Aldar Tissue, Ireland’s largest household and commercial tissue paper manufacturer and part of the Zeus Group, has officially opened its new €15 million, purpose-built manufacturing facility in Rathcoole, Dublin. The 100,000 sq ft facility will see the workforce at Aldar Tissue double by 2026, creating 30 new full-time jobs.

Both Aldar Tissue and Zeus are committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050, actively reducing carbon footprints by prioritising local manufacturing and sustainable raw materials. Aldar Tissue supplies major customers such as Musgrave, Lidl, Aldi, and Essential Supplies. The state-of-the-art Dublin plant features fully automated, high-speed production lines, robotic packing, and wrapping technologies. These innovations will enable Aldar Tissue to transition from a 24/5 to a 24/7 operation by 2026, further increasing capacity. Aldar Tissue was acquired by Zeus, Europe’s leading independent packaging manufacturer and distributor, in 2019. 

Speaking at the facility’s opening, Keith Ockenden, CEO of Zeus, commented: “Our goal is to help our customers reduce their packaging usage and lower their carbon emissions by providing innovative products and services. By processing industrial production rolls into smaller, finished products on-site in Ireland, Aldar Tissue significantly reduces the need for long-distance transportation of raw materials, thereby cutting carbon emissions from shipping bulk materials from mainland Europe. This streamlined approach not only lowers our carbon footprint but also enhances supply chain efficiency, ensuring products are delivered to customers more sustainably and cost-effectively.

“Currently, 80% of the Irish tissue market is supplied from the UK and mainland Europe. This new facility increases our production capacity and will enable us to fulfil up to 40% of Ireland’s bathroom tissue and kitchen towel needs. This will allow us to meet the evolving demands of local markets while driving sustainability within the industry.”

Ockenden further commented: “With the addition of 30 new jobs, Aldar Tissue is doubling its workforce to meet growing demand. We have plans to further expand production capacity by 2026. Our products adhere to the highest standards of performance, offering a real alternative to imports and supporting the Irish economy. Aldar Tissue’s investment aligns with Ireland’s broader sustainability goals, with the new production lines capable of using paper-based wrapping materials. At Aldar, we are not just producing tissue products; we are building a sustainable future for Ireland.”

The plant’s cutting-edge technology enables high-speed production of consumer and professional tissue products at a rate of 600 meters per minute, or 200 packs per minute, offering more than 60 variations of kitchen towels and bathroom tissue. As of 2023, the Irish toilet tissue market is valued at approximately €155 million, driven by demand from both retail and away-from-home sectors.

ABOUT ALDAR:

Aldar Tissue is proud to be a member of Guaranteed Irish. Our operations are backed by a series of certifications, demonstrating our commitment to quality, sustainability, and safety. We hold ISO 9001 for quality management, ensuring that our processes consistently meet customer and regulatory requirements. This dedication was recognised in 2023 with the Silver award from Greenly for their carbon management progress. The ISO 14001 certification highlights our proactive approach to environmental management, reducing our environmental impact across all areas of operation.

Aldar Tissue is accredited with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification), underlining our dedication to sourcing materials from sustainably managed forests. Our products meet rigorous standards for responsible forest management, helping to promote sustainable forestry practices worldwide.

We also hold BRC (British Retail Consortium) accreditation, which ensures that our products meet the highest standards of food safety, hygiene, and quality in manufacturing. These certifications, combined with our membership in Guaranteed Irish, reflect Aldar Tissue’s unwavering commitment to quality, sustainability, and supporting Ireland’s economy.

ABOUT ZEUS:

Zeus is a leading global packaging solutions company, with a strong focus on sustainability and innovation. As a leading specialist manufacturing and distribution group, Zeus provides a diverse range of sustainable packaging solutions tailored to the unique needs of businesses worldwide.

Zeus has 61 locations worldwide, including Ireland, UK, Germany, Spain, Central & Eastern Europe, New Zealand, Canada, China and Australia. 

Zeus employs 1,370 people with a presence in 38 countries worldwide.

We provide integrated solutions by leveraging global manufacturing and sourcing services, innovative packaging design and engineering, and technology-driven supply chain and sustainability solutions.  

– EcoVadis, the world’s largest provider of sustainability ratings, has awarded the prestigious Platinum rating to the sustainability management at Liveo Research’s pharmaceutical packaging site in Singapore. It is ranked in the top 1% of over 100,000 companies evaluated globally by EcoVadis. In the last survey a year ago, Singapore was awarded the Gold medal.

Liveo Research has developed a sustainability strategy based on three pillars: Planet, People and Products. This strategic framework is implemented at all sites of the company with specific targets, strategies and measures defined for each pillar. Their implementation is constantly monitored. As an example, progress in the area of decarbonization is monitored through SBTi.

EcoVadis has now assessed the progress of the Singapore site in four areas: environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. This broad analysis reflects the detailed sustainability strategy of Liveo Research AG and shows the significant progress the company has made. The Singapore site performed particularly well in the areas of environment and labor & human rights, where it was scored 90/100

“We are very proud that after our US site in Delaware, the Singapore site has now also been awarded this prestigious Platinum medal by EcoVadis,” says Dr. Carsten Heldmann, CEO of Liveo Research. He adds: “It's great that all of our global production sites have been awarded either Gold or Platinum medals, placing them in the top 1% of our industry.”

EcoVadis – An Overview

EcoVadis is the world's largest platform for sustainability ratings and honors the commitment and performance of companies in the area of sustainability with its medals. The company thus sets the global economic standard for corporate sustainability ratings. More than 100,000 companies in over 200 sectors and 175 countries worldwide have already received a rating. EcoVadis rates companies in four main categories: Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. The assessment provides an in-depth analysis of performance and an action plan for continuous improvement.

Liveo Research - An Overview

Founded in 1962, Liveo Research is a top global producer of materials for primary packaging in the pharmaceutical and medical industry, as well as special applications such as shrink sleeve labels. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, it has production sites in Boetzingen and Staufen (Germany), Delaware (USA), Singapore, and Taicang (China). Liveo Research currently has approximately 1,000 employees worldwide. In addition to a broad product portfolio of packaging materials, the company also offers its customers value-added services like “LiveoOptima” that support them to find the best, sustainable packaging solutions.

Following the fire at Mondi’s Stambolijski mill (Bulgaria) on Tuesday 24 September 2024, the Group has announced that it will permanently close the mill. 

The fire caused extensive damage to the 100,000 tonne per annum brown kraft paper machine and stopped production at the site. Thanks to the swift and professional response on the day, everyone on site remained safe.

After evaluating the options for repairing the mill and the ongoing investment required for the mill to remain competitive into the future, Mondi has concluded that closing the mill and serving customers out of its network of other kraft paper mills is the best course of action overall. This decision will unfortunately affect around 300 Mondi Stambolijski employees.

“We are aware that this is a challenging time for our employees and the community at Stambolijski. We are committed to providing full support and collaborating closely with the unions and works council to find the best possible solution for all affected employees,” says Roman Senecky, COO Kraft Paper, Mondi.

About Mondi
Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by producing products that are sustainable by design. We employ 22,000 people in more than 30 countries and operate an integrated business with expertise spanning the entire value chain, enabling us to offer our customers a broad range of innovative solutions for consumer and industrial end-use applications. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy, with our ambitious commitments to 2030 focused on circular driven solutions, created by empowered people, taking action on climate. 

In 2023, Mondi had revenues of €7.3 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.2 billion. Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), where the Group is a FTSE100 constituent, and also has a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP).
 

