The Latest
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Deep Dive
Reality check: AR, VR transforms training for packaging manufacturers
Augmented and virtual reality experiences at Greif, Papacks, Smurfit Westrock and Sonoco are working to boost employees’ skills and safety, pushing packaging manufacturing training into its “next era.”
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Gem-Pack Berries ditches clamshell labels with Multisteps’ digital printing technology
Multisteps Industries expects its direct-to-packaging printing to improve recyclability for Gem-Pack’s PET clamshells for berries, starting this year.
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Tracker
Packaging manufacturers set big sustainability goals. How are they doing?
Amcor reported on its emissions reduction targets, recently validated by SBTi. The company says nearly all of its rigid packaging is now “recyclable,” but recycling solutions are still missing for much of its flexibles portfolio.
Updated Oct. 18, 2024 -
International Paper to lay off 650 employees
The lion’s share of the layoffs will occur at the company’s headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. Another portion relates to a planned corrugated sheet plant closure in Texas.
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Tracking packaging mergers and acquisitions in 2024
Mondi is acquiring European assets from Schumacher Packaging; ACR acquired Mat-Pac; SupplyOne acquired Gulf Packaging; Enjay Converters acquired Corner Edge Products.
Updated Oct. 11, 2024 -
O-I Glass discloses $21M severance charge amid furnace closures
The company detailed an optimization plan in July. In the past two months, O-I has disclosed multiple furnace closures impacting hundreds of employees and a Q3 charge related to expected Q4 severance payouts.
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Q&A
PulPac leverages partnerships to advance its dry molded fiber technology
The company is experiencing growth as it touts its technology's carbon footprint benefits over the wet molding process. Identifying coatings free of PFAS is a sticking point, says Chief Commercial Officer Sanna Fager.
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CEOs from Ball, Ikea, Nestlé, H&M, others call for climate action ahead of COP29
A letter, signed by senior executives from over 100 corporations, urges governments and businesses to collaborate to address challenges related to climate risk mitigation.
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Deep Dive
‘Everybody benefits’: Why the beauty industry needs to get serious about accessible packaging
Rare Beauty and Target have taken steps to develop guidance around universally accessible design, but the industry isn’t prioritizing it yet.
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Silgan completes acquisition of Weener Plastics
Weener Plastics is Silgan’s latest major purchase in recent years to grow its dispensing and specialty closures division.
Updated Oct. 15, 2024 -
How2Recycle revamp
How2Recycle doesn’t want to abandon the chasing arrows
Consumer comprehension data played a central role in how How2Recycle redesigned its instructional label, leaders of the process explained. But potential restrictions in California pose a challenge.
Updated Oct. 14, 2024 -
Acquisition of DS Smith
International Paper, DS Smith shareholders vote to approve combination
The shareholders’ approvals push the deal closer to closing, which the parties still expect to occur this quarter. The combined companies anticipate pro forma sales of over $28 billion.
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Packaging innovations: United Airlines’ canned wine, Chivas Regal’s light spirits
Plus, RXDco puts cannabis in a cocoon, Novolex flags product tampering and KYSU switches from plastic to paper.
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Brands make packaging design changes for e-commerce compatibility
Pandemic-related and sustainability trends, along with Amazon's requirements, are among the factors prompting Clorox, Mars Wrigley and Nestlé to tweak product packaging designs they use for e-commerce.
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How2Recycle revamp
Danone chooses cartons for initial How2Recycle Plus rollout
The company also detailed other packaging formats where it’s considering adding the labels, which include a Recycle Check QR code. It’s unclear how much consumers engaged with those QR codes during other brands’ pilots.
Updated Oct. 11, 2024 -
Clorox says 2023 cyberattack hurt progress on 2030 plastic, waste reduction goals
The company is reassessing some sustainability goals, according to its latest annual report. Data shows the company stagnated on lowering virgin material and upping PCR in packaging.
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Deep Dive
Inside the debate over PLA, the packaging industry’s favorite bioplastic
Polylactic acid has been around for decades, but it only became popular as an option for compostable packaging more recently. While some environmental groups question its credentials, the packaging sector expects demand to grow.
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Longtime Plastipak Packaging CEO steps down, welcomes ‘next generation of leadership’
William Young, who co-founded the family-owned company in 1967, passed the torch this week to his son-in-law, Edward Morgan, who has worked at Plastipak for more than 20 years.
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Yum! Brands’ 2025 virgin plastic reduction target remains in question
The corporation described packaging sustainability efforts across its fast-food brands in an ESG report, including updating Pizza Hut box graphics to promote recycling and expanding mail-in recycling for Taco Bell sauce packets.
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Washington state fines 35 companies violating recycled plastic law
Clorox, Ocean Spray and Albertsons are among the companies facing the highest penalties. Under the law, plastic beverage containers had to use at least 15% recycled content in 2023 and plastic trash bags had to contain 10%.
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Consumers are confused by packaging sustainability claims
Between greenwashing, confusing terminology and a lack of information, a lot gets lost in translation, according to speakers from the National Retail Federation, NielsenIQ and others at recent industry events.
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How2Recycle revamp
How2Recycle Plus ready to take dynamic labels mainstream
The new offering features a QR code so consumers can access localized recycling information. It will come at a higher price to brands than the more traditional How2Recycle Pro label. Danone will be the first to adopt it.
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Packaging innovations: Hot Pockets go sleeveless, Henkel’s coating lightens dry food packaging
Plus, hair care brand Overtone joins a Target sustainability initiative as it launches tubes with a new look and PCR.
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Deep Dive
Hush-hush: Is greenwashing pushback prompting pivot to ‘greenhushing’?
Companies must focus on data to back their sustainability claims instead of resorting to silence, or exaggerations, said sources from groups such as the U.S. Plastics Pact, Glass Packaging Institute and McCormick & Co.
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Paying their fair share: CAA and states detail approach to EPR enforcement
The new CEO of Circular Action Alliance and state producer responsibility leads shared how they’ll collaborate on compliance and enforcement. A Colorado deadline this week brought a surge of producer registrations.