International Paper Touts $200M in EMEA Cuts Ahead of Business Split
International Paper posted Q1 2026 net sales of $5.97 billion and a modest $76 million profit, a turnaround from a loss a year earlier. The company reported more than $200 million in run‑rate savings in its EMEA segment after closing 31 facilities and cutting over 2,800 jobs. It also announced a $225 million box plant in Mississippi slated for Q4 2027 and a $360 million acquisition of North Pacific Paper to shore up West Coast supply. Finally, IP is moving ahead with a geographic split, retaining a 20% stake in the EMEA spinoff for up to 18 months.
Wish You Could Reseal Your Canned Beverage? Now You Can.
Re:Lid USA has introduced a resealable, recyclable aluminum can lid in partnership with beverage incubator L.A. Libations, debuting a canned water product that can be closed up to 14 times. The lids, featuring a 0.2‑gram thermoplastic seal, will first appear...
O-I Glass Calls Q1 ‘a Story of Two Hemispheres’
O‑I Glass reported first‑quarter net sales of $1.54 billion, a 1.7% year‑over‑year decline, and a net loss of $71 million, widening from $12 million a year earlier. The company cited a “story of two hemispheres,” with stable performance in the Americas but significant...
EPR Budgeting Conversations: Advice From the Frontlines
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) has launched a “conversation companion” tool to help packaging and sustainability leaders explain extended producer responsibility (EPR) fees to C‑suite executives. With Oregon and Colorado now imposing real fees, companies face new budgeting deadlines, invoicing...
Amazon, Walmart Seek Source Reduction Solutions From Suppliers
Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers are using the Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s Retailer Forum to deliver a unified sustainability brief to packaging suppliers. The first design‑sprint focused on low‑barrier flexible films, selecting four finalists from nine submissions, and will be...
Containerboard Production Charts Steepest Decline in Years in Q1
North American containerboard production fell 8% year‑over‑year in Q1 2026, the steepest decline in at least two years, after a near‑10% capacity reduction from 2025 plant closures. Box shipments slipped 1.9% YoY, while operating rates held at 91.6%, below the mid‑90s...
Breaking the ‘Boom-and-Bust Cycle’ in Domestic Recycled Plastic Markets
The U.S. PET recycling sector lost roughly 25% of its capacity as seven of the 30 major facilities closed in the past year, intensifying a volatile boom‑and‑bust cycle. Simultaneously, rising virgin resin prices from the Iran‑related oil shock and a...
Packaging Innovations: CVS Health Swaps Foam, PPG Coats Pet Food Cans
Packaging innovators are rolling out greener solutions across multiple sectors. CVS Health’s infusion subsidiary swapped expanded polystyrene for a recyclable, compostable fiber‑based insulation system in select U.S. pharmacies, improving temperature control and handling. PPG launched the first U.S. PVC‑NI, PFAS‑free...
PCA Expects Strong Q1 Demand to Continue in 2026
Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) posted Q1 2026 net sales of $2.37 billion, a 10.6% year‑over‑year increase, while net income slipped 16.1% to $170.9 million. The company absorbed a $53.3 million charge from permanently shutting its No. 2 paper machine and kraft pulping line...
Sonoco Details Cost Management Strategies as Input Expenses Rise
Sonoco announced that its three‑year transformation is complete and outlined cost‑management tactics as input prices surge. In Q1 2026 the company posted $1.68 B in net sales, $68 M net income and delivered $8 M of cost savings, primarily from structural changes. It...
CG Roxane, Questar Solutions, Uline Announce Expansions
A wave of expansion announcements swept the North American packaging sector in spring 2026, with 13 manufacturers unveiling new facilities or upgrades. CG Roxane is adding roughly 60,000 sq ft in Benton, Tennessee to bring PET preform and HDPE cap production in‑house,...
Navigating PCR Procurement? A New Tool Could Help.
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) has launched a Post‑Consumer Recycled (PCR) Material Demand Hub to streamline domestic sourcing of recycled packaging materials. The platform aggregates directories, roadmaps, Q&A guides and certification resources for paper, plastic and aluminum, targeting both private...
Containerboard Prices Rise in April for Second Consecutive Month
Fastmarkets RISI reported a second consecutive monthly rise in North American containerboard prices, with April up $30 per ton following a $40 increase in March. The year‑to‑date net gain now sits at $50 per ton after a February dip of...
Cannabis Companies Send Smoke Signals About Packaging Regulation Challenges
Half of U.S. states now permit adult‑use cannabis, prompting a surge in packaging innovation amid a fragmented regulatory landscape. Companies like Ascend Wellness and Sluggers Hit must navigate state‑specific child‑resistance, opacity, and design restrictions that differ dramatically from alcohol rules....
California Bills Propose Compostables Restrictions
California legislators advanced two bills targeting compostable packaging labeling. SB 1031, championed by Sen. Catherine Blakespear, aims to tighten definitions, study health impacts, and curb misleading "compostable except in California" claims. AB 1812, sponsored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar‑Curry, would prohibit "compostable" or...
