Unilever, together with Mondi, have developed a new high barrier paper-based packaging material for Unilever’s Colman’s dry Meal Maker and Sauces range by reducing plastic, increasing paper content, and consequently ensuring recyclability in the existing UK paper waste stream. By replacing the previous unrecyclable multi-material laminate with recyclable paper packaging, Mondi supports Unilever in its sustainability targets. The aluminium, as well as all unnecessary plastic layers of the previous material, were eliminated. This resulted in a new packaging solution with paper content of 85% and an ultra-thin functional plastic layer that seals the packaging, and provides barrier protection for the food. Mondi and Unilever’s R&D teams identified this layer as the minimum acceptable protection needed to ensure a long shelf life while maintaining high quality and reducing food waste.

Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, is joining forces with Pulpex Limited and its global consortium partners to collaborate on the ongoing evolution of the Pulpex eco-friendly paper bottle. Pulpex is a new world-leading sustainable packaging technology company established by venture management firm Pilot Lite and spirits producer Diageo. The company has developed the world’s first widely recyclable PET-free paper bottle made from sustainably sourced pulp. As a technology partner, Solenis will provide chemical solutions to optimize the PET-free paper bottle, including surface treatments to enhance its functional and visual properties. The Pulpex technology allows for embossing, debossing, labeling and direct printing with food-safe colored pigments and dyes to fit brand needs.

Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in June increased three percent compared to June 2020. They were up two percent when compared to the same six months of 2020. The operating rate was 90.2 percent, up 1.6 points from June 2020 and up 5.0 points year-to-date. Mill inventories at the end of June decreased 17,000 short tons from the previous month and were down 9,000 short tons compared to June 2020.

Total containerboard production in June increased nine percent compared to June 2020. It was up five percent when compared to the same six months of 2020. June 2021 production of containerboard for export decreased 15 percent compared to the same month last year; it was down 25 percent year-to-date. The containerboard operating rate was 92.7 percent, up 1.4 points from June 2020 and up 1.4 points year-to-date. Mill inventories of containerboard at the end of June decreased 74,000 short tons from the previous month and were down 76,000 short tons compared to June 2020.

Total boxboard production in June remained essentially flat (-0.1 percent) compared to June 2020. It was also essentially flat (-0.2 percent) when compared to the same six months of 2020. The boxboard operating rate was 92.7 percent, down 1.0 points from June 2020 and essentially flat (+0.4 pts.) year-to-date. Solid Bleached Boxboard production in June decreased eight percent compared to June 2020. It was down four percent when compared to the same six months of 2020. Recycled Boxboard production in June increased five percent compared to June 2020. It was down one percent when compared to the same six months of 2020. Unbleached Kraft & Gypsum production in June increased five percent compared to June 2020. It was up six percent when compared to the same six months of 2020.

Every barista knows that serving the perfect take-away coffee is not just about the coffee, but also about the entire customer experience. Packaging plays an essential role in delivering the best experience for consumers. “We have been observing take-away coffee aficionados and have focused on developing innovative sustainable packaging solutions to overcome the obstacles standing in the way of the ultimate experience. Whether your coffee is hot or cold, we have figured it out. Let me tell you how,” says Neal McCone, Category Director, Quick Service Restaurants and Specialty Coffee, Fiber and Foodservice Packaging at Huhtamaki.

With the rise of e-commerce, many brands are experiencing leakages, costly returns and brand reputation damage when trying to force traditional brick-and-mortar liquid packaging formats through the rigors of the online fulfilment supply chain. Liquibox and WestRock, two leaders in sustainable packaging, present a Ships In Own Container (SIOC) bag-in-box solution for Amazon that delights consumers, reduces waste and ensures products arrive undamaged. The combination of Liquibox's first-to-market recycle-ready Liquipure™ flexible packaging, its wide portfolio of dispensing taps and fitments and WestRock's high impact Meta® box designs, means the most optimal e-commerce liquid format is now within reach for beverage, liquid food and home care brands that want to grow in online retail. Through this partnership, customers have access to a turn-key solution to start selling online in no time that covers everything from packaging, service and testing needs to the filling and mandrel case forming equipment. Bag-in-box is one of the fastest growing segments in the liquid packaging market, expected to reach over 2 billion liters of global volume annually by the year 2024 (source: GlobalData).

Paperboard production at the Metsä Board Husum mill has resumed to normal production levels following a fire at the pulp mill's wood chip conveyor on 18 June. The mill's folding boxboard line (BM1) and white kraftliner production line (BM2) have reached full production levels. The paperboard production was run at lower-than-normal capacity during the pulp mill’s standstill. Production at Husum pulp mill's hardwood pulp line has restarted this past weekend and production at the softwood pulp line is currently estimated to restart by the end of this week. Normal pulp production levels are expected to be resumed within the next week.

Aptar Food + Beverage’s Freyung site in Germany is excited to announce the achievement of the ISCC* PLUS Certification, a chain of custody certifications based on the mass balance model, that enables the use of resin from recycled mixed plastics feedstock or bio-based renewable feedstock. Consumer Product Goods (CPG’s) companies around the globe are increasingly searching for recycled polypropylene (rPP) materials for food products, but currently, rPP is not approved for food-grade products in Europe by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK. However, for companies in Europe who want access to recycled content polyolefins for food packaging, there is a solution that involves the ISCC PLUS ‘mass balance approach’. Aptar’s approach verifies, along the entire supply chain, the flow of materials.

Huhtamaki, a key global provider of sustainable packaging solutions, is launching Futuro, the first 100% plastic free egg carton for cooked colored eggs, across markets in Europe. This innovation is especially relevant to the German market, where hard-boiled eggs or “Bunte Eier” remain a popular snack and an addition to lunch or dinner, with more than 80 million packs sold yearly. Hard-boiled eggs are currently regularly packed and sold in plastic packaging for sale in supermarkets. “This is a step forward in helping our customers meet their sustainability targets and drive a circular economy. By simply switching to our fiber based Futuro cartons, Germany could eliminate almost 2,400 metric tons of plastic from packaging for eggs yearly”, says Hilbrand van Dijk, Sales & Marketing Manager at Huhtamaki.

Sonoco provided a progress report on Project Horizon, its $115 million investment to transform its corrugated medium machine in Hartsville, S.C. to a state-of-the-art uncoated recycled paperboard operation with annual production capacity of 180,000 tons. “The conversion of our corrugated medium machine (#10 machine) to URB is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2022, and there are a number of significant construction projects underway that will modernize the infrastructure of the entire Hartsville Mill Complex and allow for more efficient and safe handling of raw materials and finished goods,” said Tim Davis, Division Vice President and General Manager, Paper & Adhesives, U.S./Canada. A key element of Project Horizon is construction of a new stock prep system to provide approximately 650 tons per day of recycled fiber to the rebuilt #10 machine and other Hartsville cylinder machines.

Aptar will leverage YAT’s expansive market insight database, focused on specific consumer skincare needs and skincare profiles, and will use YAT’s in-depth experience in customized turnkey solutions as well as online product distribution and promotion to bring new solutions to market. The collaboration will significantly bolster Aptar’s product and service offerings in China, along with innovation capabilities, by combining Aptar’s expertise in innovative, sustainable and quality manufacturing of packaging solutions together with YAT’s profound understanding of the Chinese consumer, concept design and development expertise, digital marketing capabilities and ingredient based influencer pool, which are increasingly essential in accelerating new product launches that are well received by the market.

Marco Hilty, (49), Ph.D. in Business Administration from University of St. Gallen (Switzerland), has been appointed President, Flexible Packaging and a member of the Global Executive Team at Huhtamaki as of September 1, 2021. He will report to President and CEO Charles Héaulmé and will be based in Ronsberg, Germany. Marco joins Huhtamaki from Rubicon, a software platform that provides smart waste and recycling solutions for businesses and governments worldwide. Prior to Rubicon, he held several leadership roles with Amcor in Switzerland and in the United States, covering Group Sales and Commercial Excellence, lastly as Vice President for Amcor Flexibles in North America. Prior to Amcor, Marco worked as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company in the United States and Switzerland.

PawPrint™ Pet Food Packaging Papers offer sustainable alternatives for flexible pet food packaging needs. PawPrint™ papers provide pet food brand owners functional yet visually attractive pet food packaging – inside and out- to help them eliminate the need for single-use plastic with a more sustainable alternative. “The marketplace is constantly moving to more sustainable, recyclable and chemical-free options for packaging, including pet food packaging,” said Jeff Murphy, V¬ice President of Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Food Packaging business. “Our FluoroFree® technology, in addition to our other continuous innovations, are best positioned to help brand owners meet these goals.”

ePac Flexible Packaging announced they have entered into a global agreement with Scantrust to bring smart, connected packaging solutions to brands of all sizes, including small and medium-sized businesses. Through ePacConnect, which was announced in October of 2020, ePac and Scantrust together offer secure, serialized QR codes on all of its packaging and provide access to a suite of Scantrust applications for consumer engagement, brand protection, and track and trace. With ePacConnect, all packaging can be born digital, each with a unique digital identity. When scanned by a simple smartphone camera, every package becomes a gateway to 2-way communication between brands and consumers. The companies expect billions of pouches to be produced with ePacConnect over the coming years.

Tetra Pak has today been recognised as one of the world’s 50 Sustainability and Climate Leaders. The leading food processing and packaging solutions company has been acknowledged for its commitment to pioneer a sustainable future, with a documentary showcasing its fascinating journey. The video features interviews with members of Tetra Pak’s Global Leadership Team, highlighting how the role of food sector in tackling climate change is becoming even more imperative. They explain why accelerating de-carbonisation and collaborations is critical to lead the sustainability transformation of the food packaging industry – addressing complex and multi-faceted challenges such as global warming, circularity and biodiversity. Food is a critical but often overlooked element of the climate issue. The global food system accounts for 26% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions1, while 8% of total emissions are caused by food waste2.

The CANPACK Group is proud to announce that it was awarded a ‘White CSR Leaf’ by POLITYKA weekly, an award that had been assessed in cooperation with Deloitte and the Responsible Business Forum. In addition to receiving this accolade, CANPACK was also recognised as a ‘best practice’ organisation when it came to reducing its carbon footprint. The prestigious ‘White CSR Leaf’ accolade from POLITYKA weekly is awarded to companies that have been the most socially engaged over the last ten years. This year’s jubilee edition focused on company projects that reduced a business’s impact on the natural environment and climate, as well as initiatives to counter the economic and social effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Every year, the ranking is also accompanied by a review of initiatives supporting the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Out of over 100 initiatives supporting sustainable development, the most up-to-date practices that brought measurable and significant effects were recognised.

The new 298,000 square foot facility will be located in McDonough, Georgia and is the latest in a series of investments in protective packaging manufacturing facilities to support e-commerce demand. Pregis recently announced two manufacturing facilities in Texas, one in Bethel, Pennsylvania, in addition to an existing facility in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. The McDonough facility will be producing the recently rebranded Pregis EverTec™ mailer which features lightweight, recyclable all-paper cushioned construction. Pregis is currently looking to fill 80 new manufacturing positions there, with room to expand production and employment opportunities in the future. In total, the new EverTec manufacturing locations are expected to create approximately 450 new jobs.

Smurfit Kappa Group, one of the world's largest integrated manufacturers of paper-based packaging products with operations in Europe and the Americas, is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of Cartonbox, a folding carton company located in Monterrey, in the north-east of Mexico. The acquisition represents an important milestone for the Company as it strengthens its participation in the paper packaging solutions business in Mexico, expands its footprint to four folding carton locations in the country, and reaffirms its commitment to paper-based packaging as the core strategic business for the Company.

BillerudKorsnäs is introducing two new low grammages of their flagship cartonboard product, CrownBoard Prestige®. Made at KM7, the world’s most modern board machine, the two new low grammages are particularly interesting for the graphical industry. CrownBoard Prestige® 170 and 200 gsm combine an excellent printing surface with strength and shapeability. The technical properties of the board are due to the capabilities of KM7, including advanced coating technology and state-of-the-art online quality monitoring. Despite the low basis weights, it is a strong board, made of 100% primary wood fibres built up in a 3-ply structure. Thanks to the strength, it is possible to choose a light grammage to reduce packaging weight. With CrownBoard Prestige®, this can be done without compromising packaging performance.

Novolex, an industry leader in packaging choice, innovation, and sustainability, announced it has acquired the business of Flexo Converters USA, Inc. and certain of its affiliates. The intention to acquire was originally announced May 17. Flexo is a manufacturer of stock, custom and recycled paper bags, and sacks. A family-owned business, Flexo was founded in 1994. It is headquartered and has a manufacturing facility in Meriden, CT and an additional plant in Monroe, GA. Flexo products will be sold under the Novolex Duro Bag® brand. The addition of Flexo products to the Novolex portfolio will enable Duro to support customer demand through Flexo’s production capacity. Novolex has seen a significant increase in demand for paper bags and sacks as consumer purchasing patterns have shifted.

Silgan Holdings Inc. announced that, as part of the continuation of its long-term succession planning, its Board of Directors has appointed Adam J. Greenlee as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective September 1, 2021. Mr. Greenlee will also continue as President of the Company. Mr. Greenlee joined Silgan in 2005 and ran its North American Closures operations prior to being appointed Executive Vice President of the Company in October 2007. Mr. Greenlee was named Chief Operating Officer of the Company in 2009 and was appointed President of the Company in April 2019. Tony Allott has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company since March 2006, only its second CEO since its founding in 1987. Mr. Allott will continue to serve as Executive Chairman of the Company. “Adam and I have worked closely together on every major activity of Silgan for the past decade and he has been responsible for the oversight of each of our operating businesses in recent years. Just as importantly, Adam understands and personifies the unique culture of our Company and has consistently shown his ability to deliver results as Silgan has continued on its path of growth and success. While I am sure his leadership will explore new ideas and opportunities, I am equally confident it will be founded on the ideals and principles that have served us so well in the past,” said Tony Allott, Chairman and CEO.

Sonoco announced it has entered into a new five-year $750 million revolving credit facility (the “Credit Agreement”) with a syndicate of banks. The Credit Agreement replaces an existing credit facility entered into on July 20, 2017, and reflects substantially the same terms and conditions. “We are pleased to upsize our prior $500 million committed credit facility with a new $750 million revolver and extend the maturity date for an additional five years. This new credit facility provides us with additional financial flexibility and reflects our strong credit profile. It also illustrates the solid relationships with our commercial banks,” said Julie Albrecht, Sonoco Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Nuevopak Global Limited (“Nuevopak”) for approximately $43.8 million in total cash consideration, consisting of $34.8 million to be paid at closing and the remaining amount, subject to certain post-closing adjustments and potential contingent consideration, to be paid within three years from the date of closing. All amounts are in US dollars. Nuevopak designs and develops a range of machines to provide void-fill and cushioning protective packaging solutions. Nuevopak currently supplies IPG with paper dispensing machines and converted paper for protective packaging distribution in North America. Nuevopak is a privately held company headquartered in Hong Kong with subsidiaries in Jiangmen, China and Scheden, Germany that serve customers around the world, providing protective packaging solutions using a combination of world-class innovation and specialized industry experience. This acquisition is expected to further enhance IPG’s protective packaging business and strengthen its product bundle, thereby supporting IPG’s vision to be a global leader in packaging and protective solutions. The acquisition is also expected to enable IPG to secure dispensing machine supply, vertically integrate its paper converting operation, and expand market share in this growing, sustainability-focused market.

Sonoco Protective Solutions announced the expansion of its proprietary Sonopost® packaging technology into Europe. Utilizing current manufacturing infrastructure, strategically located to support this growing opportunity, Sonoco Protective Solutions will expand with a new Sonopost manufacturing operation in Sochaczew, Poland this summer. The Sonopost manufacturing platform uses corner posts made from 100% recycled paperboard to provide a more sustainable packaging solution for large appliances, HVAC units and similar products requiring superior unit protection and exceptional stacking capability. After use, the 100% recyclable corner posts can be bailed with existing paper scrap and recycled in the paper stream, allowing manufacturers to reduce or completely eliminate their plastic packaging waste.

The two companies are strengthening their partnership by developing a 100% recyclable corrugated board solution. Reducing plastic packaging is a major issue in the CSR approach of La Coopérative Agricole de Noirmoutier, a group of producers of high quality potatoes located on the island of Noirmoutier (Atlantic coast). It is with the ambition to replace the plastic bags wrapping its potatoes that the Cooperative contacted DS Smith. With its experience and collaborative spirit, it is with enthusiasm that DS Smith organized several workshops bringing together members of the two companies. The main difficulty was to keep the potatoes in good condition despite the elimination of plastic. Thanks to the expertise of its designers, DS Smith has succeeded in developing a 100% recyclable corrugated board solution that guarantees the conservation and visibility of the potatoes.

Smurfit Kappa has announced the opening of a new International Safe Transfer Association (ISTA) certified lab at its new eCommerce packaging facility in Northampton, UK. This brings with it an expansion of Smurfit Kappa’s network of packaging testing labs and centres that support retailers and producers to develop, test and launch disruptive packaging solutions for eCommerce at minimal risk and with reliable implementation. ISTA certification is often required by online selling platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba or eBay. From its ISTA lab in the Netherlands, Smurfit Kappa has over 14 years of experience and data from testing new and innovative packaging solutions to ensure they are fit for purpose and meet the challenges of the eCommerce supply chain. Most recently, Smurfit Kappa was the first to secure Amazon’s ‘Frustration-Free Packaging’ pre-certification for a three litre Bag-in-Box solution. All this expertise is now also extended into the UK market.

