUR 1,565.6 million (1,416.4). • Comparable operating result was EUR 295.3 million (156.7), or 18.9% (11.1) of sales. Operating result was EUR 285.0 million (162.7). • Comparable earnings per share were EUR 0.65 (0.33), and earnings per share were EUR 0.63 (0.34). • Comparable return on capital employed was 19.4% (11.8). • Net cash flow from operations was EUR 209.8 million (226.7).

Third Quarter 2021 Results: Reported Results: For the third quarter 2021, the company recorded earnings from continuing operations of $0.48 per share (diluted) compared to earnings from continuing operations of $2.06 per share (diluted) in the prior year period. The current year earnings from continuing operations before income taxes were $127 million, compared to $376 million in the third quarter of 2020 which included an approximately $280 million net gain on the sale of O-I’s ANZ business unit. Segment Operating Profit1: Third quarter 2021 segment operating profit was $243 million compared to $204 million in the prior year period. While demand for glass containers remains strong, sales volumes (excluding divestitures) declined approximately 1 percent from the prior year. Higher segment operating profit was largely due to higher production levels, as well as strong operating performance and the benefits from the company’s margin expansion initiatives. Cash Flows: Cash provided by continuing operating activities was $306 million in the third quarter 2021, compared to $262 million in the prior year period. Third quarter 2021 free cash flow1 was $213 million compared to $205 million in 2020.

WestRock Company announced that Ward Dickson will retire as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective November 30, 2021. In addition, the company announced Alexander (Alex) Pease will succeed Dickson as WestRock’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. “On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire WestRock team, I want to thank Ward for his tremendous leadership as the Company’s chief financial officer,” said David B. Sewell, chief executive officer of WestRock. “Throughout his career with the Company, Ward maintained a steady focus on supporting WestRock’s significant growth and built an outstanding track record of creating value for our shareholders. We all wish Ward the very best in his retirement.” Sewell added, "I'm pleased that Alex Pease will be joining WestRock as our new chief financial officer. Alex's success and experience as a public company CFO, his financial expertise and his outstanding leadership qualities will be a valuable addition to the WestRock team."

Q3 2021 Highlights *Net Sales were $1,782 million versus $1,698 million in the prior year quarter. *Net organic sales declined 1% during the quarter as supply chain and labor market constraints delayed sales; remain on track to achieve approximately 200 basis points of full year organic sales growth. *Net Income was $73 million versus $64 million in the prior year quarter. *Executing approximately $650 million in pricing actions to address commodity input cost inflation. *AR Packaging acquisition expected to close November 1st. *Coated recycled paperboard production on new K2 machine in Kalamazoo, Michigan on track for start-up in the fourth quarter.

Sonoco has received a 2021 Innovator Award for its EnviroSense® PaperBlister™ package in the category of Innovation in Design Optimization. Sonoco’s all-paper PaperBlister package is further evidence of the Company’s commitment to developing more innovative, sustainable packaging options for customers and consumers alike. “The revolutionary PaperBlister package provides a fully recyclable, plastic-free alternative to traditional blister packaging and is the latest addition to Sonoco’s growing assortment of EnviroSense packaging solutions,” said Eric Clamp, commercial development manager. “Designed with tomorrow in mind, EnviroSense packaging is purposefully engineered to deliver a host of earth-conscious attributes, including recyclability, recycled content, reusability, compostability, packaging optimization, bio-based content and responsible fiber sourcing.” Made entirely from renewable resources, the mono-material PaperBlister package is plastic-free, so it is recyclable in the paper stream. And because it uses water-based printing and sealing technology, there are no harmful VOCs used in making the package. With a simple tooling changeover, brand manufacturers can easily go from traditional plastic packaging to PaperBlister packaging, meeting their sustainability goals and customer expectations at the same time.

Toray Plastics (America), Inc., announces that Jim Nunn has joined the company as a Business Manager in its Torayfan® Division. Nunn arrives at Toray following roles at ExxonMobil and Jindal Films America. He has held leadership positons in production management, sales, and demand planning. Nunn earned his M.B.A. in finance from Cornell University. “It is a pleasure to welcome Jim to the Torayfan team,” says Franco Chicarella, Director of Sales, Torayfan Division. “Jim brings to Toray solid, diverse industry experience, and we anticipate that he will be an important contributor to the division’s ongoing success.” Toray Plastics (America), Inc., is a leading manufacturer of polyester, polypropylene, and metallized films and polypropylene and polyethylene foams. The company is committed to environmental, social, and corporate governance and aims to contribute to society through the creation of new value with innovative ideas, technologies, and products that help address global issues. R&D is focused on the development of materials that are fossil fuel-free, compostable, biodegradable, and/or recyclable. The company’s sustainability initiative, launched in 2004, includes the operating of one of Rhode Island’s larger solar farms and two cogeneration systems, energy and water conservation, recycling, and zero landfill.

Pure Supreme is a well-established premium white-top kraftliner, optimized for offset printing. BillerudKorsnäs is now launching an upgraded version of Pure Supreme, which is more than a facelift – it could even be regarded as a new product. It offers excellent print results in terms of colour fidelity and lifelike image reproduction. Its strength and stiffness ensure high runnability, allowing for high-speed printing and converting processes. New Pure Supreme is the latest in a series of new products to come out of BillerudKorsnäs’ KM7, the world’s most modern board machine. The advanced technologies applied in KM7 have made it possible to combine several valuable product properties: printability, strength, stiffness, appearance, consistency, and purity. Like all BillerudKorsnäs products, Pure Supreme is made of 100% pure and strong primary wood fibres, sourced from responsibly managed forests. With the high capacity of KM7 – 550,000 tons/year – global availability is high.

Leading European thermoforming packaging specialist Waddington® Europe, a division of Novolex®, has launched a new 100% mono-material protective soft-fruit punnet thanks to its revolutionary MONOAIR™ cushion technology. Traditionally, punnet bases have required an additional layer of bubble padding attached with a glue adhesive to protect soft fruit from bruising and spoiling in transit. However, the padding must be removed from the container to be properly recycled.

Tetra Pak unveils how Covid-19 has made consumers rethink the way they live, and fundamentally shift how they act in the latest Tetra Pak Index report. The pandemic has reinforced the value consumers place on human connections, taking into account both time spent with family at home, and with extended circles outside it. Shared food and beverage experiences play a key role in these relations. Fundamentally, the personal, economic and environmental fragility experienced during the global pandemic has created a shift from concern to active caretaking, and a desire to take action to keep ourselves, our food, our communities and the planet secure. Food safety and security4 are top priorities too, with the pandemic shining a spotlight on health and highlighting weak points in our food systems. Worries about the environment are very strong, with pollution and plastic litter in the ocean as the joint top worry (83%) and Global warming closely follows, cited by over three quarters (78%) of consumers across nine countries. This sits ahead of food waste (77%) and food accessibility (71%). Meanwhile, nearly half (49%) of the global population are now recognising the impact that everyday choices have on the environment.

Greif, Inc. announced that it is implementing a $60 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) and a minimum 7.0 percent increase on all tube and core and protective packaging products. The uncoated recycled paperboard increase is effective today with new orders and shipments on and after November 8, 2021. The tube and core and protective packaging products increase is effective with shipments on and after November 22, 2021. These price increases are in addition to previously announced increases and are in response to strong demand across the Greif paperboard and converting network and increasing energy, transportation, labor and other input costs.

Pregis celebrated production start-up at its new $80 million blown film extrusion facility in Anderson, South Carolina with a ribbon cutting attended by Governor Henry McMaster and industry partners. “We congratulate Pregis on this $80 million investment that will create 120 new jobs within the Anderson County community. We wish them great success in the Palmetto State and look forward to seeing them grow and prosper for a long time,” said Governor McMaster. Headed by industry veterans, the 168,000 square foot facility features multiple newly-installed lines, producing the latest engineered films. The films are used downstream to manufacture performance-oriented, flexible packaging solutions for food, CPG, healthcare/medical and industrial applications. The facility will also feature a world-class film laboratory to develop and test materials.

