Sonoco-Alcore to Increase Tube & Core Prices in the EMEA Region

BASF and the Swedish packaging material manufacturer BillerudKorsnäs have developed a unique home-compostable paper laminate for flexible packaging. It can be used to produce wraps with individually adjusted barrier properties e.g. for cookies, ice cream, cereal bars and dairy items as well as wrappers for fish, meat and cheese freshly sold in supermarkets. And it is a solution that meets today’s requirement for sustainability by being organically recyclable. The multi-layer laminate consists of three basic components: BillerudKorsnäs‘ paper ConFlex® Silk, a sealing layer made of BASF’s certified home compostable and partly bio-based biopolymer ecovio® and BASF’s water-based adhesive Epotal® Eco 3675 X. All components are certified home-compostable according to official European certification schemes for home-composting. The laminate contains a high share of renewables and extends the end-of-life options for multi-layer flexible packaging by being organically recyclable. The new home-compostable solution has the same performance features as conventional multi-layer packaging: it is puncture resistant, shows a good printability, excellent heat-seal properties and can be processed on standard packaging machines.

Mondi plc provides an update on trading for the three months to 30 September 2023. In the third quarter of 2023 the challenging market conditions continued as expected in light of the ongoing weak macro-economic environment. Market demand has remained soft with lower average selling prices largely mitigated by lower input costs and tight fixed cost control. A much-reduced forestry fair value gain resulted in a lower underlying EBITDA of €261 million when compared to Q2 2023. In Corrugated Packaging, containerboard prices were stable with our order books improving. Flexible Packaging saw further price and volume declines in kraft paper, which is traditionally later cycle. Our converting network delivered a resilient performance. Uncoated Fine Paper pricing continued to decline in Europe on ongoing weakness in demand. Southern Africa markets remain stable. The forestry fair value gain, accounted for within uncoated fine paper, was €14 million in Q3 2023, significantly lower than Q2 2023 of €72 million.

Mester Grønn has together with Stora Enso developed a plastic-free transportation tray for plants. The new PureFiber™ Horti tray is made from formed fiber and reduces CO2 emissions compared to the plastic alternatives. Mester Grønn is hoping the new tray will have a positive effect on the entire industry’s environmental impact. With an ambition to replace plastic where they can, Mester Grønn set sight on the single use plastic trays used for transporting plants from growers to flower shops. They discussed with Stora Enso about finding a new sustainable option. It should be plastic-free but still had to meet three criteria: 1. Stiffness and Resilience: The tray needed to retain its rigidity in both dry and humid conditions. 2. Efficiency in Logistics: It needed to follow industry standards to fit the existing logistical chain. 3. Water Resistance: The new material had to be able to withstand exposure to water.