WestRock Acquisition of Grupo Gondi Complete

Following the successful completion of a 15-month commercial technology validation of a polymer-based barrier replacing the aluminium layer, Tetra Pak is now moving to the next level of development - testing a fibre-based barrier that is a first within food carton packages distributed under ambient conditions. This step marks yet another breakthrough in the company’s long-term roadmap towards developing an aseptic package that is fully renewable, fully recyclable and carbon-neutral. The aluminium layer currently used in food carton packages plays a critical role in ensuring food safety; and even though it is thinner than a human hair, it contributes to a third of the green-house gas emissions linked to base materials used by Tetra Pak.

Mondi is investing €280 million in Corrugated Packaging operations across four countries to boost production and to serve customers more efficiently. This includes around €185 million across its central and eastern European Corrugated Solutions plant network and €95 million at Mondi Świecie’s containerboard mill in Poland - demonstrating Mondi’s commitment to its customers, its people, and to responsible and sustainable production. These investments together represent an important part of Mondi’s announced €1 billion in expansionary capital investment projects this year to accelerate growth in sustainable packaging. Some highlights of the investment programme: *The upgrade of Mondi Świecie’s containerboard mill, comprising an extensive rebuild of paper machines PM2 and PM5, a new anaerobic treatment plant including an integrated cooling system, and upgrades to the pulp mill, the recycled fibre line and the energy recovery system. These improvements will allow the mill to meet growing customer demand for heavy-duty applications, enhance product quality, and bolster its environmental performance by decreasing water consumption and wastewater emissions and increasing energy efficiency. *The plant at Mondi Warsaw more than doubling in size and capacity, and receiving new machinery and automation, including a corrugator of an industry-leading 3.35 meters in width. *Expanded corrugated solutions production for the eCommerce market, with modernisation and improvements across eight sites located in Poland (Simet, Świecie, Warsaw, Dorohusk, Szczecin, Bystrzyca), Germany (Eschenbach), and the Czech Republic (Bupak), as well as a comprehensive upgrade of Mondi Simet to erect a warehouse for finished goods storage and to automate internal material flows.

Pregis announces the North American launch of its Sharp Packaging Systems® MAX-PRO 24 continuous bagging system. This latest model in the MAX-PRO line can handle a wider range of products and bag sizes making it ideal for fulfillment operations with a broad e-commerce offering. “When engineering the MAX-PRO 24, our focus was on creating a system that would help users maximize productivity and minimize labor costs. We think the MAX-PRO 24 delivers all that, and more, making it ideal for increasing volume demands being placed on e-commerce operations,” said Mike Menz, division president. The MAX-PRO 24 includes highly-advanced automated technology, new web handling features that simplify operations and automated pass-through settings, resulting in lower operating costs.