Tetra Pak announces an ambitious investment program dedicated to its factory in Châteaubriant, specialised in the production of caps. Spanning across a three-year period (late 2021-2023), this €100 million project will support the plant’s transition to the production of tethered caps by 2024. Tethered caps help to minimise litter, as the cap will stay attached to the package. This step – that is in addition to the company’s commitment to invest approximately €100 million per year over the next 5-10 years to develop more sustainable packaging solutions - is key to ensuring that Tetra Pak’s customers in Europe will be ready to comply with the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive, an integral part of the wider approach announced in the Plastics Strategy and an important element of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan.

Taking inspiration from nature, Lecta presents EraCup Natural, a totally recyclable, biodegradable and polyethylene-free paper-based solution for single-use cups. EraCup Natural is the first product in Lecta’s new range of functional papers for nature-friendly packaging aligned with responsible consumption habits in which each decision matters. Manufactured under the most rigorous environmental and food safety certifications, Lecta’s new paper-based EraCup Natural solution is based on a proprietary process that is both polyethylene and bioplastic free. Its unique composition allows the paper to be recycled in standard paper recycling circuits after having been converted and used.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, is increasing capacity for their paper-based MailerBAG range to further replace plastic packaging in eCommerce with a recyclable solution made of responsibly sourced renewable materials. The innovative MailerBAG is now available in three designs, with the flat bottom version complementing the existing range of pinch and folded bottom bags, as each one offers consumers user-friendly packaging with multiple advantages. This includes easy closing for packing, expandability for bulkier goods, and easy resealing functionality for returns. The bags are made from kraft paper, a renewable material, and are completely re-usable and recyclable. MailerBAGs protect products without transporting too much air, meaning less space in storage and transit due to their flexible properties. The bags can be used and shipped worldwide.

Amcor’s Flexibles North America business today announced the installation of a seven-layer blown film line. Amcor’s new machine will produce the company’s recently launched proprietary AmPrima™ PE Plus ultra-clear and heat resistance films. The AmPrima line uses machine-direction orientation technology to produce films that can run at speeds that competitors are unable to match in a recycle-ready solution. These films enable customers to shift to recycle-ready solutions without compromise on performance, product appearance or manufacturing throughput. AmPrima is part of Amcor’s growing portfolio of responsible packaging solutions. In the U.S., when clean and dry, AmPrima can be collected for recycling curbside where available or through existing in-store drop-off locations. These solutions also are prequalified for the How2Recycle® label, which saves customers time, cost and reduces risk in development. The AmPrima line represents another meaningful step forward against Amcor’s effort to make all its products recyclable or reusable by 2025.

Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and part of Metsä Group, is proud to have been awarded again the Platinum level rating by EcoVadis for the company’s sustainability and corporate social responsibility. With a top score of 83/100 Metsä Board is among the highest 1% of companies assessed in the manufacture of corrugated paper and paperboard and containers of paper and paperboard. EcoVadis assesses companies covering four themes: Metsä Board was in the top 1% of companies for Environment, Labour & Human Rights and Sustainable Procurement and in the top 4% for Ethics.

Leading global packaging and paper group Mondi has partnered with German manufacturer VPF, an expert in self-adhesive materials and coatings, to create the world’s first sustainable release liner range made from recycled paper. VPF committed to make their labels more sustainable by producing them from recycled materials. In a next step, they wanted their release liners to also be made of recycled materials and collaborated with Mondi to make this possible. Mondi used their customer-centric EcoSolutions approach to support VPF’s sustainability commitment, and with Mondi’s EverLiner M R, all the components of VPF’s label laminates are now made from recycled materials. Mondi’s EverLiner M R was launched in February and is the first machine-glazed release liner with 70% recycled content on the market. As well as using less fresh fibres, it is available with FSC® or PEFC-certified paper and significantly reduces the CO2e footprint compared to standard liners. This means EverLiner M R is a more responsible release liner solution for labels, tapes, envelopes, and industrial applications.

Tredegar Surface Protection announced that it will implement a resin index based pricing plan that will apply to all products and customers, in response to unprecedented price increases and supply issues for polyethylene and polypropylene resin. This bilateral pricing model, which allows for decreases if resin prices fall in the future, will be effective on all shipments beginning July 1, 2021. Citing growing cost pressures, Dr. Bapi DasGupta, president of Tredegar Surface Protection, said, “While we are seeing cost inflation in many areas, the increase in the cost of our primary raw material is the most challenging, given that resin prices have doubled over the past year. In addition, resin supply continues to be tight as a result of recent force majeure events and issues associated with COVID-19 conditions, including supply chain delays. We continue to focus on cost-control measures across our business and remain fully committed to delivering industry-leading product quality and supply reliability to our customers.”

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 July 26, 2021. “This price increase is necessary due to continued increases in costs for uncoated recycled paperboard (URB), our primary raw material which remains in very tight supply. Additionally, we continue to experience significant inflationary pressures in adhesives, packaging and logistics costs,” said Mike Thompson, Director of Sales and Marketing for Sonoco’s North America Tubes and Cores Division.

Sealed Air Corporation has dedicated more than $30 million in capital to expand global production capacity and invest in new equipment systems to meet the accelerating demand for Automated Packaging Systems (APS) AUTOBAG® brand solutions, an acquisition Sealed Air closed in 2019. The investment is for capacity expansion, “touchless” automation, and proprietary digital printing technologies primarily in SEE’s APS facilities in Streetsboro and Bedford Heights, Ohio and Keyser, West Virginia, and will be completed in 2021. The company will also expand capacity and install new equipment at APS sites in Malvern, UK; Cavite, Philippines; and Qingpu, China.

AptarGroup, Inc. announced that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with respect to a potential acquisition of all outstanding shares of Voluntis (ENXTPA: ALVTX), a pioneer in digital therapeutics. This acquisition would complement Aptar’s existing digital health portfolio of connected devices by adding digital therapeutic solutions and broadening its digital health services across multiple chronic conditions and diseases. Digital therapeutics (DTx) help patients and caregivers treat, manage, or prevent a disorder or disease through evidence-based interventions that are driven by high quality software solutions. Supported by the trend toward personalized healthcare, DTx are used independently or in connection with medications, devices or other therapies to optimize patient care and health outcomes. By acquiring Voluntis, Aptar would have immediate access to an established proprietary platform and algorithms that would drive future digital solutions provided to pharmaceutical and biotech customers as well as other healthcare stakeholders including payers and providers.

The Mayr-Melnhof Group ("MM") and a subsidiary of Oaktree Capital Management, LP's advisory funds have reached a firm memorandum of understanding to transfer MM's virgin fiber board plants in Eerbeek, the Netherlands, and Baiersbronn, Germany, to Oaktree an equity value of EUR 104.6 million plus net debt according to the final invoice. Eerbeek and Baiersbronn together have an annual capacity of around 245kt virgin fiber board (FBB), which is produced on two board machines, and employ around 400 people. Sales in 2020 reached EUR 195 million. The sale corresponds to and is part of MM's strategy to focus on new acquisitions and growth investments.

SCA increases prices on brown and white kraftliner by € 50 per tonne in Europe. The new prices are valid from August, 1, 2021. “Driven by the continued strong market for transport packaging, the global demand for kraftliner remains high”, says Mikael Frölander, VP Sales & Marketing Containerboard.

Huhtamaki introduces Smilepack, a 100% plastic free molded fiber egg carton, in the United States and Brazil. Smilepack cartons are Huhtamaki’s first product designed especially for the U.S. egg industry, providing a sustainable and functional alternative to traditional polystyrene foam or plastic packaging for eggs. In the United States, the egg packaging market is expected to reach $405 MN at a CAGR of 4.38% by 2025*. The Smilepack egg cartons are made with fiber recovered from recycled paper, which can be reused up to seven times. The cartons can be recycled in regular paper stream and they are home and industrially compostable. Smilepack is already in use in the U.S. by a prominent producer and distributor of free-range eggs, whose products are sold in retail stores across the country. It is estimated that by switching to fiber packaging, this company will eliminate around 4.6 million plastic egg cartons, or around 200 metric tons of plastic annually.

ePac Holdings Europe is proud to announce that the company is expanding its European operations into Austria to serve local and regional businesses. Building on the current locations in Silverstone (England) and Lyon (France), ePac Innsbruck (Austria), will be located in Landeck (Tyrol) and will serve Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. Orders can be placed effective immediately, and will be fulfilled by ePac Silverstone or Lyon until the production facility in Austria is completed. Christian Bischofberger, John Peat and Nick Monk become the Managing Partners for ePac Innsbruck. Christian will lead the operation and is a proven specialist in the printing and packaging industry with more than 20 years of experience. He will be supported by John and Nick (Managing Partners of ePac UK Silverstone), who have already gained a lot of experience with the ePac business model through the successful establishment and operation in Silverstone.

Sonoco announced it is implementing a $50 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning July 15, 2021. Sonoco said the price increase was in response to continuing strong demand across its U.S. and Canada mill network which has driven order backlogs to near historical levels as well as stepped up inflationary pressures from energy, freight, papermaking chemicals and packaging materials.

Smurfit Kappa has announced it will invest €24 million to expand its corrugated plant in Rethel, North-East France, demonstrating the company's continued commitment to its French customer market. The new investment will facilitate the consolidation of two existing facilities at that plant and the installation of a new state-of-the-art corrugator and conversion equipment. This investment will result in environmental improvements at the plant including a reduction in CO2 emissions, with a saving of at least 150 tonnes annually. Phase one of the project, including installation of the new corrugator, is due to be completed in the first half of 2022, with full completion of the investment project expected in 2023. The investment will help to modernise and expand the plant, which will include a new 8200m2 building designed specifically for the installation of the new high-tech corrugator.

Packaging manufacturer PackageMedia, operating in Inkeroinen, Kouvola, created a unique, local cup series called “Images from Kouvola” and “Images from Kotka” for Prisma stores in the Kymenlaakso region; the cups are made from Kotkamills' plastic-free and easy-to-recycle cupstock. The images depict the local attractions, nature, and other sources of pride of these two cities. The Kouvola-themed cups can be purchased in a 25-cup retail package at Prisma in Kouvola, and the Kotka-themed cups are available at the Sutela Prisma in Kotka. It's easy to grab some cups while doing your regular grocery shopping, and a package of cups is always a welcomed and practical gift to bring when visiting a summer cabin. Each city series of cups contains six different images, the number of which varies in the consumer packages, so each family member can choose their own image and use the cup they selected multiple times throughout the summer day without mixing it up with a cup used by someone else. After use, the plastic-free cup is easy to recycle with other cardboard packaging.

The aim of the rebuild is to increase production as well as improve quality and the ecological footprint. Start-up is scheduled for 2023. The scope of supply comprises: *Rebuild of the wire section, including major modifications to the approach flow systems with new pumps, upgrade of three existing headboxes and the hybrid former, as well as a new 2-layer PrimeFlow AT headbox with the latest state-of-the art dilution water CD profiling for better high-end product quality *New press section with two PrimePress X shoe presses for gentle, energy-efficient dewatering and bulk savings at higher dryness *Rebuild of the pre-dryer section with PrimeRun web stabilizers for improved runability *Upgrade of two under-machine pulpers in the area of the press and pre-dryer section *Complete adaptation of the automation system to accommodate the scope of supply *Machine clothings for the complete scope of supply *Assembly, start-up and production assistance. The board machine KM3 has a design speed of 800 m/min and a wire width of 5 m. It produces folding boxboard (chromo duplex quality) with 230–450 gsm.

When award-winning ethical jewellery brand Yala was looking for packaging materials compatible with its values and Certified B Corporation status, it selected Invercote Duo from Antalis. Founded by Kenyan-born Audrey Migot-Adholla, Yala takes the inspiration for its jewellery from modern Africa, combining traditional craft with 21st-century values. It is the first jewellery brand in the UK to be a Certified B Corporation, committed to treating people, communities and the environment respectfully, sustainably and ethically. It is important to Yala that every aspect of the packaging is as low impact and sustainable as possible, which is why they selected FSC®-certified Invercote Duo. Due to its strength, toughness and thickness, Invercote Duo is especially suitable for wine and spirits packaging and point of sale displays and is ideal for the packaging of luxury products such as Yala jewellery. Invercote Duo is manufactured by Iggesund at its mill in Sweden, which has been awarded Platinum for sustainability by Ecovadis, putting it in the top 1% off all 65,000 companies rated by Ecovadis.

Novolex® announced that it has launched a new Chattanooga, Tenn. production line to manufacture compostable cold beverage cups made from a plant-based plastic. The clear cups are made using polylactic acid (PLA), a plastics polymer created from starch-based plants such as corn, sugarcane and wheat straw. The cups will be available from Novolex brand Eco-Products®, a leading provider of foodservice packaging made from renewable and recycled resources. “PLA looks, acts and performs like a traditional clear plastic, yet it is 100% compostable in commercial compost facilities,” said Adrianne Tipton, Chief Technology Officer of Novolex. “It is one more sustainable choice that we are proud to offer our customers.

Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in May increased five percent compared to May 2020. They were up two percent when compared to the same five months of 2020. The operating rate was 87.6 percent, up 7.3 points from May 2020 and up 5.6 points year-to-date. Mill inventories at the end of May decreased 2,000 short tons from the previous month and were up 3,000 short tons compared to May 2020.

Sonoco announced it is expanding recovery and recycling of scrap materials from the production of its iconic EnviroCan™ paper containers in the U.S. to be used as raw material at three of its uncoated recycled paperboard mills to produce new paperboard. According to Elizabeth Rhue, Sonoco’s staff vice president of Sustainability, Sonoco expects to divert from landfills approximately 3,300 tons of scrap materials annually from four of its U.S. paper container operations in West Chicago, Ill., Greenville, Wisc., Jackson, Tenn., and Norwalk, Calif. This material, which is projected to equal approximately 165 truckloads, will be sent to Sonoco paper mills in Menasha, Wisc., Newport, Tenn., and City of Industry, Calif., where it will be used as raw material to produce 100 percent recycled paperboard, with up to 85 percent post-consumer fiber.

Mondi collaborated with the Italian machine producer ACMI to create a new wrapping system for pallets that uses paper instead of plastic. By transforming the way pallets are wrapped, Advantage StretchWrap reduces the supply chain’s reliance on plastic, moving to a renewable and fully recyclable material. Advantage StretchWrap (patent-pending) is a brand new lightweight paper grade from Mondi made specially for wrapping pallets. It is able to stretch and resist punctures, providing robust protection for goods during transit. The current industry standard for pallet wrapping is a multi-layer plastic material with low recycling rates. The Advantage StretchWrap paper, along with ACMI’s Rocket E-500 wrapping system, makes it possible to switch to a fully recyclable pallet wrapping solution. The paper’s impressive stretchability and high-tensile strength makes it a reliable alternative for transport. Acceleration tests to simulate transportation with ESTL equipment (performed according to EUMOS 40509(1)) and real life transportation trials confirmed that pallets wrapped with Advantage StretchWrap are safe.

WestRock Company has announced an expansion of its produce packaging offerings with the launch of its EverGrow™ Collection. WestRock has achieved a proprietary approach for a produce packaging collection made using sustainably sourced wood fiber. WestRock EverGrow packaging is curbside recyclable when emptied and flattened, supporting the company’s ambition to reduce waste and build a 100 percent reusable, recyclable and compostable product portfolio. “WestRock’s new EverGrow Collection is an excellent example of how we are innovating to improve the sustainability of our products while helping our customers meet their sustainability goals,” said Patrick Kivits, president of Consumer Packaging at WestRock. “We’ve leveraged our material science, structural design and packaging automation expertise to develop a collection of truly differentiated packaging solutions for our produce customers that are functional, recyclable and eye-catching.”

In May of 2016, ePac was founded in Madison, Wisconsin to utilize new digital printing technologies to primarily focus on the growth of small to medium brands, thereby helping to rebuild local communities. In these past 5 years ePac has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 80%, operates 20 facilities globally with a capacity of about $500,000,000 and serves over 5,000 customers. The underlying strategy was to deconstruct and then reconstruct a simple replicable business model that could provide RotoGravure quality, short lead times, and no sku limitations at a competitive price. The last point basically dispels the notion that digital printing is only for short runs. During the last five years, the average order size across all ePacs has stayed constant at less than 10,000 linear feet, however, ePac today regularly handles runs exceeding 100,000 linear feet per SKU across its global virtual network.

Amcor announced its support for the launch of the U.S. Plastics Pact’s Roadmap to 2025, an aggressive national strategy for how the U.S. Pact, Amcor and other signatory organizations – known as Activators – will achieve four 2025 targets. Launched today, the plan delineates specific actions, responsibilities and timeframes necessary to realize a circular economy for plastics in the United States. As a U.S. Pact Activator, Amcor joins others in the plastics value chain to drive progress through systemic change toward the 2025 targets: *Define a list of packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025. *100% of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. *By 2025, undertake ambitious actions to effectively recycle or compost 50% of plastic packaging. *By 2025, the average recycled content or responsibly sourced bio-based content in plastic packaging will be 30%.