Report "One Destination, Multiple Pathways: How the European Container Glass Industry is Decarbonising Glassmaking" published today

The European container glass industry has published its landmark report today (1), marking the first and most comprehensive industry-wide research detailing the steps being taken to decarbonise glass manufacturing. The report is accompanied by a dedicated section on the FEVE website, including an Online Map with over 90 industry case studies showcasing decarbonisation efforts across Europe. While the industry is fully committed to this transformation, it cannot achieve its ambitious goals alone. Collaboration is essential for the container glass industry to deliver a packaging solution that is not only fully circular but also climate neutral.

Urgent Need for Access to Affordable Low-Carbon Energy

A crucial step in reaching the industry's net zero goal by 2050 is rapid access to affordable, lowcarbon energy. Currently, 80% of the glass container industry's direct carbon emissions result from the combustion of natural gas. Switching to low-carbon energy sources is therefore a top priority. More than 90% of the glass containers produced in the EU are made by companies that have committed to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

EU Support with New or Existing Financial Instruments is Critica

The access to new financial instruments or the continuation of existing ones to support the industry efforts in the transition is also essential. As glass furnaces have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years and an estimated annual replacement rate of 7% to 10%, it is imperative that old furnaces are gradually replaced with ones that can operate using low-carbon technologies. The window for action is now, to ensure the sector reaches its 2050 net zero target. Currently, the glass container industry invests over €600 million annually in innovation and decarbonisation, including efficiency and plant upgrades. To fully achieve net zero, an estimated €20 billion in additional capital expenditure will be required by 2050 to upgrade production technologies and decarbonise operations. This is a conservative estimate that excludes increased operational costs tied to securing and using lowcarbon energy sources.

Glass: A Reliable Partner for a Sustainable Future – Continued Trust is Needed

Glass container manufacturers remain resolutely committed to overcoming the decarbonisation challenge, meeting growing customer demand for low-carbon glass, and positioning glass as the sustainable packaging material of the future. As a permanent material that can be recycled infinitely without losing quality, glass boasts an impressive collection rate in Europe—80.2% in 2022—with most of the material being recycled in the closed-loop. Additionally, glass is a safe packaging material that does not leach harmful chemicals into products, regardless of how many times it is recycled.

The industry calls on its customers to continue trusting and choosing glass as a key packaging solution, joining us on this transformative journey to a sustainable future.

An Essential Material for Essential Service

With 162 glass manufacturing plants spread across Europe, the glass container industry supports 125,000 direct and indirect jobs. Moreover, over €140 billion worth of EU exports are packaged in glass, while an estimated 45,000 manufacturing companies across the EU rely on glass packaging to sell their products—98% of which are SMEs. The role of glass in the pharmaceutical, food, and beverage, as well as perfumery and cosmetic sectors is critical, and it remains an indispensable packaging material

About FEVE

FEVE, the European Container Glass Federation, represents over 90% of glass packaging production in Europe. FEVE promotes the environmental, economic, and health benefits of glass packaging while leading industry efforts to transition to a circular, sustainable economy.

AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE: ATR), a global leader in drug and consumer product dosing, dispensing and protection technologies, announced that it was awarded a contract from the U.S. Federal Government to advance development of its ActivShield™ technology. This innovative solution sterilizes medical devices and instruments without the need for a power source, making it a versatile solution for numerous environments, including rural areas, military settings and healthcare facilities with limited or no current sterilization capability.
 
ActivShield™ technology leverages Aptar CSP Technologies’ 20+ years of material science expertise and is built upon the company’s proven 3-Phase Activ-Polymer™ platform, a highly engineered active material science solution trusted by global brands to protect sensitive drug products, medical devices, drug delivery systems, and probiotics. 

ActivShield™ technology is a portable, novel sterilization modality that does not require conventional infrastructure, power, or extensive training, and more importantly, does not present the health risk associated with the use of Ethelyne Oxide (EtO). ActivShield™ uses a highly engineered Activ-Film™ material that emits a controlled amount of chlorine dioxide gas to sterilize a wide range of medical devices and instruments

“As an innovation leader in pharma dosing, dispensing and protection technologies, we are proud to work with the U.S. Government to advance our ActivShield™ solution for the sterilization of medical devices and instruments in locations where a power source may not be available, further enhancing its versatility,” said Stephan B. Tanda, Aptar President and CEO.

Aptar’s technology can be custom engineered to meet the needs of specific devices and conditions. Its stability throughout shelf life and compact size (Figure 1) makes it easy to stockpile, and all materials are manufactured in the United States.

ActivShield™ technology is well-positioned to fill unmet sterilization needs in remote or emergency response civilian settings, which could significantly reduce infection risks stemming from inadequately sterilized medical devices and instruments. Additionally, the technology could reduce reliance on expensive and unsafe sterilization techniques such as EtO, which has come under recent scrutiny by the EPA for toxic emissions.

For the military, ActivShield™ can help wounded service members, particularly those in far-forward environments, have access to sterilized instruments during critical pre-hospitalization periods, following severe injuries. 

John Belfance, president of Aptar CSP Technologies, stated, “ActivShield™ technology is a breakthrough in material science technology that has the potential to dramatically expand reliable instrument sterilization for challenging environments, simplifying processes and helping to save lives. We are grateful for the government’s recognition, which supports the potential of this new technology, and look forward to bringing ActivShield™ technology to the forefront of sterilization techniques.”

The five-year contract is valued at approximately $4.8 million.

* This work is supported by the US Army Medical Research and Development Command under Contract No. HT9425-24-C-0078. The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the author(s) and should not be construed as an official Department of the Army position, policy or decision unless so designated by other documentation.

About Aptar 
Aptar is a global leader in drug and consumer product dosing, dispensing and protection technologies. Aptar serves a number of attractive end markets including pharmaceutical, beauty, food, beverage, personal care and home care. Aptar CSP Technologies leverages its active material science expertise to transform ideas into market opportunities, accelerate and de-risk the product development process, and provide complete solutions that improve consumers’ and patients’ lives. The company offers a complete set of services from concept ideation, to design and engineering, to product development, global production, quality control, and regulatory support that results in expedited speed-to-market.

