Leading global packaging solutions company, Huhtamaki has redefined the possible by using science to develop groundbreaking mono-material technology. Its innovative and sustainable flexible packaging, in Paper, PE and PP Retort, is transformational and meets the demands of both its customers and their consumers. Announcing its game-changing innovation, Dr. Marco Hilty, President of Flexible Packaging at Huhtamaki outlined its importance: “What we’ve done, quite simply, is to redesign the future of flexible packaging by setting new industry standards in mono-material solutions. These blueloopTM innovations are both unique to Huhtamaki and transformational. They simultaneously deliver recyclability, with no compromise in either product protection or affordability. This is the power of three. “These at-scale innovations will support our customers reach the commitments many of them have made, including to use only recyclable, compostable or reusable packaging by 2025 and align with the direction of future policy, both in the EU and globally."

Smithers anticipates major changes as $231.7 billion world corrugated packaging market returns to growth trajectory. Global containerboard and corrugated board demand are facing a series of challenges and shifts in market dynamics across the next five years. These are expertly profiled, and quantified in the new market data report – The Future of Global Corrugated Packaging to 2029 – from Smithers. Published today, its in-depth analysis of capacity changes, pulp pricing, and end-user demands shows that in 2023, global containerboard production was 183.4 million metric tons, a -4% decline on 2022. These were converted into around 165 million tons of corrugated board, a decrease of more than -7% on 2022; with value reaching $224.4 billion. This reflects the end of the period of disruption in world supply that began in 2020 with Covid-19, which was characterized by disruption to global logistics impacting demand, price fluctuations leading to high inventories, and subsequent destocking.

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released its Q1 2024 Boxboard report. According to the report, total boxboard production in Q1 decreased 2% compared to Q1 2023. The boxboard operating rate in Q1 2024 was 89.2%, up 1.3 points from the same quarter last year. *Solid Bl. Folding - Domestic production increased 3% compared to Q1 2023. *Solid Bleached Boxboard unmade orders were up 22% compared to the end of the previous quarter and decreased 14% compared to March 2023. *Uncoated Recycled Boxboard production remained essentially flat (-0.3%) compared to Q1 2023.