Asahi to Become First Japanese User of WestRock CanCollar® Eco Packaging

UPM Specialty Papers, Lantmännen Unibake and Adara have co-created a new fibre-based packaging that replaces plastic bags as primary packaging for frozen baked goods. To minimize the use of fossil-based materials, the companies joined forces to create a solution where the plastic bags were eliminated by using UPM Asendo™ barrier paper as an inner liner in the corrugated cardboard box; the barrier paper layer ensures food safety and freshness. “The partnership with Lantmännen Unibake and Adara opened the opportunity to unite our expertise across the food packaging value network to create a renewable and recyclable packaging solution for frozen bread. Lantmännen Unibake and a third-party food industry development company conducted thorough testing and analysis on the impact of packaging materials on the taste of the frozen bread; as a result UPM Asendo was chosen as the inner liner for the cardboard box. The food safe UPM Asendo barrier paper layer has proven to offer the grease and moisture resistance needed while ensuring food safety,” says Kirsi Lahtela, Product Manager, UPM Specialty Papers.

Cascades Inc. announces that it will close its packaging plant in Maspeth, New York, as part of the Corporation's modernization and optimization efforts in the Northeastern United States. "To support our future development and better serve our customers, we are announcing today that the Maspeth plant's output will gradually be redeployed to our other facilities. This decision was necessary as the current site has reached its physical limits. This transition will be seamless for all of our customers. The property has already been put up for sale for US$72 million," said Charles Malo, President and Chief Operating Officer of Cascades Containerboard Packaging. Click Read More below for additional detail.

WestRock Company, a global manufacturer of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, broke ground yesterday on a 285,000 square foot expansion at its consumer packaging facility in Claremont. The $47 million investment was bolstered by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund and is expected to create 50 new jobs by the end of next year. During yesterday’s groundbreaking ceremony, WestRock project manager and Catawba County native Jason Smitherman remarked, “WestRock has operated on these grounds for 25 years, and this investment ensures we will be here for many more to come. This project would not have been possible without the commitment to and belief in WestRock by the City of Claremont, Catawba County, and the state of North Carolina.” The expanded facility and its employees will support WestRock’s production of sustainable, fiber-based packaging for some of the world’s leading food, food service and beverage brands.