UPM Raflatac offers the highest-quality digital papers and films in the pressure sensitive label industry and one of the broadest film face stock portfolios in the digital market. But with such a diverse selection available, it can be daunting to find precisely the right materials for your digital printers. Help is here with UPM Raflatac's newly launched digital printer recommendation tool, which promises to deliver a comprehensive database of paper and film materials suitable for a variety of digital printing technologies. This innovative new tool provides up-to-date and accurate product information about UPM Raflatac's digital label stock materials as well as ratings for how they will perform on various digital printers, ranging from small desktop models to industrial-scale digital presses. Whether looking for paper or matte, gloss, white or clear film face stock materials, this new tool has you covered. Click Read More below for additional information.

Total boxboard production decreased 0.8 percent when compared to January 2017 and decreased 1.2 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production increased over the same month a year ago and was flat compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production decreased when compared to January 2017 and decreased compared to last month. The production of Recycled Boxboard decreased compared to January 2017, but increased when compared to last month.

Kotkamills Oy will launch the AEGLE™ Barrier Light in the show. AEGLE™ Barrier Light is an ideal packaging material, for example, for the needs of large fast-food chains. The products are also suited for short-term packaging of other greasy food-to-go products where a barrier is required. You are welcome to meet our sales representatives to learn more about our solutions for the packaging and food service industries, including the development of innovative, easily recyclable, barrier coated products. Click Read More below for additional information.

The CanCollar is cool. It’s also perfect for craft breweries who want to embrace better environmental stewardship. WestRock’s CanCollar is a durable, environmentally friendly, paperboard-based multipack solution for cans. The CanCollar is made from 86 percent renewable fiber and up to 15 percent recycled content. But maybe the best part of the CanCollar setup is that WestRock (an American paper and packaging manufacturer) also makes the machinery that smaller brewers and beverage companies can use to pack cans using the CanCollar. Watch the video above to see how easy these suckers are to install over your cans. The machinery, known as The Chunk, has helped breweries reduce line labor by 30 percent, giving one employee the ability to apply CanCollar to a full case of 24 cans in 12 seconds using a simple one-motion applicator. Click Read More below for additional information.

Pregis LLC has acquired Rex Performance Products (RPP), Marysville, Michigan, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition will enable Pregis to build on its leadership position as one of the largest foam producers in North America. Founded in 2011, RPP is known for its high-quality laminated foam technology, as well as its customer-centric approach to doing business. The acquisition adds another 100,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space, as well as 150,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space to the Pregis network. RPP currently has 85 employees. RPP has been led by Don Tate, president and chief executive officer, who will be joining Pregis and leading the combined engineered foam business going forward. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sun Chemical has launched SunCure® Accuflex UV, a new UV ink system for primary and secondary food packaging that is not manufactured with Bisphenol A (BPA)-based materials and meets low migration specifications. Designed for both folding carton and flexible film packaging applications where high press performance, color vibrancy and regulatory compliance are critical, SunCure AccuFlex UV flexo inks offer good adhesion to a variety of film substrates, provide great flexo viscosity stability under high shear conditions, and exhibit excellent UV cure response. Available in North America, SunCure AccuFlex UV inks can be used for a variety of paper packaging applications and feature low post-odor properties that are essential to many brand owners. Click Read More below for additional information.

Containerboard production was up 0.7 percent compared to January 2017. The month-over-month average daily production compared to December 2017 was 2.9 percent lower. The containerboard operating rate was 97.2 percent, or 2.2 percentage points higher than January 2017. Production for exports was 10.5 percent lower than January 2017, which was the month with the second highest export volume in 2017.

Total Packaging Papers shipments were 219,200 tons, 9.5 percent lower than January 2017. Bag & Sack shipments were down 13.4 percent month-over-month and Multiwall shipments were down 19.0 percent. Food Wrapping shipments were up 0.4 percent. The operating rate for January was 84.3 percent, the second lowest over the last 13 months. Inventories were 171,800 tons, up 3.6 percent since December 2017.

Tetra Rex® Bio-based, which was launched in October 2014, is manufactured solely from Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™) certified and controlled sources paperboard, together with plastics derived from sugar cane, all traceable to their origins. Packages made from renewable materials are essential for preserving the environment for future generations. Renewable resources can be replenished naturally over time and enable a move away from fossil fuel-based materials, reducing the environmental impact as well as improving resource efficiency. Click Read More below for additional information.

Custom blow-molder Apex Plastics has added a new Aoki 250LL-50S injection blow molding machine. By adding the new Aoki machine, Apex has not only added additional capacity, but also added to their already impressive list of capabilities. Apex Plastics has established themselves as a leader in extrusion blow-molding, and with the addition of the Aoki 250LL-50S they have the added capability of injection blow-molding. The Aoki is a versatile injection blow-molding machine that is able to mold a variety bottles and containers from narrow neck to wide mouth. With the Aoki, Apex Plastics gained the added capability of running PET material. This has opened up a wide range of new products for Apex to pursue. Click Read More below for additional information.

Lincoln International is pleased to announce Command Packaging, LLC, has been sold to Delta Plastics of the South, LLC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Command is an industry pioneer and market leading provider of flexible packaging solutions, focused on supplying 100% certifiably sustainable carryout bags across the food service, retail and grocery industries. Headquartered in Vernon, California, the Company offers technically-sophisticated capabilities, including extrusion, printing, conversion and value-added services to 400+ blue chip customers nationwide. These customers rely on Command to solve their most complex carryout bag challenges and design products that represent their brands through superior quality, innovation and premium graphics. Click Read More below for additional information

The Paper & Packaging – How Life Unfolds® campaign revealed two new animated characters to further strengthen consumer connection to paper and packaging. The new industry brand ambassadors are a springboard for inspiring creativity, connection and achievement–qualities consumers around the world appreciate when using paper and paper-based packaging products. “Paper and packaging products are prevalent in our lives, and it was our goal to create highly-relatable characters to represent the vital roles that paper and packaging play for each and every one of us,” shares Mary Anne Hansan, president of the Paper and Packaging Board. “We launched the Paper & Packaging – How Life Unfolds® campaign in 2015, and we are thrilled to introduce these new characters to help consumers nationwide recognize and remember the value of paper in their everyday lives.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Sun Chemical has launched its SunLam™ De-seaming Adhesive for shrink-labeled containers. This new de-seamable adhesive helps recyclers improve recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) yield without process changes. Developed in partnership, Sun Chemical and Eastman extensively tested SunLam on labels made with Eastman Embrace™ LV copolyester. It has received a “Responsible Innovation Acknowledgment” by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) after passing stringent testing outlined by the APR. By changing from a traditional solvent to SunLam De-seaming Adhesive, shrink labels deseam and release during the whole bottle wash step of the wet recycling process, without sacrifice of label performance. The label removal occurs prior to color, infrared and manual sorting, thus preventing shrink-labeled PET bottles being removed from the rPET stream due to misidentification. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sealed Air Corporation announced that it is implementing a price increase on products in its North American Product Care business. The increases will be effective April 1, 2018. The price adjustments are necessary because of increases in raw materials, freight, and other input costs. A seven (7) percent price increase will be applied to the following products: Bubble Wrap® IB Film, Bubble Wrap® Brand Air Cellular Products, Cell-Aire® Packaging Foam and Laminate Products, Fill-Air® Inflatables Film, FloWrap™ Film, Jiffy® TuffGard® Mailers, Jiffy® ShurTuff ® Mailers, NewAir I.B.® Film, PriorityWrap® Bubble, Shrink Film Products and Materials, Specialty Foams Products and Materials, TempShield™ Reflective Foil Air Cellular Material, and Wonderfil™ Film. A five (5) percent price increase will be applied to the following products: Consumable Paper for all Sealed Air Paper Systems, PriorityWrap® Rigid Board, Custom Wrap™ Converted Paper, Kushion Kraft® Converted Paper, Jiffylite® Kraft Bubble Mailers, Jiffy® Utility Mailers, Jiffy® Padded Envelopes, Jiffy Rigi Bag® Mailers, Korrvu® Suspension & Retention, Macerated Pads, and Rapid Fill® Automated Bags. The business also previously announced increases in the prices of Instapak® products, which are effective March 15, 2018: lnstapak® chemical formulation prices will increase 15 cents per pound, lnstapak® packaging film prices will increase 6 percent and lnstapak Simple® "A" and "B" Component prices will increase 2 percent.

In September 2017, IP announced plans to invest around $300 million at the Selma plant as part of a strategic plan to grow its industrial packaging business. The additional investment…

KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE:KS) today reported preliminary results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017. As compared to 2016’s fourth quarter, results for 2017’s fourth…

Amcor has proven its game-changing LiquiForm® technology with the commercialization of the first consumer package. In addition to reducing supply chain costs, LiquiForm technology has the potential to improve packaging…

Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE:BERY) today reported results for its first fiscal 2018 quarter, referred to in the following as the December 2017 quarter. Highlights » Net income was $163…

Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017. Highlights Loss per share of $0.67 for the quarter, including…

• 2017 Sales from Continuing Operations of $4.5 Billion, an increase of 6% As Reported • 2017 Net Earnings from Continuing Operations of $63 Million, Reported Net Earnings Per Share…

UPM Raflatac has expanded its range of adhesives for food labeling with the launch of its RP48 AT (All-Temperature) acrylic adhesive for the European market. With good adhesion across a…

Fourth Quarter and Full Year Key Points * Group revenue growth of 7% for the fourth quarter and 5% for the full year * Fourth quarter EBITDA up 10% year-on-year…

Metsä Board, a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboard, announced today that its North American customers can now use Metsä Board’s products with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®)…

Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), (the “Company”), a leading provider of packaging solutions to food, beverage and consumer product companies, today reported Net Income for fourth quarter 2017 of…

Ball Corporation (NYSE:  BLL) has announced plans to build a one-line beverage can and end manufacturing plant in Asunción, Paraguay, and to add capacity in its Buenos Aires, Argentina, facility.…

Green Bay Packaging accepted this year’s 2017 Manufacturing Awards of Distinction presented by the Greater Green Bay Chamber and Advance, its economic development department. The Chamber is a convener, bringing…

Particularly the ever increasing pulp costs but also other rising raw material prices force Sappi to increase its Specialities and Packaging Papers prices as from 1 April 2018. This measure…

Smurfit Kappa, one of the world’s leading paper-based packaging firms, continues its investment in sustainable technology in Mexico, demonstrating its long-term commitment to the country. An advanced new paper machine…

Sonoco (NYSE:SON) today announced it is implementing a price increase, the minimum of which will be 8 percent, for all paperboard tubes and cores sold in the United States and…

During 2017, the Company launched an improvement plan called “Agility” to fix, strengthen, and grow its business. As part of this three-pronged approach, the fix aspect involves the restructuring and…

Cascades Inc. (TSX: CAS), a leader in the recovery and manufacturing of green packaging and tissue products, announced that it has completed the sale of the building and land of…

Evergreen Packaging® , a global leader in fiber-based packaging solutions, in conjunction with EcoFocus Worldwide, has identified four key trends that will shape the U.S. food and beverage industries in…

As the world leader in label papers, UPM continues to grow in the attractive release liner segments to support its customers mainly in Europe and the Americas. Healthy growth is…

Change often begins with a question. This fact forms the basis of BillerudKorsnäs’ new communication concept “What if?” – with the ambition to inspire more to challenge conventional packaging for…

Highlights • Record net income of $2.42 per diluted share • Record adjusted net income of $1.65 per diluted share • Cash from operations of $389.7 million, or $3.50 per…

Metsä Board, a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards, is launching a new eco-barrier paperboard. This new, innovative paperboard with a special barrier treatment is bio-based, recyclable and…

Caraustar Industries, Inc. announced a price increase of 8.0% on all paper tube and core and protective packaging product lines.  The increase will be effective starting with shipments on March…

Smurfit Kappa, expert in complete Bag-in-Box® packaging solutions, is official partner of the Concours International Wine in Box contest once again. Smurfit Kappa has had a strategic partnership with the…

Tetra Pak has ​today (Monday 29th January)​ been named on the CDP Supplier Climate A list for the second time, as well as being announced as a CDP Forests A…

Independent German paper mill Feldmuehle Uetersen has filed for insolvency. The business filed for insolvency at the Pinneberg district court yesterday (January 24) and Hamburg-based Tjark Thies of Reimer Rechtsanwälte…

Atlantic Packaging, one of North Carolina’s largest privately held companies, headquartered in Wilmington, announced today that management is awarding $1,000 bonuses immediately to full-time employees. Nearly 1,000 Atlantic employees will…

Amcor today became the first global packaging company pledging to develop all its packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025, directly addressing a major environmental issue with capability, scale…

Caraustar Industries, Inc. announced a price increase of $50 per ton on all uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) grades. The increase on the uncoated recycle board grades will be effective starting…

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from Zellstoff Pöls AG, Austria, to supply a large paper machine for the production of bleached kraft paper grades. At the Pöls…

Total Packaging Papers shipments were 240,000 tons, 2.5 percent higher than December 2016. Bag & Sack shipments were up 1.3 percent year-to-date, while Food Wrapping shipments were down 6.0 percent over the same period. The operating rate for December 2017 was the second highest of the year at 92.0 percent, while the year-to-date rate was 88.6 percent. Inventories were 165,800 tons, down 4.2 percent since November 2017.

Containerboard production was up 3.6 percent compared to December 2016 and up 3.1 percent year-to-date. The month-over-month average daily production was 1.8 percent higher compared to November 2017. The containerboard operating rate for December increased from 96.9 percent to 98.9 percent, 2.4 percentage points higher than December of 2016 and production for exports was 3.3 percent higher than December 2016. Year-to-date production of containerboard for exports is up 4.1 percent.

Smurfit Kappa has opened a new recycling plant in Malaga, Spain, which will strengthen its recovered paper service in the region. The plant, which is expected to process over 30,000 tonnes of recovered paper annually, is perfectly positioned to meet the city’s growing recycling needs. A fleet of eco-friendly hybrid vehicles collect paper and board from households and businesses. This is then sorted at the plant and sent to the Smurfit Kappa Mengibar Containerboard Mill where it is converted into board that is used to create new packaging. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sonoco announced it is implementing a $50 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning February 19, 2018. A positive of the robust economy is solid backlogs at our mills. A challenge that the growing economy presents is inflating input costs such as we are seeing in freight, energy and a host of other paper-making consumables. Sonoco must seek to recover these inflating costs in the market,” said Palace Stepps, division vice president of sales and marketing for Sonoco’s U.S. and Canada paper and adhesives.

