PCA Roanoke Partners with Virginia Tech

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.

Like many other major plastics applications, plastics use in flexible packaging has come under deep scrutiny in recent years as sustainability concerns rise and spread globally. Paper is often lauded as a far more environmentally friendly alternative but how do the two materials really compare? And what is the most sustainable solution? Historically, papers have been used in flexible packaging for many applications, including confectionery, pet food and dried food. By the early-2000s, however, paper demand as a flexible packaging substrate began to decline due to competition from down-gauging and the rise of plastic alternatives. Consumers today widely view paper as a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic. A European consumer preferences survey, commissioned by Two Sides in 2020, concluded that 62% of consumers see paper and cardboard packaging as better for the environment. Additionally, 70% of consumers surveyed said they were actively taking steps to reduce their use of plastic packaging. Comparing green credentials isn’t as straightforward as some would think, however.

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 July 15, 2021. Sonoco said the price increase was in response to continuing strong demand across its U.S. and Canada mill network which has driven order backlogs to near historical levels as well as stepped up inflationary pressures from energy, freight, papermaking chemicals and packaging materials.