ProMach, a worldwide leader in packaging machinery solutions, announced today it has acquired Reepack. Reepack is a leading manufacturer of high-quality flexible packaging machinery known for their vacuum chambers, thermoformers, tray sealers, and flow wrappers. The addition of Reepack helps ProMach continue expansion in the food packaging space and solidifies their status as a single-source supplier for protein-packaging automation. Reepack joins six other best-in-class product brands under ProMach's Flexibles & Trays business line. With the acquisition of Reepack, ProMach gains a key application technology in flow wrapping, adding to their overall flexible packaging capabilities, and also expands their existing capabilities in horizontal thermoforming.

The revolutionary 3D-formable BillerudKorsnäs FibreForm® paper offers a low-carbon packaging alternative to plastic and an exciting opportunity for inspiring designs. The creative FibreForm® is cold-formable and available in both white and brown paper. The unique FibreForm® material helps brand owners on their journey towards sustainable packaging. Firstly, the paper’s high strength enables packaging, such as carrier bags, to be reused multiple times. The paper is cold-formable and, therefore, requires less energy than plastic packaging during converting. Furthermore, it is 100% renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable.

At approximately 19.40 BST yesterday evening a fire broke out in an adjacent premises to the Smurfit Kappa SSK Paper Mill in Birmingham. High winds carried the fire which reached the mill’s recovered fibre yard. Smurfit Kappa would like to thank both West Midlands Fire Service staff and the SSK team for their swift and professional response in controlling the fire within a few hours and ensuring the safety of all. The paper mill itself is unaffected and we do not expect any material impact on production.

Spadel and DS Smith launch a new 5 litre package that has been innovatively designed to ensure it’s not only practical, but sustainable too. The respective market leaders, who specialize in natural mineral water and sustainable packaging solutions, joined forces to create the Eco Pack. The octagonal box comprises of cardboard and a flexible inside plastic bag that has room for 5 litres of liquid. Its efficient use of materials enables a 65% reduction in plastic* while also extending the waters shelf life. The octagonal 5L Eco Pack is the latest innovation flowing from Spadel and DS Smith’s partnership over the last decade. As a B-Corp certified company, Spadel consistently seeks new ways to reduce its environmental footprint. DS Smith helped Spadel find and tailor its ideal packaging solution using their PackRight approach. This is a collaborative, four-step development process: starting with gaining insights, then moving on to pack development, testing and implementation. DS Smith’s Supply Cycle Thinking guided Spadel every step of the way to identify specific needs and optimize their 5L SPA® Reine Eco Pack.

American Packaging Corporation has announced that it's opening a new 275,000-square-foot Center of Excellence manufacturing facility in Cedar City, Utah. The new operation will add over 135 high-paying jobs to Iron County. APC purchased the land in October 2021 and officially broke ground on February 8, 2022, during a groundbreaking ceremony with civic leaders and company officials. The new facility is expected to open and be fully operational in June 2023, and will include flexographic printing presses, laminating, preformed pouching and finishing equipment. APC will hire 75 new APC team members as part of phase one, with career opportunities in manufacturing, production, engineering and administration.

Josh Curtis from Ravensbourne University in London triumphed in the UK Packaging Design Impact Award (PIDA) and earned this year’s Gold Award. His entry “Ritini” impressed the jury with its shape, branding, and versatility. “Ritini” is an eye-catching package, a branding tool and a clever dispenser all rolled into one. The word Ritini is Greek for resin and the tear-shaped package design is inspired by the drops of resin that are the key ingredient of the vegan chewing gum. “They are the Tears of Chios,” says Josh Curtis. “The package is designed with a colour palette that is typical of Greece. It’s user friendly, easy to dispense the gum and fits perfectly in your hand.” At PIDA, design students from universities and colleges from seven countries compete with their creative packaging designs. The competition is organized as five separate events: the USA, Sweden, France/Belgium, the UK, China*, and Germany/Austria. The winners of the Gold Award at each event will meet in a Grand Finale at Luxe Pack Monaco in October.

The “sustainable watch packaging” project between the two independent, family-owned companies Koehler Paper and Mühle-Glashütte focuses on developing high-quality yet sustainable packaging for a luxury watch — two characteristics that it has previously been difficult to combine in communication with customers. Koehler Paper came up with the idea of producing environmentally friendly, luxury packaging made from 100% recycled paper and designed to contain a high-quality watch. Family company Mühle-Glashütte, known for its nautical instruments and high-quality mechanical wristwatches, was taken on as a collaboration partner. Sustainability and recyclability are the main requirements for the packaging that Koehler developed together with Mühle-Glashütte and other project participants. Thilo Mühle, Managing Director at Mühle-Glashütte, stresses: “The collaboration project with Koehler Paper makes it clear that luxury no longer needs to be a guilty pleasure. What’s more, the craftsmanship of two family companies steeped in tradition is brought together here. This is reflected in the results.”