Sun Chemical has launched a new UV offset ink that was developed to make sophisticated graphics look stunning and vibrant on high-end luxury folding cartons while at the same time providing the longer-term shelf appeal brand owners require. The new ink system, SunCure® Aspire UV, has been formulated to exhibit immense color transparency to help create vivid color graphic effects on metallized, lenticular and holographic board stocks frequently used for pharmaceutical, perfume, liquor, cosmetic and POP applications. Click Read More below for additional information.

Increasing consumer preference for healthy, convenient, zero-calorie beverages are expected to drive revenue growth of the Brazil flavored water market by 7.3% CAGR through 2024. In response, Eklo Water, based in Rio de Janeiro, has partnered with Crown Embalagens Metálicas da Amazônia S.A. (Crown Brazil), a subsidiary of Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) (Crown) (www.crowncork.com), to introduce the first flavored water to be packed in aluminum beverage cans to the Brazilian market. “It is clear that Brazilians want healthy, flavorful alternatives to teas, soft drinks and sugary beverages,” said Fabio Nono, Co-Owner of Eklo Water. “Our flavored water meets that demand and sleek style beverage cans are the perfect format to market them in. While we originally launched the drink in cartons, we transitioned to sleek style beverage cans as we are seeing consumers display an increased preference for package attributes such as portability, eye-catching design and overall durability.” Click Read More below for additional information.

At the beginning of December last year, Heidelberg China and Gallus Shanghai jointly organized in the Print Media Center in Shanghai a launch event for the Gallus Labelmaster in China. Around 160 guests from label print shops in China and Region Asia as well as media journalists attended the event. They were able to watch live demos of the Gallus Labelmaster in label production and experienced a new height in leading label printing. “We are extremely optimistic about the future development of packaging and label printing in China”, explains Benny Huang, CEO of Heidelberg China. “In recent years, with an increasing middle class and accelerating urbanization processes, there are more and more specific requirements on packaging and label. It is our duty to continue providing high quality products and services for packaging and label print shops in China.” Asia has become the fastest growing label market in the world. It is expected that by 2019, the Asian label market will have increased by 5.5%, in which the growth rate of self-adhesive labels will reach 6.3%. “Owing to the higher cost of raw materials and labor today, print shops are paying more attention to productivity”, describes Teddy Jiang, General Manager of Gallus Shanghai. “At the same time, influenced by consumers and branding goods manufacturers, packaging and label printing is moving towards short run, multiple orders and product diversification.“ Click Read More below for additional information.

The red carpet was rolled out as Jim Hammer, president of Hammer Packaging, and his executive team and employees were honored to welcome Koenig & Bauer president and CEO Claus Bolza-Schünemann who arrived from Germany to its headquarters in Rochester, NY. Bolza-Schünemann was especially interested to inspect the new KBA Rapida 106 41-inch eight-color press on Hammer’s pressroom floor, which was installed in July 2017, and how its unique features are assisting Hammer and its customers. With the installation of its new 41-inch KBA eight-color press at its modern two-story headquarters set in an expansive wooded suburban office park near the campus of Rochester Institute of Technology, Hammer is working hand-and-hand with its customers on how it is pioneering a new generation of offset printing. This new configuration is yet another unique layout to its portfolio of presses, says the company, and is making Hammer truly one-of-a-kind. This latest press represents the newest technology available with the fastest press speeds in the world. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sun Chemical will showcase its SunAltec and SunTrio product families on its stand S10 and visitors can find out about the company’s expertise, knowledge and capabilities in metal decoration through its specialised ink solutions, including special effects, brand protection, brand colour management and print standardisation. Sun Chemical’s SunAltec series of inks for metal decoration on aluminum collapsible tubes and monobloc aerosol cans offer outstanding performance, superior quality, high productivity and strong chemical resistance properties. The MB Plus Series, part of the SunAltec product family, will also be on display. The versatile series has been specifically designed for the application on monobloc aerosols and uses an alkyd-based ink system, which has been modified for optimum performance on new generation production lines utilising today’s basecoat technology. Click Read More below for additional information.

UPM Raflatac is introducing its Synlite Xtra outdoor-resistant film face material to the European market. This material is suitable for industrial chemical labeling applications that require a high level of resistance to challenging outdoor conditions. Synlite Xtra is a lightweight and production-efficient PP-based matt film that offers good UV resistance. The film is paired with UPM Raflatac's high-tack RC77 adhesive, which also offers good UV resistance as well as good adhesion on polar and non-polar surfaces. RC77 performs well in even the most demanding outdoor environments, ensuring that labels displaying critical information about container contents and any safety requirements remain firmly in place for the life of the container. Click Read More below for additional information.

When retail giant Amazon jumped into meal-kit delivery last summer, it was the clearest signal yet that consumer convenience is the new North Star for products and services across all categories. From consumer packaged goods (CPGs) going online to personal care brands and retailers exploring subscription models, the industry is now further investing in e-commerce by embracing a new "last mile" to reach consumers. So, if our first interaction with a product takes place on our front porch instead of in a store, how does that change how we choose brands and develop preferences? One of the greatest challenges for emerging retail models is that consumers buy products without seeing them first. It's crucial to consider what a leap of faith it is for a consumer to buy a product sight unseen. A retailer's success is contingent on the notion of trust among the consumer, the brand and the retailer; yet trust is hard to build and easy to lose. In this new marketplace with so much upside and an equal amount of risk, how can brands establish sustainable competitive advantage? Click Read More below for additional information.

WestRock Company announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Plymouth Packaging, Inc. Plymouth is a corrugated packaging company that derives approximately 70% of its sales from its “Box on Demand” systems and corrugated fanfold, and 30% from traditional corrugated box packaging. This acquisition represents WestRock’s entry into the growing on-demand corrugated packaging market that serves many e-commerce and other custom-packaging applications. The market-leading “Box on Demand” systems are located on the customers’ sites and use fanfold corrugated to produce custom, on-demand corrugated packaging that is accurately sized for any product type according to the customer’s specifications. Click Read More below for additional information.

PaperWorks Industries has invested $3 million in a new warehouse for its Wabash, Indiana paperboard mill. The new facility is expected to be operational during the first quarter of 2018. The 44,500 square foot addition to the company's existing mill will be capable of storing up to 7,000 tons of coated recycled board (CRB) rolls. The mill produces PaperWorks' recently launched MasterWorks Ultra 100 line, as well as other CRB grades. "Over the past three years, PaperWorks has invested more than 60 million dollars to upgrade its paperboard mills and folding carton converting plants. This latest investment is designed to lower costs, improve service and reduce our environmental footprint at this location," said Andy Bolton, president and chief executive officer. Click Read More below for additional information.

Crown Holdings, Inc. has released its 2017 Sustainability Report to demonstrate the progress it has made on its sustainability journey. Metrics published in the report include decreased aluminum usage, lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced VOC and NOx emissions and zero work-related fatalities. The report is available at https://sustainability.crowncork.com. Titled "Infinite Innovation," the report illuminates the Company's strides in the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainability. It also documents Crown's efforts in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 to do more with less as unit volume production has increased and its geographic footprint has expanded. Data resulting from assets gained during the acquisitions of Mivisa and Empaque have also been included for the first time in Crown's sustainability reporting. Click Read More below for additional information.

SCA announces a price increase for all Brown and White Kraftliner grades in Europe by € 60 per ton, effective from 1st of February 2018. "The market for containerboard continues to be very strong. The demand for kraftliner of all grades is high and the supply is tight", says Mikael Frölander, Vice President Sales and Marketing Containerboard.

International Paper announced that it has completed the transfer of its North America Consumer Packaging business to Graphic Packaging. As a result of the transaction, Graphic Packaging has assumed $660 million of IP debt. IP now holds a 20.5% ownership interest in the subsidiary of Graphic Packaging that holds the assets of the combined business. The transferred business includes approximately 3,900 employees, two coated paperboard mills and three converting facilities in the U.S., along with one converting facility in the U.K.

Oji Holdings Corporation, a leader in the pulp and paper industry of Japan, decided to start-up a new containerboard machine at Paperboard & Packaging Sdn Bhd (GSPP) located in Malaysia. The company plans to commence the operation in April 2021. According to the announcement, by starting a new container manufacturing machine, Oji wants to be able to respond to the mentioned business, business and business expansion. The investment into 450ktpa machine accounts for around JPY 35 billion (including containerboard machine and equipment for energy supply and water treatment). The machine will produce liner, corrugating medium.

Mondi Group has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares in Powerflute Group Holdings Oy, a division of Nordic Packaging and Container Holdings, for a total consideration of €365 million on an enterprise value basis. Powerflute operates an integrated pulp and paper mill in Kuopio (Finland) with an annual production capacity of 285,000 tonnes of high-performance semi-chemical fluting. Powerflute’s premium semi-chemical fluting is sold to a diverse range of customers, primarily for packaging fresh fruit and vegetables, but also other end-uses such as electronics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Around half of the Company’s production is sold in Europe, while the remainder is exported globally. Click Read More below for additional information.

Total boxboard production decreased 0.4 percent when compared to November 2016 and decreased 2.0 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production increased over the same month a year ago and increased compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production decreased when compared to November 2016 and was flat compared to last month. The production of Recycled Boxboard decreased compared to November 2016 and decreased when compared to last month.

Crown Holdings, Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Signode Industrial Group Holdings (Bermuda) Ltd., a leading global provider of transit packaging systems and solutions, from The Carlyle Group, in a cash transaction valued at $3.91 billion subject to customary closing adjustments. The acquisition, which is subject to review by various competition authorities, is expected to close during the first quarter of 2018 and to significantly increase free cash flow. Debt financing has been fully committed in support of the transaction. With pro forma sales and adjusted EBITDA of $2.3 billion and $384 million, respectively, for the twelve months ended November 30, 2017, Signode is the world's leading supplier of transit packaging systems and solutions, which consist of strap, stretch and protective packaging consumables and the application equipment and tooling for each. Based in Glenview, Illinois, Signode's global footprint includes operations in 40 countries across 6 continents, with sales to customers in approximately 60 countries. Click Read More below for additional information.

Around 170 guests attended the official inauguration of the new polyethylene (PE) coating plant at the consumer board mill in Beihai, China. Stora Enso has invested EUR 31 million in the PE coating plant, following its establishment in the Guangxi region in China as a response to increasing demand on the market. The plant has an annual capacity of 80 000 tonnes of PE coated products. PE coated board is suitable for products that require barrier against moisture, such as paper cups and food service packaging. Click Read More below for additional information.

Updated estimates show that the investment costs for BillerudKorsnäs' new board machine in Gruvön may increase by approximately 20 percent compared to previously announced investment cost of a total of SEK 5.7 billion. The increase of the investment is mainly due to higher costs for the construction work. The production on the new machine is still expected to start during the first quarter of 2019. "The cost increase is of course not good, and we have worked very hard throughout the project to keep the budget for the project. Unfortunately, we have had a difficult development on the construction side, which will lead to an increase of the investment. We are still seeing a strong development in the liquid packaging segment and other packaging materials that will be manufactured on the machine. We are convinced that we will be perfectly positioned to satisfy global demand in this market with this investment”, says Christer Simrén, BillerudKorsnäs, Senior Vice President and COO.

Increased, incremental cost escalation forces Flint Group to raise the prices of its Packaging Inks products. Further to announcements made in March 2017, it has become clear that the raw material markets for many components within Flint Group’s Packaging Inks products have experienced price escalation. Many raw material markets remain highly volatile as 2017 comes to a close. Q3 2017 saw significant increases and supplementary rises have been announced for Q4 2017. Current forecasts indicate that the price pressure will not lessen as the industry moves into 2018. These unique cost burdens necessitate that Flint Group Packaging Inks raise prices globally as of 1 January 2018. Argumentation is discussed below and our sales representatives are currently in the market discussing the magnitude of increases for each customer and segment. Click Read More below for additional information.

Since its launch in 2015, Mondi’s SPLASHBAG has celebrated international success – and it does not stop here: its rain resistance has tripled to up to six hours and it now prevents moisture ingress for up to five days. “We have introduced a new industry standard here for paper bags to benefit our customers,” says Claudio Fedalto, Sales & Marketing Director, Mondi Industrial Bags. “Workers can now store their cement sacks in damp environments for a whole working week without worrying about the materials getting wet.” Click Read More below for additional information.

UPM Raflatac is launching a new visual sample book to showcase its premium label materials for wine, spirits, and craft beverages. Designed in collaboration with a team from SGA Corporate & Packaging Design led by chief designer Giacomo Bersanetti, the book has been printed by leading Italian printing company Multi-Color Corporation (MCC). The book was inspired by the details and perspectives of the surfaces of the natural world, such as barks, petals, shells, and feathers. The sample book is designed to inspire, stimulate, and excite designers, brand owners, and wineries, providing them with a tool to help select the perfect label materials to showcase their high-quality products. It demonstrates how label designs and label materials can complement each other and showcases the huge range of visual possibilities offered by UPM Raflatac's solutions and expertise. Click Read More below for additional information.

Diva Art is a new one-side coated paperboard with an outstanding silk finish noteworthy for its printability and rich color reproduction in offset and digital printing, in addition to its perfect folding characteristics and exceptional resistance to cracking. Lecta's Diva Art paperboard offers outstanding finishing and converting properties, and is ideal for a wide range of end uses such as book covers, folders, labels, postcards and greeting cards, as well as packaging for cosmetics, perfumes, premium beverages and chocolates or confectionary. The Diva Art range is available in substances of 220, 250, 280, 300, 330 and 350 g/m2. Click Read More below for additional information.

Cherat Packaging Limited, the largest producer and supplier of packaging to the cement industry in Pakistan with a capacity of 600 million bags annually, has made over half a billion cement bags with Mondi’s Advantage Select sack kraft paper in more than 15 years of partnership. Working together exclusively with Mondi, Cherat Packaging switched production from three-ply to mainly two-ply bags, which has reshaped the market and allowed considerable material and cost savings without compromising strength or quality. The company has country-specific exclusive rights to use Mondi’s brown sack kraft paper to produce high quality cement bags and has bought only Mondi paper for it’s use since 2002. In industrial applications especially, the use of paper bags in primary packaging is gaining traction, thanks to their flexibility and high performance credentials. Having partnered with Mondi since 2002, Cherat Packaging Limited was looking for paper alternatives to satisfy its customers’ growing demand for strong, high quality cement bags. Click Read More below for additional information.

