SCA to increase Kraftliner price by €50 per tonne

Billerud presents a machine glazed kraft paper especially adapted and validated for wrapping toilet and kitchen paper rolls. Hitting the sustainability sweet spot – renewable, recyclable and biodegradable, but also enduring tough handling as good as any PE plastic. Toilet and kitchen paper rolls are consumed in enormous numbers every day. For brand owners, switching from plastic to this paper wrapping would mean a significant sustainability gain. But also, for meeting consumer preferences. An Ipsos Global survey of 20 000 consumers (2021) shows that three out of four consumers want to get rid of single-use plastics. So, this new alternative from Billerud is a strong tool to decrease the gap between brands and consumers. Sustainability and a low carbon footprint are obvious strengths, but the new wrapping has more up its sleeve. Billerud’s white, long, soft virgin fibers enable excellent printability. The packaging will certainly stand out on the shelf.

With the first half of 2025 behind us, Packaging Digest’s January prediction that smart packaging and branding would play a pivotal role in the year’s packaging design strategies is bearing out. The integration of digital technology with physical marketing collateral, including packaging, continues apace. “Today’s consumer expects every brand interaction to reinforce a distinct personality and promise, whether they’re scrolling a mobile ad, picking up a product on shelf, or engaging with content in store or on social,” says Philip Congello, EVP of client success at marketing agency Mod Op. The idea of a brand world will become more prominent, where all aspects of a brand’s visual and experiential elements are unified. This includes packaging, advertising, digital experiences, and in-store displays and artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced tech creating a cohesive and immersive brand experience. The brand world is getting bigger.

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has made an investment decision to renew the folding boxboard machine at Simpele, which will improve the quality of folding boxboard and increase production efficiency. The investment will enable the replacement of fossil fuels in paperboard production, and supports Metsä Board's target of fossil free production at all its mills by the end of 2030. The renewal will increase the mill's production capacity by around 10,000 tonnes, which will bring the annual production capacity of Simpele folding boxboard to around 310,000 tonnes. The Simpele mill produces high quality lightweight folding boxboard, mainly for food and pharmaceutical packaging. The investment will start immediately and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025. The investment value is approximately EUR 60 million, divided over the period 2024–2026.