Amcor unveiled a product rebrand designed to give customers a clearer, holistic view of its growing portfolio of more sustainable packaging solutions. This significant marketing effort provides customers with greater visibility and transparency of Amcor’s extensive product portfolio that has grown over the years through innovation and strategic acquisitions. The redesign of Amcor’s innovative product portfolio highlights three key differentiating benefits for customers: the most advanced solutions in more sustainable packaging; product functionality and differentiated solutions for high growth market segments such as healthcare, dairy and protein; and performance characteristics across a wide range of material options.

International beauty packaging manufacturer and provider Quadpack and Aptar Beauty + Home, worldwide leader in the design and manufacturing of beauty dispensing solutions, have jointly developed a refillable lipstick which pushes the boundaries of sustainability and sensory appeal in makeup packaging. In a spirit of collaborative innovation, the two companies have blended their respective expertise in wood and stick mechanisms to create a product that delivers a great consumer experience: the Iconic Woodacity® Lipstick. Jeremy Garrard, Quadpack’s Director of Market Development, said, “This has been a project firmly based on shared value. Aptar is a respected partner with whom we have a strong history of collaboration. Now, we are leveraging each other’s complementary technologies, market positioning and customer base, to create a refillable makeup solution that really makes a difference.” Sergi Berthet, Vice-President, General Manager Beauty EMEA at Aptar, said, “This solution combines Aptar’s expertise in mechanisms for prestige lipsticks, with Quadpack’s know-how in high-end wood solutions. Our partnership has led to an innovative and premium refillable lipstick, which illustrates our common goal of a sustainable future for packaging”.

CANPACK commemorated the completion of the steel framing for the new 862,000-square-foot aluminum beverage can manufacturing plant during a Topping Off ceremony with Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and local community officials and leaders. The future plant will be home to approximately 345 well-paying, local jobs. The beam marks a significant construction milestone for the property since its groundbreaking in September 2021. Officials expect construction to be completed in time for plant operations to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022. “It’s an exciting time to be in Muncie to celebrate the construction milestone of CANPACK’s second US-based, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility,” said Peter Giorgi. “We appreciate the warm welcome and look forward to becoming an integral part of the Muncie-Delaware County community and contributing to the remarkable business environment that exists throughout the state.”

Smurfit Kappa has invested USD23.5 million to upgrade its Nuevo Laredo sheet plant in Mexico to become a fully integrated corrugated plant. The investment includes a state-of-the-art corrugator and extension of the building. The new machine, which began operating last week, will have the two-pronged benefits of reducing CO2 emissions by up to 40% and doubling production capacity. The Nuevo Laredo plant is located in the Tamaulipas region in Northeastern Mexico where Smurfit Kappa has strong partnerships in the industrial, electrical appliances and electronics sectors. The region represents 3.3% of the country’s GDP and is home to over 200 companies which manufacture products for the US. The increased capacity will streamline Smurfit Kappa’s operations in San Antonio, Texas where a fast-growing appetite for sustainable packaging is demanding larger production volumes.

Huhtamaki, a key global advanced manufacturer of sustainable packaging solutions, announced plans to expand its molded fiber product manufacturing unit in the city of Hammond, Indiana, as part of its investment in Fiber Solutions. The investment, which is expected to start ramping up towards the end of 2023, will enable Huhtamaki to better serve existing and new customers in North America with a broad range of sustainable, fully recyclable and compostable, fiber-based packaging solutions, manufactured from 100% recycled North American raw material. “The investment in this new manufacturing capacity, adjacent to our existing site in Hammond represents our strong belief in the future development of the region and in the continued success of our customers – both current and new. The expansion will introduce new sustainable fiber-based products such as egg cartons and cup carriers – manufactured on state-of-the-art machinery developed by Huhtamaki – to our portfolio in the region and drive production efficiency. Our know-how in key packaging technologies and our strong track record in sustainability make us extremely well positioned to support our customers and deliver on their sustainability agendas and goals with innovative solutions”, says Charles Héaulmé, President and CEO of Huhtamaki. Amounting to a total investment of almost USD 100 million, the expanded facility covers circa 23,000 square meters and will be built adjacent to Huhtamaki’s existing Hammond manufacturing unit. Huhtamaki has operated in Hammond, Indiana, since 1948 and currently has approximately 140 employees. It expects to employ a further 100 new employees when fully operational.

A conscious golfer's eco-feat is to buy golf balls in packaging that has a new life as an insect hotel once the packaging has been used. This innovative idea and packaging solution has recently received the most public votes in the spring 2022 New Wood project competition. It is a concrete example of circular economy, where a product, after its primary use, has another function before it ends up in the recycling. The Finnish Golf Coat Ltd wanted to create a packaging solution for its best-selling product that supported biodiversity and promoted the circular economy. Golf Coat's brand is based on eco-friendliness and biodegradability of products, so the use of a reusable box was particularly suited to the company's values and mindset. "Our aim was to create a simple, smart and cost-effective structure that would be easy to assemble and fill with, for example, leaves, saw dust or dry grass after its primary use as a golf ball box. Metsä Board and its partners developed an insightful packaging that provides an artificial nesting structure and shelter for insects and pollinators," says Aki Kuivaniemi, CEO of Golf Coat Oy.