Mondi is supplying a range of recyclable mono-material pet food packaging for Hau-Hau Champion, one of Finland’s most recognised brands in the premium dog food segment. The new packaging fulfils the pet food producer’s objective to launch a reclosable and recyclable packaging solution that does not compromise on performance and retains the strong brand recognition in stores. It also addresses sustainability concerns of end consumers that are playing more of a role in the purchasing of pet food and products. Mondi’s customer-centric approach, EcoSolutions, helped Hau-Hau Champion find a high-barrier solution that can be reclosed, keeps food fresh and confines any smells. The previously unrecyclable multi-layer packaging contained a metallised layer which was replaced by Mondi’s recyclable mono-material packaging: a reel material for form-fill-and-seal (FFS) 1.5kg bags and pre-made FlexiBag Recyclable for bags up to 15kg. FlexiBag Recyclable is a mono-material polyethylene (PE) pre-made bag developed specifically for recycling, which means it can be deposited directly into Finnish plastic recycling streams.

Sonoco announced it will raise the price for all paperboard tubes and cores by a minimum of 6 percent, effective with shipments in the United States and Canada, on or after November 8, 2021. “Continuing inflationary increases, particularly in Uncoated Recycled Board, adhesives and primary packaging components, coupled with exceptional market demand make this increase necessary,” said Doug Schwartz, Division Vice President and General Manager, North America Tubes and Cores. “Despite these unique times with market and supply chain challenges, we remain committed to maintaining the quality and service that our customers have become accustomed to when working with Sonoco.”

Graphic Packaging Holding Company announced that all required regulatory approvals to complete the proposed acquisition of AR Packaging Group AB have now been received. The transaction is expected to be completed in early November 2021, subject to the satisfaction of the remaining customary closing conditions set forth in the acquisition agreement. Graphic Packaging announced its intent to acquire AR Packaging Group AB on May 14, 2021, creating the premier global provider of sustainable fiber-based consumer packaging solutions.

Cascades is pleased to announce that its fourth Sustainability Action Plan was a winner in the Medium and Large Business category of the Prix initiatives circulaires presented by Québec Circulaire. This competition recognizes initiatives that redefine business models, and production and consumption methods, so as to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Québec. Cascades' fourth Sustainability Action Plan, launched last spring, has been recognized as a catalyst for change in support of a circular business model; its "solutions driven" commitments, among the Plan's four main pillars, are the basis for this recognition. For the first time in its history, Cascades has set itself an eco-design target: 100% of the packaging manufactured and sold by the company will be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2030.

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced its first three sites in North America to achieve the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS designation to support its growing North America based customer demand for more sustainable packaging. With many brand owners searching for pathways to achieve their sustainability goals, inclusive of renewable or recycled material use in their packaging, Berry’s ISCC PLUS certified facilities can provide customers with assurance of a product’s material composition. These materials meet the ISCC’s standards for recycled, renewable, and recycled-renewable materials, providing traceability along the supply chain, verifying that certified companies meet high environmental and social standards. ISCC PLUS Certification Highlights *Allows Berry to bring in-demand certified circular products to market, presenting customers with options for advanced recycled materials on a mass balance basis to meet their sustainability goals. *Crosses multiple product lines, allowing customers the potential to leverage Berry’s broad expertise across a number of manufacturing processes for the certified resins. *Validates the “mass balance approach,” tracking the quantity and sustainability characteristics of recycled and/or renewable content in the value chain, and attributing it based on verifiable bookkeeping with predefined and transparency requirements.

ePac Flexible Packaging, the industry leader in fast time to market, short and medium run length pouches and rollstock, today announced plans to open its next facility in Kansas City, Missouri. Serving brands of all sizes, ePac Kansas City will be a full-service sales and manufacturing facility, located on 9705 Loiret Blvd., Lenexa, KS 66219. The company has begun accepting orders, with fulfillment handled by other ePac U.S. locations until its manufacturing facility opens early 2022. Randy Mackey, General Manager of ePac Kansas City, commented: “We’re excited to be able to bring ePac’s unique service model to local brands that need professional packaging to grow. As with the thousands of ePac clients around the world, our customers will benefit from delivery times of 5-15 business days and low minimum order quantities.”

Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box introduces a new and more sustainable version of its highly regarded Vitop® tap, the new Vitop® Renew, which is made from bio-based PP resins. This innovative development now combines an approach already taken with the bag inside the box, which is manufactured of E-recycled film EVOH, containing raw materials issued from plastic chemical recycling. This means the new bags are composed of 53% recycled and renewable content. This chemical recycling is not however replacing the mechanical one. The materials which are difficult to recycle mechanically are treated by pyrolysis. This process takes a circular approach and provides a new means by which to increase plastic recycling rates, as it can be applied to a wider range of plastic waste. The crucial difference of such materials from the ones of traditional mechanical recycling is that the resins after pyrolysis have identical properties to virgin polymers, and therefore can be used for direct food contact packaging.

Sonoco announced it is implementing a $60 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning November 1, 2021. Sonoco said the price increase was in response to continued inflationary pressures on manufacturing costs, including energy, freight, chemicals, and packaging materials. “Inflation on our input costs remain unabated as we enter the last quarter of 2021, and we expect these cost pressures to continue into 2022,” said Tim Davis, Division Vice President and General Manager, North America Paper. “Despite the current supply challenges driven by very strong URB demand, we remain committed to delivering the highest level of quality and service to our many loyal customers.”

Leading metal packaging manufacturer Crown Holdings, Inc. has announced collaboration with Velox Ltd. (www.velox-digital.com), an innovative developer and manufacturer of direct-to-shape digital decoration solutions, to provide beverage brands with game-changing digital decoration technology for both straight wall and necked aluminum cans. Crown and Velox brought together their expertise to unlock new possibilities for major brands wishing to increase product offerings, as well as smaller producers taking advantage of the benefits of fully recyclable beverage cans. The technology and solution deliver market firsts and create greater brand design options with running speeds over five times faster than existing digital solutions and proprietary features, including the ability to print up to 14 simultaneous colors and embellishments such as gloss, matte and embossing on nearly the entire surface area of the can. Crown and Velox recognize a growing global demand from beverage brands for more innovative digital decoration solutions. Brands can now take advantage of the technology and solutions' myriad benefits, particularly execution of lower production volumes that do not meet the constraints of traditional printing, such as small-batch varieties, short-run seasonal and promotional products or multipacks containing a variety of SKUs. The Velox technology and solutions also provide a photorealistic quality and wider color gamut for graphics, the ability to quickly produce an accurate print proof of a package and, in the case of smaller brands, improved sustainability over traditional plastic shrink wrap and labels that significantly hinder the aluminum can recycling process.

Packaging leader Smurfit Kappa has launched a unique range of circular packaging solutions for the rapidly growing online health and beauty market. The customisable eHealth & Beauty portfolio includes sustainable, paper-based packaging solutions ideal for shipping vulnerable products, such as fragrances, cosmetics, and skin and hair care products, as well as tamper proof packaging designed for vitamins, supplements and sports nutrition. As demand in the health and beauty eCommerce market expands, so do consumer expectations for higher quality and sustainable packaging, in addition to delivery protection. Recent research carried out by Smurfit Kappa shows consumers are continuing to push for higher standards in delivery. The research found: *80% expect their parcel to arrive in perfect condition *59% prefer parcels that are easy to open *74% say that easy return is important for their convenience *69% prefer paper-based packaging for sustainability reasons

Mondi has added to its range of sustainable premium food and pet food packaging solutions with the launch of RetortPouch Recyclable. The new high-barrier pouch will replace complex multi-layer and unrecyclable packaging for a range of food and wet pet food products. Moist or semi-moist foods that are heat-treated in steam or hot water retort vessels to achieve commercial sterilisation for shelf-stable foods require retort packaging. The aluminium typically used in most solutions has been substituted with an innovative high-barrier film that keeps temperatures high and maintains short processing times during the retort process. The new mono-material retort packaging is fully recyclable, offering a solution that protects the product, provides exceptional shelf life for a mono-material solution and reduces potential food waste.

