Sigma Plastics Group has acquired selected assets from the recently completed Midland, GA-based, state-of-the-art, cast polyethylene stretch-film operation of Stalwart Plastics, Inc., and Quantico Plastics Group, Inc. The deal brings the number of Sigma acquisitions to 41, and the number of global operations to 48. The Midland operation produces industrial flexible packaging for use as pallet wrap largely by consumer brand owners. The Southeastern US location represents one of the most attractive in the country given its above-average growth rates. The operation will be Sigma’s 8th stretch-film manufacturing location, adding to plants in Riverside, CA; Tulsa, OK; Shelbyville, KY; Lyndhurst, NJ; Belleville, Canada; Karczew, Poland; and Bangkok, Thailand. The location will be renamed and marketed as Sigma Stretch Films of Georgia. Stalwart Plastics, more widely known as Zummit Plastics, was being liquidated under a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Sonoco has leveraged its world-class RainGuard® technology, previously applied to its Sonotube® forms, to develop a new paper cartridge for adhesives, caulks and sealants designed to withstand inclement weather on construction sites. The cartridge can be used for traditional adhesives and sealants packaged in barrier fiber cartridges, and is now available for the entire adhesives and sealants market. “This cartridge was developed in response to customer feedback – we learned that people needed an all-weather solution for construction sites, especially for large, ongoing projects,” said William Long, division sales manager, Adhesives and Sealants, Sonoco. “This new cartridge is still gunnable after exposure to wet conditions, meaning that construction workers don’t need to pack up every time it rains.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Sonoco ThermoSafe and Korean Air announced a global partnership agreement for the leasing of the new Pegasus ULD® temperature controlled bulk shipping container. The agreement enables pharmaceutical freight forwarders access to Pegasus ULD® containers directly from Korean Air. Korean Air and mutual clients will also have access to other Sonoco ThermoSafe containers as part of this agreement. Sonoco ThermoSafe will support this partnership by adding ICN airport to its global service network. Services including ground handling, repairs, and preconditioning of Pegasus ULDs at ICN will be provided through Sonoco ThermoSafe’s global partnership with Unilode. Sonoco ThermoSafe’s Pegasus ULD® is the world’s first FAA and EASA-approved passive bulk temperature-controlled ULD container for pharmaceutical use, which enables it to speed through international air freight handling and customs processes at the lowest possible cost. With a focus on sustainability, the Pegasus is engineered with composite materials, offering a lighter solution that is also substantially more damage-resistant than traditional metal containers. Additionally, the Pegasus ULD® contains a fully integrated, FAA-approved telemetry system, providing real-time, cloud-based data on payload and ambient temperature and key environmental factors, precisely synchronized with GPS location.