The market for specialty papers is continually changing due to demand for sustainable packaging solutions, evolving environmental regulations, new papermaking technologies, and new materials for paper and coatings. The Future of Specialty Papers to 2030, a new report from Smithers, details these trends as well as the latest developments in biobased coatings and alternative fibers, e-commerce and more. According to the new research, the global specialty papers market is predicted to be 28.2 million tonnes in 2025 and projected to grow to 31.3 million tonnes by 2030. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.1% for this five-year period. The largest categories of specialty papers are flexible packaging, printing papers, and printing labels, representing 49% of the 2025 market tonnage. The Impact of Regulations Sustainable packaging structures and the governing policies that support them are key drivers in changing the kinds of products that are made, how they are designed, which raw materials are utilized, and their disposition at the end of their lifecycle. Non-recyclable film structures used in flexible packaging are being displaced by new barrier coated paper structures, which are recyclable. Also included is the requirement for recycled content in the package design. The objective is to reduce packaging waste that goes into landfills. Packaging companies that do not comply with the new regulations will pay a fee that supports the recycling infrastructure. In the EU, a new regulation called the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) has been enacted to reduce packaging waste and promote recyclable alternatives. Revised in 2025, the new legislation replaced the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD). The PPWR imposes strict rules on packaging design, recycling, and waste reduction.

Huhtamaki’s subsidiary in India has recently consolidated five manufacturing sites into larger local units. Following the reorganization, the company has sold its real estate in Thane, India, from where a manufacturing facility and offices have been transferred. The real estate was sold to Phoenix Group, a large real estate developer, for EUR 47 million. Huhtamaki will book a gain of approximately EUR 44 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 and it will be treated as an item affecting comparability.

Mondi has joined forces with French machine supplier Thimonnier to develop a recyclable packaging that reduces plastic waste. The companies have created a new packaging for liquid refills that is designed so that it can be entirely emptied. The berlingot sachet is made from a recyclable mono-material, coextruded polyethylene (PE). It not only weighs less but also reduces plastic usage by more than 75% compared to rigid plastic bottles. The refill solution can replace the current industry standard of multilayer PVC refill containers, which are effectively not recyclable. The unusual shape of the sachet is eye catching and differentiated. The durable and leak-proof solution allows consumers to smell the product inside, a particularly useful feature for the liquid soaps it is designed to protect. The lightweight material also makes it more convenient for customers, especially those who are buying in-store.