Weekly News Roundup

Washington’s new extended producer responsibility (EPR) law calls for a recycling needs assessment by the end of December 2027, according to packinglaw.com®. And a producer responsibility organization (PRO) must register with the state’s Department of Ecology by March 1, 2026, while producers of waste covered by the law must report to the PRO by July […]

NOVA Chemicals, Inc. is now operating three of four of its polyethylene (PE) film recycling lines at a facility in Connersville, Indiana. The plant known as SYNDIGO1 spans 450,000 square feet and will recycle 145,000 bales of end-of-life plastic film to produce over 100 million pounds of SYNDIGO™ recycled linear, low-density polyethylene (rLLDPE) suitable for […]

A company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is expanding its international operations with a $100 million investment in a new manufacturing and distribution facility in Edison, New Jersey. Hotpack Packaging Industry LLC’s 70,000-square-foot plant will create about 200 jobs over five years in its first phase of operation, according to a news release […]

Maryland became the sixth state to enact extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation for packaging, when the governor signed the measure into law. The law, which was supported by industry groups such as AMERIPEN—American Institute for Packaging and the Environment and the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), calls for the implementation to start in July 2026. “Notably, […]

Kuraray America in Houston named Hans Vandommele president and CEO at the start of this year and promoted two others to leadership positions. Vandommele has more than 25 years of global experience in operations and business strategy, leading Kuraray America’s growth with a focus on sustainability, operational excellence, and innovation at the company even before […]

Discounts for early registration end Friday, May 16, 2025, for the Packaging Recycling Summit to be held in Texas, where recycling stakeholders will gather over three days in June. For example, the $1,295 individual rate will go up to $1,495 after Friday, according to the summit’s website, which offers other details for pricing for nonprofits […]

Charter Next Generation (CNG) recently announced that it will add 125 jobs while retaining its 1,236 positions at its two operations in northeast Ohio. The plants in Lexington and Ontario are in Richland County, where CNG intends to invest more than $106 million in facilities and advanced machinery and equipment. The Ohio Department of Development […]

The Flexible Packaging Association’s (FPA’s) biweekly tariff update includes some practical links to online information about recent developments with trade initiatives. The April 22, 2025, newsletter notes that the tariff landscape continues to shift, making many new developments quickly outdated. But the newsletter, which is only available to FPA members, provides useful links, including: The […]

The Circular Action Alliance (CAA) says it achieved a key milestone on March 31, 2025, with the conclusion of Oregon’s first producer supply reporting cycle under the state’s Recycling Modernization Act. But the producer responsibility organization (PRO) is extending the deadline for companies that have not yet filed their reports in an effort to lower […]

Tokyo-based TOPPAN Holdings Inc. recently completed its purchase of the thermoformed and flexibles packaging (TFP) business of Sonoco Products Company. As part of this transition, TFP will now operate under the TOPPAN name, with its financial results reported in TOPPAN’s living and industry segment. Russell Grissett, president of Sonoco Flexible Packaging and chair of the […]

Russell Grissett, president of Sonoco Flexible Packaging, was elected as the new chair of the Board of Directors of the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) based in Annapolis, Maryland. Grissett succeeds William “Bill” Jackson, Ph.D., chief technology officer of Amcor Flexibles, who served as chair from March 2023 to March 2025. David Love, senior vice president […]

The Association of Packaging Recyclers (APR) plans an in-depth training program that will explore the systems and processes involved with the mechanical recycling of flexible packaging films. The course titled “APR Design® Training & Tour for Flexibles: Interactive Session on Film & Flex Recycling and Package Design” will be held on April 29, 2025, in […]

Oben Group has agreed to buy Vitopel do Brasil Ltda., a manufacturer of polypropylene (BOPP) films with facilities in Brazil. For Oben, the acquisition will establish local BOPP manufacturing in Brazil, expand its footprint as a global player in the industry, and bolster its position in the highly competitive flexible packaging films industry, according to […]

Thirty-four achievement awards representing 20 packages were presented March 7, 2025, during the69th Annual Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition, which included a Highest Achievement Award that went to ProAmpac. Overall, the contest included 67 package submissions, resulting in 226 entries, because some packages competed across multiple categories, according to the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) that […]

The jobless report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows a continuing tight labor market in manufacturing, with the unemployment rate in the sector hitting 2.9%. BLS reported in the first week of March 2025 that 456,000 people were unemployed in the manufacturing sector in February, which compares to 450,000 people in February […]

UFlex, an India-based flexible packaging company, intends to invest $50 million in a manufacturing plant in Mexico to produce woven polypropylene (WPP) bags for markets in North and South America, according to a recent company report. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 80 million bags that will help meet the rising demand […]

A record number of blood donors participated in a blood drive held February 5, 2025, during Sterile Packaging Day at MD&M West in Anaheim, California. The Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC®) started Sterile Packaging Day five years ago to raise awareness for the sterile packaging industry while also giving back. The first SPMC® blood drive […]

Trade groups nationwide, including the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), are carefully monitoring the Trump administration’s expansion of steel and aluminum tariffs. President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order (EO) on February 10, 2025, imposing a 25% tariff on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum starting on March 12, 2025. “We are actively engaged with […]

Colorado’s Producer Responsibility Advisory Board has received an initial plan proposal from an organization offering to run the state’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) law. Circular Action Alliance (CAA) submitted its initial plan proposal that details program operations and describes how CAA will help producers comply with all elements of the law, according to a news […]

The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), the voice for the rapidly growing U.S. flexible packaging industry, applauds the introduction and Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee advancement of the Strategies to Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development (STEWARD) Act (S.351). As the second largest and fastest growing segment of the domestic packaging industry, […]