Hilex®, a Novolex® brand, announced the introduction of the ProWAVE® Tote, a new recyclable, reusable tote bag that makes e-commerce even more convenient for supermarkets, restaurants and retailers — as well as their customers. The innovative new bag, made with 20% recycled content, is designed for curbside pickup, home delivery or carryout use. The bag features folded handles and a double-ply top that provides stiffness so the bag stays open, making loading easier and more convenient. The rectangular bottom optimizes the use of storage in a vehicle’s trunk or back seating area. The reusable bag is ideal for hot, frozen or refrigerated items. “The ProWAVE Tote is carefully designed to meet the needs of e-commerce retailers and customers alike,” said Frank Lawson, Vice President of Sales for Novolex. “It makes life easier and more convenient for everyone.”

Metsä Spring, Metsä Group’s innovation company, has launched a new 3D fibre product called Muoto®. Muoto has been produced at Metsä Group’s and Valmet’s demo plant in Äänekoski since May 2022, and is made of Metsä Group’s wood fibres. Muoto is a significant initiative in the packaging market. It is user-friendly, sustainable and scalable and features advanced technology. Using brand new technology, the products are pressed into their final form and their properties can be tailored during the production process according to the intended purpose. The raw material of Muoto grows in northern, sustainably managed forests and is fully traceable. Both renewable and recyclable, Muoto is a good alternative to fossil plastic, for example, in food packaging, including serving dishes or containers of various sizes and shapes. Packaging that is produced to meet a specific need is ideal for reducing food waste.

ePac Flexible Packaging, the industry leader in quick turn, short and medium run-length flexible packaging, has announced it will be adding a third location in Canada. Adding to operations in Vancouver and Toronto, ePac Montreal will serve CPG brands of all sizes throughout Quebec province, and its combined 3 Canadian locations will serve all of Canada. According to George Boustani, Managing Director of ePac’s Canadian operations: “Since opening ePac Vancouver in 2019 and Toronto in 2021, demand for our services has grown rapidly. To keep pace, we’ve decided to add a new sales and marketing location – ePac Montreal. In fact we are now accepting orders in Quebec, and fulfilling them from our other Canadian operations.”

Hilex®, a Novolex® brand, today announced the launch of RollStar EZ Open Produce Bags that solve a vexing problem for shoppers: how to open a produce bag with sides that “stick” together. RollStar EZ Open Produce Bags come in different gauges and sizes for fruits and vegetables. Also available are RollStar bags designed for meat, fresh seafood and bakery items. The RollStar compact dispenser makes it simple for shoppers to take one bag at a time, reducing waste by ensuring they take only the bags they need. In addition to being easier to open, the new bags offer a number of other key features: *The Star Seal bottom bags are leak-proof and stronger than conventional flat seal bags; *The universal dispenser is narrow, fits in a variety of spaces and is compatible with most roll bags; *Custom fixtures and custom prints are available; *The bags are made at multiple manufacturing facilities, ensuring business continuity for single-source customers.

Stora Enso’s new 100% virgin fiber-based kraftliner, AvantForte WhiteTop, is now commercially available. The white top kraftliner targets demanding premium segments, such as fresh food, e-commerce, and shelf-ready packaging. AvantForte WhiteTop kraftliner is engineered to meet brand owners’ need for safe, high-performing, and plastic-free packaging. The new product will serve end-uses that require exceptional strength, purity, and visual appearance. Through Stora Enso’s patent-pending technology, Tri-Ply™, the product is equipped with three fiber layers to maximize its strength and help converters and brand owners use less material than with traditional kraftliners.

Our commitment to strengthening the Circular Economy is illustrated by several goals in our Twentyby30 sustainability program, including increasing metal recycling rates in all our major markets. Ambitious targets have been set, from a 70% recycling rate in the U.S. by 2030, to 80% in EMEA in the same timeframe. We are collaborating with industry associations and other partners around the globe to achieve our goals. For example, together with other canmakers and aluminum suppliers, we are working closely with Every Can Counts (ECC) – an initiative to promote recyclability of metal containers among consumers.

Greif has launched a lightweight, high-performance jerrycan in Brazil suitable for packaging agrochemicals, chemicals, flavors, fragrances, and beverages. The JCR20L is almost 20 percent lighter than the standard 20-liter jerrycan. The reduced weight accommodates up to seven percent more jerrycans per pallet and 6.7 percent greater warehouse storage capacity. In addition, the lighter weight means lower collection costs for recycling. Internal analysis indicates that the combination of these factors amounts to a 25 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the standard 20-liter jerrycan.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, has collaborated with Austrian mechanical engineering company EW Technology to launch a new machine for paper pallet wrapping that is more efficient and sustainable on small-to-medium production lines. The two companies worked together to design the innovative machine, which fills a gap Mondi identified in the pallet wrapping market. Offering two settings, the machine can be fully automated to wrap up to 60 pallets every hour or semi-automated to wrap 10-15 pallets per hour. The machine takes a full reel of Mondi’s Advantage StretchWrap paper, allowing customers to replace the multi-layer plastic which is currently the industry standard for pallet wrapping. Advantage StretchWrap is 100% virgin paper, created with renewable materials and fully recyclable in existing paper waste streams across Europe. It contains no plastic or coating, but still ensures excellent strength and tension absorption.