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from the Turkish Albayrak Group to deliver a new stock preparation line with a design capacity of 1,000 bdmt/d for its Varaka paper mill in Balikesir, Western Turkey. ANDRITZ will also supply the main components in the approach flow systems for the top layer of PM 2. Start-up is scheduled for summer 2018. Varaka will reinstall and rebuild the PM 2, which currently is a second-hand newsprint paper machine, into a modern brown packaging paper machine. After full conversion, the PM2 will have an annual production capacity of over 300,000 tons, with a design speed of 1,200 m/min and a paper width at reel of 6,500 mm. The machine will produce corrugating medium, imitation kraft papers, and white top testliner with a basis weight range of 90-175 gsm for the production of containerboard. The raw material is OCC and mixed waste paper for the new line, and stock from the existing DIP line for the top layer of white top testliner grades. Click Read More below for additional information.

WestRock Company announced that it has entered into agreements to acquire substantially all of the assets of Plymouth Packaging, Inc. (“Plymouth”). Plymouth is a corrugated packaging company that derives approximately 70% of its sales from its “Box on Demand” systems and corrugated fanfold, and 30% from traditional corrugated box packaging. Plymouth’s market-leading “Box on Demand” systems are located on the customer’s site and use fanfold corrugated to produce custom, on-demand corrugated packaging that is accurately sized for any product type according to the customer’s specifications. Fanfold corrugated is continuous corrugated board, folded periodically to form an accordion-like stack of corrugated material. Plymouth installs “Box on Demand” machines on its customers’ sites under multi-year exclusive agreements for the fanfold corrugated supply. Click Read More below for additional information.

On 4 December Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards, was named Champion of Packaging Printing, Paper Packaging, at the 29th Hong Kong Print Awards for its innovative SkinCare 2.0 gift box design. Created by Metsä Board’s packaging design team, the new improved SkinCare 2.0 gift box design demonstrates a more environmentally friendly design through the use of lighter weight paperboard materials and the elimination of the plastic wrap. In addition, each box offers a unique opening and reclosing experience. At the same time each carton has been designed for maximum runnability performance on automated packaging lines. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sonoco has awarded a gold-level Sonoco Sustainability Star Award to Interbake Foods of Front Royal, Va., a subsidiary of Weston Foods of Canada, for achieving zero waste to landfill status. Sonoco Recycling worked with Interbake on a new recycling program designed to maximize rebate, reduce costs and streamline recycling collection. Solid waste recycling was optimized through methods that made collection and processing more efficient, then supplemented with a waste-to-energy program that ultimately resulted in a landfill-free operation. “Interbake really worked smart as well as hard to achieve landfill-free status,” said Mike Pope, general manager and president, Sonoco Recycling. “They took a close look at their operations and found ways to increase efficiencies as well as rebates. Their program provides a great example how recycling isn’t just the right thing to do – it can be the best business decision as well.” Click Read More below for additional information.

No stranger to setting trends, Sappi’s latest specialty paper portfolio development sees it unveiling a new collection for the fashion-forward shopper. Driven by consumer preference for sustainability, Sappi has designed a family of shopping bag grades that present a unique ‘one stop shop’ marketing solution using recyclable and renewable paper-based products. New grades launched by Sappi for its innovative shopping bag portfolio are Fashion® White and Fashion® White OF that feature high whiteness with natural and good printing surface in a wide range of virgin fibre grades and grammages between 70gsm and 130gsm. Fashion White is a premium white MF Bleached Kraft and Fashion White OF is a premium white MF Bleached Kraft without added OBA. Both uncoated, machine finished grades are ISEGA certified for direct food contact and DIN EN71 certified for toy safety. Click Read More below for additional information.

Novolex™ announced it has agreed to acquire certain assets and business operations of Shields Bag and Printing Co., a leading manufacturer of custom engineered flexible packaging products located in Yakima, WA. The transaction is expected to close near year end. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. Shields Bag and Printing Company was founded in 1935. The Shields family expanded their founder’s successful commercial printing business into flexible packaging in the 1960s. Today, Shields ranks among the leading North American producers of flexible packaging with substantial capabilities in the areas of blown film extrusion, printing, bag making and other converting processes. Shields’ core focus is providing custom engineered products to a diverse group of customers across a range of end-market segments, including building and construction, food and consumer, banking and security, lawn and garden, chemicals and energy, and general industrial. Click Read More below for additional information.

In the world of packaging it is sometimes complicated to achieve something that looks simple, minimalist and elegant. The paperboard cartons for Jimmy Choo’s L’EAU that was launched in summer 2017 is a clear example of this. Its colour is pale pink apart from the brand, the name of the contents, and the fact that it is an eau de toilette. Yet the packaging has passed through twelve finishing stages. The carton is made of Invercote from Iggesund Paperboard. Conversion is by the distinguished French printing company Draeger on behalf of Interparfums. The packaging is offset printed on both the inside and outside. The printing on the inside is in a pale pink shade, which creates the mood around the bottle. Externally the packaging has a blind-embossed snakeskin pattern plus two rows of text on the front. The outside is also laminated with soft touch film, matt varnished, and foil embossed with both silver film and holographic film. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sealed Air Corporation announced that it is implementing a price increase of 2.5 – 5.0% for the majority of its Food Care division’s products in Europe, Middle East and Africa with the exception of Switzerland and the United Kingdom who received price increases earlier in the year. The increase will be effective January 1, 2018. “The price adjustment is the result of escalation of notable increases in the Company’s raw materials costs including a 19% rise in the price of polyethylene, a 16% rise in nylon and a 35% rise in polystyrene as well as other non-materials costs such as power, labor and transportation in the range of 1-4%,” said Karl R. Deily, President of Sealed Air Food Care division. “Despite the necessary price changes, we are working to minimize the impact to our customers while delivering them the same high level of value and innovation.” The price changes include an increase on all shrink bags, rollstock products, food films and vertical pouch packaging.

Green Bay Packaging (GBP) has announced that it is in the first phase of evaluating construction of a new, state of the art recycled containerboard machine at its location in Green Bay Wisconsin. The 220” machine would be operational in 2020 and would replace the Company’s existing 164” trim machine, originally constructed in 1950. The investment would increase GBP’s recycled containerboard capacity by over 70%.

Paper has been manufactured in Laakirchen for the past 150 years and now with its entry into the packaging paper market, Laakirchen Papier AG has ushered in a new era. Indeed, the decision to break into the containerboard field will secure the long-term success of the company, as with a volume of 26.4 million t/y and annual growth of between two and three per cent, the strong, European corrugated board market segment offers considerable future potential for the paper industry. Accordingly, the production of lightweight containerboard made entirely from recycled fibres on PM10 started in Laakirchen mid of October. The paper machine meanwhile runs stable and produces paper on A quality level. The PM10 will now manufacture up to 450,000 t/y of containerboard based on recycled paper with working widths of 7.5 m at a speed of 1,600 m/min. This production switch also required additional investments at the company location. These included new plant for the treatment of wastepaper fibres and anaerobic used water cleaning, storage areas for recycling paper, and the completion of a warehouse with an automated crane system for the new products. Click Read More below for additional information.

Cascades Inc. announces the acquisition of four plants in Ontario to strengthen its position in the containerboard packaging sector, and the purchase of an ownership position in Tencorr Holdings Corporation. The company also announces an increase in its equity holding of the Greenpac Mill LLC. "We are very pleased to expand our presence in Ontario and increase our stake in Greenpac for the second time this year. These transactions align perfectly with our vision and strategy for our containerboard activities," stated Cascades President and CEO Mario Plourde. The four following plants were acquired from the Coyle family, and specialize in the manufacturing of boxes and speciality products offering strong growth potential: •McLeish Corr-a-Box Packaging & Design – Etobicoke, Ontario •Brown Packaging – Burlington, Ontario •Coyle Corrugated Containers Inc. – Scarborough, Ontario •Coyle Packaging (Peterborough) Ltd. – Peterborough, Ontario. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sonoco has announced a new research partnership with Clemson University: the Sonoco FRESH (Food Research Excellence for Safety and Health) initiative will develop new technologies and new forms of packaging to optimize the fresh food lifecycle. “Sonoco is committed to serving fresh brands, using packaging to tackle the challenges they face,” said Sonoco President and CEO Jack Sanders. “Optimizing fresh food packaging to extend shelf life and maintain quality makes fresh produce more accessible to communities, and helps brands and retailers extend sales opportunities and eliminate food waste. “Each year, the food industry loses $15.6 billion due to food spoilage at retail. Modifying packaging design to extend shelf life by even one day can recover $1.8 billion of that loss – while feeding more people and reducing waste to landfills.” To establish the multi-disciplinary hub for innovation and research to advance fresh food packaging and distribution, Sonoco will contribute $1.725 million over 5 years. The Company will also sponsor business-driven research projects totaling $1 million over that period. Sonoco FRESH is an extension of the partnership that created the Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics at Clemson. Click Read More below for additional information.

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman issued the following statement regarding the passage of the Boston City Council ordinance regarding the reduction of plastic bags in Boston (Docket #0132). The proposed ordinance would place a five-cent fee on recycled paper bags. “Dozens of communities in Massachusetts have enacted plastic bag bans in recent years, and until today, only one taxed paper bags. This undermines an environmentally responsible option for carryout shopping bags. Paper is the most-recycled material in the United States today. Last year, two-thirds of all paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. Paper is part of the environmental solution, but Boston is treating it like the problem.”

Flint Group continues its leadership position in the Packaging Inks segment with the opening of its new facility in the cosmopolitan district of Beylikduzu, in Istanbul, Turkey. This new 3800 square meter manufacturing and distribution facility is conveniently located only 13 kilometers from the main container terminal on the European side of Turkey and is well positioned for exports to surrounding markets in the Middle East. Kim Melander, VP Sales EMEA & Global Strategy Paper & Board, says this, “Flint Group’s Paper & Board business has been a local supplier in Turkey and the neighbouring regions since 2008 and our team has been satisfying customers’ requirements with state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and expert local service for nearly 10 years. This additional investment not only solidifies Flint Group’s dedication to the Turkish market, but also confirms our promise to grow together with its customers in this key emerging market.” Click Read More below for additional information.

The striking pre-print liner, which was designed for leading beer brand Beck’s, took the honour in the ‘Sacks and Corrugated Pre-Print Liner’ category. The complex liner required a high concentration of ink coverage to meet the customer’s brief of realistic, stand-out print. In order to achieve the attention-grabbing finish, composite colours were used to build the brand’s vivid green shade and put the bottle in the spotlight. With up to 82% of purchase decisions being made in-store, there is increasing pressure on brands to create a dramatic on-shelf presence and the beautiful Beck’s packaging more than delivers on the brief. Click Read More below for additional information.

An extensive range of self-adhesive materials in sheets and reels for multiple applications. With a new format and a clean, elegant graphic line, the latest Adestor? swatchbook is noteworthy for its functionality, including as a new feature at the end of each section an envelope for future product samples. The catalogue features all of Lecta's self-adhesive papers and films, including its most recent launches such as its new high-gloss, wet-strength Adestor Metal HG WS? metalized facestock and the new Adestor Matt Inkjet and Adestor Gloss Inkjet? facestocks, specially designed for water-based inkjet printing. From stickers to retail and signage applications to labels for specific sectors such as wine, logistics or home and personal care, an Adestor solution is available with permanent, repositionable and removable adhesives and filmic liners in addition to standard glassine and kraft liners. Click Read More below for additional information.

Cascades Inc. is proud to have received a Food Innovation Award from the Food Processing Council of Quebec, in the Packaging category, for its northbox ® product, a new recyclable, insulated box. Cascades has developed northbox, a recyclable thermal box that ensures e-shipment temperature-sensitive product to your customer’s door. The northbox ® is an isothermal container made entirely of recycled materials, that is ideal for shipping temperature-sensitive products by mail. It was designed with the objective of being recyclable at the end of its lifecycle—a first in North America. With its thermal performance and eco-friendly features, northbox ® meets the needs of high-growth markets, notably e-commerce, for prepared and ready-to-cook meals. Click Read More below for additional information.

Metsä Board, a leading European producer of premium paperboards is pleased to announce that its Simpele mill has recently integrated the FSSC 22000 food safety system into its management systems and received third party certificate to verify this. The FSSC 22000 Food Safety System provides a framework for effectively managing an organisation's food safety responsibilities. FSSC 22000 is fully recognised by the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) and is based on existing ISO Standards. It demonstrates that a company has a robust Food Safety Management System in place that meets the requirements of both direct customers and consumers. The GFSI brings together key players from the food industry to collaboratively drive continuous improvement in food safety management systems around the world. Click Read More below for additional information.

This impressive growth is being driven, in part, by a demand for premium products – a category in which single malt whisky, and Glenfiddich undoubtedly belongs. Premiumisation has led many global brands to leverage packaging as a truly unique, sophisticated finishing touch to complement their products. Metal packaging is an ideal option to achieve this goal, offering a great deal of design and decoration freedom to create flourishes and incorporate fine details that add an extra level of class. Glenfiddich partnered with Crown to create two limited edition gift tins for its 12- and 15-year-old single malt whiskies. The format was chosen for its premium feel, and superior sustainable credentials. The metal used to create the tins is infinitely recyclable, meaning it can go through the recycling process over and over again, with no loss of physical properties. Click Read More below for additional information.

Total boxboard production increased 3.5 percent when compared to October 2016 and increased 3.0 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production increased over the same month a year ago and increased compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production increased when compared to October 2016 and increased compared to last month. The production of Recycled Boxboard increased compared to October 2016 and increased when compared to last month.

WestRock Company announced today a planned investment in its Florence, South Carolina kraft linerboard mill that will significantly increase the mill’s efficiency, quality and service levels. The $410 million investment over two years will include installing a 330” state-of-the-art kraft linerboard machine and related infrastructure that will replace three older, narrow-width paper machines. The company expects the new machine to produce 710,000 tons of kraft linerboard annually. In addition, the company plans to invest approximately $60 million over the next five years to support the new machine and other mill projects. When coupled with the recently completed modern woodyard, the Florence mill will become one of the lowest cost kraft linerboard mills in North America. Click Read More below for additional information.

