Amazon reduces packaging waste with machine learning (chainstoreage.com)

Net sales increased by 31% in the second quarter. In comparable terms, growth reached 17%, driven by pricing actions. In most markets, demand developed favorably and has returned to pre-pandemic levels, however with some exceptions, particularly in China. Tensions on raw material availability limited our capacity to further grow volumes according to the demand, most notably in North America. We continued to mitigate the significant inflation which impacted all our major input costs, including raw materials, freight costs, energy and labor. We protected our profitability through operational efficiency improvements and pricing actions, with the adjusted EBIT increasing by 29%. Cash flow remained impacted by increased working capital and capital expenditure. We continued our organic investment into sustainable product innovation and business expansion. For example, we announced the expansion of our molded fiber product manufacturing unit in Hammond, Indiana, US. This investment in fiber technology supports market demand for more sustainable solutions in North America, such as egg cartons and cup carriers. The planned USD 100 million investment will start ramping up towards the end of 2023.

Amcor announced the North American launch of curbside-recyclable AmFiber™ Performance Paper packaging, part of the company’s AmFiber portfolio. Prequalified by How2Recycle®, performance paper meets the repulpability standards for curbside recycling, allowing brands to provide consumers with more sustainable end-of-life outcomes for packaging. Paper-based packaging alternatives employ innovative technologies to deliver the right barrier, shelf-life, and machine performance to meet brand and product needs. Consumers often seek paper-based packaging to deliver a more sustainable end-of-life, due to widespread curbside paper collection and recycling. And on the shelf, paper-based solutions meet consumers’ preferences for a natural look and feel.

Net sales in the fourth quarter were $2,858 million compared to $3,012 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 reflecting higher beverage can volumes in Americas Beverage and favorable foreign currency translation of $42 million, offset by the pass through of $145 million in lower material costs and lower volumes across most other businesses. Income from operations was $259 million in the fourth quarter compared to $229 million in the fourth quarter of 2022. Segment income in the fourth quarter of 2023 was $382 million compared to $292 million in the prior year fourth quarter reflecting higher beverage can volumes in Americas Beverage and the contractual recovery of prior years' inflationary cost increases in European Beverage, both more than offsetting the under-absorption of fixed costs.