The Paper & Packaging – How Life Unfolds® campaign revealed two new animated characters to further strengthen consumer connection to paper and packaging. The new industry brand ambassadors are a springboard for inspiring creativity, connection and achievement–qualities consumers around the world appreciate when using paper and paper-based packaging products. “Paper and packaging products are prevalent in our lives, and it was our goal to create highly-relatable characters to represent the vital roles that paper and packaging play for each and every one of us,” shares Mary Anne Hansan, president of the Paper and Packaging Board. “We launched the Paper & Packaging – How Life Unfolds® campaign in 2015, and we are thrilled to introduce these new characters to help consumers nationwide recognize and remember the value of paper in their everyday lives.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Metsä Spring, Metsä Group’s innovation company, has launched a new 3D fibre product called Muoto®. Muoto has been produced at Metsä Group’s and Valmet’s demo plant in Äänekoski since May 2022, and is made of Metsä Group’s wood fibres. Muoto is a significant initiative in the packaging market. It is user-friendly, sustainable and scalable and features advanced technology. Using brand new technology, the products are pressed into their final form and their properties can be tailored during the production process according to the intended purpose. The raw material of Muoto grows in northern, sustainably managed forests and is fully traceable. Both renewable and recyclable, Muoto is a good alternative to fossil plastic, for example, in food packaging, including serving dishes or containers of various sizes and shapes. Packaging that is produced to meet a specific need is ideal for reducing food waste.

Peter Oswald, Mondi Group chief executive, said: “Mondi delivered a robust performance in the first half of 2017, with revenue up 8%, underlying operating profit of €497 million and a return on capital employed of 18.7%, reflecting management’s ongoing value focus and the strength of our business model. Profitability was down on the comparable prior year period, mainly driven by a significantly lower forestry fair value gain in South Africa and the impact of mill maintenance shuts. We continue to drive growth through our capital investment programme. During the period, we commissioned the second phase of our major investment in the ongoing development of our world-class facility in Poland, while good progress is being made on the modernisation of our kraft paper facility in Czech Republic. The integration of acquisitions completed during 2016 and early 2017 is on track. These acquisitions enhance our geographic reach and product portfolio in Corrugated Packaging and Consumer Packaging. The market outlook remains broadly positive. We saw strong demand across Packaging Paper and Corrugated Packa ging in the first half and successfully implemented price increases across certain paper grades, the full effect of which is anticipated in the second half. The second half of the year will be impacted by planned maintenance shuts at a number of our mills and the usual seasonal downturn in Uncoated Fine Paper. While we continue to see some inflationary cost pressures, we remain confident of making progress in the year and continuing to deliver industry leading returns." Click Read More below for additional detail.