With the rise of e-commerce, many brands are experiencing leakages, costly returns and brand reputation damage when trying to force traditional brick-and-mortar liquid packaging formats through the rigors of the online fulfilment supply chain. Liquibox and WestRock, two leaders in sustainable packaging, present a Ships In Own Container (SIOC) bag-in-box solution for Amazon that delights consumers, reduces waste and ensures products arrive undamaged. The combination of Liquibox's first-to-market recycle-ready Liquipure™ flexible packaging, its wide portfolio of dispensing taps and fitments and WestRock's high impact Meta® box designs, means the most optimal e-commerce liquid format is now within reach for beverage, liquid food and home care brands that want to grow in online retail. Through this partnership, customers have access to a turn-key solution to start selling online in no time that covers everything from packaging, service and testing needs to the filling and mandrel case forming equipment. Bag-in-box is one of the fastest growing segments in the liquid packaging market, expected to reach over 2 billion liters of global volume annually by the year 2024 (source: GlobalData).

Net sales in the second quarter of 2020 were $1.4 billion, compared to $1.8 billion in the second quarter of 2019. Average selling prices improved approximately 1 percent and increased revenue $18 million. However, lower shipments due to the pandemic negatively impacted sales by $255 million. Unfavorable foreign currency translation reduced net sales by $88 million. Segment operating profit1 was $95 million in the quarter, compared with $236 million in the same period of 2019. Current year profits were impacted $6 million by unfavorable foreign currency translation. The benefit of higher selling prices more than offset incremental cost inflation by $1 million. Reflecting the impact of the pandemic, sales volume in tons declined approximately 15 percent from the prior year quarter and negatively impacted segment operating profit by $84 million. Segment operating profit was negatively impacted by $52 million as lower production levels were partially offset by improved operating performance and cost control efforts. Production levels were down approximately 20 percent from the second quarter of 2019 reflecting required curtailment to comply with government decrees to manage the pandemic, including disruptive lock downs in Mexico and the Andean countries, as well as the company’s effort to align supply with lower demand and manage inventory.

The Mayr-Melnhof Group has successfully completed the acquisition of Essentra Packaging, which was agreed in June 2022, following the approval of all relevant competition authorities. The transaction includes 100% interest in ESNT Packaging & Securing Solutions Limited (UK) and 100% interest in Essentra Packaging US Inc (US) and its affiliated companies. With this acquisition, MM Packaging is expanding its range of folding boxes, package inserts and labels for the resilient and profitable healthcare & pharmaceutical market, creating an attractive platform for further growth. Essentra Packaging comprises 21 manufacturing sites in 10 countries across Europe, the US mainland and Puerto Rico, ideally complementing MM Packaging's current position in pharmaceutical packaging in Scandinavia and France. Essentra Packaging employs around 3,500 people and reported sales of around £370m (currently around EUR 410m) for 2021.