The Better with Less – Design Challenge 2022 is now open for submissions. The competition invites designers around the world to create the zero-waste packaging of the future and is open for submissions from 1 June to 1 December, 2022. A world-class jury of renowned package design experts will be looking for lighter, smarter, and circular solutions for some of the most common consumer packages. The competition is organized by a leading European paperboard producer Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group. “In the future, circular economy will guide all consumption. The need for packaging keeps growing, and we must use design in more innovative ways to respect the resources of our planet,” says the Better with Less – Design Challenge jury chairman Ilkka Harju, Packaging Services Director, EMEA and APAC at Metsä Board. “We are asking competition entrants to acknowledge the package’s entire lifecycle from efficient design to easy recycling and purposeful reuse – producing zero waste. It is huge responsibility, but also a brilliant playground for innovation,” he adds.

Ahead of the United Nations World Food Safety Day Tetra Pak announced its new set of research collaborations and programmes to further accelerate efforts to address challenges facing food systems worldwide. The initiative is part of the company’s drive to nurture an innovation ecosystem to open new opportunities in the areas of food availability, safety and sustainability. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation UN FAO, the world is in a very different place compared to six years ago, when it committed to the goal of ending hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition by 2030. The current reality is that we have not been progressing fast enough towards ensuring access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food for all people. As an example, over 2 billion people did not have access to enough safe and nutritious food in 2020.

To gain insight into brand-owner and converter perspectives on over-the-counter pharmaceutical and wellness product packaging, we recently conducted a study with key stakeholders in the field. Through these conversations, we discovered some confusion exists surrounding the sustainability of packaging materials. In this article, we will share some of our findings and help clarify some of the benefits and challenges of over-the-counter packaging sustainability. We will also cover results from an LCA study we recently conducted on fiber-based pharmaceutical packaging. For over-the-counter (OTC) product brand-owners, packaging is critical: high standards for quality and safety mean strict attention to protecting the product inside. On crowded shelves, it’s important to differentiate with packaging that attracts interest, reflects such high standards, and communicates vital information about the product. Furthermore, today’s over-the-counter brands and their retailers seek to improve the sustainability of their packaging and adapt to increasing e-commerce.

For the First Quarter of Fiscal 2022 *Net sales increased 21.0% to $2.3 billion compared to $1.9 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 due to the favorable impact of fewer COVID-19 restrictions compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2021. *Comparable sales (sales for stores open at least 14 months and e-commerce sales) increased 18.0%, driven by a 10.0% increase in transactions and an 7.3% increase in average ticket. *Gross profit increased to $941.0 million compared to $753.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. As a percentage of net sales, gross profit increased to 40.1% compared to 38.9% in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, primarily due to leverage in fixed costs, strong growth in other revenue, and favorable channel mix shifts, partially offset by lower merchandise margin. *Operating income increased to $437.7 million, or 18.7% of net sales, compared to $305.3 million, or 15.8% of net sales, in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. *Net income increased to $331.4 million compared to $230.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.

Paddock Enterprises a wholly owned subsidiary of O-I Glass, Inc. , announced that an order confirming its Plan of Reorganization was entered by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, paving way to the implementation of the Plan and the final stage in the Chapter 11 process. “We are pleased to have achieved this significant milestone resolving Paddock’s legacy liabilities in a manner that is fair and equitable, and provides finality for the company moving forward,” said Andres Lopez, CEO of O-I Glass. “The broad support for the Plan among Claimants is indicative of the positive outcome it delivers to all parties. We look forward to implementing the final steps in the Chapter 11 process following this confirmation by the Bankruptcy Court.”

ProAmpac, a leader in flexible packaging and material science, announced that it has acquired Specialty Packaging, Inc., a family-owned manufacturer of specialty paper, film and foil packaging products for the fast food and food services industries. The addition of Specialty Packaging’s complementary product portfolio and manufacturing capabilities extends ProAmpac’s reach with food service customers and expands its footprint to the southwestern United States.Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Specialty Packaging is a leading provider of paper, film, foil bags, sandwich wraps, basket liners and other custom products for longtime blue-chip fast food and food service brands. The company produces custom and stock paper, film and foil products from its state-of-the-art 100,000 square-foot facility. With this acquisition, ProAmpac broadens its portfolio of highly customized, recyclable food packaging solutions and increases its paper bag converting capacity.

The United Group (TUG) National Conference, held in Orlando, FL, awarded Stretch Films the Supplier Industrial Gold Award on April 29. Marketing Manager Ronald Casalino on behalf of the AmTopp Division business unit. The TUG supplier award arrived only a few weeks before the June startup of AmTopp new stretch film lines at its Remington, IN plant, which is a replicate of its sister facility in Phoenix. The capacity of the plant is about 50 million pounds per year. “On the eve of starting up our new Remington plant’s extrusion lines, this award reinforces our confidence as we continuously expand the stretch film business. In turn, the new capacity in Indiana will help us better serve our distributor partners,” said Hsieh.