As we mark the end of one chapter of sustainability and embark on another, we are eager to share the positive impact we have made to date in our industry through our 2020 Interim Sustainability Report. Titled, “Enduring Values, Continuous Progress,” our latest report demonstrates the responsibilities and commitments we maintain with our environments, communities and stakeholders as we dig into a new decade of action. Click into our report to understand more about this pivotal period for our business—a year in which we both concluded our first set of formal sustainability goals (surpassing our targets for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions levels and decreasing our energy consumption) and also elevated our efforts with the launch of our comprehensive Twentyby30 sustainability program.

Kotkamills' family of ISLA® Consumer Boards are complemented by the freshest members of the family. ISLA® Ice and ISLA® Cream broaden the use of non-plastic solutions in the food industry with the expansion to ice cream packaging. Easily recyclable ISLA® Ice and ISLA® Cream barrier boards are especially suited for take-away and retail ice cream cups, bowls, and containers. ISLA® Ice and ISLA® Cream are a combination of innovative products that have been developed in parallel to work tightly together as raw materials for ice cream packaging. Ice cream packaging has commonly relied Heavily on solutions based on plastics and plastic coatings. As an innovative Forerunner Kotkamills is among the first to provide a plastic-free and recyclable alternative for ice cream manufacturers, packaging converters, retailers, and consumers.

The four coaters for the white cardboard and folding boxboard production line have a design speed of 1,000 m/min and a maximum web-width of 5,660 mm. They feature a jet nozzle to apply the coating color to the paper web. Dispensing methods can be either bent blade, stiff blade or doctor blade. The advanced nozzle geometry ensures uniform application of the coating color to the paper web, even at high speeds and high viscosities or solid contents. The four PrimeCoat Jet coaters are of very compact design, taking up very little space and providing perfect access for operation and maintenance. They enable a large operating window regarding coating weight and viscosity and can be used for pre-coating, middle- or final top-coating. The nozzle beam can be opened easily, thus reducing cleaning time and extending cleaning intervals. The redesign of the color feed system with optimized flow guidance also makes a significant contribution to this. Dead zones and the resulting color deposits are significantly reduced.

Huhtamaki has completed the acquisition of Jiangsu Hihio-Art Packaging Co. Ltd.’s assets. Jiangsu Hihio-Art Packaging is a privately owned manufacturer of paper bags, wraps and folding carton packaging in China. The acquisition strengthens Huhtamaki’s position as the leading foodservice packaging provider in Asia and expands its product portfolio allowing it to better serve both existing and new customers in China. Huhtamaki now has approximately 850 employees across four manufacturing units in China, with Hihio-Art Packaging Co. Ltd.’s approximately 200 employees joining as Huhtamaki employees at the newly established Huhtamaki Foodservice (Xuzhou) Limited. The net sales of the acquired business were approximately EUR 20 million in 2020. The debt free purchase price was EUR 27 million. The acquired business is incorporated into and reports as part of the Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania reporting segment as of June 11, 2021.

Waddington Europe, a division of Novolex®, has joined forces with its longstanding packaging distribution partner Produce Packaging to introduce containers made with 100% recycled material that are also 100% recyclable after use. Produce Packaging’s new containers will be made with Waddington Europe’s Eco Blend™ 100 material that consists entirely of a combination of post-consumer (PCR) and post-industrial (PIR) recycled PET (rPET). The new containers will be available to all Produce Packaging customers, including growers, packers and importers that supply major retail outlets. The switch to Eco Blend 100 reflects the decision by Produce Packaging to focus increasingly on packaging that is environmentally sustainable.

Mondi has once again won the prestigious EUROSAC Grand Prix Sack of the Year award, this year for its revolutionary EcoWicketBag. EUROSAC, the European Federation of Multiwall Paper Sack Manufacturers, chose Mondi’s EcoWicketBag for its potential to reduce plastic packaging waste in the global hygiene industry. Mondi’s EcoWicketBag design is a paper-based packaging solution that provides an alternative to traditional plastic packaging, replacing it with renewable, recyclable paper. Created from strong virgin kraft paper sourced from sustainably managed forests, it is the first paper wicket bag that runs on existing equipment. It is available in a variety of sizes, is strong enough to handle the filling process and protect the product throughout the supply chain. EcoWicketBag’s design and printability ensure great on-shelf appeal, it is also easy to open and end-consumers know how to dispose of paper correctly.

The papermaking industry has a reputation for being energy hungry. But another investment in innovation at our Kemsley mill has cut the power consumption of our paper machines. These two papermaking machines at Kemsley mill account for over half of the mill’s average annual production capacity of over 840,000-tonnes. At the ‘wet end’ of the papermaking machine, water is removed by a series of foils and suction boxes. We’ve partnered with Runtech Systems to make this production stage more power-efficient and have now replaced the old liquid ring pumps with a new RunEco paper machine vacuum system. At the heart of the system are three EP600 Turbo Blower units with titanium blades that run at 10,000 rpm – the equivalent speed of a jet engine. They have the potential to cut PM3’s power consumption by two-thirds, providing annual power savings of 1,500 kw. Combined with previously installed turbos on PM6 this investment has the power saving potential of 2,626kw a year.

Second Quarter Financial Highlights: *Net income of $149.8 million compared to net income of $11.4 million. *Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $52.5 million to a source of $152.3 million. *Total debt decreased by $368.9 million to $2,313.4 million. Strategic Actions and Announcements: *Completed the sale of approximately 69,200 acres of timberlands in southwest Alabama to Weyerhaeuser Company for approximately $149.0 million in cash. *Achieved record Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) volume, reflecting strong market demand. *Published Greif's 12th consecutive sustainability report highlighting the Company's commitments to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles and key metrics.

Smurfit Kappa’s Bag-in-Box division has announced the completion of a significant €12 million investment in a new flexible material production facility at its plant in Ibi, Spain. The new state-of-the-art production facility commenced operations, on a phased basis, earlier this year and will be one of the most advanced Bag-in-Box manufacturing plants in Europe. The investment has resulted in the addition of an extra 4,300 m2 production area which will be equipped with high-tech and advanced machinery which allows for more specialisation in the manufacture of film. The new machinery will allow the plant to complete the full production cycle of Bag-in-Box packaging solutions, from start to finish. This integrated production model means not only quicker and more efficient service to customers, but also a considerable reduction of the environmental impact – up to 21% less estimated CO2 emissions for the current flexible materials portfolio.

The Twin Rivers Paper Company has received FSSC 22000 Certification for Food Packaging, for its New York-based, Lyonsdale, Mohawk Valley, and Mill Street mills. FSSC 22000 is a GSI recognized, food safety certification developed to improve consistency and integrity throughout all aspects of the food safety supply chain. Twin Rivers’ compliance to the requirements of this internationally recognized standard is another assurance that its food packaging products meet the food safety requirements its customers require. “With the passing of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2011, many of our customers are already certified or are in the process of becoming certified and statistics show that approximately one out of four companies are asking their suppliers to achieve certification. Achieving this industry-wide, recognizable, and auditable standard tells our customers that we have the proper systems in place to ensure food-safe packaging. It’s something that is quickly becoming a necessary part of doing business,” said Jeff Hederick, Chief Commercial Officer.

With physical stores closed during the pandemic, the boom in online shopping resulted in record numbers of packages arriving on consumers’ doorsteps. Along with all that merchandise came a growing awareness of the materials used to package and ship products, and the impact those materials have on the environment. A new survey commissioned by Two Sides North America and conducted by international research firm Toluna found that U.S. consumers believe paper-based packaging is better for the environment than other packaging materials. Survey respondents were asked to rank their preferred packaging material (paper/cardboard, plastic, glass and metal) based on 15 environmental, aesthetic and practical attributes. Overall, paper/cardboard packaging was preferred for 10 of the 15 attributes, with half of respondents saying paper/cardboard is better for the environment. Consumers also preferred paper/cardboard packaging on other environmental attributes, including being home compostable (65%) and easier to recycle (44%).

The need for easily understandable information regarding sustainability issues is constantly increasing. By creating the ‘Sustainability Unfolded’ platform, Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, aims to provide a consumer-oriented and fresh way to open up and address sustainability topics, especially in the context of packaging sustainability. The targets are clear: increase understanding, challenge myths, and help make the right everyday choices. When talking about sustainability, themes like deforestation, climate change, recycling and greenwashing are crucial topics that deserve attention. In the era of information overload, corporations have to find ways to democratise sustainability information and make it more accessible and understandable. Metsä Board decided to tackle this in a new way. “The way ‘Sustainability Unfolded’ talks about these complex issues is somewhat unconventional for the industrial B2B-sector. The goal is to stimulate and engage the reader, and encourage everyone to look at the topics from a wider viewpoint. We built an editorial platform to make the subject matter more engaging to consume, with intriguing headlines and content that people will want to explore further,” states Marjo Halonen, VP Communications at Metsä Board.

Today we announce a series of ambitious climate targets. This includes a science-based target which requires at least a 40% reduction of CO2 emissions per tonne of product by 2030, compared to 2019 levels, and a commitment to reach Net Zero* emissions by 2050. These targets will be validated by the Science Based Targets initiative** as being in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. To further underline our ambition and commitment, we are also announcing our membership of the UN’s Race to Zero. "I’m delighted DS Smith has joined the UN’s Race to Zero. It is great to see a company with an ambitious 2030 target and commitment to reach Net Zero by 2050. DS Smith is making great progress against its previous carbon reduction targets, tackling the challenges associated with decarbonising the paper and packaging sector. Business plays a key role in driving the UK’s transition to a low carbon economy, with over 40 of the FTSE100 now signed up to the UN’s Race to Zero, I hope this announcement inspires other companies in the sector to take action." — Andrew Griffith MP, former business advisor to the PM and current UK Net Zero Business Champion

VPK France is a subsidiary of VPK Group – a family-owned business that is now turning into an international privately-owned packaging supplier, with over 65 plants across 20 countries. With a huge focus on sustainability and a strong existing relationship with Sun Chemical, the company recently made a strategic decision to switch ten of its French sites’ printing operations to Sun Chemical’s SunVisto AquaGreen renewable inks. While the first of VPK France’s site (based in Lille) has already made the switch to Sun Chemical’s SunVisto AquaGreen range, the remaining sites are planned to be converted sequentially by mid-2021. The inks are being used across many industries, including food, dairy, automotive, e-commerce, cosmetics and wine packaging. “Sun Chemical have been our trusted supplier for many years.” explains Philippe Tran, Managing Director of VPK France. “After a short break, VPK renewed this partnership in 2019, with the focus on SunVisto AquaGreen ink technology, which we intend to deploy across all of our corrugated packaging applications throughout our French sites. Our previous supplier did an adequate job, but the relationship was not as strong and we did not get the same sense of having such a solid shared vision – particularly around issues of productivity, sustainability and environmental responsibility. With Sun Chemical, we are able to communicate openly and with a high level of trust and transparency to get the best deals, both technically and economically. Working with a market leading company such as Sun Chemical also enables us to collaborate to form innovations that truly meet the specific needs of the market today.”

Aptar Food + Beverage, a global leader in elastomeric flow solutions for more than 25 years, has received Critical Guidance Recognition from The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for its SimpliCycle™ recyclable valve technology. APR Critical Guidance Recognition acknowledges technologies or packaging components that solve long-standing problems in sustainable package design. The recognition applies to both specific package design components and packages incorporating the component. SimpliCycle™ passed the required APR Critical Guidance test protocol performed by an independent, third-party testing laboratory.

The lives of consumers around the world were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Norms around work, school, travel and socialization changed virtually overnight. Eating habits also became fundamentally different, with a greater number of consumers cooking from home and eating healthier. The ability to physically visit retail stores also changed beyond recognition, and as a result e-commerce and direct-to-consumer models – which were already gaining huge traction pre-pandemic – accelerated rapidly in terms of sales. According to Euromonitor, online grocery is one of the most significant trends to emerge in the packaged food industry due to stay-at-home rules. Many major brands are prioritizing this channel within their corporate strategies having recognized the fact that its forward momentum is unlikely to ease. E-commerce is set to be the fastest growing channel as we continue to battle with COVID-19, and metal packaging is perfectly suited to the needs of both the consumer and the supply chain. *Retail value sales of the packaged food industry grew by 4.6% in 2020, compared to 1.7% in 2019 *The imposed stay-at-home rules, resulted in food sales from foodservice and institutional channels shifting to the home with a benefit to the retail channel *This, together with the essential nature of the food industry, has meant strong performance in 2020. [1]

Balcan Plastics, a Quebec-based manufacturer of flexible packaging and technical films, has bought a roughly 215,000-square-foot facility in Pleasant Prairie’s LakeView Corporate Park. A village official said the company is planning an operation there with 60 employees. An affiliate of the company paid $13 million to acquire the 50-acre property at 7201 108th St. from Mondi Akrosil LLC. The property was assessed at $9.14 million for 2020, according to Kenosha County records. “We are pleased to see Balcan Plastics invest here in Pleasant Prairie,” said Nathan Thiel, village administrator of Pleasant Prairie. “The company had several options around the nation, but ultimately selected on our community, which will result in manufacturing jobs and enhance the use of an existing building.” Mondi Akrosil, a division of London and Vienna-based international packaging and paper company Mondi plc, informed state officials last year the company planned to close the facility by July 1 of this year, a move that eliminated 108 jobs.

Pregis’ new Phantom Mask protective film solution offers unparalleled protection for plastic sheeting while eliminating adhesive transference and decreasing waste. Plastic is a part of our future. Everything, from kitchen utensils to complex scientific instruments, is made of the stuff. It’s found in equipment exploring the bottom of our oceans, and in technology probing the outer bounds of our solar system. Plastics technology is driving innovation in automobiles and airplanes, and home goods and healthcare. But while the things we make out of plastic grow, evolve, and improve, many parts of the plastics manufacturing chain are mired in “yesterday’s approaches.”

Sappi Europe announces a price increase for all its containerboard grades by 8 - 10% for deliveries from 1 July 2021. The ongoing sharp rise in raw material costs, particularly pulp, chemicals and energy in combination with high freight rates make price adjustments unavoidable.

Amcor introduced ACT2100™ heat seal coating for medical grade DuPont™ Tyvek®2 and paper packaging applications. This next generation coating technology delivers enhanced performance features for healthcare applications and will be produced in multiple locations worldwide to offer customers increased flexibility to be supplied from the most suitable location for the manufacturing and packaging of their devices. Customers choosing ACT2100 will benefit from the solution’s broader seal range in combination with numerous materials, allowing for a wider operating window in their manufacturing operations, as well as enhanced seal strength for more robust package integrity through distribution. Consumers will enjoy speedier ethylene oxide sterilization cycles thanks to the material’s improved porosity, a fiber-free peel, and a bright, white adhesive that does not yellow. In addition, documentation and data will be available to support healthcare packaging regulatory requirements in all regulated markets.

Smurfit Kappa Group is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of Cartones del Pacifico, a leading paper-based packaging company in Peru. The acquisition represents an important milestone for the Company as it expands its footprint in the Americas from 12 to 13 countries, and builds on the Group’s leadership position as the largest pan-regional supplier in Latin America. As part of the transaction Emusa Group has acquired Smurfit Kappa’s flexible packaging business in El Salvador.

The movement to save the world’s Ancient and Endangered Forests from ending up as take-out containers, shoe boxes, or other paper packaging just got kicked up a notch. Crown Van Gelder is thrilled to join a cadre of companies in the Pack4Good [and Canopy Planet] in committing to eliminate controversial forest fibre from our packaging, while exploring Next Generation Solutions for packaging made from alternative sources. Crown Van Gelder’s papers are 99% bio based; pulp sourced from sustainably managed forests, sugar beet pulp, starch, natural pigments and surface water. Only a few auxiliary materials, colouring agents and glues are not bio based; natural gas is used as an energy source in the manufacturing process. After two years of research in 2020 Crown Van Gelder developed Crown Native with the Dutch agricultural cooperative Cosun Beet Company as a strategic partner. The agricultural process residue from Cosun’s production process, beet pulp, forms a valuable resource for the paper and Crown Van Gelder succeeded in creating paper with 20% beet pulp, thus achieving environmental gains in several areas.

Ensuring that vaccine vials and their potentially life-changing contents remain safe, sterile and identifiable throughout their tightly controlled supply chain is no easy task, and taking risks is not an option. With the new extended 360 Service offering, Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, is testing the paperboards and simulating packaging designs used by pharma manufacturers to package and protect vaccine doses, providing absolute confidence that the materials are up to the task. COVID-19 and other vaccines are typically stored and transported in extremely cold conditions, which can be as low as -70 degrees Celsius, before being thawed out ready for administration. The secondary paperboard packaging must be able to withstand these temperature extremes and protect the vials throughout the entire process. When a converter is producing packages for cold-chain transportation they have to be 100% certain that the materials they are using are appropriate. This is where Metsä Board’s in-depth testing and simulation capabilities are extremely valuable for the pharma industry.

SWAPP® to paper packaging for a sustainable future! SWAPP® with an extra P for paper is a range of fibre-based packaging materials from BillerudKorsnäs to enable transition from plastic to paper and meet new consumer demands through better sustainability performance for people and the planet. BillerudKorsnäs’ SWAPP® is an opportunity for companies to grow business by meeting new consumer and regulatory demands through renewable and innovative paper applications. SWAPP® is a collaborative and seamless process where the BillerudKorsnäs guides brand owners and retailers through the transformation towards sustainable paper packaging solutions. “The FMCG packaging market is in a transformation phase – immense change will have to take place if brand owners and retailers are to meet directives and fulfil corporate commitments by 2025. With the SWAPP® offering BillerudKorsnäs provides sustainable paper alternatives to resolve some of the most imminent challenges: driving plastic reduction, CO2 reduction, and increasing recycling rates”, says Patrik Bosander, Director Packaging Solutions at BillerudKorsnäs.