Silgan Holdings Inc. announced that it has acquired Easytech Closures S.p.A. This business manufactures and sells easy-open and sanitary metal ends used with metal containers primarily for food applications in Europe. It operates a manufacturing facility in Fisciano, Italy and is projected to generate approximately €38 million, or approximately $45 million, in sales and approximately €6.6 million, or approximately $7.8 million, in adjusted EBITDA in 2021. “Easytech is a leading manufacturer of a broad portfolio of metal ends, including easy-open metal ends, in the European market. We have had an excellent long-standing business relationship with Easytech and have great respect for its owners and management team. We are excited to now welcome Easytech to the Silgan team,” said Adam Greenlee, President and CEO. “This acquisition will allow our combined businesses to more effectively and efficiently utilize existing capacity for metal ends, reduce capital investment in the near term and accelerate completion of an on-going cost reduction program. Our acquisition of Easytech is yet another example of our strategy to build shareholder value through a disciplined capital allocation model. We now look forward to the successful integration of our three recent acquisitions,” concluded Mr. Greenlee.

Amcor Rigid Packaging (ARP) has created a more responsible bottle for one of the country’s most popular ingredients – cooking oil. It’s the first cooking oil bottle in the country made from 100% recycled content. “ARP worked with Gourmet to create more sustainable bottles for the edible cooking oil industry,” said Alexander Alvarez, general manager of ARP Colombia. “The Amcor team in Cali, Colombia, partnered with resin suppliers and applied their knowledge and expertise to create a bottle that was made completely from recycled content.” ARP refined its bottles to ensure it is safe, causes no change in taste and is transparent – while maintaining Gourmet’s visual branding.

Pregis, a leading global manufacturer of protective and flexible packaging solutions, has acquired Danco Converting, Carol Stream, Illinois, from its privately-held owners. As Pregis continues to grow its manufacturing footprint, both organically and through acquisition, bringing Danco’s paper converting capabilities and diverse offering into its portfolio will further enhance the company’s vertical integration strategy. Further, the paper converting acquisition is another demonstration of Pregis’ commitment to its previously announced 2K30 sustainability objectives. For more than a decade, the company has brought to the marketplace a portfolio of products that address environmental concerns, as well as deliver protective attributes critical for damage-free delivery of products to consumers. The Danco acquisition will enable Pregis to add complementary curbside recyclable products to its offering and support the explosive demand for paper solutions.

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced its Chairman and CEO, Tom Salmon, has accepted the appointment as an Officer of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (Alliance), a global non-profit organization. As a founding member and first converter to join the Alliance, Berry continues its leadership role to help convene a global network of over 80 member companies and partners in the mission to end plastic waste in the environment. Salmon continues to stand behind the power of plastics, known for its versatility, innovation, and lower overall environmental impact than other packaging alternatives*. Through his leadership, he will help guide the Alliance’s decision-making on global projects that are sustainable, circular, and scalable businesses.

Tetra Pak and Poka are pleased to announce the launch of a new strategic collaboration that brings together the expertise, technology, and best practices of Tetra Pak, a leader in the food & beverage packaging industry, with the power of Poka, the most comprehensive connected factory worker platform. This collaboration will empower workers in food production with the tools and training needed to accelerate zero waste processes in food manufacturing plants. It’s the first global and scalable connected workforce service that Tetra Pak will roll out as part of its new training and support solution. According to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12, a range of entry points are required for promoting responsible consumption and production, and this can be achieved by producing more with less, increasing resource efficiency and promoting sustainable practices. Poka has helped manufacturers reduce equipment downtime by 5.9%, increase in worker productivity by 18% and decrease quality issues by 64%. By equipping front line staff with the most up to date information they need to make fast decisions, manufacturers can maintain high standards of quality and food safety whilst minimising waste in the form of product, time, or cost.

DS Smith, one of the leading manufacturers of sustainable packaging solutions made of corrugated board, has set itself ambitious climate targets. In addition, the company is driving the circular economy and reducing waste and pollution through clever design, as one goal is to produce 100% recyclable or reusable packaging as early as 2023. A current innovation in the field of e-commerce is a fixation packaging that uses crepe paper to secure and fix the goods instead of the usual plastic foil. In the service centers of a well-known smartphone manufacturer, the plastic-free shipping solution already ensures more sustainability. Online shopping is and remains a megatrend. As a survey published at the beginning of 2021 by the German E-Commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association (bevh) shows, e-commerce is not only popular with younger generations but has also become part of everyday life for the over-60s, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Around a third of all online shoppers belonged to this affluent age group in 2020. And even after the pandemic, a large part of the population does not want to give up the convenience of online shopping. According to bevh data, almost three out of four consumers plan to order online to the same or greater extent in the future.

Silgan Holdings Inc. announced that it has acquired Unicep Packaging. As a Specialty Contract Manufacturer and Developer (SCMD) solutions provider, this business develops, formulates, manufactures and sells precision dosing dispensing packaging solutions, such as diagnostic test components, oral care applications and skin care products, primarily for the health care, diagnostics, animal health, oral care and personal care markets. It operates two manufacturing facilities located in Spokane, Washington and Sandpoint, Idaho and is projected to generate approximately $45 million in sales and approximately $18.3 million in adjusted EBITDA for 2021. “Unicep is a clear leader in the rapid development and manufacturing of differentiated precision dosing dispensing packaging solutions for applications in health care, diagnostics and personal care. This acquisition further expands and extends our precision dosing capabilities and comprehensive product offering into new and existing markets,” said Adam Greenlee, President and CEO. “The Unicep team has combined a high-touch commercial philosophy with a proprietary operating platform to excel at meeting the unique requirements of their customers. The business broadens our exposure to health care and Point-of-Care diagnostics markets, has existing capacity for continued growth, complements our global Dispensing and Specialty Closures franchise and is scalable across our global footprint. We believe the acquisition of Unicep represents another example of our disciplined capital allocation model that has allowed Silgan to consistently create long-term shareholder value, and we look forward to welcoming our newest employees to the Silgan team,” concluded Mr. Greenlee.

Mondi and Taurus Packaging have developed a fit-for-purpose reusable shopping bag that can carry groceries and meet the needs of the demanding Southern African retail marketplace. Mondi’s Advantage Kraft Plus with wet strength makes this paper bag a great alternative in a market where plastic bags have traditionally been used. Mondi's kraft paper for shopping bags is strong enough for South Africa's demanding weather conditions, including humidity. Its wet strength meets the 16kg standard requirement of the South African market and resists tearing even when cold products and liquids condense quickly. It also withstands longer customer journeys on public transport. Collaborating with Taurus Packaging, two million paper shopping bags will be produced per month using Mondi’s paper, providing a recyclable, renewable, and PEFC certified, sustainably sourced alternative to plastic.

A long-term collaboration between Finnish startup The Paper Lid Company and Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has led to the development of a 100% recyclable paperboard lid for use with takeaway cups. The lid, which is made from fully recyclable dispersion barrier board, is suitable for use with both hot and cold beverages. It uses a novel technology developed by The Paper Lid Company that makes it possible to form the paperboard into the desired shape. The result is a one-piece lid that clicks firmly in place and offers performance that is comparable to that of a traditional plastic lid. “Reducing the volume of plastic waste is a critically important issue, and together with our partners we are continuously developing and testing new innovative solutions that have circular-economy thinking at their core,” says Ilkka Harju, Packaging Services Director EMEA and APAC at Metsä Board. “The paperboard lid is a great example of precisely such a solution.”