Klabin, Brazil’s largest producer and exporter of packaging paper, and the leader in the corrugated board packaging and industrial bags segments, takes another important step in its business strategy with the announcement of EkoFlex, its first paper for flexible packaging. The solution is targeted at diverse segments, such as food, hygiene, cleaning and pharmaceuticals, and helps to significantly reduce the use of plastic across the consumption chain. EkoFlex is produced from softwood (pine), resulting in an extensible paper with lower grammage, which offers better performance and greater resistance, with application in diverse market segments, especially in flexible packaging options such pillow bags, flow packs, stand up pouches and box pouches. EkoFlex is produced from Klabin paper, with feedstock from renewable sources derived from planted and certified forests. It is a repulpable and recyclable solution that is also certified for contact with food. The product is already available for sale in both the Brazilian market and for exports.

The operations at Metsä Group’s and Valmet’s 3D fibre product demo plant in Äänekoski has begun. At the end of 2020, Metsä Group’s innovation company Metsä Spring and Valmet announced they would be investing a total of approximately 20 million euros in the demo plant. The demo plant is part of Metsä Group’s integrated mill site in Äänekoski, and it produces finished 3D fibre packaging products directly from wet pulp without intermediate phases. The moulded fibre-based packaging can replace plastic for example in food packaging. The demo plant currently employs approximately ten people. “Our fibre-based packaging products are a significant new initiative in the global packaging market. The novelty in our products include their layered structure, which, in turn, allows their production in a raw material and energy efficient manner applying a highly automated production process. The layered structure also allows the products to be easily modified for different purposes. The customers’ reception of the new product has been very positive. We know we’re on the right path,” says Metsä Group’s project lead, VP, Jarkko Tuominen.

Smurfit Kappa, one of the world's largest paper-based packaging companies, has announced the construction of a new packaging plant in Morocco, its first corrugated plant in the country. Located in Rabat and covering an area of 25,000 m2, it will enable Smurfit Kappa to supply innovative and sustainable packaging solutions quickly and efficiently to its local customer base. The plant will create packaging for sectors including industrial, agriculture, FMCG, automotive, pharma and ceramics and serve both local customers and multinationals based in Morocco. In a market where the demand for corrugated packaging currently exceeds supply, the new plant will play an important and strategic role.

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has released its April 2022 Packaging Papers & Specialty Packaging Monthly report. According to the report, total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in April decreased two percent compared to April 2021. They were up one percent when compared to the same four months of 2021. The operating rate in April 2022 was 94.0 percent, up 1.4 points from April 2021 and up 1.3 points year-to-date. Mill inventories at the end of April decreased 6,000 short tons from the previous month, and were down 8,000 short tons compared to April 2021.

A paper bag that is strong, food safe, recyclable, compostable and both offset and flexo printable. Due to a unique synergy in the value chain, five partners have created this sustainable and innovative solution. The icing on the cake: winning two prizes at the EUROSAC Grand Prix 2022: Bronze and Public Choice Award! Crown Van Gelder is constantly exploring ways to produce paper more sustainably. One of the methods to do this is to replace wood fiber by alternative fiber, such as sugar beet pulp - a result of Cosun Beet Company’s sugar production. Together, Cosun Beet Company, Novidon (also a Cosun company) and Crown Van Gelder developed the sustainable Crown Native sugar beet paper, which was then printed and made into bags by Fiorini and used by DLF. For this unique effort, the collaboration was awarded with the EUROSAC Grand Prix 2022. Grass seed producer and brand owner DLF was looking for a more sustainable, paper-based alternative for its 15 KG bag to reduce the company’s environmental impact, the search led them to Crown Van Gelder. Together with DLF’s bag producer Fiorini, Cosun Beet Company and Novidon developed an open mouth bag consisting of three layers of Crown Native paper and using paper sack glue Novinexx CPB from Novidon.

Following the successful completion of a 15-month commercial technology validation of a polymer-based barrier replacing the aluminium layer, Tetra Pak is now moving to the next level of development - testing a fibre-based barrier that is a first within food carton packages distributed under ambient conditions. This step marks yet another breakthrough in the company’s long-term roadmap towards developing an aseptic package that is fully renewable, fully recyclable and carbon-neutral. The aluminium layer currently used in food carton packages plays a critical role in ensuring food safety; and even though it is thinner than a human hair, it contributes to a third of the green-house gas emissions linked to base materials used by Tetra Pak.

Emily Frieden from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York triumphed in USA Packaging Design Impact Award (PIDA) and earned this year’s Gold Award. Her entry “Lavash” impressed the jury most with its “attention to detail in every aspect of the brand, design, and execution.” Lavash is a volcano-shaped package for a shower set. The design features all stages of volcanic activity – dormant, active, and extinct. Even the typography mimics volcanic eruptions. “When I was researching different elements of nature I was really inspired by the juxtaposition of the restorative parts of volcanoes,” says Emily Frieden. “It’ s just cool, fun, nature. I thought there’ s a lot I can do there, how I can bring that experience to packaging. It was a lot of fun.” At PIDA, design students from universities and colleges from seven countries compete with their creative packaging designs. The competition is organized as five separate events: the USA, Sweden, France/Belgium, the UK, China*, and Germany/Austria. The winners of the Gold Award at each event will meet in a Grand Finale at Luxe Pack Monaco in October.