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Clopay Plastic Products Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Griffon Corporation, for $475 million in cash on a debt-free, cash-free basis. Clopay is a global supplier of printed breathable films as well as an innovator in the development of elastic films and laminates with product offerings uniquely designed for applications used in a number of markets including; hygiene, healthcare, construction and industrial protective apparel. Clopay has nearly 1,500 employees with a footprint serving markets across the globe with locations in the United States, Germany, Brazil, and China. Clopay delivered $461 million in sales and $53 million in operating EBITDA for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2017. We expect annual cost synergies to be approximately $20 million. The purchase price, including our expected cost synergies along with the tax basis step-up value, represents an adjusted EBITDA multiple of below 6 times. Click Read More below for additional information.

Fiscal Year 2017 Results: The net sales increase of $606 million is primarily attributed to acquisition net sales of $788 million and selling price increases of $60 million due to the pass through of higher resin prices, partially offset by a negative $136 million impact from a 2 percent base volume decline, $98 million from extra days in fiscal 2016, and a slightly negative impact from foreign currency changes. The operating income increase of $151 million is primarily attributed to acquisition operating income of $62 million, a $36 million decrease in Avintiv integration and restructuring costs, a $35 million decrease in selling, general and administrative expense related to synergies and cost reductions, a $24 million improvement in our product mix and price/cost spread, a $16 million decrease in depreciation and amortization, and a slight improvement in productivity in manufacturing. These improvements were partially offset by a $20 million impact from the base volume decline and $10 million from extra days in fiscal 2016. Click Read More below for additional information.

Containerboard production was up 5.1 percent compared to October 2016. The month-over-month average daily production compared to September 2017 was 3.1 percent higher. The containerboard operating rate for October increased from 95.9 percent to 101.3 percent, which was 6 percentage points higher than October of last year. Year-to-date production of containerboard for export is up 3.5 percent, with the October volume surging 16.2 percent above the same month last year.

Total Packaging Papers shipments were 223,400 tons, 1.6 percent lower than October 2016. Bag & Sack shipments are up 3.3 percent year-to-date, while Food Wrapping shipments are down 7.1 percent over the same period. The operating rate for October 2017 was 85.5 percent, while the year-to-date rate was 88.3 percent. Inventories were 167,800 tons, down slightly since September.

Smurfit Kappa has received the highest seal of approval for its performance packaging technology from a leading European research institution. The pioneering technology, which Smurfit Kappa invented in 2001, has been endorsed by the Papiertechnische Stiftung (PTS) research and service institute in Germany setting a new industry standard. PTS assists companies with the development and use of fibre-based materials. The PTS validation means that Smurfit Kappa’s test prototcols is now published as an official Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN) norm leading to a more scalable and credible approach for corrugated packaging users. Click Read More below for additional information.

The Group’s consolidated sales totaled EUR 1,749.1 million and were thus 2.1 %, or EUR 35.3 million above the previous year’s value (1-3Q 2016: EUR 1,713.8 million). Both divisions contributed to the slight increase. With EUR 158.9 million, operating profit reached the previous year’s level (1-3Q 2016: EUR 160.2 million). The Group’s operating margin thus remained stable at 9.1 % (1-3Q 2016: 9.3 %). At EUR 113.3 million, the profit for the period almost reached the previous year’s figure (1-3Q 2016: EUR 115.5 million). Click Read More below for additional information.

Third Quarter 2017 Highlights (as compared to third quarter 2016): • Revenue increased 17.9% to $243.4 million primarily due to additional revenue from the Cantech and Powerband Acquisitions(1), an increase in average selling price, including the impact of product mix, and an increase in sales volume from certain tape products. • Gross margin decreased to 20.9% from 21.7% primarily due to the dilutive impact of the Cantech Acquisition resulting mainly from non-cash purchase price accounting adjustments and certain manufacturing production inefficiencies occurring mainly in older facilities. • Selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A") decreased 31.3% to $18.8 million primarily due to a decrease in share-based compensation driven primarily by the decrease in fair value of cash-settled awards. Click Read More below for additional information.

UPM Raflatac has expanded its PP Lite range of labeling solutions for the European market with the introduction of a new clear film, PP Clear FTC Lite. The face materials, adhesives, and backing used in the PP Lite range offer brands new ways to achieve their sustainability objectives. PP Lite label materials offer brand owners the opportunity to differentiate themselves from the competition by becoming a leader in sustainable product labeling while boosting productivity across the value chain at the same time. By combining a lighter face material, a lower coat-weight adhesive, and a lighter backing, products in the PP Lite range optimize raw material use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water consumption, and waste. Click Read More below for additional information.

Huhtamaki is investing app. EUR 11 million to have a new manufacturing facility built in Hämeenlinna, Finland. Manufacturing operations will be transferred from the current facility that has been built in the 60's to a new, modern facility. Construction work is planned to begin during spring 2018 and the new facility is expected to begin operations in spring 2019. The majority of the investment takes place during 2018. As part of the investment the Hämeenlinna unit's machine base will also be partially renewed and automation will be increased. Competitiveness will also be improved by designing the new facility according to Lean manufacturing principles and improving the flow of goods and minimizing unnecessary traffic within production. The modernization of the manufacturing facility will also improve workplace safety and ergonomics. Click Read More below for additional information.

Mondi, the global packaging and paper Group, and the Czech packaging producer Litobal have been business partners since 2001, when the privately owned packaging company was taking its first steps in the bread bag business. It joined forces with Mondi Speciality Kraft Paper, putting its trust in the paper specialist’s white machine glazed papers. The two companies then started to grow their business together in various paper-based packaging fields, which enabled them to pass another milestone in 2010. At the time, Litobal had recently entered the paper shopping bag market, which had long been an ambition of its founder Zdenek Stojánek. In order to position itself as a reliable and high-quality supplier in the Czech and European shopping bag markets, Litobal turned once again to the Mondi Speciality Kraft Paper team and their high-quality paper grades. Litobal ´s owner Zdenek Stojánek comments, “We chose Mondi as the main paper supplier for our bread bag and shopping bag production because of its know-how and the high quality and comprehensive range of its speciality kraft papers – all available from a single source. Click Read More below for additional information.

The new Experience Centre provides a place for customers to get hands-on experience of the spectrum of capabilities offered by Bag-in-Box® solutions. State-of-the-art technology and interactive displays designed to showcase the films, taps and boxes are backed up by a wealth of information and technical expertise. Visitors are also given the opportunity to test the products in the laboratory and see how they can benefit their business. The Experience Centre opened last month as part of this year’s celebration of 40 years of the Bag-in-Box division. Dominique Gessat, General Manager of Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box Epernay comments: “Customers coming to the Experience Centre can evaluate all the processes of production and see with their own eyes the quality standards that Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box has adopted over the years. Click Read More below for additional information.

“The printer we purchased this summer is probably the most advanced printer in North America. Management was at a trade show and the company was giving a demonstration. They bought it and we’ve been in the process of installing it this summer,” Luyet said. A team went to Germany where the machine is manufactured to be trained. Then several of the staff from Germany came to Harrison for the installation process. “We expanded our warehouse by 38,000 feet, and we have rented the former Emerson facility and added an additional 30,000 feet there,” Luyet said. The WestRock plant of Harrison has two printers, four cutters and six gluing machines — about $20 million of equipment. The Harrison team ships products to all 50 states as well as to Canada and Mexico. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sales of $1,103 million increased by $82 million or 8% compared to the same period last year, reflecting the consolidation of results from the Greenpac Mill beginning in the second quarter, improved pricing and sales mix in all four of the Corporation's business segments, and additional sales from recovery and recycling activities due to higher recycled fibre pricing. These benefits were partially offset by lower volumes in our North American operations, and the stronger Canadian dollar which resulted in a less favourable CAD/USD exchange rate. Third quarter operating income stood at $51 million , a slight improvement from $50 million last year. This performance reflects the inclusion of Greenpac in the current quarter, price increases mainly in Containerboard, and lower Corporate activities costs related to lower stock-based compensation expense. These were offset by higher raw material costs, and higher production costs in Containerboard and Tissue, due to freight and logistics, and increased use of outside contracting. Specific items recorded in the current period (please refer to the ''Supplemental Information on Non-IFRS Measures'' section for more details) decreased operating income by $2 million . On an adjusted basis, third quarter operating income stood at $53 million , down slightly from $55 million in the prior year period. Click Read More below for additional information.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company announced that its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Graphic Packaging International, Inc. and Graphic Packaging International Canada, ULC, have agreed to acquire the assets of Seydaco Packaging Corp. and its affiliates National Carton and Coating Co., and Groupe Ecco Boites Pliantes Ltée. Seydaco is a folding carton producer with a leading position in Canada focused on the foodservice, food, personal care, and household goods markets. Seydaco converts approximately 20,000 tons of paperboard annually and operates three converting plants located in Mississauga, Ontario, St.-Hyacinthe, Québec, and Xenia, Ohio. The business generated revenues of approximately $40 million and low double digit EBITDA margins on an LTM basis. Click Read More below for additional information.

Net sales of $1.1 billion increased 6% on an as reported basis. Currency had a positive impact on total net sales of 1%, or $13 million. As reported, net sales increased across all regions. Net income from continuing operations on a reported basis was $62 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, as compared to net income from continuing operations of $64 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, in the third quarter 2016. Net income in the third quarter 2017 was unfavorably impacted by $24 million of special items, including $9 million of restructuring and other restructuring associated costs, $7 million related to acquisition and divestiture activity and $5 million of tax special items. Net income in the third quarter 2016 included $17 million of special items, including $7 million of charges related to restructuring and other costs associated with our restructuring programs and $9 million related to tax special items. Click Read More below for additional information.

Forest Positive brings significant benefits for nature because it not only ensures net zero deforestation, but is also proven to promote biodiversity, improve water quality, and enhance the ability of forests to absorb carbon dioxide. The innovative RAFNXT+ range has a carbon potential that is up to 20% more carbon positive than standard paper labels. The RAFNXT+ range optimizes the use of raw materials, using less energy and water, and generating less waste during its lifecycle compared to standard labels. It provides a competitive edge for printers and brand owners alike in terms of both sustainability and efficiency, with fewer reel changes delivering savings in downtime and start-up waste, lower packaging and transportation costs, and increased storage capacity for both raw materials and finished stock. Click Read More below for additional information.

Stora Enso has joined forces with Microsoft to bring cloud-based intelligent packaging solutions to clients globally. Intelligent Packaging by Stora Enso utilizes Microsoft Azure, the leading cloud platform for business digitalization. The global and scalable cloud platform from Microsoft enables reliable and secure data collection and analytics for clients investing in innovative intelligent packaging solutions. Intelligent Packaging by Stora Enso integrates widely adopted RFID (Radio frequency identification) technology which enables the product to be tracked, traced and tamper-proofed throughout the entire supply chain. Moreover, the technology allows communication between the brand-owner and the end-user using an NFC (Near Field Communication)-enabled smartphone. Comprehensive data management and analytics capabilities are vital to all intelligent packaging solutions. Through the Microsoft cloud service, all data are collected for analytics to support and improve business efficiency. Click Read More below for additional information.

Billions of consumer packages are consumed globally every day, and the amount is growing. The Better with Less – Design Challenge is challenging packaging designers to create ever more environmentally-friendly, functional packaging solutions for everyday goods. The international competition jury includes renowned packaging design experts. Better with Less – Design Challenge starts 6 November, 2017. The international packaging design competition, organized by Metsä Board, aims to find new packaging solutions for some of the world’s most frequently used and fastest growing types of consumer packages. Billions of consumer packages are consumed globally every day, and as the population continues to grow, so will the number of packages. The high amount of plastic used in packaging is an international concern, in part because globally the plastic waste inputs into the oceans amount annually to almost nine million tonnes. Click Read More below for additional information.

UPM Raflatac and Mus Verpakkingen, a Dutch supplier of metal packaging and closures, have partnered to find a more sustainable alternative for can labeling. Historically, Mus's products have primarily been used in the paint and chemical markets, but today Mus provides a wide assortment of cans, closures and aerosols for the cosmetic and food industries, too. Together with UPM Raflatac, Mus has tested the new RafBio PE material in application. RafBio PE is a sustainable alternative to standard PE film and is made from sugarcane ethanol containing more than 80 % renewable plant-based raw material. This ecodesigned film material reduces greenhouse gas emissions and is recyclable within the same recycling streams as fossil-based PE. For the test series, Mus has labeled 1 liter cylindrical cans with RafBio PE Clear FTC 85 film. The plan is to use RafBio label material for other sizes, too, as the labeled range of cans goes from 125 mm to 5 liters. Click Read More below for additional information.

Multi-Color Corporation completed its acquisition of the Labels Division of Constantia Flexibles from Constantia Flexibles GmbH in a cash and equity transaction valued at approximately $1.3 billion (€1.15 billion). The combined annual revenues of the two businesses will be approximately $1.7 billion. The combination brings together Constantia Labels' high performing Food and Beverage business with Multi-Color's strong Home and Personal Care and Wine and Spirits platforms, as well as its emerging global position in Healthcare. The acquisition will provide additional growth opportunities for Multi-Color in Home and Personal Care through Constantia Labels' European operational footprint and assets, and for Constantia Labels in Food and Beverage through Multi-Color's US operational footprint and assets. The stronger combined footprint in Asia will provide further revenue opportunities. We are delighted to welcome Constantia's 2,800 associates to the Multi-Color team, as well as Mike Henry, current Executive Vice President and Head of Constantia Labels, who today becomes CEO-elect of Multi-Color and will be appointed Chief Executive Officer in January 2018.