Another distinction for PharmaGuard®: The polypropylene (PP)-based recycla-ble blister concept has now won the Swiss Packaging Award in the Sustainabil-ity category. On October 17, Jürgen Bodenmüller, Ivana Rocca, and Michael Hermann from SÜDPACK MEDICA accepted the award in Olten. 
First, the German Packaging Award and the World Star Global Packaging Award, followed by a nomination for the German Sustainability Award in the Products 2025 / Resources category – and now the Swiss accolade: PharmaGuard® is truly unbeatable. 
This innovative film concept is seen as a pioneering packaging solution for solid pharmaceutical products or nutraceuticals. “This pure PP-based blister solution is a sustainable alternative to the commonly used materials, such as PVC and aluminum. Unlike bottle solutions, PharmaGuard® also protects each tablet individually, just like a traditional blister pack.” This was the reason given by the jury of independent experts from the Swiss business community, headed by its president, Stefan Jüde. 
The submitted packaging solutions are evaluated via a strictly regulated, two-stage selection process in the categories in which they were submitted. The focus is on comprehensive, forward-thinking packaging solutions, regardless of the material used. The participating companies must wait until the award cer-emony to learn whether their concept has won.
But what makes PharmaGuard® so special? 
Jürgen Bodenmüller, Head of Business Development and R&D at SÜDPACK MEDICA, explains: “By focusing on polypropylene, the overall concept delivers simple and effective recyclability, making a significant contribution to the circu-lar economy in the industry. According to an LCA conducted by Sphera, Phar-maGuard® is also associated with a greatly reduced climate impact (in CO2-eq) of up to 47% as well as lower energy and water consumption compared to other popular blister solutions composed of PVC/PVdC and aluminum.
This flagship product from SÜDPACK MEDICA also stands out due to its high transparency, stable shrinkage behavior, good processability on standard packaging machines, and a wider sealing range compared to conventional pol-ypropylene. Another advantage is simple, secure sealing without the need for additional coatings – the result is a truly permanent seal which saves time, reduces costs, and also benefits the environment. 
Another key safety feature is the consistently high barrier across the entire bottom web, along with the blister’s excellent push-through performance. “As with conventional packaging, a PP-based concept must allow weakened pa-tients, such as seniors, to easily push tablets or capsules out of the film packag-ing without leaving residue, while still ensuring sufficient child protection. Achieving this requires a high level of application expertise and a wealth of experience,” emphasizes Michael Hermann, Head of R&D at SÜDPACK MEDICA. Sales Director Ivana Rocca, who also attended the award ceremony in Olten, adds: “The material is free from phthalates, vinyl, PFAS, and halogens, making it safe for human health. And last but not least, the absence of nitrosamines is yet another reason for pharmaceutical companies to choose PharmaGuard!”

About SÜDPACK MEDICA AG
SÜDPACK MEDICA AG is headquartered in Baar (CH) and is one of the leading suppliers of sterile packaging solutions in Europe as well as a pioneering partner for the global medical, pharmaceuti-cal, and diagnostics industries. The company is part of the SÜDPACK company group and was founded in 1989. The core competency of SÜDPACK MEDICA is the development of plastic-based packaging solutions for sterile goods. The product and performance range of SÜDPACK MEDICA extends from standard solutions to tailor-made, customer-specific packaging concepts. It includes the production of coextruded flexible and rigid films, which are used as base and lidding films, and of pre-made pouch solutions for a wide variety of products. SÜDPACK MEDICA also benefits from the SÜDPACK Group’s long-standing leadership in technology and innovation in the coextrusion of polymer-based film solutions. 
The production of SÜDPACK MEDICA products is performed at four sites in France, Germany, Swit-zerland and the Netherlands. These sites are equipped with the latest plant technology and manu-facture to the highest standards of quality and hygiene, including the capacity to operate under clean room conditions.
For optimal support and collaboration with their customers around the world, SÜDPACK MEDICA relies on a specialist team working in quality, sales, development and application technology, one that has long-standing expertise in polymers and process engineering and in the market for sterile packaging. This makes SÜDPACK MEDICA a competent solutions partner for their customers when it comes to the implementation of packaging solutions, including those with the most demanding requirements.
SÜDPACK is committed to sustainable development and fulfills its responsibility as an employer and towards society, the environment and its customers. With its own site for processing biopolymers and its own compounding facilities, the SÜDPACK Group is also among the trailblazers in the pro-duction of forward-looking, sustainable and recyclable packaging concepts. 
 

Exciting insights into the world of plastic recycling are guaranteed at the “Open Hub Days”, an event series that will run from November 4 to 12 at four sites across Germany. Selected project partners in Aachen, Darmstadt, Dres-den, and Nuremberg will open their doors and introduce the Hub’s topics of Artificial Intelligence and Circular Economy to a broad audience. SÜDPACK, a pioneer in circularity and sustainability, will also be participating. For the film manufacturer and the other participants, the primary focus is on advancing the transformation process in the plastics and packaging industry through new approaches and shared expertise.
How can we close the loops for plastic packaging? And what methods based on artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to achieve this? These are the two key questions being addressed by 51 partners from industry, science, and civil so-ciety as part of the “AI Application Hub for Plastic Packaging – Sustainable Cir-cular Economy through Artificial Intelligence.” The project is supported by the German Informatics Society (GI) and funded by the Federal Ministry of Educa-tion and Research. 
The two innovation labs, “KiOptiPack for Design and Production” and “K3I-Cycling for Material Recycling,” are working hand in hand. Their shared goal is to exchange data across laboratories in order to develop and apply a thorough understanding, from the design of plastic packaging to its re-entry into the re-cycling loop.
Increasing the recycled content in films and compounds during film production 
… is a focus that SÜDPACK has prioritized in its development work for some time. “We can contribute our comprehensive development expertise in sus-tainable film solutions, as well as our know-how in compounding,” emphasize the experts at SÜDPACK. They are actively involved in the project and will also be present on November 12 at the Open Hub Days in Dresden.
At the event, the partners of the KiOptiPack innovation lab will present their latest research on packaging development using recycled plastics. According to the organizers, visitors will learn through live demonstrations “how the packag-ing development process can be significantly optimized by integrating data from material production, testing, processing, recyclability assessments, and eco-balancing – through the establishment and use of a shared industrial data space – and what ground-breaking business models could emerge from this.”
Questions, insights, and their impacts
For the 51 participating partners, a major focus is on the key question of how to improve the material recycling of post-consumer plastic waste. For example, studies will investigate how the recycled content in PP-based multilayer films affects the required product properties as well as the processing and manufac-turing procedures. But why focus on polypropylene? Like PE, PP is a preferred polymer in packaging applications. Its use in mono-material composites reduc-es the complexity of the packaging, making recycling possible. In terms of re-ducing plastic waste or ensuring it is more efficiently recycled, PP packaging is a promising solution.
SÜDPACK 
… has long been committed to increasing the use of post-industrial and post-consumer recyclates in film production, not just in light of the upcoming PPWR. The film manufacturer laid the foundations for a circular economy early on by establishing its own competence center for regranulation and compounding, and through its involvement in the pioneering carboliq direct pyrolysis process. 
SÜDPACK summarizes its expectations for this ambitious project as follows: “With the help of AI modeling tools and insights gained via the AI Hub, we will be able to strategically combine various recyclate sources in the future to achieve the required product properties.” The predictability and reproducibility of compound formulations will also be significantly improved. Additionally, SÜDPACK hopes to gain fresh insights in terms of stabilizing production and optimizing processing through the material analysis methods explored in the course of the project. This should also speed up the implementation of packaging regulations related to the use of recyclates. 
SÜDPACK is confident: “AI will pave the way for a sustainable circular economy – and, more importantly, accelerate it!”
Anyone interested in attending the Open Hub Days has four opportunities to do so:
    Darmstadt: November 4 – 7, 2024
    Aachen: November 6, 2024
    Nuremberg: November 7, 2024
    Dresden: November 12, 2024

The event in Dresden, featuring SÜDPACK, will take place at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging, Processing Technology Department Dresden, at Heidelberger Strasse 20, 01189 Dresden, from 9 am to 6 pm. 
Admission is free. For more information and registration, visit: https://ki-hub-kunststoffverpackungen.de/veranstaltung/open-hub-days-in…

About SÜDPACK
SÜDPACK is a leading manufacturer of high-performance films and packaging solutions for the food, non-food and medical goods industries and also of customer-specific compounds for technically demanding applications. 
The family business, which was founded by Alfred Remmele in 1964, is headquartered in Ochsenhausen. The production sites in Germany, France, Poland, India, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the USA are equipped with cutting-edge plant technology and manufacture to the highest standards, including the capacity to operate under clean room conditions. The global sales and service network ensures a high degree of proximity to the customer and comprehensive application technology support in more than 70 countries.
With its state-of-the-art Development and Application Center at its headquarters in Ochsenhausen, the innovation-oriented company offers its customers an optimal platform for developing individual and tailor-made solutions and also for performing application tests.
SÜDPACK is committed to sustainable development and fulfills its responsibility as an employer and towards society, the environment and its customers. For its sustainable product developments and consistent commitment to a functioning circular economy in the plastics industry, SÜDPACK has received numerous awards.
 