Mondi has collaborated with German machine supplier beck packautomaten to create a functional paper solution that has the potential to revolutionise eCommerce by replacing plastic packaging and creating right-sized packaging for a wide range of products. Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper is 95% paper and features enhanced barrier properties to guarantee premium product protection against water vapour and moisture. This is essential for many products being shipped, including electronic goods. The paper is made with a higher strength, enabling it to carry heavier items without breakage. It is responsibly sourced, made of renewable materials and recyclable in existing recycling streams throughout Europe. Beck’s automated packing machine ensures that products of different sizes are packed according to their requirements. The machine measures the packed goods and calculates the paper needed, reducing excess usage of the material and thereby minimising waste and costs. Stable sealing of Mondi’s paper on all four sides of the packaging ensures that it meets logistics requirements and protects goods in transit - as successfully proven during tests in Mondi’s ISTA certified lab in its Bupak plant.

Transcendia is excited to announce it is breaking ground on a 52,000 square foot manufacturing expansion at its Hebron, OH location as part of its ongoing commitment to investing in barrier film technologies. The new building will be equipped with additional multilayer blown and cast film lines, specialty converting equipment and a new testing lab dedicated to supporting new barrier applications in the food, pharmaceutical and industrial film markets. Upon completion, the Hebron, OH facility, with its ISO 9001:2015 certified quality systems, SQF certification and class 7 clean room capabilities, will have a total footprint of 84,000 square feet. The new building will complement existing barrier extrusion capabilities, including Transcendia’s most recent seven-layer blown film asset capable of producing films up to 78” wide with thicknesses between 1.0 – 10.0 mil. In addition to multiple asset investments, Transcendia will be adding to its application and process engineering team to provide additional technology resources for customers’ new application development. To support the expansion and 24/7 operation, Transcendia will hire approximately 36 new associates including machine operators, material handlers, maintenance technicians and supervisors.

Tosaf, Inc., a leading global developer and manufacturer of additives, compounds, and color and white masterbatches for the plastics industry, today announced the completion of additional capital investments in its Bessemer City, N.C. plant. The latest commitment of $2 million for a silo system and additional extruders brings the company’s total investment in the facility to more than $20 million. The silos were installed to take advantage of a rail spur that serves the plant. Built in 2016, the facility was designed to accommodate the silo system retrofit, a major part of the enhancements that advance its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. “We now have the needed infrastructure to receive raw materials via rail, which reduces labor and packaging required in our manufacturing processes,” said Tosaf General Manager Chai Tsadaka. “The silos and enhanced production capabilities allow us to better meet short lead times for our rapidly growing customer base. Unlike others, we provide a seven working day or less production order response time.”

Inspired by the Venus Flytrap plant, design students from Brobygrafiska claimed this year’s Gold Award in the Swedish leg of PIDA (Packaging Impact Design Award) with their inventive packaging solution for a set of drink mixer flavours called “Bite Botanical Bitters”. The team, comprising Herman Rydholm, Sofi Hansson and Julia Abrahamsson, impressed the jury with their deft use of “shape and colour that really catches our attention.” “We’re in shock!” says Herman Rydholm. “Very surprising. Actually, we started out with an idea of a pyramid shape, but it lacked colour so we thought we had to change. We happened to think of the Venus Flytrap and that was it. We got both colour and shape.” At PIDA, design students from universities and colleges from seven countries compete with their creative packaging designs. The competition is divided into five separate events: the USA, Sweden, France/Belgium, the UK, China, and Germany/Austria. The winners of the Gold Award at each event will meet in a Grand Finale at Luxe Pack Monaco in October.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, is presenting its broad portfolio of sustainable packaging solutions at this month’s Interzoo and demonstrating how flexible packaging can drive sustainability in the pet food industry. Packaging for pet food and pet care needs to be both protective and sustainable - the food contents need to remain fresh and intact but the top priority for eight of ten pet owners is packaging that is sustainable, according to a recent Mondi Dow Premium pet packaging survey. Shoppers worldwide are shifting towards mindful consumption and actively choosing brands that reduce their impact on the environment, particularly in light of the rise in eCommerce. Mondi’s expertise helps pet food manufacturers all over the world respond to this, through its EcoSolutions approach. Working closely with customers means the best possible solution can be created. Those solutions use paper where possible and plastic when useful - and help consumers contribute to a better world once pets have been fed.

Smurfit Kappa has developed an innovative and sustainable water-resistant paper. AquaStop™ is part of Smurfit Kappa’s new TechniPaper® portfolio, which consists of an array of high-performance papers designed to handle even the most complex supply chains. The AquaStop™ paper is water-resistant thanks to a special coating which is added to it during the manufacturing process. Unlike many other coatings, this does not compromise the recyclability of the product and can be recycled in the same way as standard paper-based packaging. AquaStop™ is the latest innovation in Smurfit Kappa’s Better Planet Packaging portfolio of products, which offer sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics. As it is designed to withstand exposure to water without being damaged, it is suitable for eCommerce packaging and packaging for products such as flowers, detergent and fruit and vegetables where temporary protection against water is needed.

