Octopus-inspired adhesive works well in wet conditions

Georgia-Pacific reinvested approximately $2 billion back into its business and operations in 2023. These capital improvement projects include launching and completing new facilities and enhancing existing operations. Each investment helps Georgia-Pacific better serve customers, and increase productivity and efficiency, while also creating greater economic opportunities for each facility's local economy. Georgia-Pacific made several investments large and small across its businesses. The projects listed below are large initiatives valued at approximately $100 million and up. For an overview of the projects, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATZglG3C5m4

Smurfit Kappa has launched its new SupplySmart digital solution, which helps businesses to intelligently adapt their packaging to increase efficiency and reduce emissions across their supply chains. SupplySmart has evolved to tackle increased supply chain complexities and uncertainty in a world which has seen one supply chain disruption after another. Using insights from the analysis of over 100,000 supply chains, it identifies opportunities for optimisation across the entire length of the supply chain. Its new digital twin feature also allows businesses to test their updated packaging in a virtual environment to eliminate risks ahead of implementation. Leading German consumer goods company Henkel partnered with Smurfit Kappa to launch a compact and sustainable paper-based alternative to plastic packaging. SupplySmart was used to build a digital model of Henkel’s supply chain to achieve the company’s goals of reducing CO2 emissions while introducing a more user-friendly and compact pack.

Lacerta Group announced that on December 21 it acquired the production facility and other assets of Portage Plastics Corporation and PPC Investments, LLC (together, “Portage Plastics”), a manufacturer of thermoformed packaging products based in Portage, WI. As part of the transaction, Lacerta has hired over 50 Portage Plastics employees. Lacerta is a leading North American provider of innovative and sustainable thermoformed packaging solutions, primarily made from PET. Lacerta offers a comprehensive product portfolio and in-house design capabilities, with a particular focus on customers in the prepared food and fresh produce sectors. Lacerta is a market leader in fully recyclable packaging containing post-consumer resin, which is increasingly gaining importance as its customers seek out more sustainable options to reduce their carbon footprint. “We are excited to acquire a great manufacturing site in Portage Wisconsin and welcome a talented group of dedicated associates to the Lacerta family,” said Peter Lennox, CEO of Lacerta. “This transaction is an important step in Lacerta’s growth story and will allow us to better serve our expanding customer base in the Midwest and Central United States.”