Coverpla, a renowned French supplier of ready-to-go packaging solutions for the fragrance and beauty industry, is welcoming a consortium of majority investors to its capital, led by GENEO Capital Entrepreneur and MACSF supported by Société Générale Capital Partenaires, BNP Paribas Développement and Bpifrance, who are reiterating their faith in Bruno Diepois and his management team, who are also stakeholders in the company.

Founded nearly 80 years ago, Coverpla is a leading player in the design, manufacturing and distribution of highly personalizable high-end standard packaging for the fragrance and beauty markets. Its international expansion orchestrated by Coverpla President Bruno Diepois since his arrival in 2010 has allowed the company to cater to brands in more than 70 countries with more than 250 references. The company has subsidiaries in the United States and Italy and a differentiated positioning for small and medium-sized production runs for premium and niche products.

Renowned for the quality of its products, its flexibility, its creativity and its innovation capacity, Coverpla accompanies the development of emerging brands and collaborates with beauty’s biggest players. Thanks to its unique savoir-faire and its commitment to sustainability, the company continues to reinforce its position on the global market.

In 2023, Coverpla generated revenues of more than 25 million euros. With the entry of a new pool of investors led by GENEO Capital Entrepreneur, Coverpla is equipped with new funding to accelerate its growth, all while preserving its entrepreneurial approach. Historic investors Bpifrance, Société Générale Capital Partenaires and BNP Paribas Développement will continue to accompany the group, confirming their continued support of the current management team. Together, they will be able to target new opportunities for Coverpla, both in terms of innovation and in the conquest of new markets. This transaction also heralds the reinforcement of the management team around Sébastien Saussereau, named Coverpla’s Managing Director.

“A capital increase is a means, not an end. The management team is in place and I hope to accompany this change by preserving the soul that has guaranteed the success of Coverpla around values including audacity, excellence, rigor and humanity,” says Bruno Diepois, President of Coverpla.

“Coverpla is a company that has succeeded, over the years, in combining tradition and innovation by offering solutions that respond to the targeted needs of international brands. We are proud to be associated with such a strongly performing company and to be able to accompany it in the next steps of its development thanks to a co-developed, shared Growth Book,” highlights Delphine Jarnier, Associate Director of GENEO Capital Entrepreneur, speaking on behalf of the consortium of co-investors made up of MACSF, Société Générale Capital Partenaires, BNP Paribas Développement and Bpifrance. 

About COVERPLA

The story of Coverpla begins in 1946 with the distribution of wine and spirits bottles, before turning its focus to bottles and caps for fragrance. In the 1980s and 1990s, the company commits to the beauty industry and opens up to international markets with a global offer of ready-to-go solutions. It continues to grow until its acquisition by Bruno Diepois in 2010, and has flourished further ever since. Coverpla accompanies its international expansion with the creation of a subsidiary in the United States in 2016, followed by Italy in 2024. Its catalog of caps and standard bottles grows each year, as does its industrial footprint, with sustainable development as a growth and innovation driver. Every day, Coverpla is reinventing itself for the future.

About GENEO Capital Entrepreneur management company
GENEO Capital Entrepreneur's raison d'être is to make positive finance available to the real economy, combining performance and meaning.
Designed to reveal the potential for value creation, job creation and impact generation for SMEs and ETIs, GENEO Capital Entrepreneur manages a portfolio of nearly 540 million euros. Its operations include the “evergreen” GENEO Capital investment vehicle, in which capital is majority owned by families and entrepreneurs. As such, GENEO provides tailored financing adapted to each company’s pace of development, offering responsiveness and flexibility.
A business partner and “mission-driven enterprise,” GENEO is mobilized to offer support with execution of projects related to structuring, growth and transformation thanks to all of its team members, including specialized business partners (dedicated to external growth, liability structuring, positive impact, digital and innovation). It also benefits from a platform of more than 70 independent experts and a Community of more than 220 families and entrepreneurs able to share their experiences and an unrivaled business network in France. The modality of such operational support is adapted to the specific needs of each company and is established jointly between the GENEO team, the management team and other company stakeholders within a “Growth Book.”

 

Coverpla, a renowned French supplier of ready-to-go packaging solutions for the fragrance and beauty industry, is welcoming a consortium of majority investors to its capital, led by GENEO Capital Entrepreneur and MACSF supported by Société Générale Capital Partenaires, BNP Paribas Développement and Bpifrance, who are reiterating their faith in Bruno Diepois and his management team, who are also stakeholders in the company.

Founded nearly 80 years ago, Coverpla is a leading player in the design, manufacturing and distribution of highly personalizable high-end standard packaging for the fragrance and beauty markets. Its international expansion orchestrated by Coverpla President Bruno Diepois since his arrival in 2010 has allowed the company to cater to brands in more than 70 countries with more than 250 references. The company has subsidiaries in the United States and Italy and a differentiated positioning for small and medium-sized production runs for premium and niche products.

Renowned for the quality of its products, its flexibility, its creativity and its innovation capacity, Coverpla accompanies the development of emerging brands and collaborates with beauty’s biggest players. Thanks to its unique savoir-faire and its commitment to sustainability, the company continues to reinforce its position on the global market.

In 2023, Coverpla generated revenues of more than 25 million euros. With the entry of a new pool of investors led by GENEO Capital Entrepreneur, Coverpla is equipped with new funding to accelerate its growth, all while preserving its entrepreneurial approach. Historic investors Bpifrance, Société Générale Capital Partenaires and BNP Paribas Développement will continue to accompany the group, confirming their continued support of the current management team. Together, they will be able to target new opportunities for Coverpla, both in terms of innovation and in the conquest of new markets. This transaction also heralds the reinforcement of the management team around Sébastien Saussereau, named Coverpla’s Managing Director.

“A capital increase is a means, not an end. The management team is in place and I hope to accompany this change by preserving the soul that has guaranteed the success of Coverpla around values including audacity, excellence, rigor and humanity,” says Bruno Diepois, President of Coverpla.

“Coverpla is a company that has succeeded, over the years, in combining tradition and innovation by offering solutions that respond to the targeted needs of international brands. We are proud to be associated with such a strongly performing company and to be able to accompany it in the next steps of its development thanks to a co-developed, shared Growth Book,” highlights Delphine Jarnier, Associate Director of GENEO Capital Entrepreneur, speaking on behalf of the consortium of co-investors made up of MACSF, Société Générale Capital Partenaires, BNP Paribas Développement and Bpifrance. 

About COVERPLA

The story of Coverpla begins in 1946 with the distribution of wine and spirits bottles, before turning its focus to bottles and caps for fragrance. In the 1980s and 1990s, the company commits to the beauty industry and opens up to international markets with a global offer of ready-to-go solutions. It continues to grow until its acquisition by Bruno Diepois in 2010, and has flourished further ever since. Coverpla accompanies its international expansion with the creation of a subsidiary in the United States in 2016, followed by Italy in 2024. Its catalog of caps and standard bottles grows each year, as does its industrial footprint, with sustainable development as a growth and innovation driver. Every day, Coverpla is reinventing itself for the future.