Food production is responsible for a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, but today it is estimated that approximately one third of all food produced globally is wasted. This significant number represents 8% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.1 Packaging helps protect food from damage and spoilage from transport to storage and from stores to our homes. Packaging therefore ensures that the resources used to produce food, and the carbon footprint created, are not wasted. Food packaging is integral to the product it contains. With the demand of food on the rise, the need for sustainable packaging solutions also increases for consumers around Europe and the world. Food packaging is essential for food protection and availability. Crucially, it is part of the solution to enable sustainable food systems, which the EU Green Deal seeks to achieve.

Tetra Pak showcases its new UHT 2.0 heating portfolio and Tetra Pak® E3/Speed Hyper packaging equipment on World Milk Day in support of this year’s theme of sustainability and Dairy’s commitment to innovation to reduce environmental footprint. Tetra Pak’s new UHT 2.0 portfolio with OneStep technology and Tetra Pak® E3/Speed Hyper reduce water and steam consumption, creating less wastewater and therefore also lowering the cost of its removal for Dairy manufacturers. Adding a Tetra Pak® Water Filtering Station to Tetra Pak® E3/Speed Hyper helps recover 5500 litres of water per filling machine running hour (up to 95%), while contributing to lower water consumption1. With water scarcity on the rise, wastewater is increasingly becoming a pressing industry concern. Up to a fifth of Tetra Pak’s customers are based in high or extremely high-risk water areas and the company is prioritising action to address this. The combination of UHT 2.0 with OneStep technology and Tetra Pak® E3/Speed Hyper scores highly across industry benchmarks for sustainability, with a 0.8 GHG Index score, a 0.3 Water Index score and a Product Losses Index score of 0.72. When compared to a conventional line solution3 this optimal integrated solution reduces GHG emissions by 20%, water usage by 70% and product losses by 30%.

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from Nine Dragons Paper Industries to supply two complete OCC lines with a capacity of 2,000 bdmt/d each to their mills in China. The lines feature the following technological highlights: *FibreFlow Drum pulping systems, ensuring premium accept quality thanks to gentle slushing and efficient removal of coarse contaminants with minimum fiber loss *PrimeScreen F fine screens and fractionators with newly developed PrimeFoils for increased efficiency and lower power consumption *PrimeFilter D disc filters – the latest ANDRITZ innovation in thickening and fiber recovery – enabling the system to handle higher feed consistencies and higher-freeness pulp, even in the most demanding applications, and in parallel offering significant improvements in terms of energy consumption and maintenance *Ultra-high dispersing, allowing dispersion at a consistency of up to 40% to achieve substantial savings in steam consumption and superior fiber strength development.

Further to the announcement made on 5 January 2021, Mondi confirms that all conditions have been satisfied and it has completed the acquisition of 90.38% of the outstanding shares in Olmuksan International Paper Ambalaj Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş from International Paper for a total consideration of €66 million. The implied enterprise value on a 100% basis would amount to around €88 million. Olmuksan is a leading and well-established corrugated packaging player in Turkey, listed on the Istanbul stock exchange. Its network of five plants provides a diverse customer base with high-quality sustainable packaging for food, beverage, agriculture and industrial applications. "We are delighted to have completed this acquisition, which significantly strengthens our position in the fast-growing Turkish corrugated market and expands our offering to existing and new customers in the region. We look forward to welcoming the Olmuksan team to Mondi." Andrew King, Group Chief Executive Officer of Mondi.

AptarGroup, Inc. announces the launch of the company’s first fully recyclable mono-material pump for the beauty and personal care industries, called Future. In order to facilitate recycling, Future was designed using polyethylene (PE) mono-material only. Future is certified by Cyclos-HTP, the institute for Recyclability and Product Responsibility *. The innovation is also recognized “A” by RecyClass – a comprehensive cross-industry initiative that works to establish a harmonized recycling approach and traceability in Europe*. “Today we are pleased to launch our latest sustainable innovation, Future, a game changing dispensing solution. Following more than two years of design, engineering and testing, I am very proud of our team’s mono-material design and it truly reflects our commitment to a more circular economy,” said Marc Prieur, President, Aptar Beauty + Home.

Neenah, Inc. announces an ultra-lightweight addition to their single-use sterile packaging offering. This innovative, high-performance solution introduces the market to a durable, cost-saving alternative to kraft and synthetic-based medical packaging traditionally used for nasal swabs, syringes, and other single-use applications. “This ultra-lightweight addition brings new opportunities closer in reach with our global sterile supply chain partners,” says Valerie Henderson, Medical Packaging Product Manager for Neenah. Single-use medical devices are gaining popularity as they help lower costs, increase efficiency, and reduce the spread of infection. Most single-use devices have a shelf life of 3-5 years, making it imperative that the sterilization process remain intact from supplier to opening at the final destination. Kraft-based medical packaging, used for single-use devices, can tear or burst due to packing or transportation style. It is essential that medical packaging be durable, especially if it is lightweight.

Huhtamaki is setting up a new manufacturing unit in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa to serve its existing and new egg packaging customers in the KwaZulu-Natal area with a broad range of locally produced packaging solutions. The new facility will be located close to one of South Africa’s main export ports, enabling competitive exports of egg packaging for customers across East Africa. “The addition of a unit in KwaZulu-Natal is an important addition to our fiber packaging footprint in South Africa not only providing efficiencies in our service to customers in South Africa but an additional benefit in terms of proximity to a major port which will drive access to markets across East Africa. The new facility sets us up to better meet the growth of the fiber packaging sector and future demand for sustainable packaging. It also strengthens our position in the region significantly,” says Eric Le Lay, President, Fiber Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania.

World-class paper and board packaging manufacturer Detpak has partnered with U.S.-based Eco-Products® to provide industry-leading sustainable packaging solutions in Australia and New Zealand. The partnership brings together a wealth of experience, with Eco-Products bringing a more than 30-year history in compostable foodservice products to complement a leading range of sustainable packaging solutions from Detpak. “It is my pleasure to announce that Detpak will partner with Eco-Products,” Alf said. “Detpak has long been an innovator of paper and board products and is an industry leader in the development of recyclable product solutions.

Global packaging manufacturer CANPACK announced it will build its second U.S.-based, state-of-the-art aluminum beverage can body manufacturing plant in Muncie, creating over time approximately 345 high-paying, local jobs by 2023. The proposed project, which represents a $380 million investment in Delaware County and the State of Indiana with the potential to expand to 425 jobs and $490 million by 2025, will be located on 139 acres of land on the southwest corner of South Cowan and West Fuson Roads in Monroe Township in Muncie. Officials from CANPACK and its owner Giorgi Global Holdings, Inc. jointly announced the new facility with state and local elected officials and economic development leaders following the Delaware County Council’s approval of the project earlier today, with economic development incentives provided by both the state and local governments. Construction of the 862,000-square-foot facility is expected to begin in mid-2021. Plant operation is slated to commence in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Consumer concerns and tightening regulations have intensified the drive for more sustainable and safe packaging. At the same time, improving performance and efficiency are important. To answer the demand Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has introduced a collaborative 360 Service approach to deliver measurable benefits throughout the packaging value chain, from easy recyclability to brand impact, production and supply chain efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and beyond, complementing its premium paperboard offering. The Metsä Board 360 Service approach is based on the extensive paperboard and packaging expertise gained from decades of collaboration with leading global technology providers, research institutes, brand owners, converters, printers, corrugators, and logistics and IT providers. The new Metsä Board 360 Services consist of five entities: • Sustainability Service to ensure the compliance and maximise the sustainability of paperboard packaging. • Packaging Design Service to provide better consumer experiences with less environmental impact. • Technical Service uses Metsä Board’s in-depth technical expertise to help improve converting efficiency and packaging performance. • R&D Service offers extensive testing capabilities and possibilities to explore new opportunities in joint R&D projects. • Supply Chain and Digital Service enables responsive, sustainable and reliable paperboard supply across the globe.

Amcor has taken another step towards its goal to provide more sustainable packaging solutions by producing the first designed to be recycled plastic packaging for powdered chocolate in Latin America. Compared to the previous packaging, this new solution reduces the package’s carbon footprint by 53% and water consumption by 84% when it is recycled. The new sachet has a high-barrier feature to protect against humidity and will be available to consumers in its 25g sachet format in Colombia this month. Working closely with the customer, Amcor has leveraged its global and local R&D resources to develop this packaging solution which meets sustainability criteria while maintaining product protection, shelf life and aesthetic appeal. Amcor was the first global packaging company to pledge to develop all its packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025.

New data shows that 44% of Brits admit to hoarding cardboard boxes – with a massive 135m believed to be sitting in our sheds, garages, and wardrobes. Over half of Brits (52%) say the amount of cardboard packaging in their homes has increased since the pandemic, with two thirds (66%) of those blaming more online shopping, and more than a quarter (28%) holding on to boxes without any clear motive - simply because “they might be useful in the future.” But the hoarding habit, while seemingly harmless, is actually keeping raw materials out of the hands of recycling companies and causing paper prices to rise. "Since the pandemic begun there’s been a major shift in consumer shopping habits and we’ve seen a huge rise in people ordering more items online, accumulating more boxes as a result. But while some put these boxes to good use – re-using them for storage, arts and crafts, or to ship other items - many boxes are sitting unused and not finding their way back into recycling streams. It means that materials are at best getting delayed in reaching recyclers, and at worse not getting to them at all." — Rogier Gerritsen, Head of Recycling at DS Smith

Nine Dragons Paper, the biggest manufacturer of packaging paper in China, has commissioned Voith to build and deliver three XcelLine paper machines for the production of high performance testliner and white top testliner. The three lines will further strengthen the paper manufacturer’s leading position in the packaging paper segment. The commissioning of the machines is planned for 2022 and 2023. “We are delighted to have received the orders from China’s largest packaging paper manufacturer Nine Dragons and we look forward to our renewed collaboration on a partnership basis,” says Hanson Zhao, Vice President Sales & Application Asia at Voith Paper. The planned daily production volume of the three identical paper machines is especially high: approximately 2,400 metric tons each, at production speeds of 1,400 m/min. In order to meet these requirements, the components must be extremely high-performing and robust. The elaborate former design of the machines, which are equipped with a DuoFormer DII E, allows for the required speed with high basis weights at the same time.

UPM Specialty Papers is strengthening its already comprehensive selection of sustainable and recyclable packaging papers. Known for its high expertise in technically demanding papers, UPM Specialty Papers now introduces an advanced fibre-based barrier paper – UPM AsendoTM Pro. The latest example of cutting-edge packaging solutions is UPM Asendo Pro – a barrier paper made from renewable materials. UPM Asendo Pro is a two-side coated paper that provides multiple advantages as an easily recyclable monomaterial. UPM Asendo Pro’s print side provides an excellent basis for high-quality visuals. Also, in addition to advanced grease resistance and good moisture resistance, its mineral oil barrier properties keep products safe. UPM Asendo Pro is suitable for dry, greasy and frozen foods as well as wrappings where excellent print properties are vital. End-use purposes vary from non-food wrapping to food end-uses and can be easily further converted for additional barrier properties and sealability to open up even more demanding end-uses.

Novolex®, an industry leader in packaging choice, innovation and sustainability, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the business of Flexo Converters USA, Inc. and certain of its affiliates. The transaction is expected to close within the next 60 days. Flexo is a manufacturer of stock, custom and recycled paper bags and sacks. It is headquartered and has a manufacturing facility in Meriden, Conn. and an additional plant in Monroe, Ga. Flexo’s eligible full-time employees are expected to join Novolex. Flexo products will be sold under the Novolex Duro® Bag brand. The addition of Flexo products to the Novolex portfolio will enable Duro to support customer demand through Flexo’s production capacity. Novolex has seen a significant increase in demand for paper bags as consumer purchasing patterns have shifted.

Leading European thermoforming packaging specialists Waddington Europe, a division of Novolex®, is augmenting its revolutionary TamperVisible® range of protective packaging products to include a pioneering Hot Fill option. The TamperVisible range of products is designed for consumer peace of mind, reassuring the end user that the food inside is as safe as the day it was prepared. A snap mechanism on the corner of the pack must physically be broken to access the lid opening making an attempt to open the package visible to a consumer. The packaging line is also ideal for storage optimisation and increased shelf life as they easily fit inside most refrigerator door shelves. And now, TamperVisible Hot Fill can withstand temperatures of up to 185 F° (85°C), making it a convenient packaging option for sauces, soups, noodles, pate, ready meals and desserts such as steamed puddings, while also being microwavable. Made from high clarity rPET (recycled PET), the TamperVisible Hot Fill line offers superior shelf appeal and a clearer view of the contents unlike thicker polypropylene and crystallized PET (cPET) hot fill containers, which are typically opaque. Additionally, TamperVisible Hot Fill is available in four recycled content blends, from a minimum of 30% to Waddington Europe’s full Eco Blend™ 100 packaging made from 100% recycled content and which is also 100% recyclable. Branding and recycling information are displayed via a patented ‘clip on’ decoration, making for easy and correct separation and recycling.

Smurfit Kappa is substantially expanding its converting capacity at four manufacturing plants across the Czech Republic and Slovakia with a significant €20 million investment. The investment further highlights Smurfit Kappa’s commitment to its customers and operations in Eastern Europe. The investment consists of four major projects, three undertaken in the Czech Republic, at Smurfit Kappa facilities in Žebrák, Žimrovice, and Olomouc, and one in Slovakia at Smurfit Kappa Štúrovo. All four projects are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in April increased four percent compared to April 2020. They were up one percent when compared to the same four months of 2020. The operating rate was 95.1 percent, up 9.6 points from April 2020 and up 5.2 points year-to-date. Mill inventories at the end of April increased 9,000 short tons from the previous month and were up 20,000 short tons compared to April 2020.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company announced the conclusion of its successful partnership with International Paper Company. The final tranche of the membership interests held by International Paper in Graphic Packaging International Partners, LLC (the "Partnership") were exchanged for an equivalent number of shares of Graphic Packaging common stock. As a result, Graphic Packaging now owns 100% of the Partnership. Michael Doss, the Company's President and CEO, said, "The partnership with International Paper played an important role as we established our leadership position in fiber-based consumer packaging across all three paperboard substrates. The highly integrated model we have built enables us to serve a broad set of global customers with new and innovative packaging solutions, positioning us to achieve the ambitious growth and return goals established in Vision 2025. Through the combination with International Paper's consumer packaging business, along with our other organic and inorganic growth initiatives, we have built scale across all three paperboard substrates, and have unique flexibility to quickly meet changing demand patterns for sustainable packaging solutions and deliver value for all stakeholders."

Aptar CSP Technologies announced that its proprietary Activ-Film™ technology was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use within a recently launched Rechargeable Implantable Neurostimulator (INS) that treats urinary and bowel dysfunction. The Activ-Film™ material is integrated into the medical device to control humidity, improve the accuracy of readings, and extend use life. Aptar CSP’s Activ-Film™ material leverages the company’s patented 3-Phase Activ-Polymer™ platform technology to manage the device’s internal atmosphere, adsorbing moisture that could otherwise accumulate and affect the implant’s stability and performance. Controlling the humidity within the device protects the battery and enables it to have little to no degradation during its use life.

The Felix Schoeller Group is expanding its Facestock product portfolio. With PrimePaper F005 and F026, the company is launching two new product types for direct contact with food that are free of harmful substances and FSC certified. The speciality paper manufacturer with headquarters in Osnabrück has also produced a free report on the subject of inkjet printing. Interested parties can find valuable information on the growth trend in digital label printing and the interaction between ink and paper. "We are delighted to introduce two new label solutions for food use to our customers," says Senta Becker, Global Product Manager Label Printing at the Felix Schoeller Group about the new Facestock products PrimePaper F005 and PrimePaper F026. "Both products are free of harmful substances and FSC-certified," Mrs Becker continues on the expansion of the product range of the Osnabrück-based speciality paper manufacturer, which offers Facestock materials for a wide range of applications, including labels for bottle labelling or packaging from the health & personal care and cosmetics sectors.

Several Koehler flexible packaging paper have been certified by the environmental services provider Interseroh and awarded the „Made for Recycling“ seal. This includes Koehler NexPlus® Advanced, Koehler NexPlus® Seal Pure and Koehler NexPlus® Seal Pure MOB. Among other things, the after-life aspects of collection, sorting and recovery were analyzed. With this seal, the environmental services provider Interseroh certifies that the paper has a very good recycling capability. With Koehler NexPlus®, Koehler Paper is meeting the rapidly growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions - and this extends beyond just the food industry. Koehler NexPlus® paper has a barrier coating with various capabilities and characteristics. In particular, these include barriers for odors, greases, oils, water vapor, or gases, which combine with the paper's inherent capabilities, such as high strength properties and a natural feel, to create a strong overall concept. The advantage of Koehler’s NexPlus® barrier paper is that it is manufactured from sustainable raw materials. After use, it is classified as wastepaper and is thus a sought-after recycled raw material.

