Weekly Roundup: Stora Enso's lignin-based material recognized with innovation award

16 Nov 2018 --- This week in packaging news, a lignin-based, renewable replacement for fossil-based materials from Stora Enso has received an innovation award from the Institution of Chemical Engineers. Braskem has reported strong third quarter financial results, with an increase of 30 percent EBITDA on the same period last year. DS Smith has been awarded the “UK Packaging Company of the year” title at the UK Packaging Awards and Corepla partnered with the Waste Free Oceans foundation to build a humanitarian shelter prototype with plastic waste collected along the river Po in Italy.

In brief: Product launches and certifications
Lineo by Stora Enso, a lignin-based product launched by the renewable materials company earlier this year, has been awarded “Innovative Product Award 2018” by the Institution of Chemical Engineers. Shortlisted alongside products from companies including Dow and Johnson Matthey, the judges chose Stora Enso as the winner “for creating a new bio-based, sustainable material to replace fossil-fuels used in coatings and adhesives.”

New York based Fine & Raw chocolate has launched limited edition bars for the holidays featuring seasonal packaging artwork from local NYC art collective In A Wilder World. Taking two selections from its Brooklyn Bonnie collection – Hazelnut Butter and Alderwood Smoked Salt – and decorating out the cover women with festive ensembles, the 2 oz. bars are created/designed to make ideal stocking stuffers.

In brief: Expansions, mergers and acquisitions
Finnish food packaging specialist Huhtamaki is investing approximately US$7.9 million in its fiber packaging operations in Russia to facilitate further growth. In addition to the fast-growing Russian market the operations in Ivanteevka, near Moscow, serve the neighboring countries of Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as the Nordic market. The investment will particularly benefit and modernize the company’s range of egg packaging.

In brief: Miscellaneous
Brazilian Petrochemical company Braskem has reported strong third quarter financial results, with an increase of 30 percent EBITDA on the same period last year. The recovery of sales in Brazil in the aftermath of the truck drivers' strike, coupled with growth in the US and Mexico, led Braskem to report EBITDA of R$3.6 billion (US$909 million) in the third quarter of 2018, representing an increase of 30 percent on the same period last year. Net income grew 68 percent in the same comparison period, to R$1.34 billion. “We continued to deliver strong results in general, despite the market volatility and certain operational challenges, which once again attests to the company's resilience and is an excellent sign that we are on a secure growth path,” says Fernando Musa, Braskem CEO.

British packaging company DS Smith has been awarded the “UK Packaging Company of the year” at the UK Packaging Awards, which states that it recognizes the very best companies in packaging design. DS Smith was chosen as the “clear winner” in the category for being at the forefront of packaging development, investing in state-of-the-art technology and its strong financial performance. In particular, the judges commended DS Smith for its growth in the e-commerce market, with innovations such as its Made2Fit and DISCS (Drop, Impact, Shock, Crush, Shake) technologies which tackle key challenges such as void space and pack protection in the supply chain.

Global paper packaging company Smurfit Kappa has been reconfirmed as a member of the Ethibel Sustainability Index for the 5th year in a row, demonstrating its continued “best-in-class” approach to sustainability. The Ethibel Sustainability Indices are composed of companies included in the Russell Global Index displaying the best performance in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The listing comes as Smurfit Kappa continues to make sustainable investments and commitments. The group released its Sustainable Development Report in May this year and has recently announced the launch of its Better Planet Packaging initiative which seeks to explore and re-imagine the packaging needed for a more sustainable world.

Corepla, an Italian non-profit-making consortium for the collection, recycling and recovery of the waste from plastic packaging, has partnered with the Waste Free Oceans foundation to build a humanitarian shelter prototype with plastic waste collected along the river Po in Italy. The shelter was exhibited at the Ecomondo fair in Rimini, Italy.

By Laxmi Haigh