The Protective Solutions division of Sonoco, North America’s leading provider of protective packaging, components and material handling solutions, has released its Cost of Damage Calculator, a robust online tool designed to calculate the real cost of damage to businesses when shipping their products. With packaging an essential part of the supply chain, determining how best to ease risk for product damage throughout the entire process is paramount. The calculator successfully breaks down the customer’s e-commerce and retail damage to show the percentage of damage, number of units, total cost and the percentage of profits this affects. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Total boxboard production in June remained essentially flat (-0.1 percent) compared to June 2020. It was also essentially flat (-0.2 percent) when compared to the same six months of 2020. The boxboard operating rate was 92.7 percent, down 1.0 points from June 2020 and essentially flat (+0.4 pts.) year-to-date. Solid Bleached Boxboard production in June decreased eight percent compared to June 2020. It was down four percent when compared to the same six months of 2020. Recycled Boxboard production in June increased five percent compared to June 2020. It was down one percent when compared to the same six months of 2020. Unbleached Kraft & Gypsum production in June increased five percent compared to June 2020. It was up six percent when compared to the same six months of 2020.

Brazilian beverage producer Socorro Bebidas (Socorro) has expanded its partnership with Crown Embalagens Metálicas da Amazônia S.A., a subsidiary of Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) (Crown) (www.crowncork.com), to launch Acquíssima Sabor flavored mineral water in 350ml (12oz) CrownSleek cans. The premium zero-calorie drink features natural aromas, offering a health-conscious alternative for consumers to stay hydrated and incorporate key nutrients into their daily diets. The line made its debut with two flavors, Lychee and Green Apple, and is currently available in Acquíssima stores, restaurants and supermarkets in Brazil. Socorro also previously utilized CrownSleek cans to package its Acquíssima mineral water brand, its first entry into the water market. Total canned water volume in Brazil has increased by nearly 7x between 2021 and 2022, demonstrating a growing trend in the region for water packaged in aluminum and a continued shift away from tap and bulk water. When considering the package format for the brand, Socorro knew it needed to help convey the refreshing and health-conscious nature of the beverage, while also delivering on sustainability. The inherent properties of metal packaging, including providing a powerful barrier against light and oxygen, helps maintain the product's freshness. Aluminum beverage cans are also infinitely recyclable and are the most recycled beverage package in the world. These characteristics resonate with Brazilian consumers, who have recently helped drive the country's recycling rate for aluminum beverage cans to an astounding 100%.