Fourth Quarter 2017 Highlights: • Earned $0.76 per diluted share and $0.87 of adjusted earnings per diluted share. Our effective tax rate was 20.7%, and our adjusted tax rate was 28.4% • Generated net cash provided by operating activities of $494 million and adjusted free cash flow of $271 million • Achieved $80 million in year-over-year productivity and a run rate of $840 million of synergy and performance improvements since the merger. Full Year 2017 and Other Highlights: • Earned $2.77 per diluted share and $2.62 of adjusted earnings per diluted share • Generated net cash provided by operating activities of $1.90 billion ad adjusted free cash flow of $1.22 billion • Achieved $361 million of productivity year-over-year • Continued our portfolio transformation by: • Completing five acquisitions, including the acquisition of Multi Packaging Solutions International Limited (“MPS”). These acquisitions: º Advanced our strategy to provide differentiated, high value-added solutions to our customers and expanded our presence in attractive end markets º Created opportunities for meaningful synergies and performance improvements, and º Increased our vertical integration levels • Selling the Home, Health and Beauty business (“HH&B”) in April 2017. This sale resulted in a pre-tax gain of $193 million and generated net after-tax proceeds of approximately $1 billion. Click Read More below for additional information.

January–September 2017 (1–9/2016) • Sales were EUR 1,397.3 million (1,298.5). • Comparable operating result was EUR 139.1 million (104.7), or 10.0 per cent (8.1) of sales. The operating result was EUR 152.7 million (93.8). • Comparable earnings per share were EUR 0.27 (0.21), and earnings per share were EUR 0.30 (0.18). • Comparable return on capital employed was 10.6 per cent (8.3). July–September 2017 (4–6/2017) • Sales were EUR 478.6 million (474.2). • Comparable operating result was EUR 50.4 million (43.5), or 10.5 per cent (9.2) of sales. The operating result was EUR 60.6 million (46.9). • Comparable earnings per share were EUR 0.08 (0.09), and earnings per share were EUR 0.11 (0.09). • Comparable return on capital employed was 11.5 per cent (10.3). Click Read More below for additional information.

Lollicup® USA Inc. will halt all production on PS (polystyrene) hot cup lids starting the end of this year, and will only produce PP (polypropylene) hot cup lids. This unprecedented decision is based on Lollicup's move towards producing products that are recyclable, compostable, and more eco-friendly. "PP is more heat resistant than PS, more environmentally friendly, and leaves less of a carbon foot print," said Lollicup's founder and CEO Alan Yu. This decision could not be timelier, as the world's largest coffee chain has recently switched their lids from PS to PP, and the PS lids are on the Plastics Ban List. The list was made by four non-profit watch groups, whose influence has made significant changes in the industry already. Click Read More below for additional information.

Tony Smurfit, Group CEO, commented: “SKG continues to deliver, showing strong sequential progress with Group EBITDA margin at 15.1% for the quarter. “Total Group corrugated volumes grew 3% for the quarter. Corrugated volumes in Europe improved by 4% on a days-adjusted basis with strong demand in most areas of activity. In the Americas demand growth was 3% with growth in most markets. “In the third quarter, recovered fibre cost pressures remained, resulting in a headwind of almost €40 million for the quarter and €111 million for the year-to-date compared to 2016. SKG will continue to offset these cost pressures through further corrugated price recovery and ongoing efficiency improvements as we progress towards the year-end and into 2018. Click Read More below for additional information.

Transcontinental Inc. announced that it has acquired Les Industries Flexipak Inc., a flexible packaging supplier located in Montréal, Québec, employing 55 people. The company is a converter specialized in flexographic printing, lamination as well as bag and pouch making, and has other value-added capabilities. Les Industries Flexipak Inc. offers a wide range of flexible packaging products serving consumer goods companies, food processors and retailers across several markets including frozen fruits and vegetables, seafood, snacks, grains, nuts and beverage (shrink films). It is the first flexible packaging company in Québec to be awarded BRC Packaging certification, a standard recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), with an AA grade. "I am excited to announce this fifth flexible packaging acquisition in North America – our first in the province of Québec – which marks yet another step in the development of our North American network," said François Olivier, President and Chief Executive Officer of TC Transcontinental. "This transaction extends our footprint to Eastern Canada by adding a Montréal-based facility equipped with a state-of-the-art platform, and gives us the opportunity to further develop our existing business relationships with retailers in the country. Driven by its belief in outstanding customer service and innovation, Flexipak has a strong family business culture that will naturally blend with ours. We are truly delighted to welcome Flexipak's employees to the TC Transcontinental family and look forward to growing our flexible packaging business with them." Click Read More below for additional information.

Cascades Inc. announced a $21-million investment in its Cascades Inopak (Drummondville) and Plastiques Cascades (Kingsey Falls) plants in order to acquire equipment enabling it to increase its production of food packaging, primarily for the fresh protein market. The Cascades Inopak plant in Drummondville will benefit from a $15-million investment. This will be used to expand the existing building and to install a high-performance rPET film manufacturing line that is unique in Canada and which includes a built-in, cutting-edge decontamination unit. This will make it possible to significantly increase the production capacity of Integral TM packaging, which is made from recycled PET, is recyclable and allows food in certain markets—such as fresh protein—to be kept for double the amount of time, thus radically reducing food waste. Nearly $6M will be invested in the Kingsey Falls Plastiques Cascades plant to modernize equipment, notably by adding a new extrusion line and two recycling lines, which will increase the production capacity by 25% and double the plant's internal recycling capacity. The Kingsey Falls plant produces EVOK ® , the first polystyrene foam tray in North America to contain at least 25% recycled materials. These investments will facilitate an eventual increase in this percentage and, by extension, further reduce the CO 2 emissions of products marketed by our customers. Click Read More below for additional information.

Evergreen Packaging, with support from KidsGardening, announced the launch of the spring 2018 Carton 2 Garden contest, the nationwide competition that invites students of all ages to repurpose milk and juice cartons in school gardens that teach math, science, arts, environment and sustainability. Now in its fourth year, the Carton 2 Garden contest underscores Evergreen Packaging’s commitment to championing sustainability, STEM-learning and healthy living. “The Carton 2 Garden contest gives thousands of students across the country the opportunity to not only learn more about gardening, but also teamwork, nutrition, sustainable practices and environmental stewardship,” said Katie Simmons, marketing manager at Evergreen Packaging. “We are thrilled to once again partner with KidsGardening, the leaders in the school garden movement, to equip contest entrants with educational materials that instill these important lessons and life skills. Each year the gardens grow more inventive, and we look forward to seeing the innovations that will be created for this year’s contest.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Laakirchen Papier AG said that the grade conversion project involving paper machine 10 at its mill in Laakirchen, Austria, is complete and PM10 is back in operation. The 10-week project converted PM10's production from SC paper to light-weight containerboard based on recycled fiber. According to the company, the machine project was finished on schedule. Click Read More below for additional information.

Tetra Pak has today launched the Tetra Fino® Aseptic 100 Ultra MiM, a new package that offers an opportunity for customers to produce liquid dairy and juice drinks using their existing production processes, and market them as ice creams and frozen products. ​The new package allows dairy and juice drinks to be produced and distributed in small carton pouches at room temperature, and subsequently turned into frozen products in shops or in a consumer’s home. This means producers can tap into the $72bn1 global ice cream market without the need for additional investment in production equipment and chilled distribution system. Want Want, a leading food company in China, is the first company to trial this product. Click Read More below for additional information.

Smurfit Kappa is now working with 70% of leading European e-retail brands, the packaging solutions company said today as it announced the new name for its e-retail offering – eSmart. This is the culmination of years of experience helping e-retailers optimise opportunities in the online sales space. eSmart guides companies through 12 key areas relating to the optimisation of e-retail processes, supply chain efficiency and delivering a superior consumer experience. Edwin Goffard, COO Corrugated Europe, says: “As online sales grow and consumer expectations evolve in an increasingly digitalised world, the pressure is on for brand owners and e-retailers to stand out from the crowd. Packaging plays a vital role in helping businesses grow profitably, manage supply chain complexity, and deliver the right brand experience.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Third Quarter 2017 Summary: • Reported sales increased 6% over the prior year driven by 3% core growth and a 3% favorable impact from exchange rates • Each business segment achieved core sales growth • Lower custom tooling sales negatively impacted the sales growth by 2% • Reported net income (9% of net sales) increased to $54 million (+1%) • EBITDA (19% of net sales) decreased to $118 million (-4%) • Profit margins were negatively impacted by operational challenges at our decorative facility in Europe, higher professional fees, raw material cost increases and certain currency transaction losses. Click Read More below for additional information.

Consolidated net sales of $868 million in the third quarter of 2017 were $92 million, or 12 percent higher than the 2016 third quarter. This increase was due to $57 million of higher prices and a more favorable product mix, and higher volume in the paper and packaging segment. Net sales in the distribution segment increased $8 million due to higher prices partially offset by lower volume. The Company's average mill selling price of $698 per ton in the third quarter of 2017 increased by $72 per ton, or nearly 12 percent, compared to the third quarter of 2016 due to higher domestic and export containerboard prices, and higher kraft paper prices. Net income of $30 million for the 2017 third quarter was $1 million lower than the 2016 third quarter. Click Read More below for additional information.

Compared to third quarter guidance, results were negatively impacted by ($.02) per share due to hurricane-related items at certain mills and corrugated products facilities, offset by a partial insurance recovery related to the DeRidder Mill incident of $.02 per share. In the Packaging segment, total corrugated products shipments with two less workdays were up 4.0% and shipments per day were up 7.3% over last year’s third quarter. Containerboard production was 996,000 tons, and containerboard inventory was up 7,000 tons compared to the third quarter of 2016 and up 20,000 tons from the second quarter of 2017. In the Paper segment, lower volumes in the third quarter of 2017 compared to last year were primarily due to the previously announced shutdown of market pulp operations at the Wallula Mill. Click Read More below for additional information.

"Our comparable net sales growth returned to 4% during the third quarter. In emerging markets comparable growth was 5% despite net sales still declining in India. At the end of the quarter our net sales in India started to grow again as the demand for flexible packaging began to recover from the impact of Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation. Our profitability remained at a solid level but was affected by higher costs especially in the North America segment. In addition to costs related to major on-going investments the segment's distribution and resin costs were higher due to hurricane impact. The Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania segment's profitability held up well despite adverse product mix and the impact of weaker pound sterling on our UK business. The Flexible Packaging segment's net sales growth accelerated at the end of the quarter." Click Read More below for additional information.

U.S. Packaging net sales of $672.3 million for the third quarter of 2017 represented an increase of 2.2 percent compared to the same period of 2016. Compared to the prior third quarter, unit volumes were up approximately two percent. U.S. Packaging operating profit decreased to $99.6 million in the third quarter of 2017, or 14.8 percent of net sales, compared to $100.8 million, or 15.3 percent of net sales, in 2016. Compared to the prior year, profits were impacted by previously-negotiated contractual selling price reductions on select products, partially offset by manufacturing efficiencies and the benefits of increased unit volumes. Global Packaging net sales of $362.8 million for the third quarter of 2017 represented a decrease of 1.8 percent compared to the same period of 2016. Currency translation increased net sales by 0.5 percent. Organic sales decline of 2.3 percent reflects unfavorable mix of products sold, partially offset by sales price increases. Compared to the prior third quarter, Global Packaging unit volumes were relatively flat, comprised of weak volumes in the Company’s Latin American business, as anticipated, and offset by net volume growth in the remaining regions of the Global Packaging Segment. Global Packaging operating profit for the third quarter was $24.6 million, compared to $36.2 million for the same period in 2016. Compared to the prior year, lower profits in Global Packaging were driven primarily by the impact of the challenging economic environment in Brazil. Click Read More below for additional information.

AWPPW Local 675 and WestRock will be returning to the bargaining table November 6 and 7 to resume negotiations after union members rejected the Company's initial offer for a new Labor Agreement by 94%. Major items cited by the Union as causes for the overwhelming rejection by the membership include proposed seniority changes, increased medical cost, elimination of premium pay provisions and maintenance redesign. AWPPW Local President Bob Booth says "While the WestRock Covington mill consistently produces huge profits every year, WestRock refuses to treat the workforce fairly. No matter how dedicated and hardworking we all are and no matter how much money we make for WestRock the company wants concessions." Click Read More below for additional information.

Adjusted operating earnings in the third quarter of 2017 were $449 million or $1.08 per share compared with $270 million or $0.65 per share in the second quarter of 2017 and $380 million or $0.91 per share in the third quarter of 2016. Quarterly net sales were $5.9 billion in the third quarter of 2017 compared with $5.8 billion in the second quarter of 2017 and $5.3 billion in the third quarter of 2016. The year-over-year revenue increase was primarily due to the pulp business that was acquired in late 2016. Business segment operating profits in the third quarter of 2017 were $707 million, compared with $129 million in the second quarter of 2017 and $613 million in the third quarter of 2016. The second quarter of 2017 includes the impact of the Kleen Products settlement. Click Read More below for additional information.

Kruger officially dedicated Paper Machine No. 10 (PM10), which was completely rebuilt to manufacture 100% lightweight and high-strength linerboard at its Trois-Rivières Mill. Several dignitaries and project partners were present, including Luc Blanchette, Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks; Julie Boulet, Minister of Tourism ad Minister responsible for the Mauricie region; Jean-Denis Girard, MNA for Trois-Rivières; and Gene Kruger, Vice President, Business Development, Kruger Inc. Kruger invested $250 million in this project to completely rebuild PM10 for optimal results. Well before work got under way, Kruger’s engineers toured numerous manufacturing plants in North America and Europe to find the best technology for manufacturing 100% recycled lightweight and high-strength linerboard of the best possible quality. Commercialized as XTR, the new linerboard grades manufactured on PM10 meet increasing demand for ultra-light packaging without compromising on strength, performance or environmental footprint. Click Read More below for additional information.

Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. (MPM), a family-owned manufacturer that delivers high-performance specialty papers for the technical, packaging and printing markets, today announced its Kona® portfolio of packaging substrates that is made with non-wood fiber from used burlap bags diverted from the landfill. Monadnock entered an exclusive licensing agreement with Arch Paper LLC and Whiting Paper Company for the production of a range of Kona paper and board products. Under a patented process, Monadnock is incorporating reclaimed burlap coffee bean bags into a variety of print and packaging substrates for the retail and hospitality markets. The roasted shades and variegated fibers impart a beautiful and natural aesthetic that is smooth to the touch and pleasing to the eye. Monadnock's Kona line includes stocks for hang tags, price tickets, folding boxes and wet-strength labels. They are all Forest Stewardship Council Certified and are manufactured carbon-neutral using Green-e certified renewable electricity. Click Read More below for additional information.

