U.S. Postal Service Releases 2024 Post-Election Analysis Report

The United States Postal Service released its 2024 Post-Election Analysis Report, outlining the agency's steps to process more than 99.22 million ballots in the 2024 general election. The full report can be read here: 2024 Post-Election Analysis Report. “In 2024, the Postal Service once again admirably performed our role of efficiently and effectively delivering the nation’s ballots,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “As we continue to transform the nation’s postal network to better meet the demands of the modern mailing and shipping customer, we stand ready to work with policymakers at all levels to make the nation’s effective vote by mail process even stronger.” The Postal Service’s success in 2024 was the result of a deepened focus on operational precision and integrated communications, the engagement of the USPS Election and Government Mail Services team and execution of longstanding, proven operational processes and procedures, including extraordinary measures.
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Deep Dive: When to use Store Drop-Off Recyclable Materials

As many brands have made commitments to using more sustainable packaging, a top priority tends to be shifting to recyclable or compostable packaging where possible. For brands who rely on flexible plastic films for their packaging, this can pose a challenge because of the lack of infrastructure in the U.S. to recycle these films through curbside programs. Given this challenge, companies are left with a few options to shift their packaging to: 1. Curbside-recyclable, fiber-based flexible packaging. 2. Compostable flexible packaging. 3. Rigid plastic packaging that is generally accepted for curbside recyclability. 4. Store drop-off, mono-material PE plastic. In other words, switching to an SDO-eligible film is just one option companies have when considering how to make their plastic film packaging more circular. So, when does it make the most sense to switch to each kind?
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Sun Chemical to Increase Prices for Its Global Pigments Portfolio

Sun Chemical will increase prices for parts of its pigment portfolio, effective January 1, 2025. Due to the rising costs of raw materials and production driven by inflation, along with ongoing efforts to comply with sustainability regulations, production expenses have significantly risen and necessitated the price increase. “While this price adjustment is essential to continue delivering innovative and reliable products in a challenging economic environment, Sun Chemical understands the impact of these changes on our customers,” said Brian Panczyk, President of Color Materials, Sun Chemical. “We will monitor these changing industry costs and work to limit further increases while continuing to maintain the highest quality and service standards for our customers.”
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Domtar’s Commitment to Certification

Domtar is a separate company from APP with its own management structure and governance. Domtar and APP will remain distinct entities, with no operational overlap and independent governance structures. The companies under the Domtar brand have long been among the most supportive champions of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Domtar actively engages with FSC policies, procedures, and practices, consistently seeking opportunities to engage suppliers to source more FSC-certified fiber. Domtar is continuing that engagement directly with FSC International to analyze and understand the implications of the Policy for Association and the Remedy Framework in light of this development. Domtar’s historical commitment to sustainable forest management and responsible fiber sourcing – as previously affirmed by the FSC – and its distinct separation in governance from APP should be considered in regards to its certification. The company remains committed to maintaining and continuously improving the sustainability of its operations while fostering strong collaboration with Indigenous partners and local communities.
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Ahlstrom expands its capabilities within specialty materials for life sciences with the acquisition of ErtelAlsop

Ahlstrom has acquired ErtelAlsop, a New York based manufacturer of high-performance liquid depth filter media serving end-markets in the pharmaceutical, food & beverage, flavors and fragrances, and chemical industries. As a global leader in specialty materials within lab and life sciences applications, the acquisition strengthens Ahlstrom’s position in the life science filtration market and allows Ahlstrom to enter the depth filtration space. It also marks a key milestone on Ahlstrom’s growth transformation journey and its vision to be the sustainable specialty materials company. ErtelAlsop will become part of Ahlstrom's Filtration and Life Sciences business and will be key to the company’s lab and life sciences filtration growth strategy.
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New financial targets and an investment program in North America to be presented at Billerud’s Capital Markets Day

Billerud is hosting a Capital Markets Day in Stockholm, where the updated strategy will be presented. Ahead of this event, the Board of Directors has decided on new long-term financial targets and on strategic investments in North America. Billerud’s updated strategy, “Way Forward”, reflects the company’s ambition to continue to be a leader in high performance paper and packaging materials. It aims to evolve towards paperboard while remaining committed to graphic and specialty paper in Region North America, and to strengthen the performance in Region Europe. “Going forward we will prioritize profitability over growth and drive performance. We will leverage the growing demand for fiber-based packaging and Billerud’s attractive niche positions, strong manufacturing capabilities and flexible production system. Successful delivery on our plans will enable a strong and competitive Billerud. We target to achieve EBITDA of above SEK 6 billion through our strategic initiatives,” says Ivar Vatne, President and CEO of Billerud.
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Irving Paper Again Reduces Operations Temporarily