Graphic Packaging Holding Company announced Michelle M. Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., will join the Company as its first Chief Sustainability Officer. Graphic Packaging has had a long-standing commitment to running operations in a sustainable manner and has continued to advance environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs at the Company to benefit all stakeholders. The Company's consumer packaging solutions are inherently sustainable, are made from renewable and recyclable materials and support the move to a more circular economy.

Toray Plastics (America), Inc., announces that its Torayfan® Division’s new, state-of-the-art, 8.7-meter, five-layer, in-line coating polypropylene film line with automated slitting began producing commercial volumes of packaging and label films in May. The customized, proprietary equipment is considered by Toray to be one of the most capable BOPP film lines in the world. It is enabling Toray to expand its flexible packaging product lines, including a robust label portfolio, and manufacture highly-engineered next-generation laminations and mono-material films. The unique, energy-efficient line also gives a boost to Toray’s own sustainability initiative by reducing the company’s carbon footprint further. The additional OPP capacity is targeted for packaging, label, medical, and industrial applications. “Toray has always been committed to innovation and growth on behalf of its customers, and this new line enhances our ability to offer them a greater variety of film options while helping them commercialize their projects effectively and efficiently,” says Christopher Roy, Executive Vice President, Toray Plastics (America). “The entire Toray team is very proud of the division’s accomplishment, especially given the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Roy adds that the Torayfan Division has plans for more automation in 2021, an upgrade of an existing line in 2021-22, and a new metallizer in 2022. “It’s a very exciting time for Toray and the division.”

Markku Leskelä has been appointed SVP, Development at Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group and a member of the Corporate Management Team responsible for research, product development, sustainability and business development. He has worked at Metsä Board as VP, Research and Development since 2016. Ari Kiviranta, a member of the company's Corporate Management Team, has been appointed SVP, Technology with responsibility for developing the company's industrial structure, especially at the Husum mill in Sweden, as well as strategic investment projects and technology. His previous position was SVP, Development.

TC Transcontinental Packaging is thrilled to announce the significant expansion of our Transcontinental Ontario, California facility, fully commercial and ready for operation as of September 2021. The expansion of the Transcontinental Ontario facility notably enhances our Shrink & Extrusion Group capabilities and capacity, providing a coast-to-coast, cost-effective, and efficient solution for our customers and the market. The $14 million (USD) investment includes the addition of advanced technology: a 3-layer extrusion line along with a state-of-the-art flexographic 10-color, wide web press. This investment enables us to meet the market’s surging demand for improved delivery times, enhanced inventory management, and reduced transit time to market, especially for those customers west of the Mississippi.

The challenge of providing packaging that balances resource efficiency with the lowest possible environmental impact is one that every member of the packaging industry is familiar with. There is no ‘perfect’ solution, but Mondi looks at some of the strategies the industry could be employing to help turn the tide of climate change. Last month’s alarming IPCC global climate change report – the first since 2013 – found that human activity is damaging the climate ‘irreversibly’. We don’t need to look further than the recent devastating fires and floods across the globe to know that action needs to be taken now to address climate change and the importance of innovating for a circular economy. So what can we do in the packaging sector to ensure we play our role to mitigate the environmental impact of packaging? Broadly, the value chain from manufacturers, to brand owners, and converters need to innovate and collaborate. Only then can we find the right answers and approach. It’s complicated, though. Mondi, a global leading packaging and paper company, shares its vision of sophisticated packaging strategies for a complex world. click read more for more of the article

As part of an investor presentation, O-I Glass, Inc. will share its business plan to accelerate the company’s transformation and increase value for all stakeholders. “Glass containers are a great product that have been trusted for thousands of years. Building off this enduring legacy, glass is more relevant than ever given consumer preferences for health, wellness and sustainability. To meet the packaging market’s evolving needs, we will continue to transform the company, and with our MAGMA solution, O-I will redefine the glass production process for decades to come,” said Andres Lopez, CEO of O-I Glass. “O-I’s production network is purpose-built to serve a wide array of product categories. MAGMA will further enhance our capabilities to support many of these categories and expand in the highly differentiated product segments, which are aligned to changing consumer preferences. MAGMA also is more flexible and scalable and further improves glass’ position as the most sustainable packaging material available. With MAGMA, we can quickly add capacity in smaller increments, closer to our customers, and at lower capital intensity. This new capability will increase O-I's right to win in the more differentiated markets. It will enable the company to grow in existing markets and enter new markets with greater flexibility. We are ready to deploy MAGMA, achieve the full potential of glass, and enable profitable growth.

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, plans to purchase from Pohjolan Voima Oyj all the shares it owns in Hämeenkyrön Voima Oy, and thereby consolidate its local operations in the Kyröskoski mill area. The transaction is subject to e.g. the decisions of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Pohjolan Voima Oyj to redeem Pohjolan Voima Oyj's G10 series shares from Metsä Board and to sell its shares in Hämeenkyrön Voima Oy to Metsä Board. The estimated completion of the transaction would be at the end of 2021 or at the beginning of 2022. After the arrangement, Metsä Board will own 84% of Hämeenkyrön Voima Oy and DL Power Oy, owned by Leppäkosken Sähkö Oy, will own 16%. The arrangement will not have a significant impact on Metsä Board's key financial figures.

Continuing its focus on global sustainability leadership and aligned with its ‘from Plastic to Purpose’ campaign, Ahlstrom-Munksjö has released a pioneering mono-material oxygen barrier technology made of 100% cellulose fibers. The PureBarrier™ technology is based on Genuine Vegetable Parchment and boasts numerous attributes including oxygen and gas barrier properties as well as natural wet strength. It is naturally grease resistant, does not contain any loose fiber or added chemicals, and can be made heat sealable with a biopolymer which makes it suitable for a limitless number of applications. Most importantly, its sustainable ‘from Plastic to Purpose’ features including biodegradability and compostability, make PureBarrier™ a great alternative to non-renewable oxygen barrier packaging. “Our ‘ƒrom Plastic to Purpose’ campaign continues to raise awareness on the possibilities of fiber-based solutions as a renewable option,” said Robyn Buss, Executive Vice President of Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Food Packaging & Technical Solutions. “By educating the marketplace on paper-based packaging options available we are encouraging global industry stakeholders to consider fiber and paper-based alternatives where plastic and non-renewable materials are used today.”

Transcendia, a leader in manufacturing and converting specialty films is excited to announce it is breaking ground on a 52,000 square foot manufacturing expansion at its Hebron, OH location as part of its ongoing commitment to investing in barrier film technologies. The new building will be equipped with additional multilayer blown and cast film lines, specialty converting equipment and a new testing lab dedicated to supporting new barrier applications in the food, pharmaceutical and industrial film markets. Upon completion, the Hebron, OH facility, with its ISO 9001:2015 certified quality systems, SQF certification and class 7 clean room capabilities, will have a total footprint of 84,000 square feet. The new building will complement existing barrier extrusion capabilities, including Transcendia’s most recent seven-layer blown film asset capable of producing films up to 78” wide with thicknesses between 1.0 – 10.0 mil. In addition to multiple asset investments, Transcendia will be adding to its application and process engineering team to provide additional technology resources for customers’ new application development. To support the expansion and 24/7 operation, Transcendia will hire approximately 36 new associates including machine operators, material handlers, maintenance technicians and supervisors.

