Sonoco Plastics increasing prices for all resin-based products in North America

Smurfit Kappa has developed an innovative new packaging solution for detergent together with McBride, the leading European manufacturer of private label products for the cleaning and hygiene market. The Click-to-Lock Pods Box is a 100% paper-based solution which provides a sustainable and safe alternative to the traditional plastic box for laundry pods. The new packaging solution reduces CO2 emissions by 32% during production and is 100% recyclable and biodegradable. It is the latest example of how Smurfit Kappa utilises its circular business model to identify the best packaging solution for each situation alongside reducing the environmental impact. The Click-to-Lock Pods Box is tamper-proof thanks to an effective, certified child-lock system in line with the International Association of Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products, following successful protocol testing. It is also moisture resistant, due to a varnish inside the packaging that provides a barrier against any type of moisture from accessing the contents.

WestRock Company, a global manufacturer of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, broke ground yesterday on a 285,000 square foot expansion at its consumer packaging facility in Claremont. The $47 million investment was bolstered by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund and is expected to create 50 new jobs by the end of next year. During yesterday’s groundbreaking ceremony, WestRock project manager and Catawba County native Jason Smitherman remarked, “WestRock has operated on these grounds for 25 years, and this investment ensures we will be here for many more to come. This project would not have been possible without the commitment to and belief in WestRock by the City of Claremont, Catawba County, and the state of North Carolina.” The expanded facility and its employees will support WestRock’s production of sustainable, fiber-based packaging for some of the world’s leading food, food service and beverage brands.

Stora Enso has signed a new EUR 435 million bilateral loan with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to support the its growth in renewable, fiber-based consumer packaging board. Stora Enso’s EUR 1 billion investment in its Oulu mill in Finland is being financed, in part, by a new long-term bilateral loan. The loan features an amortising structure, with the final repayment anticipated in 2036, effectively lengthening the Group’s debt maturity profile. The mill, which is expected to begin operations with a novel, converted consumer board production line in the first half of 2025, will be one of the most modern and cost-efficient production sites for packaging materials in Europe. “The investment in Oulu supports our growth strategy in renewable, circular packaging by providing new volume for the growing packaging segment. The wood fiber is sourced from sustainably managed forests in the Nordics, and the boards are designed to replace plastics in food and personal care packaging,” says Hannu Kasurinen, Executive Vice President, Packaging Materials Division.