Stora Enso arranged a virtual inauguration ceremony to celebrate the successful conversion of the Oulu Mill which was transformed from paper production into high-quality kraftliner production. The Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, inaugurated the mill. Oulu is Stora Enso’s second successful conversion, following Varkaus Mill, inaugurated in 2016. The EUR 350 million conversion project proceeded according to plan, from the investment decision made in May 2019 to the start of the commercial deliveries in the first quarter of 2021. The current ramp-up phase is proceeding ahead of plan, and the customer feedback has been positive. The new machine is estimated to reach its designed annual production capacity of 450 000 tonnes by the end of the June 2021. “Stora Enso has a long and proud history of being able to transform, innovate and embrace the future. Today’s inauguration celebrates a successfully completed project. Packaging already today represents more than 40% of our total sales. The additional kraftliner capacity in Oulu enables us to further strengthen Stora Enso’s offering in the global markets with significant room for growth,” says Annica Bresky, Stora Enso’s President and CEO. The product, AvantForteTM by Stora Enso, has three fibre layers, making it the strongest kraftliner in Stora Enso’s portfolio.

2K30 includes real, measurable goals, close cooperation with Pregis partners, vendors and customers worldwide, and an open invitation for like-minded companies and individuals to join the company in doing better. The goal is to contribute to protecting and preserving the planet for generations to come. Working hand in hand with its network and forming new alliances, by the year 2030, Pregis will: *Reduce its greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 25% *Eliminate 1 million customer reshipments *Save 15 million new trees from harvest *Make 100% of Pregis products recyclable, reusable, or with a minimum 30% reduced reliance on new fossil-based ingredients *Achieve 100% product and process waste reduction at Pregis facilities globally *Invest $15 million in circular, scalable, and sustainable material, process and waste solutions globally *Make a positive impact on 25 million lives

Sonoco ThermoSafe and Cathay Pacific Cargo announced an expanded global partnership agreement for the leasing of the new Pegasus ULD® temperature controlled bulk shipping container. The agreement enables pharmaceutical freight forwarders to lease Pegasus ULD® containers directly from Cathay Pacific Cargo. 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.

Aptar Food + Beverage leveraged the benefits of two high-performance products, PolkaLite, a lighter version of the Polka closure (-1.3g), and the award-winning SimpliCycle recyclable valve to bring to manufacturers and consumers the highest levels of performance, convenience and sustainability in a closure that is reliable throughout the product life cycle. PolkaLite is a recyclable closure designed to use less raw materials. It not only helps brands in complying with packaging regulations and potentially achieve eco-taxes reduction, but it also appeals to environmentally conscious consumers who are committed to using products that are recyclable. PolkaLite, when paired with SimpliCycle, is a dispensing solution that is recyclable at the end of use, without compromising on performance. SimpliCycle, recently awarded the Best CSR/Sustainability Initiative at the World Food Innovation Awards ceremony in March 2021, is easily separated from the PET recycling stream and has the ability of being recycled with both PE and PP.

Last year BillerudKorsnäs and Haver & Boecker published a total of nine sack packaging norms. These norms cover the basics and some of the most critical factors that need to be taken into account when powdered goods are packed. The reactions in the market show that the norms support the work of bulk goods manufacturers. They provide a helpful guideline for determining the optimal packaging process and the perfect sack packaging for products to be filled. BillerudKorsnäs and Haver & Boecker have decided to jointly develop further norms after receiving positive feedback worldwide. The sack packaging norms contain recommendations for the development and use of packaging solutions and processes and define basic standard know-how or standard procedures. They provide orientation for questions that manufacturers of bulk materials are confronted with on a daily basis.

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced investment in renewable energy through the use of a long-term virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) aligned to provide the equivalent electricity requirements of the Company’s Spanish operations. In its Impact 2025 sustainability strategy, Berry commits to minimizing its absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 25 percent by 2025 vs. a 2019 baseline. This target was validated as being in line with the Paris Agreement and limiting warming to 1.5°C by the Science Based Targets initiative earlier this year. Agreements in renewable energy are a prioritized strategy to support its operational goals while additionally investing in reducing overall energy demand. The VPPA investment will support the construction of a solar park in Guadalajara, which will greatly reduce the Company’s carbon footprint in Spain with a reduction of approximately 20,000 tons per year. Sites benefitting from the agreement include Tarragona, Madrid, Pamplona, La Caniza, and two in Barcelona. Tarragona is the primary site, with 70 percent of Berry’s energy consumption for the country. Achieving this broader impact comes with partnership across the value chain, including Berry’s chosen VPPA partnership with renewable energy leader Axpo Iberia.

ePac is excited to announce the launch of Certified Child Resistant (CR) Resealable pouches made with Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials. This was made possible due to an innovative collaboration between ePac, Presto, and Charter NEX. Virag Patel, ePac’s COO commented: “The teamwork between Charter, Presto, an ePac has been phenomenal, and the key to being able to bring this innovation to market. With Presto’s focus on child safety, Charter’s GreenArrow™ film engineered for sustainability, and ePac’s focus on child resistant pouches and sustainability, we’re proud to announce its commercial availability”.

The Group's consolidated sales amounted to EUR 641.3 million in the first three months of 2021 and thus almost reached the previous year's level (Q1 2020: EUR 646.6 million). At EUR 61.2 million, the operating result was 5.2% or EUR 3.4 million below the previous year's figure (Q1 2020: EUR 64.6 million). An increase in the packaging division was offset by a decline in the cartonboard division. Financial income of EUR 0.5 million (Q1 2020: EUR 0.4 million) was offset by financial expenses of EUR -3.6 million (Q1 2020: EUR -2.1 million). The “other financial result - net” was EUR 0.5 million (Q1 2020: EUR -0.1 million). The profit for the period fell slightly from EUR 45.1 million to EUR 43.9 million.

In the ongoing work to challenge conventional packaging, BillerudKorsnäs and Aisa are today launching a collaboration that opens up outstanding new possibilities in tube packaging made of paper. With BillerudKorsnäs FibreForm® you can replace plastics on tube shoulder and sleeve without compromising on user experience. BillerudKorsnäs FibreForm® is a unique low-carbon material that allows the tube to keep its shape when squeezed, without traces, and that makes it unique compared to tubes made of other fibre material. FibreForm ® allows for up to ten times deeper embossing than regular paper, resulting in unique 3D effects and a memorable tactile experience. “We will never compromise with user experience. FibreForm® is a unique material and this collaboration is another application where we can help brand owners on their journey towards sustainable packaging”, says Lovisa Westergren, Sales Director FibreForm ® at BillerudKorsnäs.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company and CVC Capital Partners Fund VI announced a definitive agreement under which Graphic Packaging will acquire AR Packaging Group AB, Europe's second largest producer of fiber-based consumer packaging, for approximately $1.45 billion in cash, subject to customary adjustments. The combination enhances Graphic Packaging's global scale, innovation capabilities, and value proposition for customers throughout Europe and bordering regions. With a broad set of industry-leading packaging solutions, design expertise, and expanded geographic reach, the combined company will be uniquely positioned to capture continued organic growth opportunities across existing and new global customers and markets. The proposed acquisition of AR Packaging is expected to add $1.1 billion in annual sales and $160 million in annual Adjusted EBITDA.

Highlights - Nine Months Ended March 31, 2021 •GAAP Net Income of $684 million, up 58%; GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of 43.8 cents per share, up 63%; •$55 million Bemis cost synergies year to date; expect approximately $70 million in FY21 and well positioned todeliver at least $180 million by end of fiscal 2022; •Quarterly dividend higher than this quarter last year at 11.75 cents per share; •Approximately 2% of outstanding shares repurchased year to date;

Mondi has partnered with SILBO, a Polish leading producer of compostable packaging, to create a paper-based high-strength packaging for the Irish farm potato business Meade Farm Group. The innovative bags replace hard-to-recycle plastic with paper, a renewable resource enhanced with a bio-based coating and are certified as compostable2. Working closely for two years, SILBO, Meade and Mondi developed the FSC®-certified bag using speciality kraft paper to ensure strength in handling while providing barrier properties to keep the produce fresh. The bag has multiple sustainability features: a corn starch-based netting for a small cut-out window, water-based ink and Mondi’s biodegradable Sustainex® coating, which provides heat sealing and moisture barrier protection. The packaging has been launched across Ireland, Poland, France and Germany, winning the silver Fruit Logistica Innovation Award. The new solution helps Meade to achieve its sustaina-bility goals: using packaging that is reusable, recyclable, renewable or compostable wherever possible.

Second Quarter Highlights (all comparisons made to the March 2020 quarter) *Net sales of $3.4 billion, a 13 percent increase *5 percent organic volume growth *Operating income up 17 percent to $333 million *Operating EBITDA up 9 percent to $590 million *Net income per diluted share up 40 percent to $1.32 *Raising fiscal 2021 operating EBITDA guidance from prior mid-point by $50 million to $2.25 billion *Increasing fiscal 2021 organic volume growth assumption from 4 percent to now 5 percent

Net sales of $1.3 billion increased 8% as reported. Currency contributed $25 million, or approximately 2%, to net sales as compared to first quarter 2020. Net earnings in first quarter 2021 were $106 million, or $0.68 per diluted share, as compared to net earnings of $115 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, in first quarter 2020. The effective tax rate in first quarter 2021 was 34.0%, as compared to 22.2% in first quarter 2020. The current year effective tax rate was unfavorably impacted by legislative and administrative changes to enacted foreign statutes.

What makes a packaging concept not only functional and visually appealing, but also able to interact with our senses when it comes to sound, touch, taste, or smell? That’s the challenge for this year’s design students in BillerudKorsnäs’ Packaging Impact Design Award, PIDA. A competition aiming to highlight young talents and their ideas – but also to push the development of packaging design even further. This year PIDA offers a new, modern, and digital format, that enables a larger audience to be part of this exciting event. PIDA stands for innovation, creativity, and youthful curiosity. This is where we meet the packaging designers of tomorrow, who challenge the conventional and truly awaken the senses. This year’s event is the 16th event since the start of the competition back in 2005 and the competition has engaged thousands of students throughout the years. This year we are not only developing the competition into a modern, digital event, but we are also expanding geographically by including design schools in the USA in the competition. During May and June, BillerudKorsnäs will host the competition at four events: Sweden, France, Germany, and a joint event for the UK and the USA. In September, an international winner will be selected in a Grand Finale at Luxe Pack Monaco.

Sonoco announced it is increasing prices for all rigid paper containers and closures sold in North America by 9.5 percent, effective with shipments on, and after, June 3 , 2021. According to Ernest Haynes, Division Vice President and General Manager, Rigid Paper and Closures, North America, this price increase is necessary to recover rapidly rising costs for key raw materials used to produce rigid paper containers and closures. “Due to the rising inflationary cost of adhesives, laminate structures, recovered paper and steel, we are experiencing input cost pressures that simply cannot be absorbed,” Haynes said. “These inflationary cost increases have been compounded by the after-effects of Winter Storm Uri on the adhesives industry along with incredible demand in the steel marketplace."

Pregis is launching Phantom Mask, a new temporary protective surface film as part of the Pregis PolyMask™ solutions portfolio, that has been engineered to eliminate costly and labor-intensive adhesive transfer problems on plastic sheets, parts and products. The product will be available from the Pregis PolyMask business unit across North America, Europe and other geographic markets. High clarity Phantom Mask protective film is ideal for appliances (hot tubs, shower enclosures), medical products (face shields, PPE), foodservice (sneeze guards, partitions), signage, construction materials, automotive, recreational products and more. Unlike traditional protective film structures, which apply the adhesive via a coating process, Phantom Mask uses a proprietary process that integrates the adhesive into the polyethylene-based coextrusion. The end result is a highly-engineered, heat-resistant material which doesn’t leave adhesive behind when it is removed. The material mitigates ghosting, making it a true workhorse in the protective film category.

Earnings for the first quarter of 2021 were in line with the preceding quarter and represent a significant improvement on the year-earlier quarter. Higher selling prices in all product areas had a positive impact on earnings. During the quarter, SCA discontinued its remaining publication paper operations consisting of three paper machines at the Ortviken site. Following the discontinuation of publication paper operations, SCA is focused on growth in all product areas. The supply of wood to SCA’s industries was stable during the quarter. The price of pulpwood fell slightly while the price of sawlogs remained stable compared with the preceding period.

Corrugated volume growth in the first quarter was up approximately 7% in both Europe and the Americas. This demonstrates SKG’s exposure to high-growth markets, sectors and channels including innovative and sustainable packaging solutions and e-commerce. Containerboard prices have increased in the first quarter and again at the start of the second quarter as a result of strong demand and higher recovered fibre and other costs. SKG’s recovered fibre cost has increased by approximately €90 million versus the first quarter of last year. We are progressively recovering these input costs through our corrugated box system. In addition to cost pressures, the industry is experiencing supply disruptions and shortages of packaging papers globally. Against this market backdrop, our integrated business model is again, proving a key differentiator with continuity of supply to our customer base.

First Quarter 2021 Results *Reported Results: For the first quarter 2021, the company recorded a loss of $0.62 per share compared to earnings of $0.32 per share (diluted) in the prior year. The current year loss before income taxes was $65 million, compared to earnings before income taxes of $81 million in the first quarter of 2020. Both periods include items management considers not representative of ongoing operations. In the first quarter of 2021, this included a $154 million adjustment to the company’s Paddock support agreement liability primarily to reflect the subsidiary’s agreement in principle for a consensual plan of reorganization. *Segment Operating Profit1: First quarter 2021 segment operating profit was $175 million compared to $176 million in the prior year period. These results were in-line with the prior year period despite the July 2020 divestiture of the company’s Australia and New Zealand (“ANZ”) business, which contributed $12 million of segment operating profit in the first quarter of 2020. Sales volume was stable with prior year levels on a comparable basis, excluding the impact from recent divestitures. Continued strong operating performance and the benefit of margin enhancement initiatives offset the significant impact of severe weather.

Q1 Highlights *First quarter net earnings (loss) attributable to International Paper of $349 million ($0.88 per diluted share), compared with $153 million ($0.39 per diluted share) in the fourth quarter of 2020 and $(141) million ($(0.36) per diluted share) in the first quarter of 2020. First quarter 2020 net earnings included an after-tax charge of $337 million ($0.85 per diluted share) for the impairment of the net assets and write-off of foreign currency translation adjustment following the announcement of the sale of our Brazil Packaging business. *First quarter adjusted operating earnings* (non-GAAP) of $299 million ($0.76 per diluted share) compared with $296 million ($0.75 per diluted share) in the fourth quarter of 2020 and $226 million ($0.57 per diluted share) in the first quarter of 2020. First quarter 2021 adjusted operating earnings* include a pre-tax earnings impact of $(80) million ($(0.15) per diluted share) related to the winter storm in the U.S. *First quarter cash provided by operations of $512 million compared with $649 million in the same period of 2020 *Returned $331 million to shareholders through dividends of $202 million and share repurchases of $129 million *Reduced debt by $108 million *Monetized approximately $400 million of investment in Graphic Packaging bringing our ownership to 7.4%

Building on its recent track record of breakthrough innovations to deliver recyclable packaging, Amcor is today announcing customer trials of the world’s first recyclable* Polyethylene-based thermoform blister packaging. The new packaging is designed to meet the stringent requirements of highly specialized and regulated pharmaceutical packaging and creates a more sustainable alternative for the most in-demand healthcare packaging type. This innovation also benefits from up to 70% reduction in its carbon footprint, when compared to packaging alternatives on the market today.** AmSky™ eliminates PVC (PolyVinyl Chloride) from the packaging by using a mono-material Polyethylene (PE) thermoform blister and lidding film. PVC can make packaging recycling more difficult or contaminate other materials if consumers attempt to recycle it. By removing PVC – whilst retaining all the benefits of pre-existing blister packaging – Amcor has created a new, recyclable solution that benefits the entire recycling process. Amcor is currently working with several leading pharmaceutical companies to bring AmSky™ to market globally. The company expects AmSky™ to be available in the healthcare market by the second half of 2022.

Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc., the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United States, has launched its new Envi Performance Board portfolio, a comprehensive collection of sustainably advantaged packaging materials. Envi Performance Board features five distinct portfolio offerings with a range of caliper and coating options: Envi PC 100 Performance Board is available uncoated in a bright white smooth or vellum finish; or coated in a cool white shade on one or both sides. Envi PC 100 Performance Board is crafted with 100 percent post-consumer waste recycled fiber. Hemp Envi® Performance Board is available in a bright white smooth finish or coated in a cool white shade on one or both sides, a blend of 30 percent renewable hemp fiber and 70 percent PCW recycled fiber. Envi 96 Performance Board is a brilliant white vellum board crafted with virgin fiber from FSC-certified suppliers. Cotton Envi Performance Board is a bright white toothy vellum board made from reclaimed cotton linters. Kona Envi Performance Board is made with fiber from reclaimed coffee bean bags and post-consumer waste recycled fiber. It can be made in a variety of custom shades.

January–March 2021 (compared to 1–3/2020) • Sales were EUR 493.7 million (472.1). • Comparable operating result was EUR 88.8 million (33.8) or 18.0% (7.2) of sales. Operating result was EUR 82.0 million (33.8). • Comparable earnings per share were EUR 0.20 (0.06), and earnings per share were EUR 0.18 (0.06). • Comparable return on capital employed was 18.3% (7.6). • Net cash flow from operations was EUR 16.8 million (80.0).