Net sales for the third quarter of 2017 were $1.27 billion, an increase of $127.3 million, or 11.2 percent, as compared to $1.14 billion in 2016. This increase was the result of higher net sales in the closures business due to the acquisition of the Dispensing Systems operations in April 2017 as well as in the plastic container business, partially offset by lower net sales in the metal container business. Income from operations for the third quarter of 2017 was $138.6 million, an increase of $16.2 million, or 13.2 percent, as compared to $122.4 million for the third quarter of 2016, and operating margin increased to 10.9 percent from 10.7 percent for the same periods. The increase in income from operations was the result of higher income from operations in the closures business due to the benefit from the acquisition of Dispensing Systems as well as in the plastic container business, partially offset by lower income from operations in the metal container business. Rationalization charges were $0.6 million and $7.8 million in the third quarters of 2017 and 2016, respectively. Click Read More below for additional information.

For the third quarter, earnings from continuing operations were $0.77 per share (diluted), up 13 percent compared with $0.68 per share in 2016, primarily driven by improved segment operating profit in Europe and Latin America, and lower interest and tax expense. Net sales were $1.8 billion, an increase of almost 5 percent compared to the prior year third quarter, primarily due to favorable currency translation. Price increased 1 percent on a global basis, while shipments were on par with the prior year. Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes were $172 million, an increase of 12 percent compared with the same period in 2016. Segment operating profit of reportable segments[1] for the third quarter of 2017 was $260 million, an increase of 10 percent compared with prior year. Notable gains were reported in Europe and Latin America which more than compensated for external weakness in North America. Europe benefited from a favorable sales mix, a currency tailwind and the receipt of an energy credit, as expected. The increase in Latin America was driven by a 7 percent increase in shipments including double-digit gains in Brazil and a reduction in total systems cost. Click Read More below for additional information.

Highlights: Graphic Packaging will create a leading integrated paper-based packaging company with approximately $6 billion of revenue and $1 billion of EBITDA post-synergies. Expands existing and builds new platforms for integrated growth in SBS foodservice markets and folding carton converting. International Paper Company's North America Consumer Packaging business valued at $1.8 billion. Targeting $75 million in synergies by the end of year three. Valuation of 8.6x Adjusted EBITDA and 6.3x Adjusted EBITDA post-synergies based on $210 million of Adjusted 2017 Estimated EBITDA. Transaction structured as a new partnership comprised of Graphic Packaging's existing businesses and International Paper Company's North America Consumer Packaging business. Graphic Packaging Holding Company will own 79.5 percent of the partnership and will be the sole operator. International Paper will own 20.5 percent of the partnership. Click Read More below for additional information.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company reported Net Income for third quarter 2017 of $47.3 million, or $0.15 per share, based on 310.9 million weighted average diluted shares. This compares to third quarter 2016 Net Income of $57.8 million, or $0.18 per share, based on 320.4 million weighted average diluted shares. Net Sales increased 3.1% to $1,137.6 million in the third quarter of 2017, compared to $1,103.7 million in the prior year period. When comparing against the prior year quarter, net sales were positively impacted by $29.7 million of improved volume/mix related to an acquisition and modestly positive core volumes, and $7.8 million of favorable foreign exchange. These benefits were partially offset by $3.6 million of lower pricing. Click Read More below for additional information.

Nosco, Inc., a subsidiary of Holden Industries, Inc., announced that it has acquired Gooding Company, Inc., a New York-based insert and outsert manufacturer with over 141 years of printing experience. Through the acquisition of Gooding, Nosco will add an additional manufacturing facility on the east coast that will help reduce lead times, lower packaging costs and provide an expanded portfolio of folded literature. Gooding was established in 1876 in Lockport, New York. In 1990, the company was sold to current president, Jerry Hace. Under Hace's leadership, the company began focusing on enclosures for the medical and pharmaceutical industries, in addition to other markets. "Over the years, Jerry Hace built a great team at Gooding that behaves very consistently with the employee-owned culture at Nosco," said Russ Haraf, Nosco President. "Gooding is a great company that will complement our On_Demand Solutions Center in Philadelphia very well – offering a full line of healthcare printed packaging solutions with best-in-class cycle times for the eastern portion of the U.S." Click Read More below for additional information.

Total boxboard production increased 3.3 percent when compared to September 2016, and decreased 6.3 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production increased over the same month as last year but decreased compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production increased when compared to September 2016, but decreased compared to last month. The production of Recycled Boxboard increased compared to September 2016, but decreased when compared to last month.

WestRock Company was recognized for design excellence at the 74th annual North American Paperboard Packaging Competition. The company won 13 awards—the most of any entrant—including the prestigious Eco Award for its unique 8 pack designs for Budweiser and Bud Light’s 16 oz aluminum bottles. Sponsored by the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), the competition is judged by a panel of packaging experts. The awards recognize cartons that represent the best in converting excellence, innovation, and sustainability that the North American folding carton industry has provided its customers over the past year. The Eco Award recognizes an outstanding use of paperboard in replacing a non-paperboard substrate, creating extremely sustainable packaging, and/or fostering materials reductions or better cubing. Click Read More below for additional information.

The company reported net sales of $426.5 million for the third quarter of 2017, down 2.0% compared to net sales of $435.3 million for the third quarter of 2016. Net earnings determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, for the third quarter of 2017 were $0.9 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, comparable to net earnings for the third quarter of 2016 of $0.9 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, as a $2.4 million tax benefit from Federal tax credits in the third quarter of 2017 more than offset a pre-tax loss of $2.2 million for the quarter. Excluding certain non-core items identified in the attached Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures, third quarter 2017 adjusted net earnings were $5.3 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, compared to third quarter 2016 adjusted net earnings of $2.4 million, or $0.14 per diluted share. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, were $31.3 million for the third quarter of 2017 compared to $32.0 million for the third quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $37.6 million, up 9.7% compared to third quarter 2016 Adjusted EBITDA of $34.3 million. Click Read More below for additional information.

Net sales for the third quarter were a record $1.32 billion, an increase of $115.9 million, or 9.6 percent, from last year’s quarter. The improvement in sales was a result of higher selling prices, largely driven by rising raw material prices; sales added from acquisitions, net of divestitures; and the positive impact of foreign exchange. Gross profits were a record $250.9 million in the third quarter, an increase of $15.5 million or 6.6 percent, compared with $235.4 million in the same period in 2016. Gross profit as a percentage of sales declined to 18.9 percent, compared with 19.5 percent in the same period in 2016. The gross profit percentage reduction was primarily due to higher raw material and other operating costs offset by manufacturing and procurement productivity. Third-quarter selling, general and administrative expenses increased $8.7 million from the prior year to $130.3 million. This increase was driven by wage inflation and acquisition-related expenses. Click Read More below for additional information.

Containerboard production was essentially flat compared to September 2016. The month-over-month average daily production compared to August 2017 was 3.8% lower. The containerboard operating rate for September decreased from 97.2% to 95.9%, which was 0.9 percentage points lower than September of last year. Year-to-date production of containerboard for export is up 2.2%, with the September volume falling 13.6% below the same month last year.

Total Packaging Papers shipments were 222,200 tons, 3.4% lower than September 2016. Bag & Sack shipments were up 3.8% year-to-date, while Food Wrapping shipments were down 7.8% over the same period. The operating rate for September 2017 was 87.9%, while the year-to-date rate was 88.7%. Inventories were 168,300 tons, down slightly since August.

Net sales in the third quarter increased to $2,468 million compared to $2,326 million in the third quarter of 2016, reflecting increased global beverage, food and aerosol can volumes, the pass through of higher raw material costs, and $38 million of favorable currency translation. Income from operations was $347 million in the third quarter of 2017. Segment income improved to $358 million in the quarter over the $333 million in the third quarter of 2016, including a benefit of $5 million from currency translation. Net income attributable to Crown Holdings in the third quarter was $177 million compared to $183 million in the third quarter of 2016. Reported diluted earnings per share were $1.32 in the third quarter of 2017 compared to $1.31 in the 2016 third quarter. Adjusted diluted earnings per share were $1.41 compared to $1.33 in the third quarter of 2016. Through September 30, the Company repurchased a total of 6.2 million shares of its common stock for $339 million, including 1.1 million shares for $62 million during the third quarter. Click Read More below for additional information.

Brand owners will now have access to enhanced folding carton printing capabilities—including exotic inks and coatings—with an improved cost profile that will heighten their shelf presence. PaperWorks Industries has invested $3 million in a sheet-fed lithographic press at its Greensboro, N.C. facility which will enable many value-added enhancements in a single pass that traditionally take two- and three-passes to achieve. These include matte and metallic inks, specialty coatings and pigments—plus seven-color printing. The capability is driven by the press' unique configuration. "Brand owners and private label packagers are constantly looking for ways to grab the consumer's attention with eye-catching package design. Traditionally, carton printers would have to run the board through a press additional times to gain the heightened visual and/or tactile effects. However, earmarking additional funds for enhanced shelf impact may not always be feasible. Our new one-pass printing capability creates visual attributes in a fast and cost-effective manner," said Brandon Clairmont, senior vice president, packaging sales and marketing, PaperWorks. Click Read More below for additional information.

Global packaging leader Smurfit Kappa has introduced innovative new trucks which have increased capacity and slashed CO₂ emissions by 20%. The vehicles, which have been pioneered at the Piteå Paper Mill in Sweden, can handle heavier loads, resulting in a 30% reduction in the number of trips annually. Smurfit Kappa, which has amassed a wealth of experience in supply chain optimisation through its SupplySmart service, examined how it could streamline the Piteå supply chain. A team of logistics and sustainability specialists used this industry-leading expertise to optimise the supply chain and make it more efficient and sustainable. Click Read More below for additional information.

Amcor is expanding its leadership role in packaging innovation, product safety and sustainability in collaboration with customers and suppliers through membership of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF). The CGF is a non-profit, global association that embraces retailers and manufacturers and is run by a board of chief executive officers – many of whom are Amcor customers. More than 400 companies from 70 countries are CGF members. With operations spanning the globe, Amcor welcomes the opportunity to continue to share our expertise and influence strategic agenda, adding the CGF to our roster of memberships with select global forums and associations.

CEO Per Lindberg comments on the development during Q3 2017: “We experienced a very strong market in the quarter, resulting in positive sales performance. Net sales were up 3% and volumes were up 1% on last year. Overall, we have had some difficulties with production availability in recent quarters, so we have established a new organisation to work proactively on both availability and quality at our facilities. I am confident that this will generate results over the coming years. Looking ahead, market conditions appear encouraging, and we see good opportunities for continued growth. In the longer term, we will have additional support from increasing demand for sustainable packaging solutions. In this respect, our major investments, which will start to deliver in 2018 and 2019, will make a significant positive contribution to our growth on this market.” Click Read More below for additional information.

"The perimeter of the store continues to experience solid growth as consumers are drawn to more fresh and natural options, with produce being the significant driver," said Sonoco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rob Tiede. "This growth is accelerating the need for brands to offer more convenient, on-the-go options that are easy to store, consume and dispose. Shoppers are also looking for ways to reduce food waste, so packaging has a big role to play in portion control and maintaining freshness." The newly expanded product line, which will be featured at the show, includes options ranging from flexible pouches and peel-reseal lidding, to rigid plastic trays, tubs and hinged containers. These formats are ideal for pre-cut produce, prepared salads and snack-packs, as well as whole fruits and vegetables. Click Read More below for additional information.

UPM Raflatac will launch a brand new product range for medical device and healthcare industry. New RPMD is a multi-faceted adhesive that is ideal for labeling medical devices. Selection of different face materials with new RPMD adhesive are specially designed for different medical device sub-segments such as sterilization wraps and bags, infusion bags and bottles, drug-device combinations like pens, auto-injectors and inhalers and blood donation labeling. RPMD adhesive combines excellent adhesion with a tight mandrel hold on glass and plastic and is sterilization resistant and migration safe. "In April 2017 the EU Commission formally adopted two new regulations on medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices. One of the main regulatory updates is the implementation of a Unique Device Identification system (UDI) that provides a globally harmonized and consistent approach for the marking and identification of medical devices", comments Markku Pietarinen, Manager, Business Segments & Pharma, Specials EMEIA. "A UDI is a code printed on a label affixed to a device or its packaging, or even directly on the device itself, in both plain text and machine-readable format. All medical devices available in the EU must comply with the new regulations by April 2020, with the deadline for in vitro diagnostic devices falling two years later, in 2022." Click Read More below for additional information.

Wendy’s, Church’s Chicken and Taco Bell all honored North America’s Foodservice business unit with significant awards earned for delivering outstanding service and design. As three of the most globally recognizable quick-service restaurants in the industry, these are obviously great honors for our company. Wendy’s Golden Link Award - Awarded only once every two years, the Golden Link Awards recognize top supply chain partners. Huhtamaki was honored for their strong commitment to its partnership with Wendy’s and delivering excellent products at a fair price. Church’s Chicken Supplier of the Year - Huhtamaki collaborated with Church’s Chicken to globally source the paperboard used in producing the Church’s boxes and cartons. Yum! Brands/RSCS STAR Award for Taco Bell’s Packaging Supplier of the Year - During their Annual STAR Award ceremony, Yum! Brands and Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions (RSCS) chose Huhtamaki as Taco Bell’s Packaging Supplier of the Year. Click Read More below for additional information.

The PM6 machine, which has a production capacity of 100,000 tons of recycled containerboard per year, will facilitate greater integration within the Group’s converting plants and significantly increase the energy efficiency of the Los Reyes plant. The investment will enable Smurfit Kappa Mexico to produce high performance containerboard, contributing to the company's competitiveness in an ever-growing packaging market. The type of material produced by PM6 further strengthens Smurfit Kappa’s offering for the agricultural and electrical appliance sectors, where protecting products in the supply chain is key. Click Read More below for additional information.