About GENEO Capital Entrepreneur management company
GENEO Capital Entrepreneur's raison d'être is to make positive finance available to the real economy, combining performance and meaning.
Designed to reveal the potential for value creation, job creation and impact generation for SMEs and ETIs, GENEO Capital Entrepreneur manages a portfolio of nearly 540 million euros. Its operations include the “evergreen” GENEO Capital investment vehicle, in which capital is majority owned by families and entrepreneurs. As such, GENEO provides tailored financing adapted to each company’s pace of development, offering responsiveness and flexibility.
A business partner and “mission-driven enterprise,” GENEO is mobilized to offer support with execution of projects related to structuring, growth and transformation thanks to all of its team members, including specialized business partners (dedicated to external growth, liability structuring, positive impact, digital and innovation). It also benefits from a platform of more than 70 independent experts and a Community of more than 220 families and entrepreneurs able to share their experiences and an unrivaled business network in France. The modality of such operational support is adapted to the specific needs of each company and is established jointly between the GENEO team, the management team and other company stakeholders within a “Growth Book.”
Passionate about people who do, create and move the lines, the sole ambition of the GENEO team is to help each creator to achieve their full potential.
At GENEO, when we invest, we invest ourselves!
 

JPFL Films Pvt Ltd (Jindal), a flexible packaging giant which is a part of the BC Jindal Group, announces full capacity utilization for the capacitor film business. To cater to the growing capacitor market, the company is doubling its capacity. With a capex commitment of INR 250 crore by 2025, the company is capitalizing on the technical success of the films among various customers in India. The quick turnaround and success is also due to close working collaboration with its own group company Treofan GmbH, a long-standing trusted Gold Standard supplier to this industry.

It is with great pleasure that we acknowledged encouraging feedback from TDK corporation, one of the world’s largest electronic components manufacturers: “We would like to express our appreciation for the services and product quality you have provided so far. For our standard applications, your BOPP films have met our expectations, and we are pleased with the overall performance.”

JPFL has employed advanced machinery capable of modifying the film surface roughness on both sides and creating multiple metalizing patterns according to the end-customer needs. A distinctive feature of the capacitor films by JPFL is the film’s high breakdown voltage, a crucial characteristic that has shown consistent improvement through ongoing process refinements. The company also has world-class testing facilities including sophisticated pin hole testing to ensure that every product meets the highest standards of quality and reliability. The company offers all variants of PP based Capacitor films base films, Hazy films and Metalized Capacitor films. These metallized capacitor films can be manufactured in various patterns and designs, including impregnated films.

Sharing his views on the strategic expansion, Dr. Mahesh N Gopalasamudram, Dy CEO (Growth Division), JPFL put it in perspective, “This expansion is in line with our aim to contribute to the Make in India initiative of the government thereby reducing import dependency. With the help of advanced machinery and state-of-art testing facilities, we are working towards supporting the industry to become self-reliant and shorten developmental lead times. Supplying films with exceptional breakdown voltage, shorter lead time, robust supply chain and consistent quality is our commitment to the industry. Our enhanced capacity will ensure steady supply of locally manufactured world class technical films, supporting the growth of various industries, including electronics, automotive, and energy storage.”

This strategic expansion highlights the company’s commitment to technology, quality, cost optimization and innovation, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction. As the capacitor films market continues to evolve, Jindal is better equipped to meet the opportunities that lie ahead, reinforcing its status as an industry pioneer and reliable partner for businesses worldwide. 

About Jindal Poly Films Ltd-

Jindal Poly Films (JPFL) started the flexible packaging films business in 1996 and has grown into a >USD 500 million turnover company with 2500+ workforce. JPFL focuses on building trust with and creating value for all stakeholders through its scale, innovation, advanced technologies and cost efficiencies. The company has demonstrated growth via the execution of capital-intensive projects and multiple acquisitions. JPFL Films, a key subsidiary, is the largest flexible packaging films manufacturer in India and provides a one-stop solution to its customers across all segments. Its Nasik Plant is the world’s largest single location facility for the manufacturing of flexible packaging films.

About BC Jindal Group-

The US$ 2.5 Billion B. C. Jindal Group is amongst India's leading business houses. Established in 1952, the group has a diverse workforce of more than 10,000 people across India, Europe and the US. Key business verticals include flexible packaging films, energy generation and downstream steel products.  The Group has a continuous growth agenda with a successful track-record of executing capital-intensive projects & multiple global acquisitions.

The Group is now in the top 3% of the best companies analysed in the field worldwide.

Guala Closures, a world leader in the production of closures for the spirits, wine, water, beverage and edible oil markets, is proud to announce that it has received the gold medal from EcoVadis, a leading global corporate sustainability assessment platform based on international standards. 
Since 2023, Guala Closures has participated in the EcoVadis assessment at Group level on an annual basis, covering all its sites around the world. Compared to last year, the company's score has improved significantly from 69 to 76, placing it in the top 3% of all companies assessed in its industry. 
This result represents a significant milestone in the Spinetta Marengo-based company's efforts to improve its environmental, social and ethical performance, compared to its previous silver medal.
‘Obtaining the EcoVadis gold medal represents not only a prestigious achievement for us, but also the concrete recognition of our strategies regarding the environment, ethics, labour practices, respect for human rights and sustainable supply chain. For Guala Closures, sustainability is not just about the environment: the company's commitment also fully embraces social and ethical aspects,’ comments Paolo Lavazza, Group Quality and Sustainability Director of Guala Closures.
The Gold Medal reflects the Group's commitment to sustainability, showcased in the third Sustainable Together 2030 programme. The programme aims to integrate business growth and financial solidity with social and environmental sustainability, creating long-term value for people, territories and all stakeholders, and responsibly addressing the challenges posed by the current and future macroeconomic context.

About Guala Closures
Guala Closures offers premium and innovative closure solutions that provide protection and convenience to consumers while enhancing customers’ brands. With 35 production plants worldwide, Guala Closures is a world leader in the production of closures for spirits, wines, beverages, oil, and condiments, that guarantees proximity to its customers, with a localized and customized offer of services and solutions. Guala Closures today employs over 5,000 people. 
Visit www.gualaclosures.com and follow the Linkedin corporate page.
 

New divisions strategically align company to better suit target markets in the automation space. 
Randolph, NJ – Norwalt, a leader in automation systems integration, is proud to announce the launch of its new corporate umbrella company, the Norwalt Automation Group. This strategic move brings together four specialized divisions under one unified brand to better serve the diverse needs of key industries. The new divisions include the Norwalt Automation Division, Norwalt Life Sciences Division, Norwalt Food & Beverage Division, and Norwalt Digital Division.
Under the leadership of Chairman Mike Seitel, Norwalt Automation Group aims to deliver tailored, cutting-edge solutions to its partners across various sectors. This expansion reflects Norwalt's commitment to innovation and growth, ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of automation technology. 
Each new division will be led by a collective team of divisional managers and senior company directors, and function under the leadership of the larger groups’ experienced leadership and executive team featuring industry leaders: Keith Harman, Executive Director of Business Development, Herbie Hoos, Executive Director of Manufacturing, and Donna Collura, Executive Director of Finance. 
"I'm thrilled to announce the formation of our newly structured divisions under the Norwalt Automation Group umbrella company," said Mike Seitel, Chairman of Norwalt Automation Group. "These expanded divisions allow us to align more closely with the specific needs of our target industries, ensuring that we deliver tailored, cutting-edge solutions to our partners. This expansion reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation and growth."
The new divisions within Norwalt Automation Group include:
- Norwalt Automation Division: Focused on advanced automation systems for a wide range of industries.
- Norwalt Life Sciences Division: Dedicated to providing specialized automation solutions for the life sciences sector.
- Norwalt Food & Beverage Division: Tailored to meet the unique needs of the food and beverage industry, offering innovative processing and packaging automation.
- Norwalt Digital Division: A future-focused division specializing in digital printing and automation, integrating AI, vision/inspection equipment, data collection/security, Industry 4.0, and Digital Twin technologies.
For more information on Norwalt Automation Group and its new divisions, please visit www.norwalt.com or contact Mike@Norwalt.com.