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced its continued leading investments in access to circular polyolefins from advanced recycling to support customer sustainability goals. These polyolefins are obtained by advanced recycling, enabled by the adoption of new chemical recycling technologies, of post-consumer plastic waste not suitable for traditional recycling. In this agreement, Berry collaborates with a leading supplier of polyolefin solutions, Borealis, for access to its first volumes of the in-demand circular polyolefins made from chemical recycling. This announcement adds to Berry’s access to the 600 million pounds of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content by 2025, allowing Berry to further support customers with unmatched access to circular polyolefins. Innovative processes like chemical recycling make it possible for material that would otherwise be discarded as waste and destined for incineration or landfill to be used as feedstock for production of polyolefins that fulfill the most stringent quality requirements. Continually increasing the demand for these processes is a critical component in the economics of achieving a circular economy, while just last month, Berry announced its access to another 300 million pounds of chemical recycled material.

Net sales for the first quarter of 2021 were $1.24 billion, an increase of $207.7 million, or 20.2 percent, as compared to the same period in the prior year. This increase was the result of higher net sales in all of the segments. Income before interest and income taxes for the first quarter of 2021 was a record $126.6 million, an increase of $24.5 million, or 24.0 percent, as compared to $102.1 million for the first quarter of 2020, and margins increased to 10.2 percent from 9.9 percent for the same periods. The increase in income before interest and income taxes was the result of higher income in the Dispensing and Specialty Closures and Custom Containers segments and lower corporate expenses primarily related to prior year costs for one-time plant employee incentive payments and announced acquisitions, partially offset by higher rationalization charges. Rationalization charges were $10.3 million and $2.8 million in the first quarters of 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Packaging Corporation of America reported first quarter 2021 net income of $167 million, or $1.75 per share, and net income of $169 million, or $1.77 per share, excluding special items. First quarter net sales were $1.8 billion in 2021 and $1.7 billion in 2020. Reported earnings in the first quarter of 2021 include special items for closure costs related to certain corrugated products facilities and specific costs related to discontinuing paper operations associated with the previously announced conversion of the No. 3 paper machine at our Jackson, Alabama mill to linerboard. In the Packaging segment, total corrugated products shipments with one less workday were up 6.6%, and shipments per day were up 8.3% over last year’s first quarter. Containerboard production was 1,195,000 tons, and containerboard inventory was up 14,000 tons from the fourth quarter of 2020 and up 41,000 tons compared to the first quarter of 2020. In the Paper segment, sales volume was up 5,000 tons from the fourth quarter of 2020 and down 48,000 tons compared to the first quarter of 2020.

Q1 2021 Highlights: *Net Sales were $1,649 million versus $1,599 million in the prior year quarter. *Net Organic Sales increased 2% in the quarter driven by sustainability-supported innovative packaging solutions. *Net Income was $54 million versus a loss of $13 million in the prior year quarter. *Earnings per Diluted Share were $0.19 versus a loss of $0.04 in the prior year quarter. *Acquired $400 million of International Paper's minority ownership interest in the partnership, reducing minority ownership stake to approximately 7%. *Announces intent to acquire Americraft Carton, Inc., a leading independent folding carton producer in North America, extending participation into new and existing end markets while continuing to increase paperboard integration rates.

Fiber-based solutions offer more sustainable packaging options, including lower packaging weight creating less waste, package integrity and safety while building distinctive branding through packaging and offering diverse levels of protection. In addition, fiber-based packaging can reduce the overall impact on the environment, offering positive recyclability, repulpability, and at times compostable end-of-life scenarios. PurposeFil™ packaging products help meet multiple sustainability goals. Ahlstrom-Munksjö uses fiber from responsible and legal sources, and all PurposeFil™ products qualify for Chain of Custody Forestry Credits and Certification. The ultimate goal of PurposeFil™ packaging papers is to offer alternative packaging options to non-renewable substrates. “PurposeFil™ products are utilized in a wide variety of e-commerce packaging and retail packaging, in both primary and secondary packaging functions,” explained Zack Leimkuehler, Vice President of Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Technical Solutions business. “There is so much diversity in the e-commerce and retail space, and we have the technical expertise and manufacturing flexibility to work with our customers to meet their unique performance requirements for their specific packaging structures.”

“Eco-design is a business approach that requires investments and time in the long term,” explains the president of Solarenn, Christophe Rousse. A joint effort from three actors of the fruit and vegetable sector -the Solarenn cooperative, DS Smith as global supplier of sustainable packaging and ETpack mechanizer - has helped optimize tomato packaging throughout the supply chain. The common goal? Moving to more sustainable solutions and eliminating single-use plastic. They have therefore developed a 100% cardboard packaging which is eco-designed and innovative, allowing maximum flexibility and visibility of the product. The joint design was initiated in September 2020. This commitment fits the expectations of the French consumers, who are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their consumption and who are now questioning the food industry . For the past 2 years, there is indeed strong consumer’s pressure to eliminate single-use plastic. In 2021, Solarenn will have 7 different trays on the market that are 100% cardboard with zero-plastic.

Smurfit Kappa Brazil, partnering with sommelier Myriam Echeverri, has won a prestigious Red Dot Award in the category of Product Design 2021. The award recognises this packaging as one of the most innovative design projects in the world. The packaging challenge came from Wine & Bite Box to secure and protect bottles of wine and food for a growing trend of tasting boxes being delivered to customers for an at home gourmet experience. Developed by Smurfit Kappa with 100% recyclable materials, the main advantage of the packaging design is its flexibility and the ability to accommodate different shapes and sizes of wine bottles safely, without having to use any filling materials. This design has a variety of 220 options to optimise space within the cardboard box and to accommodate different formats allowing for the wine bottle and food to fit perfectly.

O-I Glass, Inc. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Paddock Enterprises, LLC, has reached an agreement in principle for a consensual plan of reorganization under section 524(g) of the Bankruptcy Code. Paddock, the Official Committee of Asbestos Personal Injury Claimants, and the legal representative for the future asbestos personal injury claimants all agreed to accept the terms of a mediator’s proposal regarding a potential consensual plan of reorganization for Paddock. O-I Glass supports the agreement among Paddock, the ACC and the FCR that follows a successful court-approved mediation process conducted by Kenneth Feinberg and the Honorable Layn R. Phillips in connection with Paddock’s ongoing Chapter 11 case. “From the beginning of the Chapter 11 process, we have been committed to supporting a resolution of Paddock’s legacy asbestos liabilities in a manner that ensures claimants are treated fairly while providing finality and certainty for O-I Glass and Paddock. This agreement is a positive and significant step toward achieving those objectives. O-I Glass and Paddock look forward to working cooperatively with the ACC and FCR to implement the terms of the agreement. We believe this is the best path to not only equitably address Paddock’s legacy liabilities but also move expeditiously toward emergence,” said Andres Lopez, CEO of O-I Glass.

Q1 2021 in brief * Net sales decreased by 5% to EUR 802 million. EUR (845 million) * Adjusted operating profit was MEUR 77. EUR (EUR 74 million); reported operating profit EUR 72 million EUR (83 million) * Adjusted earnings per share were EUR 0.49 (EUR 0.46); reported earnings per share EUR 0.45 (EUR 0.53) * Comparable revenue growth was -0% at Group level and 4% in emerging markets * The effect of exchange rate fluctuations on the Group's net sales was EUR -46 million. EUR -5 million in operating profit. euros

Huhtamaki, a key advanced manufacturer of sustainable packaging solutions for consumers around the world, has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Jiangsu Hihio-Art Packaging Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of paper bags, wraps and folding carton packaging in China. The company currently serves international quick-service restaurants (QSR) as well as national bakery chains. With this acquisition, Huhtamaki continues to strengthen its position as the leading foodservice packaging provider in Asia and expands its product portfolio in China allowing it to better serve its existing and new customers in this exciting growth market. Jiangsu Hihio-Art Packaging Co. Ltd. currently employs approximately 200 people in its manufacturing unit in Xuzhou city, Jiangsu. Employees will be offered an opportunity to continue to work for Huhtamaki after the transaction is closed. In 2020 the annual net sales of the privately owned business were approximately EUR 20 million. Following the acquisition, Huhtamaki will have altogether four manufacturing units in China: in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Xuzhou.

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced an investment of more than $70 million to support continued growth in consumer packaging films, primarily for e-commerce, food, and beverage applications. The investment supports new multi-layer blown film lines along with infrastructure upgrades and other equipment that will come online in 2021 and 2022, across multiple sites in the North American manufacturing system. Beyond the traditional infrastructure upgrade, the film lines will support the anticipated increased customer demand for recycled content. Beyond the material, Berry is committed to remaining at the forefront of the innovation necessary to meet customers’ sustainability goals and will do so through its investments in the latest equipment technologies, advantaged film development, and design for circularity. Line flexibility is a critical investment strategy deployed by Berry to ensure that ongoing material science developments apply to customer specifications, ranging from recycled content in its films to PHA resins that support bio-resin use.

First Quarter Highlights *First quarter 2021 GAAP earnings per diluted share were $0.71, compared with $0.80 in 2020. *First quarter 2021 GAAP earnings included net after-tax charges of $19.4 million related to restructuring activity, asset impairments, acquisition and divestiture transaction costs, loss on a business divestiture and non-operating pension costs which were partially offset by insurance proceeds. In the first quarter of 2020, GAAP earnings included net after-tax charges of $14.8 million related mostly to restructuring actions and non-operating pension costs. *Base net income attributable to Sonoco (base earnings) for first quarter 2021 was $0.90 per diluted share, compared with $0.94 in 2020. (See base earnings definition, explanation and reconciliation to GAAP earnings later in this release.) Sonoco previously provided first quarter 2021 base earnings guidance of $0.80 to $0.90 per diluted share. *First quarter 2021 net sales were $1.35 billion, compared with $1.30 billion in 2020. *Cash flow from operations was $138.7 million in the first three months of 2021, compared to $87.7 million in 2020. Free cash flow was $99.4 million in the first three months of 2021, compared with $57.1 million in the first three months of 2020. *On April 4, 2021, Sonoco completed the sale of its U.S. Display and Packaging business to Hood Container Corporation for approximately $80 million in cash, the proceeds of which were received subsequent to the period's end.

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 May 24, 2021. “This price increase is necessary due to continued increases in costs for uncoated recycled paperboard (URB), our primary raw material which remains in very tight supply. Additionally, we are feeling significant inflationary pressures in adhesives, packaging and logistics costs,” said Mike Thompson, Director of Sales and Marketing for Sonoco’s North America Tubes and Cores Division.

Novolex is offering creative solutions to help restaurants with increased customer demand for convenient takeout and curbside service with a variety of plastic cups and containers for “drinks to go.” As restaurants evolve and offer more carryout, Novolex brands are creating ingenious ways to help them thrive in the changing world. In addition to “drinks to go,” which can be branded to customer specifications, restaurants can choose from a variety of family-style carryout boxes, peace-of-mind packaging that prevents tampering, and disposable table and chair coverings. Novolex is committed to helping restaurants succeed with a range of disposable products: *Stemless wine glasses, margarita glasses, stadium cups and mason-jar-shaped containers for alcoholic drinks; *96-ounce JavaPac® beverage dispensers, made from paperboard, that keep drinks hot or cold for hours; *Beverage bags, big carryout bags with handles, and drink cups with secure lids for easier takeout; *Large bowls, clamshells and trays for family-style portions that keep foods hot and reduce the number of containers needed; *Individually wrapped drinkware and optional lids for more hygienic transport.

SCA increases the prices on white and brown kraftliner in Europe by €50 per tonne. The new price is valid from June 1, 2021. “The global demand for kraftliner continues to be high”, comments Mikael Frölander, VP Sales and Marketing Containerboard. “The capacity is limited to increase kraftliner deliveries and increasing costs for raw materials supports a price increase.”

Smurfit Kappa has announced a significant investment in its Hoya paper mill and board manufacturing plant in northwest Germany. It is the latest phase of an investment programme, which commenced in 2011, and this last phase will see production output increase by 70 kt to 450 kt per annum. The investment will replace the complete press section of the PM2 paper machine with new state-of-the-art technology, increasing the overall efficiency of the manufacturing process. The PM2 is a 7.5 meters wide paper machine, producing both testliner and fluting packaging paper. Production speed will increase to 1250 m/min and upon completion, this world class machine will further strengthen the industrial efficiency of Smurfit Kappa Group's containerboard system. It is expected to be operational from the first quarter of 2023.

With Pure DecorX™, BillerudKorsnäs is introducing the latest development in White Top Kraftliner. The launch opens up great improvement potential for decorative corrugated packaging, in terms of strength, print appearance and sustainability. Pure DecorX is a 3-ply construction made of 100% primary wood fibres, which makes the liner strong, stiff and with high thickness. In practice, this means great lightweighting opportunities, high runnability in converting machines, reduced risk of washboarding, and enhanced packaging performance. The use of only primary fibres also makes Pure DecorX a climate-smart choice: it is renewable, recyclable and biodegradable, and the fibres can be traced back to responsibly managed forestry.

SC Johnson has once again recognized Crown Holdings, Inc. at the brand’s 2020 Together We Win Supplier Awards. Crown received the “Value Excellence” title, which acknowledges a supplier’s commitment to continuous improvement, excellence in supply chain management and focus on collaborative processes. The Company supports SC Johnson in North America and Europe with the manufacturing and innovation of diverse aerosol packaging in the brand’s household cleaning, air care and pest control product portfolio.

Pregis is announcing two new manufacturing facilities in the Dallas area to support growing demand in the Southern region of North America. The recently opened 128,000 square foot Garland, Texas facility produces protective packaging materials, acts as distribution center for a variety of Pregis products and will have an onsite customer demo and training center. The Garland facility has already begun production and is expected to ramp up production later in the year. The Garland facility already has 44 employees, with another 40 to be added later in the year. Pregis’ new 265,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Arlington, Texas will be producing the recently rebranded Pregis EverTec™ mailer which features lightweight, recyclable all-paper cushioned construction. The Arlington facility will begin production in the summer. Pregis is currently looking to fill 80 new manufacturing positions in Arlington. Both facilities have room to expand to meet future demand, and are expected to provide additional employment opportunities in the region.

Total Containerboard production in March increased nine percent compared to March 2020. It was up two percent when compared to the same three months of 2020. March 2021 production of containerboard for export decreased 15 percent compared to the same month last year; it was down 25 percent year-to-date. The containerboard operating rate was 98.4 percent, up 2.8 points from March 2020 and essentially flat (-0.3 pts.) year-to-date. Mill inventories of containerboard at the end of March decreased 77,000 short tons from the previous month and were down 56,000 short tons compared to March 2020.

Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in March increased three percent compared to March 2020. They were up three percent when compared to the same three months of 2020. The operating rate was 91.0 percent, down 2.2 points from March 2020 and up 0.6 points year-to-date. Mill inventories at the end of March decreased 10,000 short tons from the previous month and were up 6,000 short tons compared to March 2020.

Huhtamaki welcomes the development of an EU contingency plan to support Europe’s food system in times of crisis and calls for the essential role of food packaging to be fully incorporated into the plan. The EU food supply and food security contingency plan builds on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and is an important component of the European Green Deal and the EU’s Farm to Fork strategy. The availability of food, access to food, stability and utilization of food are key components of food security. Food packaging plays a key role in delivering these. It is critical to the effective functioning of modern food systems, which rely on packaging to store and transport food, while keeping safe from spoilage and disease.

Amcor has leveraged its global R&D resources to help Nestlé put enviro-conscious consumers first, by making Smarties the first confectionery brand to move to recyclable paper packaging in Australia. The new packaging is made from sustainably sourced thermoformable paper and is dynamic enough to be printed on with either flexographic or gravure technology and finished with a heat or cold-seal adhesive. Working closely with Nestlé, Amcor has developed this next generation packaging solution which performs when it comes to sustainability and consumer convenience, while also maintaining the highest levels of product protection.

With the growing trend of “skinimalism” and the evolution of more lightweight, water-like foundations with sheer and natural finishes, Aptar Beauty + Home has developed an outstanding dispensing solution for ultra-fluid formulas: Star Drop, a unique hybrid packaging with a patented smart valve technology delivering a highly accurate dose at each use. According to this year’s Pinterest Business report, “skinimalism” is a major beauty trend. It revolves around using less products in our daily routine (for skincare and makeup) and emphasizes simplicity to embrace slow and natural beauty. “Natural everyday makeup” jumped by 180% as the most searched terms on the platform as well as “natural glowing skin” increasing fourfold in the search words. For “skinimalism” one needs a precision dropper – that’s where Aptar Beauty + Home innovates with this new solution. Product flow is critical and often it is hard to control properly, and the pipette let’s the formula run and smudge during or after use. This is why Aptar Beauty + Home has developed a clean and practical solution to improve the overall user experience for consumers.

Smurfit Kappa’s innovative three litre Bag-in-Box packaging design has received Amazon’s “Frustration-Free Packaging” (FFP) certification. This is a world first for a generic packaging design, applicable for a wide range of products. The company unveiled this unique Amazon FFP pre-certification to thousands of customers at its recent invite-only virtual Better Planet Packaging event. Businesses selling on Amazon Marketplace can now use this ready to go, pre-certified Bag-in-Box design avoiding the need to go through costly and time-consuming testing at a specialised ISTA certified laboratory to gain FFP certification.