Koehler Paper’s colorful recycling papers make boxes and filling materials from PresentFill® an environmentally friendly packaging alternative. From packaging materials to gift packaging, a wide selection of products are produced using premium recycling papers from Koehler Paper. The papers, made from 100% secondary fiber material, not only boast the “Blue Angel” and EU ecolabels, but also stand out thanks to their quality, natural feel, and vibrant colors. The market and consumers are increasingly looking for sustainable packaging solutions and PresentFill® is facing ever more intense competition in the area of sustainable packaging solutions papers. In light of this, the product range has continued to grow in recent years in order to meet the demand for more sustainable alternatives.

With more restaurants seeking carryout and delivery options, Eco-Products® is introducing a new compostable wrap that is ideal for swaddling sandwiches, snacks and more. The new wrap is made from wax paper, is ASTM D6868 compliant and is certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) as compostable in commercial facilities. It conveniently works as a basket liner, food wrap or as a scale or pick-up sheet. Jointly developed with Eco-Products’ parent company, Novolex®, the new wrap offers a number of benefits: *Works with both hot and cold snacks and sandwiches *Made from renewable resources *Grease- and moisture-resistant *ASTM D6868 compliant and BPI-certified compostable in commercial compost facilities only *Features print on the wrap that includes the Eco-Products and BPI logos, assuring customers that the product is made from sustainable materials and can be to put into the compost bin after use.

Sonoco announced favorable results from a recent study by trial with Sustana in collaboration with Kellogg’s, providing new opportunities to recycle paper containers. “Part of creating packaging that’s a sustainability success involves making sure its materials are made and sourced responsibly. Sonoco’s paper containers are made with 100% recycled fiber paperboard, of which 85% is post-consumer recycled content,” said Michael Pratt, Senior Sustainability Specialist at Sonoco. Through three third-party sortation trials, Sonoco confirmed that paper containers with steel bottoms can be recycled in the steel stream. The next step was to further increase the recyclability of paper containers in the paper stream. There was already proven success in producing 100% recycled paperboard with up to 85% post-consumer fiber from bales of mixed paper at all Sonoco U.S. paper mills, but it was still unknown if paper containers could be recycled further.

Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, has enhanced its Product Impact Assessment (PIA) tool with new environmental key performance indicators (KPIs). The Group’s broad range of life cycle assessment tools are designed to provide science-based, tailored information to customers about the environmental impacts of paper- and plastic-based products for better decision-making. The Group’s PIA tool initially focused on carbon and water scarcity but now has additional KPIs to address further key aspects in the sustainable design of products, such as: ‘Designed for recycling’; ‘Recycling rates in region’; ‘Share of plastics (PO) content’; ‘Share of renewable content’; ‘Share of recycled content’; and ‘Certified for composting’.

The packaging design team of Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, was involved in designing a spectacular packaging for a non-alcoholic sparkling beverage. In addition to protecting the bottle, the packaging also forms a beautiful entity with the bottle. The design of both the bottle and the packaging is based on a painting by six-time world boxing champion and artist Eva Wahlström. For every product sold, 50 cents will be donated to the Finnish Cancer Foundation. "We wanted to bring consumers a product that visually transcends the everyday. The drink gets its flavour from the rose petals, which are also displayed in a striking way on the bottle and packaging," says Kimmo Koivikko of Lasso Drinks, which produced the drink. "The packaging is open on both the front and the back, forming a frame around the bottle. This also minimises the amount of material needed for the packaging. The product story was printed on the packaging in Finnish and English," says Ilkka Harju, Packaging Services Director, EMEA and APAC, at Metsä Board.

Stora Enso has divested its three corrugated packaging plants in Russia. The Company’s Lukhovitsy, Arzamas and Balabanovo packaging plants have been divested to local management. Stora Enso’s assessment is that due to the uncertainties in the Russian market, local ownership and operation will provide a more sustainable long-term solution for these businesses and their respective employees. The transaction will have no material impact on Stora Enso’s annual sales and Operational EBIT. Due to reduced business prospects for these businesses, an impairment loss of EUR 35 million was recorded in the first quarter result. The additional loss on the transaction under IFRS will be approximately EUR 55 million, consisting mainly of currency translation adjustments to be recorded at the closing date. The expenses are considered as items affecting comparability. The divested sites are located in Lukhovitsy, Arzamas and Balabanovo employing approximately 620 people and have a total annual capacity of 395 million m² of corrugated packaging.

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. is pleased to announce that the Superior Court of Québec has issued a final order approving the previously announced acquisition of the Company by an affiliate of Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. by way of a plan of arrangement in accordance with Section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act. Pursuant to the terms of the Arrangement, the Purchaser will acquire all of the outstanding shares of the Company for a consideration per share of CDN$40.50 in cash. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining conditions to closing contained in the Arrangement agreement with the Purchaser, the Arrangement is expected to close early in the third quarter of 2022.