A new report by Drapers, the B2B publication covering the fashion retail industry, in partnership with Smurfit Kappa, the leading paper-based packaging company, has revealed that packaging matters to UK consumers and plays a significant role in the purchasing decisions of shoppers. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) stated they are more likely to purchase from a brand or retailer if it uses sustainable packaging. In the Drapers’ Sustainability and the Consumer 2021 report, fashion consumers stated the packaging material their purchase arrives in matters, with 73% stating that the use of paper or cardboard packaging is important to them when considering a brand’s level of sustainability. Another 77% stated that brands should use as little packaging as possible, while two-thirds (66%) stated it is important to them that the packaging can be recycled. However, perhaps more significantly for retailers, nearly half (49%) of fashion consumers surveyed said they would pay more for both sustainable packaging and sustainable delivery. In addition, a third (33%) say they have rejected a purchase because of unsustainable packaging.

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced plans to expand its foodservice packaging manufacturing operations in North America as part of its long-term strategic growth commitments. This more than $110 million investment will expand its proprietary and industry-leading polypropylene thermoforming capabilities to manufacture clear drink cups and lids for quick-service restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, and other foodservice markets. The clear design fills an increasing demand for a cup that showcases a premium brand image and beverage appeal and improves restaurant operation efficiencies while offering a more sustainable packaging option. Foodservice brand owners are steadily increasing their forecasted volumes with Berry production for access to the Company’s 30-plus active patents across clear cups and lids. In addition, customized plastic cup and lid brand owner solutions are a rapidly increasing market trend, pulling volume from alternative substrates since 2017. As a result, Berry has demonstrated its market leadership, outpacing market trends growing its sales by a forecasted 60%*.

Aptar Beauty + Home, a global leader in packaging and dispensing for the beauty, personal care and home care industries announces the launch of Purity Lite, a polyethylene closure and tube combination that a creates a fully recyclable*, mono-material solution. Purity Lite is the latest in sustainable packaging development that addresses the need for innovative design to address a circular plastic economy. It is comprised of 100% polyethylene, features a low profile design, and lighter part weight (22% weight reduction vs. 2” Purity R tube top). In addition to being sustainable, Purity Lite is e-commerce capable**, passing the rigorous ISTA 6-Amazon certification.

Mondi has worked with Nordic food manufacturer HKScan to provide renewable paper-based packaging for its best-selling Falukorv sausage. Sustainable packaging is a high priority for HKScan, who sells over eight million Scan Falukorv sausages every year in Sweden alone. The company has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions target by 2025 - and aims to achieve a carbon neutral food chain by the end of 2040. Mondi used its EcoSolutions approach to collaborate with HKScan’s R&D team to provide the right barrier paper without requiring any changes to its existing production lines. The new packaging now comprises of renewable materials and is made with responsibly sourced paper and bio-based plastic. The paper is sourced, coated and printed in Sweden, so transportation is kept to a minimum. Thanks to its majority paper content, the new packaging can be disposed of in Swedish paper recycling streams. Mondi’s solution ensures the Scan Falukorv sausage remains fresh and intact in transportation, and the packaging provides excellent print quality for attractive presentation on the shelves.

Leading European thermoforming packaging specialist Waddington® Europe, a division of Novolex®, has teamed up with Shabra, Ireland’s leading recycler and reprocessor of post-consumer waste (PCW), to purchase food-grade recycled PET (rPET) sourced from bottles, pots, tubs and trays to manufacture new rPET food packaging products at its Arklow production site. Not only does the agreement help to further secure Waddington Europe’s long-term source of rPET, but it also enables the company to expand its line of Eco Blend® products made with post-consumer recycled content sourced domestically in Ireland back into the Irish market. “Collectively, we hope these new agreements will advance our stake in localized plastics circularity in the Irish market,” said Eduardo Gomes, Managing Director of Waddington Europe. “We need to start moving to a more holistic and long-term view when it comes to the lifecycle and environmental impact of food-grade packaging. It’s just as important to consider the carbon footprint at its start of life as the environmental impact at the end of its life.”

Pactiv Evergreen Inc. announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pactiv Evergreen Group Holdings Inc. has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Fabri-Kal, a leading manufacturer of foodservice and consumer brand packaging solutions. The transaction, valued at approximately $380 million, subject to adjustments for cash, working capital and indebtedness, is expected to close late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter of this year, subject to regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. “Combining these two complementary companies will further expand Pactiv Evergreen’s position in the Foodservice segment, broaden our sustainable packaging product offerings and customer base, and increase our manufacturing capacity and distribution capabilities,” said Mike King, Pactiv Evergreen CEO. “Fabri-Kal is well known for its high-quality products, longstanding customer relationships and sustainable packaging solutions. We look forward to the Fabri-Kal team joining Pactiv Evergreen and working together to drive increased value for our shareholders, customers and employees.”

The EU is seeking to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 as outlined in the European Green Deal. One of the deal’s key building blocks is the transition to the Circular Economy, which will reduce pressure on natural resources, create sustainable growth and jobs and help achieve the EU’s climate neutrality target. The metal packaging industry is already making significant contributions to the Circular Economy thanks to the format’s inherent sustainability credentials. At Crown, we have also prioritized resource efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and use of renewable energy to further drive down our environmental impact. Another key area of advancement lies in lightweighting. This process enables us to produce more cans with the same material and for resources to be used more efficiently, as energy consumption is reduced downstream in the supply chain.

The 12,000 square meter (130,000 square feet) plant will be cutting and slitting large master rolls of 100% recycled paper into smaller rolls and fan-folded stacks for use with Pregis EasyPack cushioned paper packaging machines and other e-commerce applications. “The demand for packaging solutions for e-commerce applications continues to grow at a rapid pace. Pregis’ investment in this new facility will provide additional output to support European fulfillment operations looking for a paper-based packaging solution,” said Pieter van Dongen Torman, commercial director, Pregis Europe.

Koehler Paper works together with CLARUS Films GmbH in the small roll business and as a service partner for the converting industry for flexible packaging papers Europe-wide. This partnership will especially play out in the area of functionally coated, unprinted barrier paper. Koehler Paper and Clarus will have their first joint appearance at Europe’s biggest packaging, technology, and processing trade show – Fachpack – in Nuremberg, Germany, from September 28 through September 30, 2021 at booth 119, Hall 4. Koehler and CLARUS are linked not only in terms of their location in Germany, but also in terms of how both have made it their mission to provide their customers with top-quality solutions. This partnership combines the know-how from the traditional world of paper with the know-how from the flexible packaging market.

ePac Flexible Packaging has launched in Australia, with its first manufacturing facility opening in Melbourne in the fourth quarter of 2021. Built entirely on breakthrough digital printing technology, ePac serves local brands of all sizes, with a particular focus on small and medium sized businesses producing snacks, confections, coffee, natural and organic foods, pet food, and nutritional supplements. ePac’s first production facility will open eight kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, at the new Newlands Road food manufacturing hub, located in the heart of Coburg’s thriving industrial district.

The MM (Mayr-Melnhof) Group has appointed Päivi Suutari (58, M.Sc.) as the new Managing Director of MM Kotkamills. She will start in her role on 1.10.2021. Päivi Suutari has worked for more than 30 years in the Cartonboard and Packaging industry (Stora Enso, Huhtamaki) and brings a wealth of experience leading businesses and people in several countries in Europe and Asia. She joined Kotkamills in 2019 as Vice President for Research, Development and Innovation and has played a key role in advancing the company’s development and innovation activities.

The annual Green Packaging Star Awards recognise environmentally-friendly packaging and recycling solutions, as well as packaging-related improvements in operational processes in production, logistics, and distribution. The award is presented by Kompack magazine and the Austrian Research Institute for Chemistry and Technology. The judges of these awards recognised the high standard of the following three Mondi products: 1. EcoVantage paper for Tesco shopping bags - Mondi's collaboration with the retailer aims to close the loop by working across the whole supply chain. The partnership involves Mondi recycling Tesco’s existing corrugated packaging waste and then transforming it into EcoVantage paper. 2. WalletPack Recyclable for well-known German deli meats - Working with Bell Germany, Mondi created packaging for the meat producer’s ‘Abraham’ range of sliced deli meats. WalletPack Recylable, a mono-material solution that helps prevent food waste and has been verified by the German institute cyclos-HTP as 93% recyclable. 3. Functional Barrier Paper substituting plastic packaging - Mondi’s barrier-coated functional papers aim to transform packaging for a range of products including food and toys where, until now, paper has been unimaginable as a sustainable alternative. An ideal replacement for plastic laminates, the barrier papers can be used for dry food, frozen food, secondary packaging, and flow pack applications.