Liberty Diversified International (LDI) has acquired the assets of Miller Container Company, a Quad Cities-based manufacturer of corrugated cartons and displays. Miller Container will continue to operate under its well-established brand name at its Rock Island headquarters and warehouse as well as its sheet plant in Clinton, Illinois. Mike Vonderhaar, who has served as owner and president, will remain with the company and join LDI’s packaging management team. Miller Container employees will be offered continued employment. LDI’s profile as a major player in the corrugated packaging industry, with facilities in Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, California and Mexico, continues to expand with this acquisition in the Quad Cities area.

Aptar Pharma was proud to receive an InnoPack China Award recently, in recognition of Aptar Pharma’s well-established Bag-on-Valve Technology (BOV) Platform, with a special focus on our innovative PureHale® device and Pacifica Duo Actuator. PureHale® is a portable and ready-to-use drug delivery solution designed for upper respiratory care. An industry first, this nebulizer-like device distributes a continuous fine mist to gently cleanse, moisturize and soothe the upper respiratory tract. Aptar Pharma’s Pacifica Duo is a twistable actuator that fulfills two needs in one applicator – spray for gentle application and jet for rinsing -providing flexibility to users.

DS Smith, as a member of AFCO (Spanish Association of Manufacturers of Containers and Cardboard Packaging) joins them to spread the campaign #MuchoMasDeLoQueImaginas (more than you can imagine) with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of an industry that is essential: Cardboard Packaging. Cardboard packaging, in addition to protect products, can help in the efficiency of a company and be a differentiating element and of value for brands among many other functions. In this video 5 executives of large companies in Spain explain why they choose cardboard packaging:

Flexible packaging paper Koehler NexPlus® Seal is used for secondary packaging. In this way, Ritter is taking up the changed consumer behavior as a pioneer. The switch to paper stand-up pouches was made without any large investment in packaging machines. Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG aims to create packaging solutions from renewable raw materials that are in harmony with both humans and nature and recyclable. With a view to achieving this goal, the company actively monitors changes in consumer behavior, changes which have grown exponentially in recent months. The concept of sustainability is becoming a key criterion in shoppers’ purchase decisions, with packaging an increasingly important factor as shoppers no longer take the individual product into sole consideration. Ritter focuses on the first secondary packaging made of paper.

Stora Enso Intelligent Packaging is expanding the selection of the sustainable ECO RFID –product family with a tag collection that is specifically designed for food & beverage items. Part of the new ECO RFID Food & Beverage Collection by Stora Enso is the world’s first paper tag for microwave-safe use, ECO Meal. RFID technology is used in the food industry to automate processes, provide real-time ‘track and trace’ –functionalities, and support next-generation unmanned retail. The new ECO Meal RFID tag by Stora Enso is specially designed for item-level tagging and tracking of ready-made meals. It is the first paper-based RFID tag on the market for this specific use case. Unlike traditional RFID tags, ECO Meal labels do not need to be removed from the food package prior to microwave heating, and the tags can be recycled in paper recycling.*

LEIPA Group is pleased to announce another addition to its Sales team: Mike Petersen will be joining us on May 1st, 2021, as Head of Sales Packaging Paper and will have overall responsibility for all related end-to-end sales processes and functions. In this capacity, Mr. Petersen will report to LEIPA Group’s Chief Sales Officer, Dr. Fabian Gaus. Mr. Petersen joins us from the Prinzhorn Group, where his last positions were Managing Director for optimizing the sales set-up of 24 containerboard plants in Europe, and General Manager and Sales Director for their Dunapack Spremberg operation. Previous engagements included management positions in Sales with Igepa, Papier Union and Mondi.

North Pacific Paper Company (NORPAC) is excited to announce the arrival of a new state-of-the-art drum pulper that will help the company expand its production of lightweight recycled packaging papers and safeguard more than 400 mill jobs and support other indirect jobs in Cowlitz County. The new pulper just arrived at the Port of Longview and will be moved this week to the NORPAC mill. The pulper and other mill infrastructure upgrades represent more than a $50 million capital investment that will expand Longview mill operations to transform wastepaper into lightweight recycled papers for corrugated boxes, displays, bags and various other packaging products.

20/20 Custom Molding Plastics’ latest expansion, beginning in April, will bring more than 100 new jobs to its two locations thanks to various machine additions and the relocation of several high pressure presses. The manufacturing firm will proceed with adding two 3,000-ton high pressure machines and one 8,000-ton high pressure machine to its 225,000-sqaure-foot Holiday City plant this year and into 2022. The 375- and 500- ton high pressure presses in Holiday City will be relocated to the Bluffton, Indiana 325,000-square-foot facility. In addition, the Bluffton location will receive three new structural foam presses over the next 18 months. President of 20/20, Ron Ernsberger noted that the company’s ability to continuously grow is rooted in its goals to exceed customer expectations.

Aptar Food + Beverage’s SimpliCycle™ recyclable Valve was awarded the Best CSR/Sustainability Initiative at the World Food Innovation Awards ceremony held virtually on YouTube March 23. Entrants were judged on categories such as: innovation, functionality, design and product expression and represents excellence across every category of the global food industry. Composed of a low-density material, SimpliCycle™ allows the valve to float so it’s easily separated from the PET stream and ultimately recycled within the PP/PE olefin stream. According to Susan DeGroot, Director of Product Marketing, this award is one more reflection of Aptar’s commitment to using sustainable materials to create innovative solutions that help CPG brands achieve their goals, while enabling consumers to establish a deeper connection to their preferred brands.

By combining their expertise and the latest Innovations, Siegwerk and Kotkamills will actively create new capabilities for fiber-based packaging Printers and producers, promoting circularity. Siegwerk, one of the leading global providers of printing inks for packaging applications and labels, and Kotkamills, a Finnish paper and paperboard manufacturer, have joined forces to create innovative solutions for printers and producers of fiber-based packaging to further drive packaging circularity. Under the motto “Together we Accelerate change for good”, this strategic partnership aims to provide the market with highly sustainable and eco-friendly solutions by combining the latest technologies of both companies.

Pregis announces its partnership with Circular Great Lakes (CGL), a regional initiative focused initially on keeping valuable plastic materials out of the waste stream and the environment. CGL has been created by the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) to create a “future without waste” in this binational economic region. Pregis is a founding member and funder of the initiative. The mission behind the Circular Great Lakes initiative aligns perfectly with the Pregis Purpose to “Protect, Preserve & Inspyre” and its 2k30 sustainability goals. Pregis is committed to achieving circularity through product design and making end of life collection easier for consumers so materials can be brought back through the supply chain through recycling and reuse. The company views this opportunity as a way to collaborate with industry members, academia, material processors and purpose-driven customers to create this circular economy.

Mondi has helped Spanish retail chain Alvaro Moreno to save almost 90 tonnes of plastic per year by switching from plastic to paper shopping, online delivery and gift bags. In the past, Alvaro Moreno used more than 3.7 million plastic bags and containers per year. By switching to paper packaging for its bags and thus reducing its plastic consumption, the company is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability. All three bags are recyclable and made from Mondi’s Advantage and EcoVantage product ranges using renewable and responsibly sourced materials. EcoVantage is Mondi’s newest paper range created with fresh pulp and recycled fibres, providing a high-quality printing surface to feature the brand’s distinct white logo and promote the sustainability benefits for its customers.

Sonoco announced it has closed on the sale of its Display and Packaging business in the United States to Hood Container Corporation for $80 million in cash. Sonoco’s U.S. Display and Packaging business produced net sales of approximately $135 million in 2020 and provides point-of-purchase display design, manufacturing and fulfillment as well as contract packaging services for consumer product customers with more than 250 brands. Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Display and Packaging business operates eight manufacturing and fulfillment facilities along with four sales and design centers and has approximately 450 employees.

PEFC-certified cardboard has replaced the plastic packaging around beverage can packs by Estrella Damm, a leading Spanish beverage producer, leading to big reductions in their plastic use. The decision to completely remove the printed plastic packaging from all six, twelve and twenty-four-can packs reduces plastic use by 99 tons a year. The action is an important step in the company’s sustainability strategy. The new packaging is made from PEFC-certified, natural and renewable fibres. Consumers benefit from the new design with rounded edges and different opening options, making it easier to carry and open.

The scale and importance of e-commerce has been felt worldwide especially during the current pandemic and is here to stay. It has been the fastest-growing channel as consumers shop online, on their smartphones and through social media. All have come to expect a seamless shopping experience, the omnichannel approach, across multi-platforms from brick and mortar (click & collect) to online. “At Aptar Beauty + Home we are READY to deliver our strategy by focusing on our enablers – sustainability, digitalization and transformation. Offering sustainable and e-commerce capable solutions is critical today. Packaging is the first interaction a customer has with our clients’ products. How it arrives, how it is disposed, and the overall customer experience is what our team is working on every day.” shares Marc Prieur, President, Aptar Beauty + Home.

Smurfit Kappa has announced a further investment of over €25 million at its Pruszkow ‘mega-plant’ located in central Poland. This investment forms part of the accelerated capital investment programme following the company’s €660 million equity capital raise which took place in November 2020. This latest investment will double the output from the facility and result in the creation of 25 new jobs, bringing employment to more than 230 staff at the location. Construction is due to commence in July of this year and be completed during 2022. Upon completion, the newly expanded facility will be 37,500 metres2, making it Smurfit Kappa’s largest facility in Poland and one of the largest facilities for Smurfit Kappa in Europe. The customer portfolio includes some of the leading brands in the FMCG food and beverage sectors and serves both international and local customers.

International Paper has purchased two state-of-the-art corrugated box plants in Spain, further growing its capabilities in Madrid and Catalonia, the largest industrial regions in the country. The terms of the transactions were not disclosed. Corrugated packaging is a strategic business for International Paper in EMEA and offers customers high-quality packaging solutions in the industrial, fresh fruit and vegetable, and e-commerce segments. The two businesses will become part of International Paper effective April 1, 2021.

Mondi has produced recyclable packaging for Bell Germany’s ‘Abraham’ range of thinly sliced gourmet ham that ensures perfect conformity with existing recycling guidelines. Bell Germany is launching a mono-material recyclable WalletPack in March for over 30 products including Seranno, Prosciutto and Savoy sliced ham. The new solution will replace a multi-material non-recyclable plastic solution, using 37% less material compared to standard modified atmosphere packaging. This switch will also reduce plastic waste for Bell Germany by 35 tonnes per year thanks to the lightweight solution. It will also lower waste disposal fees for Bell Germany and meets the design for recycling guidelines of leading retailers.1 Created after two years of development, the new Mondi WalletPack operates as a folder, which the consumer opens to unpack the product. It features a re-close function on the backside to prevent food spoilage, provides excellent protection for thinly sliced deli meats, and has been verified by the German institute cyclos-HTP as 93% recyclable.

Tetra Pak announces it is ready to deploy its portfolio of tethered cap solutions. The portfolio brings numerous benefits to food and beverage manufacturers and consumers, as the company builds on its vision of the most sustainable food package. These benefits include minimising litter, as the cap will stay attached to the package. The carbon footprint can also be reduced because the company’s tethered caps are planned to become available as a plant-based option, therefore increasing the renewable content of the package. In tandem, the company is accelerating the expansion of its paper straws offering to ensure further renewable and low carbon materials across the range of packaging solutions. The aim of this is to address a broad range of customer sustainability needs without compromising on food safety, while still delivering on the end-user drinking experience. Tetra Pak’s tethered caps and paper straws developments mark the latest additions to its range of responsible end-to-end solutions, allowing manufacturers to achieve their ambitions in three essential areas – food safety, food waste and the environment - simultaneously.

Eric Le Lay, President of Huhtamaki’s Fiber Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania business, has been appointed President of the European Paper Packaging Alliance (EPPA) as of March 24, 2021. Representing Europe’s leading manufacturers of paper and fiber-based food and foodservice packaging, EPPA promotes food safety, circular solutions, and lower carbon emissions. The European paper and board packaging sector directly employs around than 50,000 people and supports the foodservice market, with an estimated turnover of EUR 70 billion, employing 1.6 million people and supplying 160 million consumers across the EU. Commenting on EPPA’s priorities for 2021, Eric Le Lay indicated that he will be focusing on better regulation and evidence-based policy making during his presidency. This to ensure that the legislation which affects paper-based packaging and the EU’s Green Deal ambitions is delivered based on sound evidence and better regulation principles and with a view to fostering environmentally viable solutions through innovation. “EPPA members are committed to reducing the environmental footprint of food and foodservice packaging without compromising food safety and human health protection. We will continue to build partnerships with organizations who share our focus on developing and delivering innovative and practical solutions to increase recycling and to reduce carbon emissions. EPPA, whose members represent both suppliers of renewable and sustainably produced raw materials and manufacturers of food service packaging, is committed to helping food retailers and hospitality businesses deliver the best consumer experience sustainably,” says Eric Le Lay, the newly appointed President of EPPA.

Sonoco announced it is implementing a $50 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning April 26, 2021. Sonoco said the price increase was in response to strong demand across its U.S. and Canada mill network which is driving significantly longer backlogs as well as stepped up inflation of input costs, especially freight, papermaking chemicals and packaging supplies.

Amcor and Mars Food today celebrate the supermarket roll-out of easier to recycle microwavable rice pouches in the UK. This new pouch, designed to be recycled, will be piloted with Uncle Ben’s® Ready to Heat Wholegrain rice, and will be available in Tesco stores from mid-April. The breakthrough innovation delivers on the commitment made by Amcor and Mars Food in December 2020 to deliver easier to recycle packaging for microwaveable food pouches in the first quarter of 2021. This innovation uses Amcor’s proprietary AmLite HeatFlex technology to allow Mars Food to retain the shape, long shelf-life, functionality and high safety standards needed for its ready-to-heat rice packaging whilst adding the benefits of being easier to recycle. Amcor’s recyclable* AmLite HeatFlex® technology has a broad range of applications for food products that require the packaging to be heated either during manufacturing or at-home consumption. The roll-out of Uncle Ben’s® (soon to be rebranded as Ben’s Original®), new pouch coincides with several major UK retailers announcing in-store trials to collect and recycle flexible packaging material such as this.

O-I Glass, Inc. announced a significant investment to support strong customer demand for highly sustainable glass packaging. O-I will invest approximately $75 million in an expansion at its Zipaquirá, Colombia facility. Upon completion by the end of 2022, the project is expected to add nearly 2 percent of capacity to the company’s Americas segment and produce about 500 million bottles annually. “Our customers recognize the strong brand building characteristics and superior sustainability profile that make glass the preferred packaging substrate. In particular, strong market growth and affinity for glass is fueling significant demand for glass packaging in the Andean market. Building on our highly successful expansion at the Zipaquirá facility in 2019, we are excited to add a fourth furnace with an attractive return on investment to support market growth. As a result, the facility will be one of O-I’s largest and most cost effective plants in the global network,” said Andres Lopez, O-I CEO.

Smurfit Kappa has designed a new integrated packaging system following close collaboration with Signify, the world leader in connected LED lighting systems, by designing the BioShift UV-C Chamber Case, used to ship and transport UV-C lights that have significant antibacterial properties, which kill germs and viruses. The new packaging solution is a 100% mono-material paper-based solution, that removes all plastics and reduces the number of packaging materials used, from five to one. The BioShift case is secured by a fit-to-size hood with special multi-use locks. The case is then placed on a corrugated pallet. In addition to providing a more sustainable solution, the new integrated packaging system also reduces costs. The BioShift UV-C Chamber’s lightweight design reduces assembly labour by 50% and reduces storage space by 30% which allows for 16 additional pallets per truck. The new packaging also guarantees 100% security during transport.

With Koehler NexPlus®, the Koehler Group is meeting the rapidly growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions - and this extends beyond just the food industry. Within the framework of an extensive sustainability project, Südzucker is changing all of its packaging to 100% recyclable solutions over the coming years. As part of this, Südzucker has changed the packaging material of its sugar sticks to Koehler NexPlus® Seal paper.

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced its second investment for 2021 in the wipes segment to support the long-term consumer behavior shift towards infection prevention, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The investment, located in Europe, will increase Berry’s production footprint in support of its global customers, with total investments reaching over $110 million in nonwoven materials for products such as hard surface disinfectant wipes. Prior to the demand surge of 2020, the European impregnated wet wipes segment, for home cleaning and disinfecting, was growing at the rate of five percent in the 2014 to 2019 time frame. COVID-19 has increased heightened focus on sanitation and personal hygiene for infection prevention, suggesting permanent consumer trends away from the chore of cleaning to a health and safety priority. “We strategically partner with many of the world’s leading brands with wipe materials, ensuring our investments align with demand for today and for the future. The reliability of our capacity and scale are paramount to our customer support and the trusted relationships we desire to maintain,” said Curt Begle, President of Berry’s Health, Hygiene, and Specialties Division.

We are so excited to announce the opening of our new branch facility in Kansas City, MO! With the growth and expansion of our customer base and sales representation into the Midwest, Kansas City is a prime location to service existing and new customers throughout Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska. Our team has been hard at work to get up and running at this new location. We have sales reps, inside sales, warehousing operations, logistics, technicians, and engineers based in and around Kansas City ready to serve this area of the country with the same care and attention that our customers have come to expect.

ePac is excited to announce the opening of its second Canadian location, this time in the Greater Toronto Area. ePac Toronto will open in June of 2021 and will be located at 209 Brunel Road, Mississauga, Ontario. Hila Frish joined as ePac Toronto’s General Manager, bringing over 18 years of management and manufacturing experience to her new position. The facility has begun taking orders, with fulfillment handled by ePac Vancouver until the official opening of ePac Toronto. According to George Boustani, Managing Partner for ePac’s Canadian operation: “We opened ePac Vancouver in December 2019, and realized the same rapid growth we’ve seen in other ePac locations around the world. Our value proposition of 5-15 day turnaround and low minimums resonates well with the Canadian market, and we’re excited to bring our community-based focus to Toronto”.