Pregis recently started production at its new 298,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Reno, Nevada. The facility is producing the Pregis EverTec™ cushioned mailer, a durable, lightweight, curbside recyclable, paper cushioned shipping solution. Since acquiring the technology to manufacture the envirotech shipping solution in 2020, Pregis has scaled the production and full-color digital printing of the curbside recyclable product to meet consumer demand, and it continues to add sites to serve strategic geographic markets in this rapidly growing e-commerce packaging market. The Reno plant is the newest facility to add production capacity of EverTec in addition to recently opened facilities in Arlington, Texas; Bethel, Pennsylvania; McDonough, Georgia; and the expansion of the founding Elk Grove Village, Illinois location.

It’s a Wild Life! That’s the brief for PIDA 2022 – packaging design inspired by nature. Some 350 design students from seven countries will participate, showing packaging design projects with a personal and innovative interpretation of the brief. PIDA aims to highlight young talents and their ideas – but also to push the development of packaging design even further. This is how BillerudKorsnäs challenges convention for a sustainable future: by meeting the packaging designers of tomorrow. During May and June, BillerudKorsnäs will host the competition at five local events, and in October an international winner will be selected in a Grand Finale at Luxe Pack Monaco. PIDA 2022 will be a digital event, which enables a larger audience to be part of the exciting events. Representatives of the press are welcome to attend PIDA. Please find the dates for the different events below and register here - https://www.billerudkorsnas.com/pida/guest-registration.

Q1 2022 Highlights (comparative figures have been restated to reflect discontinued operations1) *Sales of $1,038 million (compared with $1,028 million in Q4 2021 and $942 million in Q1 2021) As reported (including specific items) *Operating income (loss) of $(4) million (compared with $(90) million in Q4 2021 and $44 million in Q1 2021) *Operating income (loss) before depreciation and amortization (OIBD) of $56 million (compared with $(30) million in Q4 2021 and $109 million in Q1 2021) *Net loss per common share of $(0.15) (compared with net earnings per common share of $1.04 in Q4 2021 and net earnings per common share of $0.22 in Q1 2021)

Ox Industries acquires a 150,000 square foot facility in Hanover, PA to expand its converting capacity in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The facility will house next-generation equipment and manufacturing practices and expand just in time stocking products and services. “We are excited to expand our Hanover location and to continue to invest in the community where we originally started OX. This is part of a $15 million investment in Hanover that will vertically integrate with our 100% recycled paperboard mills and create 50 new green-collar jobs,” said CEO Kevin Hayward.

Aptar CSP Technologies, part of AptarGroup, Inc. and a leader in active material science solutions to ensure product protection, extend shelf life and improve patient experience, announces a new manufacturing site able to produce its Activ-Blister™ Solutions for oral slide dose drugs in Europe. The move is part of a key strategic effort to expand production of Activ-Blister™ technology globally and is the result of a 3-way collaboration between Aptar CSP, Uhlmann (a leading pharmaceutical packaging equipment manufacturer), and Ivers-Lee, www.iverslee.com, (a local contract manufacturing organization). This collaboration consists of a fully automated Uhlmann blister machine validated to package oral solid dose drug products with Activ-Blister™ Solutions heat-staked to the foil at a rate of up to 250 blisters per minute (Figure 1). The equipment is designed to integrate Activ-Blister™ technology into the blister cavity with precision placement (Figure 2). The equipment has been fully-validated and is in place at Ivers-Lee, a CMO capable of manufacturing Activ-Blister™ solutions from R&D to commercialization. A CMO in EMEA will support regional customers and ensure speed-to-market.

Brook + Whittle, a leading provider of pressure sensitive labels, shrink sleeves and flexible packaging, has acquired Diamond Flexible Packaging in Northbrook, IL. Diamond is a third generation, family-owned business with over 90 years of experience producing high quality flexible packaging solutions. Diamond is a premier flexible packaging and converting company, providing custom printed bags and pouches for a wide variety of end markets including Food, Cosmetics, Nutritional, Beverage and Healthcare. They have built a strong reputation for supplying customized, high-performance products that meet and exceed customer expectations.

First Quarter 2022 Highlights (as compared to first quarter 2021): • Revenue increased 17.6% to $406.4 million primarily due to the impact of higher selling prices in tape, film, woven, and protective packaging products driven by increases in the cost of many raw materials and freight. • Gross margin decreased to 21.0% from 23.9% primarily due to the unfavourable mathematical impact of Dollar Spread Maintenance(1) and increased plant operating costs. • Net earnings attributable to the Company shareholders ("IPG Net Earnings") decreased $75.7 million to a net loss ("IPG Net Loss") of $56.7 million ($0.96 basic and diluted loss per share) primarily due to charges related to the Arrangement(2) for contingent consulting fees payable upon completion as well as a significant increase in the fair value of share-based compensation awards in selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A"). • Cash flows used for operating activities increased $26.9 million to $55.8 million primarily due to a greater decrease in accounts payable, partially offset by a decrease in accounts receivable and non-recurrence of share-based compensation settlements in the first quarter of 2021 related to cash-settled awards.