Heinz has announced today that it is continuing its mission to remove plastic from supermarket shelves with the UK roll-out of the Heinz Eco-Friendly Sleeve Multipack, a new, convenient, super skinny paperboard sleeve for all its multipack canned products. Made with WestRock’s PEFC-certified CarrierKote® paperboard, the Heinz Eco-Friendly Sleeve is recyclable and comes from sustainably managed forests. The innovative wrap design uses no glue and 50 percent less material than a fully enclosed wraparound box and 10 percent less than a traditional paperboard sleeve design[2]. In addition to selecting renewable, responsibly sourced material and optimizing the design to minimize the footprint, Heinz is also advancing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the manufacturing and transport of this new innovative sleeve is 1carbon neutral. The Heinz Eco-Friendly Sleeve 4-pack design has a nearly 20% (18.7%) lower CO₂ footprint compared with the equivalent shrink-wrap design.[3] Following a successful trial on Heinz to Home, the Heinz Eco-Friendly Sleeve will be available across the whole Heinz multipack canned range, including Heinz Beanz, Heinz Soups and Heinz Pasta varieties, in major retailers in the UK from September 2021.

Sonoco announced tit has partnered with AMP Robotics, a pioneer in AI, robotics and infrastructure for the waste and recycling industry, to create a new material category within AMP’s neural network specific to rigid paperboard cans. The U.S. partnership will result in increased recycling rates for the spiral wound paper canister with steel bottom produced by Sonoco and other manufacturers. The use of recycled steel has a 45% lower environmental impact than producing the equivalent amount from virgin material, reducing the need to mine for virgin iron ore. Additionally, when compared to landfilling, recycling the paper container with steel bottom through the steel or other streams has a greater than 40% lower environmental impact than landfilling. Any materials recovery facility with an AMP Cortex™ intelligent robotics system can now accurately and efficiently sort Sonoco’s paper can to the desired stream.  

The winners of the Public Award and the General Packaging Platinum Award at the 2021 European Carton Excellence Awards were produced with paperboard from Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group. The results were announced at a virtual ceremony held on 8th September. The new 'Smarties Giant Hexatube' won the public voting. It is a plastic-free pack, comprised of a one-piece construction made entirely from recyclable paperboard with an integrated cartonboard lid. The carton was produced by WestRock on MetsäBoard Pro FBB Bright lightweight paperboard. Yves Rocher’s luxurious New Year makeup calendar, produced by Durero Packaging, was presented with a Platinum Award, General Packaging, Virgin Fibre. The attractive heptagonal pack is made up of seven identical, linked cartonboard triangular cases, each containing an individual make-up gift. The calendar is made using MetsäBoard Prime FBB Bright lightweight paperboard.

Aptar Food + Beverage’s expertise is behind HiPP’s new infant formula packaging. Aptar’s solution features best-in-class technology with value-added benefits required by today’s parents and caregivers, including enhanced convenience and superior functionality. HiPP, the largest processor of organic-biological raw materials worldwide, and one of the leaders in the global infant food market, utilized Aptar’s breakthrough thinking to re-design their infant formula packaging for specific Asian markets, including China and Hong Kong. Aptar leveraged its expertise and history of innovation in the development of a customized version of their Neo™ closure, to maximize parents’ experience when selecting and using HiPP infant formula.

AptarGroup, Inc. announced that following the signature of a share purchase agreement on July 22, 2021 and the approval of the French Ministry of Economy under the foreign investment clearance regulations, it has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Voluntis from the company’s reference shareholders and certain members of the management. The stake acquisition represents approximately 64.6% of the share capital of Voluntis, at a price of €8.70 per share. In accordance with applicable regulation, Aptar will launch a mandatory cash tender offer to acquire Voluntis’ remaining shares for the same price of €8.70 per share. Aptar intends to file the Tender Offer with the French Markets Authority in September 2021 and the Tender Offer will be subject to the regulatory clearance from the AMF.

Wikoff Color announces the opening of its 34th manufacturing location in Milwaukee, WI focused on the flexible packaging market. The newly constructed facility will be the main hub for the company’s solvent- and water-based gravure operations. In addition to manufacturing and warehouse space, Wikoff Color – Milwaukee will also boast a fully-equipped R&D department, a Training center and a Wikoff Graphics arm. The new location will feature leading-edge, energy-efficient milling technology and is expected to bring approximately 50 jobs to the greater Milwaukee area. Joe Kubasiak, Director of Flexible Packaging for Wikoff Color, will head up the new branch. “This state-of-the-art facility will allow us to provide an even greater level of service and support to our customers in the packaging market,” Joe commented. “Our investment in technology and increased manufacturing capacity will be integral to our growth in the flexible packaging space.” Joe has been with the company since 1992 and has held several management positions, including Plant Manager of the largest bulk manufacturing site in Fort Mill, SC.

The latest investment is being used to expand the current Grand Rapids facility by adding an additional 55,000 square feet for manufacturing, warehousing and office space. In total, the Grand Rapids facility will now have 205,000 square feet to meet increasing demand for high quality films and support services. Initially, the new structure will house additional custom Windmoeller & Hoelscher (W&H) blown film extrusion lines, with room to add equipment to meet future demands. The dedicated multilayer polyethylene lines are expected to be operational by the end of September. The investment is in addition to the previous $37 million capital expenditure put into that location between 2016 and 2020.

Third Quarter Financial Highlights include (all results compared to the third quarter of 2020 unless otherwise noted)(1): *Record net sales of $1,490.8 million, an increase of $407.8 million compared to net sales of $1,083.0 million. *Net income of $113.0 million or $1.89 per diluted Class A share increased compared to net income of $20.7 million or $0.35 per diluted Class A share. Net income, excluding the impact of adjustments(2), of $115.9 million or $1.93 per diluted Class A share increased compared to net income, excluding the impact of adjustments, of $50.1 million or $0.85 per diluted Class A share. *Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by $40.1 million to a source of $94.9 million. Adjusted free cash flow(4) decreased by $42.5 million to a source of $64.1 million. *Total debt decreased by $370.0 million to $2,267.6 million.

Stora Enso’s winning designs are: Eco-friendly magazine packaging concept for Vogue Scandinavia - Vogue Scandinavia is disrupting the publishing industry in many ways. One of the unique features of Vogue Scandinavia is its sustainable packaging concept. There are two packaging versions: Normal Edition and the Collectors’ Item Limited Edition made from EnsocoatTM by Stora Enso. The package replaces the traditional single use plastic wrapping used in magazines. The magazine and packaging are carbon neutral, made with a renewable, low-carbon raw material, and energy efficient production. The remaining emissions are offset by using the CarbonZero service by Stora Enso, in collaboration with compensation partner South Pole. EcoFreshBox - The innovative berry container comes in several sizes and can be used for many other products too. It replaces plastic packaging – even the integrated lid is made from corrugated board. Half a million renewable berry containers can help cut out 4500 kilograms of fossil plastic. The packaging is cost-effective, easy to use, rigid, and effortless to flatten before recycling. Customer-specific images can be printed on the package to increase visibility and attractiveness. click read more below for the rest of the story

An innovative corrugated bin for face masks by Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has been awarded a ScanStar in a Nordic packaging design competition organised by the Scandinavian Packaging Association. The mask bin, made of lightweight and durable corrugated board, helps to collect and dispose of used face masks easily and safely. Metsä Board developed the concept together with packaging design agency Futupack and corrugated board converter Capertum. The competition jury commented: “A simple but clever solution for a new problem – mask littering. The bin is made from corrugated material, and is easy to assemble even without the instructions which have been printed on the bin itself. The lid makes the light packaging more rigid and, if you turn the lid, it closes the package when it is full. Good printing supports the product. The bin is also accessible to those who have disabilities.” MetsäBoard Pro WKL 160 g/m2 coated white kraftliner was used as the top liner of the mask bin. The Finnish corrugated board converter Capertum printed the E-flute corrugated board in silk screen. Thanks to fresh fibre board the waste bin is strong but light, which reduces the carbon footprint.

