Georgia-Pacific Invests $50 Million in Port Hudson Mill to Enhance Retail Consumer Towel Business

Smurfit Kappa announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Pusa Pack S.L., a bag-in-box packaging plant located in Onda, close to Castellón in the Valencian region. Pusa Pack S.L. specialises in the manufacture of large-capacity flexible bags, sized from 200 to 1500 litres ,which are used for the storage and transport of bulk food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and other liquid and semi-liquid products. Pusa Pack will be integrated into Smurfit Kappa’s Bag-in-Box operations in Spain. Commenting on the acquisition, Thierry Minaud, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box, said: “Heavy-duty packaging is evolving towards more environmentally friendly solutions. We increasingly see the trend of companies moving away from plastic or stainless steel intermediate bulk containers (IBC) in favour of much more sustainable corrugated solutions which have a considerably lower carbon footprint.

Consumers want products that enable them to lead more eco-friendly lives. This means minimising waste, carbon footprints and reducing the use of plastic. Stora Enso is responding to these needs with renewable packaging innovations, including formed fiber, a renewable and recyclable material that enables molding 3D shapes from wood fibers. “We are finding growth in sustainable and innovative packaging. To stay ahead of the curve, we are investing in next generation fiber molding technologies,” says Anna Jonhed, SVP Formed Fiber at Stora Enso. Recently Stora Enso became a shareholder of PulPac, a Swedish sustainable packaging technology company working to establish Dry Molded Fiber as the next global standard for sustainable packaging, replacing single-use plastics with circular fiber solutions.

Huhtamaki has decided to initiate the process to divest its operations in Russia. This follows an earlier decision to stop all investments in Russia at the outbreak of the invasion of Ukraine. Huhtamaki considers that the current evolution of the situation and the long-term outlook in Russia will prevent the realization of its growth strategy and long-term ambitions in the country. Huhtamaki will continue to prioritize investments that capture the significant growth opportunities in the rest of the world, in line with its global ambitions and 2030 Strategy. The safety and wellbeing of all our colleagues remain of paramount importance. Huhtamaki has four manufacturing units in Russia, employing approximately 700 people and has successfully supported global and local customers over the last 30 years. The net sales in Russia represent approximately 3% of the Group’s total net sales. Huhtamaki will explore the market for potential buyers and will maintain its operations during this transitional period, subject to supply chain availability, to meet its contractual and regulatory obligations and to safeguard employees and customers.