International Paper to Acquire North Pacific Paper Co. For $360M
International Paper announced a $360 million acquisition of North Pacific Paper Co., a Washington‑based mill that produces about 1 million tons of containerboard annually. The Norpac facility, employing roughly 500 workers, will be folded into IP’s existing packaging and recycling network, enhancing West...
Colorado Mass Balance Debate Underscores Industry Faultlines
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) voluntarily dismissed its Colorado lawsuit challenging the state’s mass‑balance allocation rules for recycled‑content reporting. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will keep the current EPR plan in place while reviewing alternative credit methods...
Graphic Packaging International Launches Restructuring, Layoffs
Graphic Packaging International (GPI) announced immediate layoffs across several U.S. sites as part of a broader restructuring aimed at cutting $60 million in costs by 2026. The cuts affect corporate, HR and operations roles in Georgia, Louisiana and Michigan, following a...
Massachusetts Senate Passes Bill Addressing Bags, Foam, Foodservice Packaging
The Massachusetts Senate approved S.3050, a $3.6 billion environmental bond, by a 36‑3 vote, sending it to the House. The legislation adds paint extended producer responsibility, bans single‑use plastic carry‑out bags and requires retailers to charge at least a 10‑cent fee...
Making Moves: New Packaging Leaders Appointed in 2026
In 2026 a wave of executive changes swept the packaging sector. Dow elevated longtime COO Karen Carter, a 30‑year veteran of its packaging and specialty plastics unit, to CEO. Georgia‑Pacific, Aptar, Stephen Gould, US Plastics Pact and Sonoco also announced new CEOs,...
3 Growth Areas for CPG Packaging
Circana’s 2025 U.S. CPG growth leaders report identifies three key drivers of packaging demand: expanding pack‑size assortments, a surge in private‑label and smaller brand sales, and a higher share of revenue from new product launches. Pack‑size diversification lets manufacturers capture...
Dow Names Former Packaging Leader as CEO
Dow announced that Chief Operating Officer Karen Carter will become CEO on July 1, 2026, succeeding Jim Fitterling who will move to executive chair. Carter brings over 30 years at Dow, most recently leading the packaging and specialty plastics unit, which...
Next Step in Recycling More Healthcare Plastics: Better Labeling
The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) launched a 2026 project to create standardized labeling for flexible and rigid medical packaging. With less than 5% of healthcare plastics currently recycled in North America and Europe, the initiative seeks to improve material...
Where Producers’ EPR Money Is Going in Oregon
The Dalles became the first Oregon community to use producer‑funded Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) money, receiving $200,000 from Circular Action Alliance to purchase 5,000 new 96‑gallon recycling carts. Oregon’s packaging EPR program, the nation’s first, projects roughly $123 million in recycling...
CD&R Completes Acquisition of Sealed Air
Private equity firm CD&R has completed the acquisition of Sealed Air, paying roughly $6.3 billion to shareholders and valuing the company at $10.3 billion enterprise value. The packaging maker will now operate as a privately held entity headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina,...
From Tariffs to Iran War, Geopolitics Are Upending Packaging Supply Chains
A year after the “Liberation Day” tariffs imposed a 10% duty on most imports, packaging costs have surged, with some items jumping from $0.80 to $3 each. The Trump administration’s partial rollback on steel, aluminum and copper has left high...
Don’t Call It a Comeback: Can Containerboard Still Rebound in 2026?
Containerboard producers trimmed roughly 10% of North American capacity in 2025, hoping to correct a multi‑year oversupply. Early 2026 data showed modest demand upticks, but the Iran‑Israel conflict that began in February reignited fuel and logistics cost pressures, dampening optimism....
Uncertainty Reigns for Manufacturers Seeking Tariff Refunds
The U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down most Trump‑era IEEPA tariffs, leaving more than 300,000 manufacturers to decide how to recover payments. Only a handful of large importers have sued in the Court of International Trade, while the majority are...
AF&PA Can’t Join NAW’s Oregon EPR Lawsuit, Judge Rules
An Oregon federal judge narrowed the preliminary injunction that blocks enforcement of the state's Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law, limiting its relief to National Association of Wholesaler‑Distributors (NAW) members as of February 6, 2026. The court also denied the American...
Metal Tariff Adjustments Aren’t a Win for Packaging, Trade Groups Say
The Trump administration revised Section 232 metal tariffs, keeping a 50% rate on products made almost entirely of aluminum, steel or copper while lowering the levy to 25% for derivative items substantially composed of those metals. Items containing 15% or less...
The Automation Gap No One Talks About — Until It Stops the Line
Manufacturers are rapidly adopting automation, yet many facilities still rely on manual intervention at the final wrap station, creating a hidden bottleneck. A loose film tail can trigger AMR sensors, halting production and costing roughly $125,000 per hour of downtime....
Iran War May Dampen Packaging M&A in 2026
The Iran war has injected fresh geopolitical risk into the packaging sector, curbing M&A momentum in 2026. While Q1 saw 36 announced deals—up slightly from 34 a year earlier—the pace lags behind earlier forecasts and megadeals are fading. Companies are...