About Norwalt Automation Group
For more than five decades, Norwalt Automation Group has specialized in custom-built automation and line integration machinery for complex manufacturing applications. The company's engineers design, construct, validate and install premium production equipment for a wide array of sectors, including medical devices, life sciences, food & beverage, personal care, and household items. Norwalt Automation Group produces machinery meeting a broad range of functionalities – from packaging and product assembly and post-mold automation to modular automation cells and robotics systems. Many customers rely on Norwalt’s vision system experience enabling them to incorporate highly technical vision systems, both stand alone and integrated, to ensure accuracy in a wide range of applications. 
Often, Norwalt's unique-to-customer solutions comprise intricate, low- to high-volume machinery and robotics designed from proof of concept, many of whose capabilities have never been attempted let alone realized. Always, its equipment provides maximum efficiency and minimal downtime backed by the company’s unsurpassed, engineering-centric customer service and support.
 

Company’s flexcare 101 is part of a broader series of precision filling & closing machines for glass or plastic bottles of various sizes; groninger also will highlight filler-closer for ready-to-use syringes, vials & cartridges.

Charlotte, NC – groninger, a leading manufacturer of filling and closing machines for the global pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare and cosmetics industries, will debut a flexible filling and closing line for medium- to high-volume OTC pharma and diagnostics products requiring hygienic processing at Pack Expo 2024, November 3-6 in Chicago. At Booth W-17023, the company will be highlighting the flexcare 101, developed to meet the heightened sterility requirements of cleanroom class products such as eye drops and nasal sprays. 

Capable of processing up to 120 glass or plastic bottles per minute, groninger’s GMP-compliant flexcare 101 ensures hygienic, low-particle conditions throughout the filling and capping process. The machine also stands out for its versatility, and a moving filling needle supports increased output. Other attributes include continuous welds on the sorting bowls for enhanced cleanability, pharma-grade design materials for consistent hygiene, and inspection stations that ensure all packaging components have been properly applied.

The flexcare 101 also is notable for its ergonomics. The module’s hinged outflow openings offer efficient operator access, and integrated IoT features such as energy monitoring, process capability and overall equipment efficiency (OEE) are clearly laid out on an intuitive HMI dashboard.

"Considering their high-value products, our customers are increasingly requesting GMP-compliant machines that are ergonomic, easy to clean and flexible – all without compromising precision and high throughput,” said Otto Helmle, Vice President of Sales for the groninger Consumer Healthcare & Cosmetics division. “The flexcare 101 meets and exceeds these requirements, testament to our decades of experience designing and manufacturing high-performance, pharma-grade processing and packaging equipment.” Other models are available in the flexcare series for higher speeds. 

Another series standout that will be on display with live demonstrations at Pack Expo 2024 is the flexcare 10, a small-footprint unit that can fill and close up to 70 non-sterile glass or plastic bottles per minute. Multifunctional for increased versatility and expedited ROI, the module offers a GMP-friendly design and 100% in-process checkweighing, as well as options for gassing either before or after filling, and optional dropper and spray pump insertion capabilities. The flexcare 10 can fill via rotary piston or peristaltic pumps, and handle products with up to two closing components. Standard servo motor-driven pre- and post-torquing ensures precise torque control of caps. 

Filling and closing machine for ready-to-use syringes, vials and cartridges
Also at Pack Expo, groninger will highlight its latest machine for filling and closing ready-to-use syringes, vials and cartridges. Suitable for medium-sized batch production, the company’s flexfill provides a standardized, easily qualified and validated manufacturing solution that makes switching between container types and sizes simple and fast. Notably, flexfill does not sacrifice flexibility for speed: the module can handle up to 200 products per minute. 

flexfill’s modular concept ensures that 80% of configurations are predefined, enabling expedited deployment and line integration. The machine is essentially a “3-in-1” solution, with groninger’s combifill technology enabling nested syringes, vials and cartridges to be processed on the same platform by changing only container-specific format parts. 

groninger’s smartfill technology minimizes product loss, and a no-touch-transfer setup assures aseptic handling of all pre-sterilized primary packaging. All totaled, flexfill’s multifunctionality and speed-to-market makes it a highly attractive processing solution for both pharma companies and contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs).
 

About groninger 

groninger is one of the leading international manufacturers of filling and closing machines for the pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare and cosmetics industries.  
The slogan “We fill Visions with Life” sums up what groninger stands for – excellent know-how, innovative solutions and cooperative partnership in the design of customized machines.  

Since the founding of the company in 1980 by Horst Groninger, groninger has developed into a hidden champion and innovation leader in the industry. Today, the second generation of the family business employs over 1,500 people in Crailsheim, Schnelldorf and Charlotte (USA). The company’s headquarters are in Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg. For more information
 

TekniPlex Consumer Products, a globally integrated provider of innovative solutions through materials science and manufacturing technologies, will highlight a variety of recent sustainability-minded solutions and expansions at Pack Expo 2024, November 3-6 in Chicago. At its Booth W-21047, the company will showcase solutions for a broad array of applications, from value-added liners for jars and bottles in the food and nutrition sectors to key components for a wide swath of packaging formats. Experts also will be on hand to discuss TekniPlex Consumer Products’ latest U.S. manufacturing plant, which opened just this month. 

Many of the solutions TekniPlex Consumer Products will highlight at Pack Expo comprise a range of potential materials to help costumers transition to more sustainability-minded substrates without sacrificing performance and functionality. Called the company’s “Sustainability AND” approach, the mindset has led to successful sustainability initiatives in several sectors, including F&B niches such as dairy, protein, eggs and shelf-stable products. 

Recyclable Paper-based Liners
Earlier this year, TekniPlex Consumer Products introduced a paper-based liner recyclable wherever paper recycling streams are available, and compatible with conventional induction heat sealing equipment. The company’s ProTecSeals® Recyclable IHS Liners are suitable for a wide range of bottles and jars, making them ideal for vitamins, supplements, protein powders, peanut butter and other non-reactive, non-acidic dry products.
 
ProTecSeals® liners are recyclable in the mixed paper recycling stream – proven by passing a reputable third-party testing protocol for re-pulpability and recyclability – while providing the same protective properties as conventional liners. ProTecSeals® Recyclable IHS Liners have moisture and oxygen barrier, leak resistance, contaminant prevention and shelf-life extension equal to a standard IHS liner. Printed recycling instructions on the liner can be supplemented or replaced with brand messaging, adding real estate for under-the-cap marketing opportunities. 

North American Manufacturing Expansion
Among the recent news TekniPlex Consumer Products brings to Pack Expo is the October opening of a 200,000-square-foot facility dedicated to the molded fiber solutions sector in northwest Ohio. Representing TekniPlex Consumer Products’ eighth specialty molded fiber manufacturing plant, the facility further expands capacity and capabilities in this fast-growing, sustainability-minded niche. Among the novel technologies featured at the plant will be a proprietary fiber production process allowing for stronger, better-quality final products with enhanced protective properties – a differentiator particularly in the egg carton space, but also for several other food categories. 

