Greif Plans to Acquire IPACKCHEM

Sole Source Capital LLC, an industrial-focused private equity firm, announced that its portfolio company, Dallas Plastics, a leading manufacturer of blown polyethylene film with printing, embossing, and other value-added capabilities for the medical, food, and industrial end markets, has acquired Emballage MPP, Inc. (“MPP”). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, MPP manufactures a diversified range of polyethylene-based blown film products, selling primarily to defensive end markets including medical, food packaging, and logistics. MPP’s location gives Dallas Plastics a foothold in Canada, significantly expanding the company’s addressable geographic market. The increased scale and geography enhances Dallas Plastics’ customer base and strengthens its leadership position in the production and distribution of high-performance specialty films used in flexible packaging.

DS Smith and Ipsos MORI, a global leader in market research, have conducted a new study that reveals despite the global health crisis, shoppers still have their eye on the environment; with 85% of buyers wanting to buy products that use as little packaging as possible, and almost a third (29%) disclosing that they have stopped purchasing specific brands on the grounds that their packaging was not sustainable. Regarding consumer perceptions of sustainability, the research concludes that whilst habits may have changed, attitudes have not, and it is these attitudes which continue to evolve. Notably, we discuss the extent to which consumers continue to prioritize sustainable packaging, and the willingness to act in favour of sustainable packaging has marginally increased. Furthermore, we emphasise the commercial risk for both brands and e-commerce retailers, in the absence of sustainable packaging and just how difficult it has become to ‘intercept’ the shopper journey.

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.”