PCA Closing Full-Line Plant in Richmond, Virginia
Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) will close its full‑line converting plant in Richmond, Virginia, affecting 110 employees in June 2026. The shutdown follows a similar capacity reduction in Wallula, Washington, where 200 jobs were eliminated earlier this year. PCA plans...
New EU Guidance on PPWR Released Less than 5 Months From Start Date
The European Commission has published detailed guidance for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) that will become mandatory on August 12. The document clarifies who qualifies as a covered producer, defines packaging categories, and tightens rules on single‑use items...
A Year Into Tariffs, US Businesses See Declining Sales, Plan Price Increases: KPMG Survey
A year after the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs, U.S. firms report falling margins and higher operational costs, prompting many to shift tariff burdens onto consumers. The KPMG survey shows 34% of companies now pass more than half of tariff costs...
Lubricants, Wholesaler Groups Talk EPR Lawsuits
The Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA) filed a lawsuit in Colorado challenging the state’s new extended producer responsibility (EPR) law that imposes a 56‑cent‑per‑gallon fee on packaged lubricants. The suit argues the fee and associated compliance costs cripple small manufacturers...
RPET Market Challenges Further Impacted by More Closures, Trade Pressures
The U.S. recycled PET (rPET) market is under severe strain as cheap virgin resin and rising overseas imports depress prices, prompting the closure of several key reclaimer facilities. Recent shutdowns, including two Evergreen plants, have cut domestic rPET capacity by...
International Paper to Build $225M Box Plant in Mississippi
International Paper announced a $225 million investment to build a 468,000‑square‑foot greenfield box plant in Brandon, Mississippi. The facility will target an annual output of 1.8 billion square feet of packaging and is slated to begin construction in June with operations commencing...
AI-Powered Platform Aims to Speed Packaging Chats and Sales
Matthew Wright, founder of Specright, is launching Forest, an AI‑powered platform designed to unite the fragmented packaging ecosystem. The digital hub will let users create buyer, seller or researcher personas, use natural‑language search, and manage sales conversations in one place....
Paper Industry Joins Oregon EPR Lawsuit
The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has moved to intervene in the lawsuit challenging Oregon’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) packaging law, requesting the same temporary pause granted to the National Association of Wholesaler‑Distributors (NAW). NAW’s earlier preliminary injunction halted...
USITC Advances 4 Trade Cases with Implications for Packaging
The U.S. International Trade Commission has advanced four packaging‑related trade cases this year, adding to a December antidumping ruling on thermo‑formed molded‑fiber products from China and Vietnam. The new investigations target polypropylene corrugated boxes from China, PET film from China,...
The $25K-a-Day Question: How to Decide Which Capex Projects to Fund Now
Packaging firms face a flood of urgent capital requests driven by EPR penalties, tariff spikes and automation needs. The article proposes a three‑step framework: first, separate mandatory compliance projects from discretionary growth initiatives; second, evaluate discretionary projects with a consistent...
As Performance and Growth Avenues Lag, Companies Pursue M&A
Packaging firms face stagnant organic growth post‑pandemic, prompting a shift toward mergers and acquisitions. McKinsey’s new report highlights a surge in programmatic M&A—multiple small‑to‑medium deals—as a preferred lever for scaling and entering high‑growth segments. Top‑quartile companies that pursued such disciplined...
Tennessee Packaging EPR Bill Sidelined for 2026
The Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act, an extended producer responsibility (EPR) bill targeting packaging waste, was set aside during a committee hearing. The revised legislation lets businesses earning under $10 million and counties with fewer than 200,000 residents opt out, aiming...
O-I Glass Flags Harsher-than-Expected Q1
Glass container maker O-I reported a tougher-than-expected first quarter 2026, citing soft European demand, factory closures, and renewed pricing pressure in the wine sector. The company warned earnings contribution will fall below the previously guided 12‑16% of full‑year adjusted EPS....
ProAmpac Completes TC Transcontinental Flexible Packaging Acquisition
ProAmpac has finalized its C$2.1 billion acquisition of Chicago‑based TC Transcontinental, adding 25 plants and roughly 3,500 employees to its portfolio. The deal brings together two of North America’s largest flexible‑packaging companies, boosting combined annual revenue to over C$2.7 billion. TC will distribute...
Cascades Targeting $100M in Additional Divestitures for 2026
Cascades announced a $100 million target for additional divestitures by mid‑2026 as it exits honeycomb and partition packaging segments and shuts three plants. The company sold its Richmond corrugated plant for $69 million, boosting cash flow and helping meet its $120 million asset‑sale...
International Paper CEO Pulls Back the Curtain on Planned Geographic Split
International Paper announced it will separate into two independent companies—one focused on North America and the other on Europe—after CEO Andy Silvernail highlighted regional strengths at the BofA 2026 Global Agriculture and Materials Conference. The split follows the $1.5 billion sale...
CD&R’s Acquisition of Sealed Air Clears Hurdles
Sealed Air shareholders voted to approve a $6.2 billion takeover by private‑equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). The European Commission recently cleared the deal, finding no competition concerns, allowing the transaction to move toward closing pending final regulatory sign‑offs. The...