The Latest

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  Deep Dive

  Can recycling advancements get black rigid plastics off packaging’s blacklist?

  More MRFs are adding technologies to sort the material, but some brands and manufacturers are still switching away from the color. As black plastic reaches a tipping point, end market challenges create uncertainty about its future.

  Manufacturing

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  Georgia-Pacific to acquire Anchor Packaging

  The companies focus on different substrates and indicate their combination is complementary, especially to serve the food and beverage sectors.

  Finance

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  Sonoco to sell ThermoSafe for up to $725M

  The final selling price to a private equity firm hinges on business performance in 2025. The long-awaited divestiture of the temperature-assured packaging business will help Sonoco offset the cost of its Eviosys acquisition.

  Finance

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  Colgate-Palmolive signs on to AI tool for biomaterials development

  Biomaterials company Erthos plans to commercialize its platform, Zya, in early 2026 to aid CPG companies with faster and less risky development of biopolymers for packaging.

  Design

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  Graphic Packaging International embracing paper cup opportunities, CEO says

  At an event this week, CEO Mike Doss described how Graphic Packaging International’s play to be the king of cups is paying off amid customers’ economic challenges.

  Finance

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  3 takeaways on monitoring for greenwashing

  Risks around sustainability messaging are real, with greenwashing-related legal settlements regularly reaching “the millions to tens of millions of dollars,” said a Ropes & Gray attorney during a recent webinar.

  Sustainability

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  IP, Novolex, Smurfit Westrock among companies with August layoff announcements

  At least seven companies announced temporary and permanent layoffs that are slated to affect employees in multiple states, most prominently in Georgia and California.

  Manufacturing

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  Open-source template aims to simplify EPR data reporting

  “The intention of this is to enable companies do great things instead of chasing data,” said Matthew Wright of Specright, a member of the Sustainable Packaging Data Council along with Costco, Sonoco and others.

  Regulation

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  Voluntary packaging sustainability goals transform in the face of EPR

  Bound by new regulations, companies can still benefit from detailing refined targets, some sources say. “EPR sets the floor, but voluntary commitments are what are going to set the pace,” said the U.S. Plastics Pact CEO.

  Sustainability

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  Adding new commodities brings recycling education challenges

  The Foodservice Packaging Institute updated its toolkit to help create recycling education campaigns. Stakeholders underscore the need for collaboration and taking a “careful step-by-step approach” when adding new items.

  Materials

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  Tracking packaging mergers and acquisitions in 2025

  KKR invested in a South Korean cosmetics packaging company, Veritiv acquired a packaging distribution business, ProAmpac expanded in the Pacific Northwest and Foam Packaging Specialties bought a fellow Arizona business.

  Updated Sept. 5, 2025

  Materials

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  PCA completes $1.8B acquisition of Greif’s containerboard business

  The divestiture “marks an important step forward for Greif,” CEO Ole Rosgaard said Tuesday, noting the deal’s contribution to debt reduction. The company adjusted its full-year guidance upon announcing the deal closed.

  Manufacturing

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  PepsiCo issues first progress report on revamped packaging targets

  The company surpassed the annual virgin plastic reduction goal it set in May, while inching toward a reworked long-term recycled content target.

  Sustainability

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  Greif cites progress of business reorganization, cost cutting

  Executives on the fiscal Q3 earnings call Thursday also shared updated timing on two major divestiture closings, with one coming slightly ahead of projections and the other slightly later.

  Finance

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  ‘The EPR era’ brings new opportunities for packaging sustainability

  Sustainability leaders from Amcor, Stonyfield and MegaFood shared some of their experiences and outlooks for redesigns during a virtual event Tuesday.

  Regulation

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  Circular Action Alliance taps new California executive director

  The role was vacated earlier this year by former CalRecycle director Rachel Wagoner. The new appointment comes as SB 54 rules are still being hashed out and CAA wants producers to report supply data by Nov. 15.

  Regulation

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  Ball reduces stake in Saudi Arabia cans venture to 10%

  The Colorado-based aluminum products manufacturer sold most of its ownership interest to a subsidiary of a Beijing-based packaging solutions provider for approximately $70 million.

  Manufacturing

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  PCA launches carbon capture and storage study following ‘promising’ trial

  A pilot that Packaging Corporation of America began last year ended this summer. Now, the company works toward building a full-scale facility by 2028 and expanding the technology to other sites.

  Sustainability

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  Q&A

  Ranpak lands second major e-commerce deal of 2025

  A deal with Walmart comes after one with Amazon. CEO Omar Asali discusses the importance of these enterprise customers, riding the AI wave for automation and navigating economic uncertainty ahead of the busy holiday season.

  Manufacturing

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  Wholesalers shed more light on Oregon packaging EPR legal challenge

  Oregon agencies received an extension to respond to the lawsuit until mid-September, per an update Friday. In the meantime, wholesalers are analyzing potential legal issues with EPR laws in other states.

  Regulation

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  Trump’s tax law could boost cash flow for manufacturers with deductions and more

  The recently signed tax law allows bonus depreciation for qualifying equipment, offers R&D deductions, locks in the corporate tax rate and more. But tariffs and tax code interpretations could still complicate companies’ financial plans.

  Manufacturing

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  Tracker

  Packaging manufacturers set big sustainability goals. How are they doing?

  Crown Holdings announced that the Science Based Targets initiative validated its updated near-term and new net-zero targets.

  Updated Sept. 2, 2025

  Sustainability

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  EPR for packaging laws: Dates to know

  CalRecycle has opened another public comment period as it advances rulemaking for SB 54. Oregon DEQ also calculated the 25 largest producers, which will be required to submit life cycle impact evaluations next year.

  Updated Aug. 25, 2025

  Regulation

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  Paper and Packaging Board shutdown reflects corporate, market changes

  President Mary Anne Hansan shared more about the phaseout of the industry marketing initiative, highlighting evolutions in executive leadership and the economic, policy and sustainability landscapes since 2014.

  Sustainability

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  Canada to scale back retaliatory tariffs for US imports on Sept. 1

  The country will lift levies on goods compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement while maintaining sector-specific duties on steel, aluminum and cars.

  Manufacturing

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