Irving Paper will once again shut down 50 per cent of its operations beginning Monday December 2nd in response to NB Power’s record high industrial electricity rates, and remain down for at least a week. “NB Power’s continued delays at the Point Lepreau generating station have resulted in electricity rates being over one hundred percent higher than historic levels,” said Mark Mosher, Vice President of Pulp & Paper, J.D. Irving, Limited. “No business can absorb price increases of that level without negative impacts. Irving Paper has shut down or reduced its operations over 30 days so far in 2024, with more expected.” Irving Paper manufactures 400,000 tonnes of paper annually, over 95 per cent of which is exported to 65 countries. Current electricity rates have a massive impact on Irving Paper’s ability to compete.
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UPM Raflatac announces further progress towards Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment

UPM Raflatac has made further progress towards a more circular economy for plastics and a future beyond fossils during 2023. The progress towards the 2025 commitments is detailed in the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment 2024 Progress Report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). UPM Raflatac joined the Global Commitment as the first label materials company in October 2018. “As a global partner for sustainable material solutions, the Global Commitment is an important framework for us to transparently showcase our actions in tackling plastic waste and pollution. Through developing our product and service offer, our pledge is to help companies and brand-owners increase the circularity of their packaging,” says Robert Taylor, Sustainability Director, UPM Raflatac.
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PRC Provides Hearing Attendance and Viewing Information for Operational and Service Standard Changes Related to the Delivering for America Plan

The Postal Regulatory Commission will conduct a hearing at PRC offices on December 4, 2024, at 10 am regarding planned changes to the Postal Service’s processing and transportation networks. Docket No. N2024-1. The hearing will also be streamed for persons interested in remote viewing of the hearing. Information on attending the hearing and registration deadlines, is provided below and in the Commission’s filing at: https://prc.arkcase.com/api/prc-dockets/filing/downloadFile?fileId=226594&inline=true In-person attendance: 901 New York Avenue, Suite 200. Washington, DC 20236. Remote viewing: www.youtube.com/@thepostalregulatorycommiss9709. Reporters and media outlets should rsvp to Gail Adams at: gail.adams@prc.gov. Registration deadline: The deadline to register for attendance is December 2, 2024.
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Amcor and Kolon Industries partner to pioneer more sustainable polyester materials for packaging

Amcor has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Kolon Industries Inc., a leading South Korean chemical materials manufacturer, to co-develop and commercialize more sustainable polyester materials for selected applications in Amcor's flexible packaging business. This partnership represents a step forward in advancing packaging sustainability, combining Amcor's expertise in innovative packaging with Kolon’s high-polymer manufacturing technology. The collaboration focuses on technological exploration of chemically recycled PET (crPET) and polyethylene furanoate (PEF) materials. Kolon is pioneering an advanced recycling process to produce new PET from post-consumer bottles, fibers and flexible packaging. Using crPET supports Amcor’s commitment to integrating 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials by 2030.
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Trioworld achieves the highest sustainability rating from EcoVadis for the fourth consecutive year

Trioworld is a leading producer of innovative, high-performance plastic packaging solutions in Europe and North America. The Platinum rating places Trioworld in the top 1% of companies globally in business sustainability assessments. “I am again truly honoured by this fourth consecutive EcoVadis Platinum medal”, says Andreas Malmberg, CEO of Trioworld Group. “The EcoVadis Platinum medal helps us to provide our stakeholders with a deeper understanding of our ambitious ESG practices. This Platinum rating really highlights our dedicated work to achieve sustainable value chains in our industry on the journey towards a circular economy for plastics,” says Andreas Malmberg.
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New financial targets and an investment program in North America to be presented at Billerud’s Capital Markets Day

Billerud is hosting a Capital Markets Day in Stockholm, where the updated strategy will be presented. Ahead of this event, the Board of Directors has decided on new long-term financial targets and on strategic investments in North America. Billerud’s updated strategy, “Way Forward”, reflects the company’s ambition to continue to be a leader in high performance paper and packaging materials. It aims to evolve towards paperboard while remaining committed to graphic and specialty paper in Region North America, and to strengthen the performance in Region Europe.
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