The Ohio plant signifies TekniPlex Consumer Products’ intentions to continue expanding its portfolio not only in specialty molded fiber but other sustainability-minded materials – especially those comprising significant amounts of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, or composed of more recyclable resins like polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In the broader dairy and shelf stable segments, TekniPlex Consumer Products also has assisted customers in lightweighting packaging, as well as transitioning from conventional polystyrene to alternative solutions incorporating polypropylene, PET or paper. 

Innovations in Protein Processing Trays
At Pack Expo, the company also will highlight its recent successes in the protein processor tray segment. As it continues to expand its GeoPack range of sustainability-minded products, the company has introduced a protein tray officially designated as biodegradable in industrial compost settings. Recognized by the Biodegradable Products Institute, the tray is composed of cellulose-based direct food-contact material, and is manufactured in the United States. The new trays are part of far-reaching efforts to help customers transition from traditional foam polystyrene to more sustainable substrates like PET or foam polypropylene. 

Integrated Performance Solutions
TekniPlex Consumer Products also features a roster of integrated performance solutions that help elevate overall packaging appearance, performance and sustainability. In addition to the aforementioned liner solutions, items on display at Pack Expo will include best-in-class gaskets for peak aerosol performance and durability; and plastic dip tubes manufactured with post-consumer recycled content, allowing brands to reinforce sustainability commitments.
 

About TekniPlex Consumer Products
TekniPlex Consumer Products specializes in advanced materials science solutions for companies in the food & beverage and CPG industries with a focus on protecting products, strengthening brands, and innovating sustainably. TekniPlex Consumer Products serves companies around the world in sectors including beauty and personal care, household items, and food & beverage.

With an expanding selection of material-diverse solutions – bolstered in recent years, by a series of strategic acquisitions – TekniPlex Consumer Products is leading the way creating next-generation packaging designs that address real-world challenges in the markets it serves. Most notably, the company is focused on developing more sustainable solutions that continue to provide product safety and consumer satisfaction

Versatile collection of bath, body, skincare, color cosmetics and tools features innovative textures and multi-tasking products for a complete sensory experience. 

New York, USA – IBG (Innovative Beauty Group), a leading global beauty solutions provider, has launched a new Fall collection: Urban Oasis. Designed specifically for the modern urban lifestyle, the collection offers an innovative approach to beauty and wellness that harnesses powerful ingredients to protect and revitalize skin amidst the daily stressors of city life.

The Urban Oasis Collection brings a holistic sensory experience to everyday beauty routines, offering a blend of luxury, innovation, and efficiency in every product. From bath and body essentials to skincare, color cosmetics, beauty tools and accessories, each item is thoughtfully crafted to engage the senses with unique textures, fragrances, and innovative applicators. The collection features bi-phase essence, sensorial jelly formats, and transformative gel-to-oil moisturizers that provide a spa-like experience at home, calming and rejuvenating the senses while enhancing skin health.

Designed with versatility in mind, the Urban Oasis Collection simplifies beauty routines with multi-tasking products that deliver long-lasting results with minimal effort. Featuring innovative hybrid textures like milk-to-oil and liquid-to-powder, the collection meets the needs of today’s fast-paced consumer by combining convenience and effectiveness in every step.

At the core of the collection are powerful, accessible ingredients known for their skin benefits:
•    Strawberry Extract: Rich in antioxidants, brightens the complexion, and protects against environmental stressors.
•    Lychee Extract: Deeply hydrates and plumps the skin, promoting a youthful appearance.
•    Vegan Collagen: Firms and revitalizes the skin, offering effective anti-aging benefits.

Standout products of the Urban Oasis Collection include:
•    Flawless-Lock Liquid Baking Powder: A transformative liquid-to-powder formula that starts as a liquid for easy blending and ends as a powder for a soft, matte finish. This highly effective format is ideal for locking in makeup, while offering a natural, lightweight finish that supports the growing “no makeup” makeup trend.
•    Super Shine Pillow Balm: A deeply hydrating, glossy lip balm enriched with cherry, kiwi and lychee extracts. Packed with antioxidants and essential vitamins, the moisturizing balm keeps lips soft and hydrated while providing a shiny, glossy finish.
•    Moonlight Glow Water: A bi-phase evening essence infused with hibiscus, ginseng berry and saffron. Designed to be applied before bed, it hydrates, repairs, and brightens the skin overnight, revealing a refreshed and radiant complexion by morning.
•    Quick Slide Compact Collection: A sustainable and adaptable sliding compact concept that minimizes parts and materials. Available in small, medium and large sizes, the compact collection features a mono-material, metal-free structure and hot-pour formula compatibility designed for easy recycling.

To complement its skincare offerings, the Urban Oasis Collection also includes high-tech beauty tools designed for flawless application including an AirTouch Pro Blender which features Zero Negative Pressure Technology for a streak-free, airbrushed finish. In addition, a CrystalTech Pro Brush utilizes advanced scale crystal fibers to maximize product pickup and ensure even application.

“We created the Urban Oasis Collection to offer a balance between the demands of a fast-paced lifestyle and the crucial need for self-care,” said Jennifer Raphael, CEO of Innovative Beauty Group North America. “This collection is an invitation to pause, rejuvenate, and experience beauty in a way that is both luxurious and efficient.”

About IBG 
IBG (Innovative Beauty Group), comprised of Orchard Custom Beauty, FASTEN Packaging and Roberts Beauty, is a leading global beauty solutions provider proudly serving some of the world’s most dynamic mass and prestige beauty brands. IBG supports its customers with agile project management expertise combined with innovative design, sourcing, formula development, bespoke packaging, and accessories for all product categories.

With a global team of beauty experts and a distinctly personal approach, IBG empowers all its clients – from established beauty brands to first-time private label retailers – with strategic partnerships that bring visions to life, and products seamlessly to market. The company has offices in Shanghai, Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, the Netherlands, and Paris.
 

•    As previously announced, upgrade increases Kraftliner production capacity by 55,000 tonnes per annum. 
•    Improvements in product quality and environmental performance strengthen the mill's sustainability profile.

14 October 2024 – Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, has recently completed a €95 million investment at its Świecie containerboard mill, which will increase kraftliner capacity by 55,000 tonnes. The upgrade comprises an extensive rebuild of paper machines PM2 and PM5, a new anaerobic treatment plant including an integrated cooling system, and upgrades to the pulp mill, the recycled fibre line and the energy recovery system. 

These improvements will allow the mill to meet growing customer demand for heavy-duty packaging for large and heavy products, enhance product quality, and bolster its environmental performance by decreasing water consumption and wastewater emissions and increasing energy efficiency.

Since the project’s completion in June, Mondi Świecie has also expanded its ProVantage SmartKraft Brown portfolio with a broader range of grammage options. Offering exceptional strength and enhanced runnability, the brown Kraftliner product meets diverse packaging demands while championing environmental responsibility.

“The completion of this project marks a milestone for Mondi Świecie, enabling us to advance our operations and deliver even higher-quality paper to our customers. I am proud of our team’s exceptional skills and commitment, which were crucial in achieving these goals,” said Tomasz Katewicz, Managing Director of Mondi Świecie. 