Metsä Group’s innovation company Metsä Spring and Valmet are building a demo plant in Äänekoski. The plant will manufacture new 3D fibre products for food packaging and other purposes. The demo plant reached its full height on 23 March 2021 with construction work proceeding as planned. The main equipment delivered by Valmet will be installed in the autumn 2021, and the first test runs should begin at the end of 2021 – approximately 12 months after the start of the construction. “The demo plant will test the production of new 3D fibre-based packaging. New packages will be tested with different partners to receive feedback on their market feasibility,” says Veli-Matti Hulkko, Technology Manager at Metsä Spring. The advanced production process is efficient and flexible. Wood fibre from Metsä Group’s mills could be used to produce large volumes of completely ready packages for different purposes.

After breaking ground two and a half years ago, Green Bay Packaging produced the first reel of paper at its new paper mill. According to officials, the construction of the new Green Bay Mill will preserve more than 1,100 Green Bay Packaging jobs across Brown County and over 1,500 jobs in Wisconsin. “These are exciting times at Green Bay Packaging as we ramp up production on our new paper machine. This is the single biggest project in our company’s history, and It certainly would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our internal people and our many partners and suppliers working together to turn this dream into reality,” commented Will Kress, Chairman and CEO of Green Bay Packaging.

Today a lack of both collection and processing infrastructure makes it difficult to keep waste out of landfill and meet consumer demands for more sustainable packaging. The prototype KitKat wrapper (pictured) demonstrates the opportunity to close-the-loop on recycling soft plastics and has been created by a coalition of companies with a shared vision to resolve the challenge of plastic waste in the environment. Partnering together, Nestlé, CurbCycle, iQ Renew, Licella, Viva Energy Australia, LyondellBasell, REDcycle, Taghleef Industries and Amcor leveraged their individual expertise to collect and process soft plastic waste, turn it back into oil using advanced recycling technology and create the prototype KitKat wrapper.

Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in February decreased two percent compared to February 2020. They were up one percent when compared to the same two months of 2020. The operating rate was 84.5 percent, essentially flat (-0.2 pts.) from February 2020 and up 0.6 points year-to-date. Mill inventories at the end of February increased 4,000 short tons from the previous month and were up 14,000 short tons compared to February 2020.

Fourth quarter 2020 net income from continuing operations was $6.5 million compared to net income from continuing operations of $1.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. Net income from ongoing operations, which excludes special items and discontinued operations, was $9.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 and $9.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. Full year 2020 net loss from continuing operations was $16.8 million compared to net income from continuing operations of $58.5 million in 2019. Net income from ongoing operations was $50.8 million in 2020 and $47.6 million in 2019.

Sonoco ThermoSafe and Unilode Aviation Solutions announce a partnership for the maintenance, repair and handling of Sonoco ThermoSafe’s passive bulk temperature-controlled containers at several key locations. This cooperation will play an important role in enabling the safe and efficient transport of pharmaceuticals and other temperature-sensitive products around the world. Sonoco ThermoSafe’s Pegasus ULD® is the world’s first FAA and EASA-approved passive bulk temperature-controlled container for pharmaceutical use, which enables it to speed through international ground handling and customs processes at the lowest possible cost. Engineered with composite materials, the Pegasus ULD® offers a lighter solution that is 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.

DS Smith has announced a £100 million of combined investment in two new packaging sites in Italy and Poland in response to increased customer demand. The investment follows significant growth over the past three years and supports our ambitious plans for further organic growth. With the sustainable paper-based packaging market expected to grow significantly as a result of increased adoption of e-commerce and continued expansion in traditional food and drink markets, the new sites will provide much needed capacity. We arewell positioned to respond to these trends with 85% of the Group’s overall offering focused on consumer goods. Through its focus on recyclable, paper-based packaging, it can also respond to market requirements for solutions to replace single-use plastic.

The Group's consolidated sales reached EUR 2,528.4 million and were therefore close to the previous year's level (2019: EUR 2,544.4 million). A volume-related increase in sales in the packaging division was offset by a price-related decrease in the cartonboard division. EBITDA increased by 2.4% or EUR 9.3 million to EUR 398.9 million (2019: EUR 389.6 million), the EBITDA margin to 15.8% (2019: 15.3%) ). At EUR 231.4 million, the operating result was 9.4% or EUR 23.9 million below the previous year (2019: EUR 255.3 million). Financial income of EUR 1.7 million (2019: EUR 1.4 million) was offset by financial expenses of EUR -7.9 million (2019: EUR -8.4 million). The “other financial result - net” changed to EUR -3.2 million (2019: EUR 2.8 million), primarily due to changes in the foreign currency result. At EUR 222.1 million, earnings before taxes were therefore 11.6% below the previous year (2019: EUR 251.1 million). Income taxes amounted to EUR 59.8 million (2019: EUR 60.9 million), resulting in an effective Group tax rate of 27.0% (2019: 24.3%).

The packaging industry is experiencing an unprecedented change: there is a strong push from both consumers and regulators for more sustainable solutions. As a result, brand owners have set ambitious targets for increasing the share of recyclable and fibre-based packaging. In order to achieve these targets, they need the help of the entire packaging value network; this is a huge opportunity for everyone involved. “The ultimate purpose of packaging is to protect the product during delivery and keep the contents safe to use. With many foods, for example, this means that packaging needs to offer protection against moisture or grease. Today these properties are typically achieved using plastic structures, but we are now working on fibre-based solutions that can satisfy these requirements, while offering additional benefits for climate and recycling,” says Janne Varvemaa, Director, Products and Technology at UPM Specialty Papers.

TC Transcontinental Packaging is thrilled to announce that it has won the Gold Award for Sustainability in the 2021 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition for the Maxwell House Canada 100% compostable coffee pod lidding and mother bag films. These breakthrough sustainable films are certified BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) industrial compostable which leaves zero waste, provides an environmentally friendly solution to the popular single serve pod, and responds to the demand for sustainable packaging without sacrificing product freshness, performance and convenience. “At TC Transcontinental, the development of sustainable products is firmly rooted in our long history of social responsibility. This award underscores our leadership position in crafting commercialized, sustainable packaging solutions, and is one of many recognitions for our work in this space including the award-winning recycle ready pouch for loose tea, compostable structure for closed-loop collection, and also compostable whole-bean packaging for coffee. It is gratifying to see how our values of performance, teamwork and innovation have culminated in the development of such an outstanding array of sustainable products,” said Thomas Morin, President of TC Transcontinental Packaging.

Amcor dual-chamber pouch secures Gold achievement award for technical innovation - The Amcor dual-chamber pouch is a specialty multi-chamber pouch with a breathable membrane separating the chambers. The innovative packaging format consists of a peelable device chamber and non-peelable desiccant chamber. The desiccant is kept separate from the device by a vented film allowing the headspace in the two chambers to equilibrate. This leading solution is ideal for moisture sensitive applications such as drug-coated products which may be adversely affected by ambient moisture content. The non-peelable chamber also can be used to house other scavenging technologies including oxygen. Versions of the Amcor dual -chamber pouch are available for both irradiation and ETO sterilization. Shield Pack® clear high-barrier aseptic IBC liner garners Gold achievement award for technical innovation - Amcor’s innovative designers were faced with a challenge: The up-to-300 gallons of aseptic product within a bulk package could not be examined until dispensing occurred due to the bulk package’s metallized structure. Providing extended shelf life and a high barrier were key, while also targeting the clarity manufacturers want. Shield Pack® clear high-barrier aseptic IBC liner provides clarity and durability that distribution demands, while the multi-layer structure safeguards against moisture, oxygen and environmental contamination. This exciting technology extends distribution range, reduces transit failures, improves product quality and color, all while delivering other important attributes, including extended shelf-life, durability and the clear packaging format manufacturers want.

Fourth Quarter 2020 Highlights (as compared to fourth quarter 2019): • Revenue increased 18% to $344.1 million primarily due to an increase in volume/mix primarily driven by increased demand in products with significant e-commerce or building and construction end-market exposure, including wateractivated tapes, protective packaging, and certain other tape products. • Net earnings attributable to the Company's shareholders ("IPG Net Earnings") increased $5.5 million to $17.1 million primarily due to an increase in gross profit, partially offset by increases in SG&A and income tax expense. Fiscal Year 2020 Highlights (as compared to fiscal year 2019): • Revenue increased 4.7% to $1,213.0 million primarily due to an increase in volume/mix primarily driven by increased demand in products with significant e-commerce or building and construction end-market exposure, including wateractivated tapes, protective packaging, and certain other tape products. • IPG Net Earnings increased $31.5 million to $72.7 million primarily due to an increase in gross profit and a gain resulting from a fair value adjustment to the Company's contingent consideration related to the Nortech Acquisition(2) , partially offset by an increase in SG&A.

Pregis announces its new film converting facility in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, and new machinery assembly facility in Germantown, Wisconsin to meet growing e-commerce demands for its Sharp Packaging Systems® by Pregis brand of poly bagging solutions. Production has been moved from nearby East Troy, doubling the number of converting lines. The facility converts multilayer coextruded polyethylene film (which has been blown at its Sussex, Wisconsin facility), into pre-opened bags supplied on a roll or in a box. The bags are used with Sharp Packaging bagging equipment at fulfillment centers to package and ship a broad variety of soft goods, pharma/nutraceuticals, and other non-fragile products. The high-output equipment only requires a small number of operators, enabling packers to social distance. To support the increased demand for equipment, Pregis is also moving its equipment assembly operations from the current Sussex, Wisconsin facility to a new location in Germantown, Wisconsin in Q2. This move enables more efficient assembly layout, double the production space to support current and future growth, and allows additional space for further expansion of its poly converting capacity at the current Sussex facility.

Huhtamaki Flexible Packaging Europe now offers three different tube laminate structures, for use in oral care and cosmetic products, which have been certified to be fully recyclable. The Huhtamaki team, together with partners Plastuni Lisses, member of the Somater Group, and Zalesi, have developed polyethylene (PE) based tubes that have been certified as fully recyclable within the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) container stream by RecyClass, the cross-industry initiative that works to advance plastic packaging recyclability and to establish a harmonized approach towards recycled content calculation and traceability in Europe. “The new recyclable blueloop laminates are a perfect example of effectively implementing sustainable design principles and contributing to the development of the circular economy,” says Jens Pilzecker, Head of Global Tube Laminates at Huhtamaki’s Flexible Packaging segment. “With these laminate structures we help our customers take a big step forward in addressing their sustainability targets as they can now package products in fully recyclable high-barrier tubes. In addition, this innovation is in line with our target of designing 100% of our products to be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2030.”

Atlantic Packaging is proud to announce that they have joined the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (the Alliance), a non-profit organization committed to ending plastic waste in the environment. In their capacity as an Alliance member, Atlantic will be collaborating with over 80 member companies, project partners, allies and supporters around the world to address this global issue. The Alliance’s mission is to develop, accelerate and deploy innovative and impactful solutions, engage communities around the world, and to catalyze investments.

Smurfit Kappa has approved transformational investment plans for its Mold plant in North Wales, that will further expand capacity at the facility, make it the largest box factory in the UK and allow the company to meet the growing demand for sustainable packaging. The investment in state-of-the-art equipment will reduce CO2 per tonne emissions by 15% at the plant. Commenting on the announcement, Smurfit Kappa UK and Ireland CEO, Eddie Fellows, said, “This investment in North Wales will increase our capability, flexibility and speed of response to deliver unrivalled, innovative packaging solutions to customers across the UK and Ireland. We are determined to meet the future needs of our customers in a sustainable way. It is vital that our investment has benefits for the local community and the environment.”

Amcor and the Alliance share the belief that collaboration and collective action are critical to eliminating plastic waste. Alliance membership also aligns with Amcor’s 2025 Sustainability Pledge to develop all its packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025.This new partnership is the latest example of Amcor’s commitment to better waste management and recycling infrastructure. Ron Delia, Amcor CEO, said, “Amcor’s extensive innovation capabilities are delivering packaging designed to achieve the commitment to make all our packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. But keeping waste out of the environment also requires collaboration across the global value chain for better waste management and recycling infrastructure, and to educate consumers. AEPW serves as a crucial forum for that collaborative effort across parties aligned on the need to deliver more sustainable outcomes. I am excited that Amcor is taking up this leadership role within the Alliance and we look forward to working with the other Alliance members to advance on our shared ambitions for responsible packaging.”

Paper-based packaging leader, Graphic Packaging International emphasizes its commitment to supporting beverage brands on their plastics reduction journey with its latest recyclable paperboard packaging solution, Cap-ItTM. Cap-It is an innovative clip with neck rings for multipack polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or recycled (rPET) bottles. The paperboard clip, made of renewable materials, is an alternative to traditional shrink film packaging, increasing overall pack recyclability to 100 percent.

Berry Global Group, Inc. released its 2020 Impact Report and GRI Index against its Impact 2025 strategy. In addition to this year’s report, Berry has increased its sustainability transparency by adding a comprehensive Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Appendix, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board Response (SASB), and document aligning to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). Throughout the report, Berry spotlights its sustainability achievements from its 2020 fiscal year. In step with Berry’s efforts and commitments to promote a more circular economy, the Company has invested heavily in increased access to recycled content and is helping its customers achieve the growing needs of their consumers. Through its success in package light-weighting, integration of post-consumer resin (PCR), design for circularity, and use of bio-resins, Berry continues to collaborate with customers to meet and exceed their sustainability goals. Notable highlights of progress regarding Berry’s environmental sustainability goals include: *Record percentage of PCR used *Secured access to 600 million pounds of PCR content by 2025 *Increased focus of lifecycle assessments *Announcement of closed loop program with Georgia-Pacific Recycling *Over 165,000 MWh of renewable energy purchased *Reduction in absolute water usage by two percent *ISCC Plus certification for seven sites in 2020, ensuring traceability of circular resins *Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by seven percent

Amcor has partnered with McKinsey.org, a nonprofit founded by global consultancy McKinsey & Company, to develop recycling and waste management solutions that can be applied across communities in Latin America. Amcor is supporting McKinsey.org’s “Rethinking Recycling” initiative in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which has worked with 5,000 households, trained more than 120 workers and helped communities to recycle a third of their waste. Before the initiative, there was no formal recycling system and only a minority of the population regularly sorted their waste. The project aligns with Amcor’s 2025 Sustainability Pledge and commitment to collaborate with partners globally to promote better waste management and recycling infrastructure.

Arrow Systems, Inc. has announced a partnership with Sihl Group to pair the Arrowjet Aqua 330R with the Sihl ARTYSIO line of flexible packaging materials. This partnership allows customers looking for ways to digitally print and pack flexible packaging inline in a single production step up to 12.75’’ wide with water based, pigment inkjet. “We feel that the flexible packaging space is one that has enormous growth potential," says Shaan Patel of Arrow Systems, Inc. “We understand that the majority of customers in this space are currently outsourcing their flexible packaging needs because, in the past it has been too costly or difficult to produce them in-house. We believe that the combination of the Sihl materials with our pigment inkjet press will allow more customers to begin producing their own short run flexible packaging.”

Although Bag-in-Box is already a very sustainable packaging, by enabling considerable plastic and CO2 reduction, Smurfit Kappa is continuing to focus effort on raw material innovations, especially by incorporating recycled or bio-based resins to our taps and bags, where the food safety regulations allow it. One of the main steps of this initiative has been recently achieved with the ISCC PLUS certification. The Vitop facility in Alessandria, Italy, that produces the best-selling Vitop® original taps for Bag-in-Box is proud to be the first plant in the Bag-in-Box industry to be ISCC Plus certified. The certification recognises that Vitop’s industrial processes and standards comply with the chain of custody of these bio-based and recycled resins. ISCC is a globally applicable sustainability certification system and covers all sustainable feedstocks, including bio-based and recycled resins and plastic packaging.

Fort Dearborn Company today announced that it has acquired Hammer Packaging Corporation. The combined organization takes advantage of Hammer’s state-of-the-art technology to enhance Fort Dearborn’s leadership position in the decorative label and packaging marketplace by further expanding the company’s geographic footprint, capacity and capabilities. With two facilities located in West Henrietta, NY and Rochester, NY, Hammer Packaging has a strong reputation for delivering innovation and quality product to a loyal and valued customer base. The combination will increase both companies’ capabilities to provide an even higher level of product and service offering to customers. The company’s product offering includes: cut & stack, in-mold, pressure sensitive, roll-fed, shrink and stretch sleeve labels as well as flexible packaging.

Smurfit Kappa is proud to announce that its support of and contribution to the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been recognised by Support the Goals. The company is the first FTSE 100 company to receive a five star rating. The SDGs are a universal call for action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Agreed in 2015 by world leaders, these goals can only be achieved with the support of businesses. Support the Goals is a global initiative that was established to rate and recognise those businesses that support the SDGs to work towards a more sustainable future. A five star rating is only awarded to companies who are actively involving their suppliers in their efforts towards reaching these goals. For most businesses, a significant amount of their environmental and social impact comes from the supply chain, therefore it is vitally important to help suppliers understand and support the SDGs.