Sonoco Launches New Paper-Bottom Can in North America

Evergreen Packaging, with support from KidsGardening, announced the launch of the spring 2018 Carton 2 Garden contest, the nationwide competition that invites students of all ages to repurpose milk and juice cartons in school gardens that teach math, science, arts, environment and sustainability. Now in its fourth year, the Carton 2 Garden contest underscores Evergreen Packaging’s commitment to championing sustainability, STEM-learning and healthy living. “The Carton 2 Garden contest gives thousands of students across the country the opportunity to not only learn more about gardening, but also teamwork, nutrition, sustainable practices and environmental stewardship,” said Katie Simmons, marketing manager at Evergreen Packaging. “We are thrilled to once again partner with KidsGardening, the leaders in the school garden movement, to equip contest entrants with educational materials that instill these important lessons and life skills. Each year the gardens grow more inventive, and we look forward to seeing the innovations that will be created for this year’s contest.” Click Read More below for additional information.

A new report from Finland’s Technical Research Center (VTT), “Recycling Food Packaging”, highlights those technology solutions expected to become commercially available in the next five years and says partnerships are essential to deliver the necessary technological innovations in food packaging recycling. VTT’s team examined current and near-future recycling systems for plastic and fiber packaging and found that alliances between brand owners, recycling and sorting technology developers, and waste management companies are fundamental to the development of recycling solutions. Such partnerships are essential for future investment in new recycling technology as they provide, on one hand, accessibility to used material, and on the other hand, a potential user for the recyclate. Commissioned by Huhtamaki the global sustainable packaging solutions provider, the report aims to identify and increase understanding of the key drivers required to deliver a functioning circular economy, in which importantly packaging is not only recyclable, but recycled. “The study predicts a significant increase in industrial chemical recycling capacity in the United States, Europe and East Asia in the next 3–4 years. Chemically recycled polymers can be included in food packaging after full depolymerization, whilst in practice today, recycled polymers certified as food contact material are mainly limited to rPET, used mostly in bottles”, says Mona Arnold, principal scientist at VTT.

Second Quarter 2017 Highlights (as compared to second quarter 2016): * Revenue increased 4.3% to $210.2 million primarily due to an increase in average selling price including the impact of product mix, additional revenue from the Powerband Acquisition(1), and the non-recurrence of the South Carolina Commissioning Revenue Reduction(2) in the second quarter of 2016. * Gross margin decreased to 22.5% from 25.7% primarily due to the non-recurrence of South Carolina Flood Insurance Proceeds(2) of $4.5 million recorded in the second quarter of 2016. * Net earnings attributable to the Company shareholders ("IPG Net Earnings") decreased $3.5 million to $10.2 million, primarily due to a decrease in gross profit and an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”), partially offset by a decrease in manufacturing facility closures, restructuring and other related charges and income tax expense. Click Read More below for additional detail.