Beyond The Headlines: Mondi’s Poland plant upgrade, Walki’s collaboration for monomaterial pancake packs

This week in industry news, Mondi completed a plant upgrade with leading manufacturers in Poland. Meanwhile, Walki partnered with a French dairy cooperative to develop monomaterial packaging for pancakes and Chosen Foods unveiled this year’s holiday gift box.

In brief: Upgrades and acquisition

Mondi completed a €90 million (US$95 million) investment upgrade in its Mszczonów plant in Poland, which doubled its capacity, making it the largest corrugated solutions plant in the country and one of the biggest in Europe. The plant is set up to meet the needs of manufacturers requiring innovative and sustainable packaging solutions with enhanced levels of quality and service. This plant upgrade is part of Mondi’s €280 million (US$295 million) investment in corrugated packaging operations across central and eastern Europe.

Imperial Dade, a North American distributor of foodservice packaging supplies, industrial products and janitorial supplies, acquired Economy Products & Solutions. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed. By leveraging Imperial Dade’s platform, Economy Products & Solutions’ customers can expect the same customized service coupled with a greater diversified offering of products and solutions.

ILaserSharp Marking can reach surface areas that pressure-sensitive labels, shrink wraps or direct ink printing can’t, opening up new design possibilities.n brief: Industry collaborations

Walki partnered with French dairy cooperative Laïta to develop sustainable, monomaterial packaging for its Paysan Breton pancakes. Over a two-year collaboration, Walki used water-based inks and varnishes that maximize fiber yield in recycling, ensuring both functionality and environmental sustainability. The packaging can withstand the weight of the food content while maintaining sealability. 

LasX Industries unveiled LaserSharp Marking, a laser technology developed with P&G to provide an alternative to conventional label application methods. P&G leverages LasX’s technology to control the laser and motion systems on its packaging. This approach reduces waste, supports monomaterial packaging and aligns with sustainability goals while delivering permanent high-resolution surface markings. LaserSharp Marking’s benefits include flexible and high-speed label creation.

In brief: Launches

Chosen Foods launched its limited edition holiday gift box. This gift box features the brand’s 100% Pure Avocado Oil and Extra Virgin Avocado Oil, complemented by two stylish gold pouring spouts that enhance precision and elevate the cooking experience.

Ranpak introduced GrasiKraft, a paper-based void-fill product made from grass fibers and recycled paper fibers. It combines the softness and natural appearance of grass material with the strength and durability required for void fill. In partnership with Creapaper, Ranpak developed this product to diversify the sources of renewable fibers available for sustainable dunnage material. GrasiKraft paper is biodegradable and fully curbside recyclable, making disposal easy and supporting a circular economy for packaging.

North Somerset Council, UK, launched a new reusable bag to help residents separate their recycling. Six thousand households across the district received a reusable bag for recycling plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays as well as metal packaging such as tins, cans, foil and aerosols.  The red recycling bag has been delivered to trial households, with full instructions included in a leaflet inside the bag. The trial would also investigate if the new bags help speed up collection times for crews. Other councils already using similar recycling bags have found they provide a good solution for the storage and collection of recycling, plus reduce litter. AmPrima Plus has been designed to run on production lines and maintain optimal oxygen and moisture barriers.

In brief: Awards and certifications

Amcor was recognized by the 35th Packaging Innovation Awards for its AmPrima Plus solution for coffee. Sponsored by Dow, the award recognizes excellence in packaging and encourages advancements in sustainability and performance. The Special Award category, won by Amcor, is dedicated to emerging markets and breaking frontiers in monomaterial packaging. Amcor’s AmPrima Plus solution has been commended for its application in recycle-ready coffee packaging. The new pouch offers coffee producers up to 68% reduction in carbon footprint when compared to traditional coffee packaging alternatives.

AeroFlexx received the highest standard and rating under the Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standard (BRCGS) and is certified as AA grade, representing the fourth consecutive year the West Chester manufacturing site has achieved the highest rating. The BRCGS certification is widely recognized by food manufacturers, retailers and brand owners as the highest standard of safety and quality for packaging and distribution.