ProAmpac acquires packaging supplier Prairie State Group (canplastics.com)

Inteplast Group acquired Brown Paper Goods, which is now rebranded as Brown Paper Products (BPP). The paper manufacturer is located in Waukegan, IL, and Coppell, TX, with four locations comprising plants and warehouses. Brown Paper Products will operate under Inteplast Group’s IBS Division. In 2023, leading sales for Brown Paper Products include pinch bottom bags for various prepared hot and cold foods; sandwich, foil, and sub wraps; self-opening sacks; tin tie bags, butcher and freezer rolls, and more. Group President Dr. John Young welcomed BPP Owner Allen Mons via an internal announcement on Wednesday, April 3. “We are honored and humbled to welcome a great dedicated team led by Allen. Brown’s century-old reputation for service and quality is well-known to the marketplace, and we intend to continue the same legacy under Allen’s leadership. We are also happy to be able to address our customers’ needs as part of an ever-changing and evolving landscape that also mirrors our own drive towards supporting a circular economy as applied to both paper and plastics packaging,” Dr. Young said.

Konraad Dullaert has been appointed Executive Vice President for Food and Consumer Packaging division and Chief Innovation Officer effective June 19, 2024. He continues as a member of the Executive Management Team. He succeeds Mark Ushpol, who will pursue his career outside Ahlstrom, as previously announced. Konraad joined Ahlstrom in 2023 as EVP for Science, Innovation and Sustainability. In his new role he will continue to lead Ahlstrom’s global innovation agenda in addition to leading the global Food and Consumer Packaging business. Konraad has a proven track record in leading global businesses in the engineering plastics division in Royal DSM, and he has held senior executive leadership positions in Covestro and Royal DSM. He has extensive experience in leading large-scale business transformations and driving sustainable growth by working closely with customers and other stakeholders.

Aptar Closures has been the industry leader in providing flow control dispensing solutions for more than 25 years. Its award-winning SimpliCycle recyclable valve is driving sustainability to the forefront of packaging innovation, and in September 2022, RecyClass confirmed its full compatibility with polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recycling streams. RecyClass is a non-profit, cross-industry initiative facilitating the transition toward a circular plastic economy in Europe. The organization published Design for Recycling Guidelines and, in partnership with independent laboratories, evaluates a variety of products to assess their ability to be recycled. The RecyClass approval provides brands with confirmation that Aptar closures featuring the SimpliCycle valve can directly contribute toward their full packaging recyclability goals. As a result, this summer, SimpliCycle has launched in a variety of dispensing closures with brands in several consumer end markets in Europe.