The labeling market is one of the largest growth segments in the printing industry. The demand for digitally printed labels in particular is recording extremely dynamic and sustained growth. The level of customer interest in the latest labeling solutions from Gallus, a subsidiary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg), was thus very high at this year’s Labelexpo trade fair in Brussels at the end of September. Numerous orders for the Gallus Labelfire digital label press as well as for the new Gallus Labelmaster platform are evidence of Heidelberg’s leading role in this market segment. “The labeling market is an important part of our growth strategy,” explained Rainer Hundsdörfer, the company’s CEO. “We’re focusing on the globally increasing demand for labels, produced both digitally or in the conventional way. We’re convinced that our Gallus range will provide a great amount of potential for Heidelberg.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Jaholo, a special micro-embossing printing technology jointly developed by Janoschka and Amcor, produces prismatic and pattern movement effects which catch the eye. “Our customers want packaging that generates visual attention and engagement for their brands,” said Ilya Syshchikov, Vice President of Innovation and Strategy for Amcor’s folding carton business. “Jaholo creates a dynamic appearance, engaging consumers and enhancing their interaction with products.” By combining Janoschka’s integrated pre-press expertise with Amcor’s global printing and converting capabilities, the companies have industrialised Jaholo technology. Click Read More below for additional detail.

The Design of the Times competition celebrates in-store displays and digital activations, and recognizes their role in any successful shopper marketing initiative. The competition is sponsored by the Path to Purchase Institute, a global member community that champions shopper-centric thinking and practice that help define the ongoing evolution of consumer marketing and the overall shopping experience. “At WestRock, we know that packaging and merchandising play an important role in the shopper’s path to purchase,” said Pete Durette, president of Enterprise Solutions & Strategy for WestRock. “We’re proud of the recognition these awards represent. They are a testament to our commitment to combining our unparalleled industry insights with design and innovation capabilities to create solutions that drive real value for our customers.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

A packaging solutions supplier for large manufacturers has purchased a new four-color MetalStar 3 press from KBA-MetalPrint. The new MetalStar 3 four-color press line will include KBA UV curing, fully automatic plate change (FAPC), KBA CleanTronic Synchro for simultaneous washing of the blanket and impression cylinder, simultaneous roller wash (SRW), automatic camera register control (ACRC), sheet management system, inline Metalcoat 470 coater, and a double box stacker. The press will be installed in the first quarter of 2018. Commenting on the order, Sam Pernice Director of Sales & Service for KBA-MetalPrint in the USA said: “This particular customer is successful for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is their meticulous and professional approach when choosing their business partners. Their selection of the MetalStar 3 press is the culmination of very careful planning and due diligence. While we realize that there are other vendors from which to choose, we are honored that they have chosen to place their confidence and trust in our hands.” Pernice continued, “Coming on the heels of another order we received from them last year, we are especially gratified to receive this repeat business.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Clearwater Paper Corporation provided an update on certain factors that are expected to negatively impact operating results for the third quarter of 2017 by approximately $8 to $9 million, based on preliminary results. The company is currently in the process of completing its financial closing procedures for the third quarter of 2017 and will report final results for the quarter on October 19, 2017. Several factors are expected to negatively impact the company's prior outlook for the third quarter. The planned major maintenance outage at the Lewiston, Idaho, mill is expected to cost an incremental $3 to $4 million as a result of higher than expected repair costs and lost production due to a three-day delay in the startup of the paper machines. However, the delay did not impact the new continuous pulp digester, which commenced start-up as scheduled at the end of the third quarter. Inclement weather caused by hurricanes in the Southeast delayed shipments to customers and contributed to higher transportation expenses and reduced revenues with a net impact totaling approximately $2 million. The expected relief in rising pulp prices in the latter half of the quarter did not materialize contributing to approximately $2 million of incremental expenses. Also, lower than expected case shipments of consumer products and lower converted paperboard shipment volumes are expected to negatively impact results by approximately $1 million. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), has announced that one of its wholly owned subsidiaries has acquired Norgraft Packaging, S.A. Norgraft is a leading folding carton producer in Spain focused on the food and household goods markets. Norgraft converts approximately 25,000 tons of paperboard annually and operates two converting plants located in Maliaño and Requejada in Cantabria, Spain. The business generated revenue of approximately $40 million on an LTM basis. "The announced transaction is consistent with our strategy to pursue acquisitions that allow us to grow our folding carton volume in attractive geographies and end-markets, improve our cost position, service our customers with excellence, and increase our mill to converting plant integration levels over time," said President and CEO Michael Doss.

Tetra Pak has strengthened its product offering for ice cream manufacturers with the acquisition of Big Drum Engineering GmbH, a leading supplier of filling machines for the industry. The deal further extends the company’s ability to provide end-to-end solutions for food and beverage companies around the world, and reinforces its global leadership in the sector. Tetra Pak already provides a full range of ice cream equipment, including raw material storage, mix preparation, continuous freezing and inclusion systems, as well as production solutions for moulded and extruded ice cream products. The acquisition of Big Drum will strengthen the company’s presence in the “filled” ice cream segment (e.g. tubs and cones) which represent approximately half of the global packaged ice cream market. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Sonoco announced it is implementing a price increase for all resin-based products sold in North America. The increase amounts by formulation are: CPET/PET – 15 percent, PE – 10 percent, PP – 5 percent. The increase, which impacts thermoformed, injection-molded and extrusion-molded products, is effective with shipments beginning October 15, 2017. “With the unfortunate events surrounding Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, we are seeing a significant inflationary spike affecting the entire industry, not just Sonoco,” said Jeff DiPasquale, vice president and general manager for Sonoco’s Global Plastics division. “The unprecedented occurrence of these natural disasters has greatly impacted the North American resin supply chain in terms of both production and distribution. We are doing everything possible to minimize the impact of this disruption to our customers.”

Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (Nasdaq:EFII) announced today the acquisition of Escada Systems (Escada), a leading provider of Corrugator Control systems for the packaging market. Based in the United Kingdom and with operations also in the United States, privately held Escada brings a strong reputation for innovation and vast experience in helping packaging companies to achieve greater productivity, quality and profitability. EFI is a market leader in providing a complete ecosystem for corrugated production, that includes the EFI Nozomi C18000, an ultra-high-speed single-pass LED inkjet press powered by the award winning Fiery DFE together with leading edge inks, and the EFI Corrugated Packaging Productivity Suite, the market's first end-to-end software offering for business management and manufacturing execution, which is gaining global momentum, serving corrugated packaging companies around the globe. The addition of Escada's technology and expertise will enable EFI to expand the Productivity Suite's value to sheet feeders and full corrugated box plants, to also include comprehensive control and traceability for the entire corrugation process. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Packaging Corporation of America announced that it has completed its acquisition of the assets of Sacramento Container Corporation and 100% of the membership interests of Northern Sheets, LLC and Central California Sheets, LLC in a cash-free, debt-free transaction. Funding for the $265 million purchase price came from available cash on hand. PCA Chairman and CEO Mark Kowlzan said, “Completing the acquisition of Sacramento Container, Northern Sheets and Central California sheets continues to further PCA’s strategic objectives. We welcome our new employees to PCA and look forward to quickly integrating these operations into our company.”

As part of its increased expansion in the Latin American pressure-sensitive label market, UPM Raflatac is pleased to announce it will be opening a new slitting and distribution terminal in Santiago, Chile in early 2018. This new terminal will allow UPM Raflatac to improve its service capabilities and offer an expanded range of paper and film products to customers in the Chilean market, particularly in the wine and craft beverage segments. Currently under construction in the Lo Boza industrial sector adjacent to Santiago International Airport, this brand new facility will join UPM Raflatac's growing Americas Terminal Network, which includes a number of facilities throughout North and South America. The new terminal will feature two meter-wide slitting capabilities and the company plans to have trimless offerings on select materials. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Cascades Inc. received on September 18th, 2017 the Platinum Supplier of the Year award in the Cleaning and Hygiene category at the Balpex Supplier Summit. This award is presented to a supplier that has achieved exceptional performance in its business sector. Cascades PRO TM , a Cascades Tissue Group division, earned this award and recognition thanks in part to an incredible effort rebranding its professional products intended for businesses, industries and institutions. It was in 2016 that Cascades Tissue Group launched a campaign to promote its professional products now grouped under the Cascades PRO TM brand. A major sales and marketing effort made it possible to increase awareness of the product line in a simplified manner. Click Read More below for more of the story.

International Paper announced it has entered into an agreement with The Prudential Insurance Company of America (NYSE: PRU) to purchase a group annuity contract and transfer approximately $1.3 billion of International Paper's U.S. qualified pension plan projected benefit obligations. The transaction will be funded with pension plan assets, and at the end of 2017, Prudential will assume responsibility for pension benefits and annuity administration for approximately 45,000 former employees or their beneficiaries receiving less than $450 in monthly benefit payments from the plan. The transaction is expected to close on October 3, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. Click Read More below for additional detail.

PaperWorks Industries, Inc., a leading manufacturer of paperboard and specialized folding cartons, announced that C. Anderson "Andy" Bolton has joined the company as president and chief executive officer. Bolton has more than two decades of senior leadership experience with several multinational packaging companies. He brings to PaperWorks a significant track record in finance, sales, strategy, business development and executive management in flexible and rigid packaging. In his prior roles, he has served the needs of many market segments including personal and home care, beverage, medical, pharmaceutical and others. Click Read More below for additional detail.

UPM Raflatac has announced Henkel as the winner of the RafCycle® Award at Labelexpo Europe 2017 in Brussels. The RafCycle Award is presented in recognition of excellence in recycling and environmental performance. Henkel has demonstrated great commitment to improving the environmental performance of self-adhesive labeling and promoting the sustainability of the labeling business. Both Henkel and UPM share common values of driving sustainable business and the circular economy, including having the concrete target of zero waste to landfill. "We're very proud to receive the RafCycle Award, as it recognizes our commitment to working with partners along the entire value chain to create sustainable value," says Jens Hainmueller, Head of International Packaging Development for Henkel's Beauty Care business unit. "Our partnership with UPM Raflatac gives label liners a second life, as they can be recycled to produce new paper materials. It's a great example of how we use our technologies and expertise to develop future-oriented solutions with partners who share our commitment to leadership in sustainability." Click Read More below for additional detail.

Sonoco has leveraged its world-class RainGuard® technology, previously applied to its Sonotube® forms, to develop a new paper cartridge for adhesives, caulks and sealants designed to withstand inclement weather on construction sites. The cartridge can be used for traditional adhesives and sealants packaged in barrier fiber cartridges, and is now available for the entire adhesives and sealants market. “This cartridge was developed in response to customer feedback – we learned that people needed an all-weather solution for construction sites, especially for large, ongoing projects,” said William Long, division sales manager, Adhesives and Sealants, Sonoco. “This new cartridge is still gunnable after exposure to wet conditions, meaning that construction workers don’t need to pack up every time it rains.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Evergreen Packaging® unveiled Sentinel™ Barrier Cupstock, a new retail packaging offering in the company’s Sentinel™ line of fiber-based products. Sentinel™ Barrier Cupstock is designed as a sustainable alternative to existing foil-lined paper cups and polypropylene cups. Potential end uses for Sentinel Barrier Cupstock include barrier cups to hold cereal, cookies, candy and other snacks. “As demand for sustainable packaging continues to rise, we’re committed to innovating our product lines to introduce new, cost-effective options to the food service and retail packaging industries,” said Chris Johns, Vice President of Paperboard Sales at Evergreen Packaging. “Our new Sentinel™ Barrier Cupstock leverages our deep barrier technology expertise to provide customers with a high performance, sustainable packaging option for the retail food cup market.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Sealed Air Corporation announced price increases ranging from five to eight percent for the majority of its Food Care division’s North American products. The increases will be effective October 2, 2017. “Sealed Air has not had a price increase for Food Care products in North America since 2014, and we are working to minimize the cost adjustments and their impact on our customers,” said Karl R. Deily, President, Sealed Air Food Care; “However, notable increases in our input costs, including a 31% rise in the price of polyethylene since 2016, make changes to our prices necessary in order to continue to deliver the same level of value and innovation to our customers.” The price changes include a five percent increase on all shrink bags, rollstock products, food films and vertical pouch packaging, as well as a six percent increase on unpadded solid plastic trays and an eight percent increase on pre-padded solid plastic trays.

Highlights - underlying earnings unless otherwise indicated(1)(2) •Profit after tax (PAT) of US$701.2 million up 9.6%(3) on a constant currency basis; •Earnings per share (EPS) of 60.6 US cents, up 10.1%(3) on a constant currency basis; •Strong returns, measured as profit before interest and tax to average funds employed of 20.4%; •Strong free cash flow of US$245.3 million(4); and •Annual dividend per share increased to 43.0 US cents. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Tetra Pak's Packaging Material Converting Factory in Denton is getting ready for new technology to support the growth of its business in the U.S. and Canada. The plant's expanded capabilities are made possible through a sizeable €30-million investment in factory upgrades, including a new state-of-the-art laminator, that will ensure the facility is well positioned to meet the evolving needs of the U.S. and Canadian markets with a wider range of packaging formats. "Tetra Pak is pleased to make these upgrades, which will position our Denton factory as one of the most advanced in our global operations," said Carmen Becker, president and CEO of Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada. "This new technology will allow us to produce an expanded portfolio of packages out of this facility and better serve our customers." With this investment, Tetra Pak will be able to move some production from Mexico to Denton and offer noteworthy benefits to Tetra Pak customers, including improved service, reduced lead times and other logistical efficiencies. Click Read More below for additional detail.

The Dutch Beers and Collectors Association (BAV) has awarded the Dutch beer brewer HOOP Bier as the winner of the best and the most beautiful beer label 2017 at the Dutch BAV beer label competition. The competition is open for all beer brewers from the Netherlands. During the BAV Autumn Fair in September 16, an expert jury chose the Old Ale's label "Oudt Heyn and syn wyf" by HOOP Bier as the winner. The main contributors for the win were the design, appearance and the label mentioning recommendations for preferred food to partner the beer. The concept and design of HOOP Bier was made by PROUDdesign, an agency specialized in packaging and brand-design. Click Read More below for additional detail.