Esko has announced it has delivered a world-first in connected packaging production, "supercharging" secure Variable Data Print (VDP) capabilities in terms of both speed and scale for a new collaboration with Scantrust and packaging company ePac Flexible Packaging. Esko Automation Engine is at the heart of the operation, with its VDP technology enabling the printing of serialized and secure QR codes on flexible packaging on a mass scale, unleashing the power of VDP for the new connected packaging and connected goods service, ePacConnect™. “Variable Data Printing has the ability to take the role of packaging to a whole new level,” says Esko product manager, Paul Land. “With opportunities for localization, serialization, personalization and traceability, the advances in automation mean it is now possible to further harness the technology to transform the prepress environment. With cloud deployment for 24/7 global access to data and new scalability capabilities, Automation Engine is enabling ePac to realize the power of VDP for an organization without the downsides. “By connecting the VDP module in Automation Engine with Scantrust, we have created a framework for codes that makes it easy for converters to use,” adds Land. “Not only is this implementation the first of its kind, but it also unlocks capabilities that were previously difficult to achieve.”

Oji Holdings announces that Oji Group's paper was adopted by Nestle in Malaysia as 3rd market for replacement of plastic package to paper package as a solution to reduce plastic for one of the biggest sustainability issues the world is facing today. We highly appreciate Nestle's considerate commitment towards creation of sustainable society. At the same time we will maintain supporting Nestle's action as a packaging material supplier. As environmental statements were made at G20 summit which was held in Osaka in June 2019, the need to replace plastic with paper for the purpose of environment protection is increasing all over the world. Oji Group would like to engage in SDGs by supply of environmental friendly products together with our clients' actions.

Following the recent news on Aptar Freyung receiving ISCC PLUS*- Certification, enabling the use of renewable feedstock material for closures production, Aptar Food + Beverage is excited to announce that the Neo™ closure solution for the infant formula market is now available in renewable feedstock material based on the mass-balance approach. This polypropylene (PP) closure is made using sustainably sourced renewable feedstock derived solely from vegetable oil waste and residue, such as used cooking oil and residues from oil processing. There are many sustainability benefits found in using recycled and bio-based materials. First, the reduction of fossil-based resins in food-grade products can reduce the carbon footprint of a closure. Another benefit, from a technical and manufacturing perspective, is that new quality or filling line evaluations are not required. As the resin’s characteristics of fossil-based and renewable feedstock are the same, the closures keep the same level of safety and convenience. In addition, it can help infant nutrition brands to achieve their sustainability goals related to the reduction of CO2 emissions, and the incorporation of recycled or bio-based content measured by the mass balance model.

Finding new ways to address our environmental challenges is reliant on our ability to foster innovation to find ways of driving systemic change. To support such innovation and progress towards circularity, Huhtamaki, a key global provider of sustainable packaging solutions for consumers around the world, donated €600,000 to fund the development and piloting of a river waste collector, invented by the Finnish cleantech start-up RiverRecycle. The collector is an integral part of RiverRecycle’s solution to solve marine waste, one of the biggest global challenges of today. With Huhtamaki’s support, a prototype waste collector was built and tested in Finland. This was then transported to and assembled in Mumbai, where it is now operational and where it will be collecting waste from the Mithi River for the next 12 months. “We believe in protecting food, people and the planet. We also believe that cooperation across the value chain with key stakeholders is needed to address global sustainability challenges, for example such as in this case marine plastics. If we want to drive systemic change, we not only need to support the development and commercialization of innovation that can help stop waste from getting into the oceans, but we also need the monetization of waste and incentivization of local communities to improve their waste management practices,” says Thomasine Kamerling, Executive Vice President Sustainability and Communications at Huhtamaki.

Which Products Will Be Affected By Plastic Packaging Tax? A packaging product will be classified as ‘plastic packaging’ if plastic is the heaviest of its components. Then, if the packaging contains less than 30% recycled plastic, it will be subject to PPT. Even though the tax’s environmental aims are to promote and produce ‘greener’ plastics, packaging labelled as biodegradable and compostable will still be subject to the new tax laws. There are, however, some exemptions to these rules, which include: *If the plastic packaging contains licensed human medicines *If the packaging is used in aircraft shipping or railway stores for international journeys *If the packaging’s primary function is to secure the safe transit of goods and produce *Exported goods will also be exempt, as long as they are exported within 12 months

Aptar Food + Beverage announces its recyclable SimpliCycle valve will be launched within new Kraft Heinz Ketchup packaging. In addition to Heinz Ketchup, other Kraft Heinz brands including Heinz Mustard, Heinz Mashups, and Heinz BBQ Sauce, will convert to the SimpliCycle valve by the end of the year. Testing was coordinated and administered by both companies to ensure the consumer experience was equally matched in the conversion.

Cascades is pursuing its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint and is once again innovating by becoming the first company in its category in Canada1 to launch 100% recycled plastic packaging that is also recyclable*, for the entire Cascades Fluff & Tuff® line. Creating this resistant, environmentally friendly packaging made from recycled materials has been a major project for the company, requiring several months of research and testing. Deployment of this new packaging will be completed by the end of 2021. In addition to all these attributes were the results of a life cycle analysis conducted by an independent firm of Cascades' polyfilm, confirming that the option containing 100% recycled resin reduces the impact on climate change by 76% compared with its virgin resin equivalent. These results clearly support the recycled option.

Smurfit Kappa has announced it is investing $22 million to expand its corrugated plant in Culiacan, North-West Mexico. It demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to the Mexican market with expanded capacity, capabilities and products offerings for local customers in the fresh produce segment. The investment will modernise and expand the plant, with the installation of high-tech state of the art machinery and the construction of a new 10,900m2 building that will include a new corrugator and an automatic Rotary Die Cutter (RDC) that will be fully operational by the end of 2021. The facility will produce corrugated boxes made with a moisture barrier that helps resist condensation. These new offerings will also result in more sustainable operations at the facility with reduced use of paper that is 100% recyclable and can be reused at Smurfit Kappa mills.

Sonoco ThermoSafe and Korean Air announced a global partnership agreement for the leasing of the new Pegasus ULD® temperature controlled bulk shipping container. The agreement enables pharmaceutical freight forwarders access to Pegasus ULD® containers directly from Korean Air. Korean Air and mutual clients will also have access to other Sonoco ThermoSafe containers as part of this agreement. Sonoco ThermoSafe will support this partnership by adding ICN airport to its global service network. Services including ground handling, repairs, and preconditioning of Pegasus ULDs at ICN will be provided through Sonoco ThermoSafe’s global partnership with Unilode. Sonoco ThermoSafe’s Pegasus ULD® is the world’s first FAA and EASA-approved passive bulk temperature-controlled ULD container for pharmaceutical use, which enables it to speed through international air freight handling and customs processes at the lowest possible cost. With a focus on sustainability, the Pegasus is engineered with composite materials, offering a lighter solution that is also substantially more damage-resistant than traditional metal containers. Additionally, the Pegasus ULD® contains a fully integrated, FAA-approved telemetry system, providing real-time, cloud-based data on payload and ambient temperature and key environmental factors, precisely synchronized with GPS location.

Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in July decreased one percent compared to July 2020. They were up two percent when compared to the same seven months of 2020. The operating rate was 84.2 percent, down 1.5 points from July 2020 and up 4.0 points year-to-date. Mill inventories at the end of July increased 8,000 short tons from the previous month and were essentially flat (+672 short tons) compared to July 2020.

Second Quarter Financial Highlights and Recent Events * Total revenue increased by 8.7% to $51.8 million, from $47.7 million in the second quarter of 2020. * Envelope segment revenue was up 7.6% to $35.2 million, from $32.8 million in the second quarter of 2020. * Packaging and specialty products segment revenue increased by 11.1% to $16.6 million, from $14.9 million in the second quarter of 2020. * EBITDA1 at $8.6 million, up 24.1%, from $6.9 million in the second quarter of 2020. EBITDA margins stood at 16.5%, up from 14.5%. * Net Earnings at $3.4 million (or $0.12 per share), up from $1.9 million (or $0.07 per share) in the second quarter of 2020. * Recorded $0.8 million of assistance from the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (“CEWS”) program. * Purchased 488,100 shares for total consideration of $1.1 million as part of the Company’s Normal Course Issuer Bid (‘’NCIB’’). * Mary Chronopoulos was appointed CFO and Corporate Secretary effective May 31, 2021.

Amcor announced the launch of a proprietary healthcare lidding technology that will be utilized for combination products – those consisting of two or more regulated components (device, drug or biologic). This latest innovation from Amcor is based on a patented inert film development and laminate design. It provides a lidding solution that can withstand heat sterilization, the process of preserving and sterilizing items, while preventing drug uptake into the packaging. The packaging solution is ideal for combination healthcare products, such as devices with an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) that forms the basis of a medicine. It ensures machinability, integrity after sterilization, as well as a convenient peel opening for patients. The features of the new product complement Amcor’s existing healthcare portfolio, which range from lidding for demanding sterilization environments to high barrier overwraps protecting eye droppers and medications for the eye. Amcor collaborated with Johnson & Johnson Vision over the course of several years to develop the lidding technology for use with contact lenses. ch company contributed specific skills and perspective, notably Amcor’s expertise with film extrusion, lamination and conversion for healthcare, and J&J Vision’s expertise on ophthalmic device packaging requirements.

Sonoco announced it will raise the price for all paperboard tubes and cores by a minimum of 8 percent, effective with shipments in the United States and Canada, on or after September 10, 2021. “Significant market tightness and additional inflationary cost pressures to our primary raw materials (uncoated recycled paperboard and adhesives) make this increase necessary,” said Doug Schwartz, Division Vice President and General Manager, North America Tubes and Cores. “Despite these market and supply chain challenges, we remain committed to maintaining the quality and service that our customers have become accustomed to when working with Sonoco.”

Second Quarter 2021 Highlights (as compared to second quarter 2020): • Revenue increased 40.7% to $376.7 million primarily due to organic growth in certain film, woven, and tape products, including continued strength in products with significant e-commerce end-market exposure such as water-activated tape and dispensing machines. • Gross margin increased to 23.7% from 21.3% primarily due to a favourable product volume/mix and an increase in the spread between selling prices and combined raw material and freight costs. • Net earnings attributable to the Company shareholders decreased $0.1 million to $14.3 million primarily due to (i) an increase in finance costs mainly due to the 2018 Senior Unsecured Notes Redemption Charges(2) and the non-recurrence of a gain in the second quarter of 2020 resulting from a fair value adjustment to the Company's contingent consideration related to the Nortech Acquisition(3) and (ii) an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses mainly due to increases in both variable and share-based compensation. The unfavourable impacts were largely offset by an increase in gross profit. • Free cash flows(1) decreased by $28.8 million to $6.4 million primarily due to the decrease in cash flows from operating activities and an increase in capital expenditures as compared to minimal capital expenditures in 2020 as a precautionary measure given market uncertainty caused by COVID-19.

Cascades Sonoco, a joint venture between Cascades Inc. and Sonoco Products Company, announced its Birmingham facility has been certified SQF (Safe Quality Food), a GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) benchmarked certification standard. Widely applicable to nearly every stage of the food supply chain, SQF certification addresses not only farming and packhouses, but everything from food manufacturing to animal feed and pet food production. GFSI recognition has been considered the gold standard for food safety certification and harmonizes food safety standards under one umbrella to reduce risk to both producer and consumer while also managing costs, developing competencies and capacity and creating an international platform for collaboration, exchanging knowledge and networking.

Novolex® has acquired Vegware, a rapidly growing international provider of compostable foodservice packaging headquartered in Edinburgh, U.K. Vegware’s teams in both the U.K. and U.S. are expected to join the Novolex family. The Vegware brand will remain intact as part of Novolex’s Eco-Products portfolio of brands and will continue to sell its products under the Vegware label. “Vegware is an excellent company and its addition to Novolex is an exciting step to growing our global compostable products footprint,” said Stan Bikulege, Chairman and CEO of Novolex. “We are pleased to welcome the Vegware team to the Novolex family and maintain our momentum of supporting brands that meet society’s expectations for sustainable products.” Vegware was founded in Edinburgh in 2006 by Joe Frankel. Headquartered in Scotland, it has operations in the U.K., EU and the United States. The company sources renewable, plant-based materials to manufacture cups, cutlery, tableware and takeout packaging designed to be commercially composted with food waste. Sold in more than 70 countries, Vegware products are known for their quality, performance and design.

Second quarter 2021 net income from continuing operations was $20.7 million ($0.61 per diluted share) compared to net income from continuing operations of $14.3 million ($0.43 per diluted share) in the second quarter of 2020. Net income from ongoing operations, which excludes special items and discontinued operations, was $16.1 million ($0.48 per diluted share) in the second quarter of 2021 compared with $16.0 million ($0.48 per diluted share) in the second quarter of 2020. *Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") from ongoing operations for Aluminum Extrusions of $19.7 million was $6.4 million higher than the second quarter of 2020 *EBITDA from ongoing operations for PE Films of $9.0 million was $6.5 million lower than the second quarter of 2020 *EBITDA from ongoing operations for Flexible Packaging Films of $8.3 million was $1.8 million higher than the second quarter of 2020

Sonoco announced it is implementing a price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning September 7, 2021. Sonoco said the price increase was in response to continued tight market conditions as strong demand across the Company’s U.S. and Canada mill network has resulted in order backlogs remaining at near historic highs as well as unprecedented inflationary pressures on papermaking.

The Mayr-Melnhof Group (MM) has completed the acquisition of the Kwidzyn plant, Poland, agreed in mid-February 2021, with the approval of all relevant competition authorities. The acquisition of Kwidzyn is part of MM's strategy to grow high-quality virgin fiber board (FBB) with innovative, sustainable and cost-efficient grades. In addition, MM diversifies the product portfolio by integrating an attractive pulp and paper production with a focus on uncoated fine paper (UWF) and packaging kraft papers. In line with the expanded product range, the MM Karton division is renamed MM Board & Paper. "I am pleased that we are entering two new core businesses with uncoated fine paper and packaging kraft paper. MM Kwidzyn will drive our innovations for more sustainable packaging solutions in the growing virgin fiber board market and also create attractive new perspectives through the integration of pulp and paper at a European location with cost advantages. We look forward to a successful collaboration with our new colleagues, ”comments Peter Oswald, CEO of the MM Group.

Berry Global Group, Inc. is again demonstrating its worldwide leadership in the design, development, and production of patient-centered healthcare solutions with the announcement of plans to establish a second manufacturing facility and global healthcare center of excellence in Bangalore, India. Planned for development near Berry’s existing Bangalore operation, the new facility will enable the company to extend its R&D expertise and scale up production in several key healthcare sectors: ophthalmic, nasal pumps, inhalation, and injectable administrations. The increased capacity will also enhance supply in India and throughout South Asia, addressing some of the fastest growing healthcare market geographies.