Fire in BillerudKorsnäS Production Unit in Karlsborg Extinguished

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

Kendall Packaging Corporation, a provider of high-quality flexible packaging solutions serving a variety of markets inside the food, personal care, and pet food industries, announced that Daren Roberts has been named Plant Manager at the company’s Pittsburg, KS facility. In his position, Roberts is responsible for overseeing plant activities to meet business objectives and is accountable for all aspects of plant performance. This includes establishing production schedules, managing the production control process, and ensuring timely delivery of customer products. “We are excited to have Daren join our team and serve as a leader of our Pittsburg facility,” said Eric G. Erickson III, Kendall Packaging President and Chief Executive Officer. “Darren’s experience and enthusiasm will help us to continue the growth of the Pittsburg location, providing flexible packaging products to a diverse client base.”

There has been a surge in consumer demand for Bag-in-Box wines in the current year according to new data, partially caused by changing behaviours due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Research by packaging leader Smurfit Kappa in collaboration with Wine Intelligence found that Bag-in-Box wine attracted 3.7 million new consumers in France and the UK during the past six months. The survey analysed the behaviour of monthly wine drinkers in France and the UK, who have increasingly moved to drinking and entertaining at home due to the restrictions of the pandemic. France is the biggest market for Bag-in-Box wine and the UK is currently one of the fastest growing. Consumers noted freedom of consumption, ease of transport and value for money as the main motivations when purchasing Bag-in-Box wines. Other benefits of Bag-in-Box wine include its ability to preserve wine for up to 6-8 weeks after opening compared to 2-3 days in a glass bottle, and its lower carbon footprint.