UPM Raflatac is extending its range of film face materials for the European market with a new plant-based material that provides a sustainable alternative to fossil-based films for a wide variety of end uses. RafBio PE 85 performs just like standard PE film, and its excellent flexibility makes it ideal for the squeezable bottles and contoured containers that are widely used in home and personal care applications. Part of the RafBio family of bio-based labeling solutions, RafBio PE 85 is the ideal choice for customers who are looking for a sustainable film face material that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions during its life cycle, compared to conventional PE, while still keeping products looking their very best. Made from sugarcane ethanol, the film contains more than 80% renewable plant-based raw material and is recyclable within the same recycling streams as fossil-based PE. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Mondi Neusiedler recently completed the certification process for food safety management and has been awarded the EN 15593 certification by the renowned Swiss certifier SQS (Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems). Food companies are using the speciality papers and professional printing papers produced at Mondi Neusiedler for their food packaging to combine the excellent print quality, an exceptional environmental profile and highest hygiene standards. The papers are for example converted into bread sleeves, bags, liners, folding boxes or secondary packaging. “For such converting purposes optimal technical paper grades are required and customers can rely on our knowledge and paper qualities,” explains Johannes Klumpp, Marketing & Sales Director Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper. “Our customers are searching for a reliable partner and peace of mind when buying speciality papers for their food contact applications”, says Klumpp. “The certification fulfils exactly this need to ensure consumer safety as it independently proves Mondi Neusiedler complies with international standards in hygiene management. A quality our customers and end consumers can rely on every day”, he clarifies. Click Read More below for additional detail.

UPM Raflatac's experts welcome visitors to Labelexpo Europe on 25-28 September in Brussels. Under the theme 'Labeling a smarter future', we will be highlighting our innovative and sustainable label solutions together with the world-class service. RAFNXT+ product range marks the launch of a unique forest positive approach for sustainable labeling. Together with optimized raw material efficiencies, RAFNXT+ creates labeling solutions that delivers sustainability credentials that go way beyond the industry standard. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Containerboard production was 2.0 percent higher compared to August 2016. The month-over-month average daily production compared to July 2017 was 1.0 percent lower. The containerboard operating rate for August decreased from 97.9 percent to 96.9 percent, which was 0.8 percentage points higher compared to August of last year. Year-to-date production of containerboard for export is up 4.4 percent.

Total Packaging Papers shipments were 235,900 tons, 1.7 percent lower than August 2016. Bag & Sack shipments were up 5.5 percent year-to-date, while Food Wrapping shipments were down 8.5 percent over the same period. The operating rate for August 2017 was 90.3 percent, while the year-to-date rate was 88.8 percent. Inventories were 168,600 tons, down slightly since July.

Total boxboard production increased 2.9 percent when compared to August 2016, and increased 0.7 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production increased over the same month as last year and increased compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production increased when compared to August 2016, but decreased compared to last month. The production of Recycled Boxboard decreased compared to August 2016, but increased when compared to last month.

A new generation of lightweight SuperEnd® beverage ends from CROWN Asia Pacific, a division of Crown Holdings, Inc., reduce metal use by over 10% when compared to conventional 202 diameter (52mm) ends. The Interchangeable SuperEnd® beverage end is compatible with seamer tooling used with other lightweight ends on the market. The lightweight nature of the ends means less aluminum is required for the manufacturing process, decreasing the amount of energy required during distribution. In addition, like all metal packaging, the ends are 100% recyclable and infinitely recyclable, making aluminum a permanent resource that underpins the circular economy, where materials can be used again and again with no loss in quality or physical properties. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Consumers want to purchase products that are healthy and taste good with the added advantage of being eco-friendly — from the ingredients to the packaging. More and more Grocery Shoppers are being more thoughtful about the products they buy and the type of packaging these products come in. The insights below identify some actions consumers are taking to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. see the infographic at: http://evergreenpackaging.com/wp-content/uploads/EP-SmartBrief-Ad-3_FINAL9.19.17.pdf

Smurfit Kappa, which celebrates 40 years of producing Bag-in-Box® packaging solutions, has experienced remarkable growth in Europe and particularly France where sales have tripled in the last 10 years. The rise in Bag-in-Box® wine sales reflects changes in consumer behaviour and social trends. The longer shelf life, ease of use and reduction in wastage has made it more attractive both to consumers and retailers. In addition to France, Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box® sales have also risen across the business, particularly in Argentina, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the US. Launched in Epernay, France in 1977, the revolutionary Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box® packaging has continuously evolved over the years with the addition of innovative solutions including the Vitop® tap, high-specification filling machine systems and Pouch-Up® packs. Click Read More below for additional detail.

At this year's Pack Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, UPM Raflatac is thinking outside the package through innovative technologies designed to educate brand owners on industry-leading packaging decoration methods that can elevate their brands. When paired with the right package, high quality label materials help brands stand out on the shelf and grab consumer attention - and UPM Raflatac's paper and film products for craft beer, food and beverage to home and personal care containers outshine the rest. Show attendees are invited to visit UPM Raflatac at booth 6363 in the Lower South Hall of the Containers and Materials Pavilion see their paper and film materials and sustainable packaging solutions in action! Click Read More below for additional detail.

Stora Enso has completed the divestment announced on 26 July 2017 of its 35% holding in the equity accounted investment Bulleh Shah Packaging (Private) Ltd. in Pakistan to the main owner Packages Ltd. The total cash consideration for the divestment of the shares is EUR 6 million. The loss on disposal amounts in total to approximately EUR 19 million and it will be recorded as an item affecting comparability in Stora Enso’s third quarter 2017 results. With this transaction, Packages Ltd. achieves full ownership of Bulleh Shah Packaging.

According to Paper + Packaging Board in their Farm to Box to Table initiative, corrugated has numerous benefits when it comes to transporting food from farm to store, including: •Corrugated Helps us be Efficient: Corrugated is sustainable, recyclable, renewable and efficient – helping save space. •Corrugated Keeps our Food Fresh: Growers choose corrugated because it’s renewable and helps food stay fresher, cleaner and better protected. •Corrugated Is Preferred for Food Transportation: Nearly half of all corrugated boxes made in the U.S. each year are used to transport food from farm to store. Click Read More below for more of the story.

During the night between September 5th and 6th, there was a fire in one of the buildings at BillerudKorsnäs’ production unit in Karlsborg. The production was stopped as a consequence of the fire but is now back to full speed after a successful work to make the unit ready for production. BillerudKorsnäs estimates that the impact from the fire on Q3 results will be approximately SEK 35 million. "Our teams and suppliers have made good efforts to overcome the consequences of the fire and we are glad that we can inform our customers of this quick start-up", says Per Lindberg, President and CEO of BillerudKorsnäs. The production unit in Karlsborg manufactures sack and kraft paper as well as market pulp for the Packaging Paper business area and has a production capacity of approximately 300,000 tonnes per year.

In an industry first, the new line uses an independently controlled horizontal cutter to slice the ice cream as it emerges from the extruder. This patented technology means the cutting speed stays consistently fast, irrespective of the line speed, ensuring a precise, clean cut even at low rates of production. By programming the cutter to operate at different speeds and movements, ice cream producers can also switch between multiple products on the same line, be they sticks, sandwiches, cones, wafer cups, candy bars or cakes, while maintaining the highest possible quality. With a capacity range of 5,000 to 18,000 products per hour, the line offers much-needed volume flexibility to medium-sized producers, allowing them to increase or decrease output without compromising efficiency. Click Read More below for additional detail.

“WestRock’s corrugated packaging business in Brazil continues to perform well, with strong relationships with customers in attractive growth markets,” said Steve Voorhees, chief executive officer, WestRock. “Our new corrugated packaging plant will enable our exceptional team in Brazil to serve these customers even better in the future, with a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that will provide new capabilites and efficiences for our customers, and to further integrate the containerboard that we manufacture in Brazil.” The new facility will be located in Porto Feliz and will serve all industry segments and markets both in the highly developed Sao Paulo region, as well other growing areas in Brazil’s southeast region. Construction is expected to begin later this year and be completed in mid-2019.

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia supported by the Chilean Office of Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC), announced it has partnered with Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) to recently exhibit APP’s innovative food packaging and premium packaging boards at Espacio Food & Service 2017. The ITPC is a non-profit government organization under the Directorate General for National Export Development of Indonesia and the Espacio Food & Service event is known as one of the most influential food industry get-togethers in Chile and throughout Latin America. “This show was a great opportunity for us to demonstrate that Indonesian companies such as APP can take its rightful place on the world stage, delivering true innovation and industry market demand solutions,” said Ambassador Philemon Arobaya, Indonesian Ambassador to Chile. “Indonesia has so much to offer the world, and we are proud to bring just a small piece of it to Latin America.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Used for filling Bag-in-Box® and Pouch-Up® products, the machine was produced by the BIB Equipment division of Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box. Smurfit Kappa’s automatic web filling machines offer high productivity and efficiency thanks to a number of innovative technologies including: • The revolutionary filling valve with separate vacuum and nitrogen circuits which decrease the oxygen pickup during filling • The “soft drop” of the bag reducing the number of leakers • The raised buffer tank which enables a better flow and more accurate filling. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Evergreen Packaging , a global leader in the manufacturing of refrigerated paper cartons, debuted a Fully Renewable Carton, part of their Renewable Plus Carton line featuring sugarcane-based polyethylene. Part of the Evergreen Packaging family of FreshHouse™ Cartons, the new Renewable Plus Cartons underscore the company’s commitment to developing sustainable packaging solutions from renewable materials. “Our new Renewable Plus Carton reflects our promise to continually innovate and create unique renewable packaging solutions that serve both customers and consumers,” said DeWitt Clark, Vice President of North American Packaging at Evergreen Packaging. “Customers can offer fully renewable carton options which leverage our industry-leading expertise in barrier extrusion technology. Consumers can feel good about purchasing products knowing that they’re purchasing packaging made from renewable materials.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

UPM Raflatac has further expanded its range of guaranteed, globally available, and compliant pharmaceutical and healthcare label materials for the medical device and healthcare industries. Today there are over 500,000 types of medical and in vitro diagnostic medical devices available in the EU, with a medical device meaning anything from a contact lens or sticking plaster to an x-ray machine or hip replacement component. In vitro diagnostic medical devices include things like HIV blood tests, pregnancy tests, and blood sugar monitoring systems for diabetics. The new RPMD (Raflatac Permanent Medical Device) adhesive range includes labeling solutions for drug/device combination products like insulin pens, auto-injectors, and inhalers, as well as blood donation labeling, sterilization pouches for medical devices, and infusion bags and bottles. Combining selected paper and film face materials with an RPMD adhesive ensures excellent adhesion with a tight mandrel hold on glass and plastic, as well as sterilization resistance and migration safety - both common requirements in medical device and healthcare labeling. Click Read More below for additional detail.

​Lecta brings out a new Adestor hot-melt adhesive for packaging applications.​​​ Adestor HM300 is a permanent hot-melt adhesive with a very high tack especially formulated for high-speed air-blow labelling. It performs well at low temperatures and can be used at room temperature of -5ºC. Its immediate strong adhesion makes it ideal for rough and curved surfaces. The new HM300 adhesive is available in a range of different paper and film face stock. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Method and global packaging leader Amcor have combined to introduce a new package with a significantly enhanced sustainability profile for Method’s dishwasher-cleaning product. The product, Power Dish, is now delivered to consumers in a reclosable polyethylene (PE) stand-up pouch – developed and produced by Amcor – with a carbon footprint that is up to two-thirds smaller than the package it replaced. The attractive, functional packaging contains 20 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin, and is itself more easily recycled. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Cascades Inc., leader in the recovery and manufacturing of green packaging and tissue products, invites the media representatives to a press conference during which the Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation, Dominique Anglade , the Minister responsible for the Centre-du-Québec region, Laurent Lessard , President and CEO of Cascades, Mario Plourde , President and Chief Operating Officer of Cascades Containerboard Packaging, Charles Malo , and Drummondville Mayor Alexandre Cusson , will inaugurate the expansion of the Drummondville corrugated packaging plant, an investment of $ 26.4 million. Dignitaries, customers, suppliers and employees will join them for this expected event.

NEENAH Packaging will showcase its premium packaging products and custom capabilities at this year’s Packaging Innovations & Luxury Packaging show (F75) at Olympia, London, September 13-14, 2017. Making its name by partnering with industry leading brands to successfully build brand equity and help drive financial results, NEENAH Packaging will showcase its market-changing and custom solutions at this show. Market-changing packaging to be featured at Packaging Innovations: Tech giant Amazon has changed the game when it comes to the world of gift cards. Neenah has helped Amazon to elevate the gift card experience for both the buyer and gift recipient through creative packaging solutions and was instrumental in providing Amazon with a strategic assessment for its gift tag products and meeting the company’s ROI objectives. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Sealed Air Corporation announced the acquisition of Fagerdala Singapore Pte Ltd., a manufacturer and fabricator of polyethylene foam. Sealed Air will acquire 100 percent of Fagerdala shares for approximately $100 million in cash. The sale is expected to close in October of 2017. Fagerdala, established in 1983 with headquarters in Singapore, has 14 manufacturing facilities, employs more than 1,300 people in China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico and the United States, and generated $80 million in sales in 2016. Sealed Air plans to leverage Fagerdala’s manufacturing footprint in Asia, expertise in foam manufacturing and fabrication, and commercial organization to grow sales in the consumer electronics, medical equipment and devices, automotive, temperature assurance, and e-commerce fulfillment sectors. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Crown Holdings, Inc. announced that it will build a new plant in the Valencia region of Spain to produce aluminum beverage cans. The location of the facility, Parc Sagunt, is approximately 10 miles north of the city of Valencia, and was selected based on its close proximity to key customers as well as the excellent local infrastructure and transportation links. The Company currently operates two steel beverage can plants in Spain, in Agoncillo and Seville, and will be constructing the new facility to meet the growing demand and preference for aluminum beverage cans in the Iberian region. Click Read More below for additional detail.

The company ranked among the top 1% of the 30,000 companies that were assessed on a range of criteria across environment, labour practices and human rights, sustainable procurement and fair business practices. EcoVadis provides supplier sustainability ratings for global supply chains in companies such as BASF, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Renault and Veolia. This achievement follows on from Smurfit Kappa reaching a sustainability target earlier in the year when it reached full chain of custody certification for its entire raw material supply chain, helping its customers to meet their own sustainability and environmental targets. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Stora Enso’s consumer insights show that customers value packaging that is easy to use and that protects the freshness of their groceries. 6 out of 7 customers say that the single most important thing is that the packaging keeps the products fresh. What else is important to them?

Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Graphic Packaging International, Inc., will close its coated recycled paperboard mill in Santa Clara, California by year end. This decision was made as a result of a thorough assessment of the facility's manufacturing capabilities and associated costs in the context of the Company's overall mill operating capability. The closure will affect approximately 120 employees.