The completion of the investment further underscores Mondi’s commitment to operating efficiently and its progress in fulfilling the commitments set out in its Mondi Action Plan 2030 (MAP 2030) sustainability framework. It also reflects the Group’s strong commitment to the region, by providing competitive, high-quality employment and potential to further contribute to the area's economic prosperity.

About Mondi
Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by producing products that are sustainable by design. We employ 22,000 people in more than 30 countries and operate an integrated business with expertise spanning the entire value chain, enabling us to offer our customers a broad range of innovative solutions for consumer and industrial end-use applications. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy, with our ambitious commitments to 2030 focused on circular driven solutions, created by empowered people, taking action on climate. 

In 2023, Mondi had revenues of €7.3 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.2 billion. Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), where the Group is a FTSE100 constituent, and also has a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP).
 

• Patented and proven: 150 PAM systems in use worldwide

• Greater efficiency, safety and easy operation: PAM makes flat film producers less dependent on qualified personnel

• Manufacturer-independent: PAM can be retrofitted to flat film dies from Reifenhäuser and third-party suppliers

After extrusion machine specialist Reifenhäuser presented the automation system PAM (precise, autonomous, mechatronic) for flat dies and coextrusion adapters for the first time at the K 2022 plastics trade fair, the 150th system has now been installed on a customer line. The patented mechatronic control system has decisive advantages over conventional automatic thermal expansion bolt systems. PAM uses high-precision electric actuators to automatically control the adjusting screws for setting and regulating the flexible die lip. Depending on the die design, it is also possible to autonomously adjust the dust bar, the width adjustment and the lip opening by adjusting the lower die lip. PAM is available for all new Reifenhäuser flat dies and as a retrofit for dies from all third-party manufacturers.

The 150th unit was delivered to a customer in Germany who has automated his PET thermoforming sheet line with PAM. The system is characterized by its simple design and handling. At the same time, the sophisticated control works with absolute reliability and precision. In addition to the increase in efficiency, the system is now much easier, more convenient and safer to operate. Once settings have been saved, they can be called up via the system HMI and PAM delivers perfect and reproducible film quality at the touch of a button. Processors are therefore less dependent on the qualifications and experience of the system operators, achieve a faster start to film production, higher output and consume significantly less energy. This is because the motorized actuators only need to be supplied with power for a short time during adjustment and not permanently, like conventional thermal expansion bolts. The overall equipment efficiency (OEE) improves significantly overall.

Tim Bänsch, Product Manager at Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems, explains: “With PAM automation, we can offer our customers a unique system that offers decisive competitive advantages thanks to the patented mechatronic control system and has proven itself in every respect with 150 systems on the market.”

The technology was developed by maku AG, which was founded by Robert Maeder in 1983. In 2022, Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems (RES) - the Reifenhäuser Group's business unit specializing in extrusion components - entered into a strategic partnership with maku to jointly develop the PAM system further and market it worldwide. Reto Maeder, the current managing director, co-owner and son of the company founder, continues to be active in the development and customer support of the PAM system and is available with his many years of expertise in the field of mechatronic die control.

Simple operation and high work safety make producers less dependent on highly qualified personne

Usually, starting up an extrusion line or changing products requires many skilled operations. Producers are therefore dependent on well-qualified machine operators, which is a huge problem in times of a shortage of skilled labour and high staff turnover. With PAM, producers become more independent, as the system itself can restore the optimum die setting at any time

Another decisive advantage of PAM automation is the increased work safety. With a manually controlled flat film line, the machine operator works directly on the so-called hot part of the line. When using PAM, the operator does not have any contact with hot metal elements of the line or with the hot melt itself. Burns or other injuries caused by working on the running extrusion line are therefore ruled out. In this way, producers can easily fulfil the mandatory occupational safety requirements in high-tech markets, such as North America or Europe, and protect their employees in the best possible way.

PAM for coextrusion adapters

The PAM control system is not only available for flat dies but also for the Reifenhäuser Coextrusion Adaptor Pro. This feedblock is the only coextrusion system on the market that enables the profiling of individual film layers while the system is running. Unlike conventional solutions, the elements in the adapter do not have to be removed, processed and reinstalled in a time-consuming manner. Instead, profilers can be flexibly controlled individually or together during operation via a central adjustment.

With the PAM option, Reifenhäuser goes one step further and automates the setting of the layer distribution and simplifies adjustments and optimizations thanks to integrated recipe management. This is particularly worthwhile for manufacturers of films with many layers and many product changes.

While the coextrusion adapter for simple 3-layer laminates can be set in a few simple steps, up to 70 profilers need to be adjusted for barrier laminates with 11 layers, for example. Compared to manual adjustment by a machine operator, automation saves around half an hour of changeover time, depending on the number of profilers to be adjusted

Reifenhäuser is one of the few machine manufacturers on the market that produces all hot part components itself - extruder, coextrusion adapter and die. Thanks to this hot part expertise within the group, all process-related interfaces can be perfectly designed to work together. PAM takes the whole package to a new level

About the Reifenhäuser Group

The Reifenhäuser Group together with its highly specialized business units is the leading provider of innovative technologies and components for plastics extrusion. Founded in 1911, the company is a global supplier of high-tech solutions. With its technologies and the know-how of its 1,750 employees, Reifenhäuser has the world's largest network of expertise in plastics extrusion technologies. The CEO of the Group is Bernd Reifenhäuser

• Revenue growth of 19 percent forecast for 2025 compared to 2024

• Slower growth forecast for 2024 than expected in spring

• Positive employment and R&D trends

While the printed electronics industry faces near term challenges due to global economic uncertainties and a cooling automotive sector, we remain optimistic about the future. The reduced growth forecast for 2024 reflects a cautious wait-and-see attitude, but with strong signals for a rebound in 2025," said Dr. Klaus Hecker, OE-A Managing Director, commenting on the results of the latest business climate survey. The biannual survey is conducted by the OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association), a working group within VDMA. The survey predicts revenue growth of +7 percent for 2024, a significant decrease from the previous survey (March 2024: 13 percent). However, optimism remains high for 2025, with a forecast growth of 19 percent. "It is encouraging to see that companies are prioritizing innovation, as evidenced by the increased focus on R&D and employment growth. We believe that by focusing on key sectors such as consumer electronics, automotive and medical, the industry is well positioned for sustainable long-term development," emphasizes Klaus Hecker

OE-A predicts 19Percentsales growth in 2025 compared to 2024

The revenue forecast of +19 percent for 2025 shows a positive outlook for the printed electronics industry in the future. However, for 2024, the growth rates for both revenue forecast and order intake are significantly reduced compared to the results of the March 2024 survey.

The industry is facing headwinds from global economic and geopolitical hurdles, as well as a slowdown in the automotive sector, especially EV, resulting in reduced and delayed orders. Only 6Percentof companies plan to increase production investment over the next six months (down from 53 percent in March 2024), although a majority (57 percent) will maintain investment levels.

After the clouds bright prospects for 2025

As the printed electronics industry navigates these turbulent waters, the signs for 2025 point to a promising horizon of opportunities for growth and progress. Encouraging signs are emerging in both employment and research and development (R&D). The latest results indicate a significant shift in the employment landscape, with 46Percentof companies planning to increase their workforce over the next six months. This is a turnaround from March 2024, when only 7 percent of firms expressed intentions to hire more staff. In addition, there is a notable increase in R&D activity, with 46 percent indicating plans to expand their R&D efforts. "This commitment to innovation underscores the industry's determination to remain competitive and adapt to changing market conditions. By prioritizing R&D, companies are positioning themselves to take advantage of emerging trends and opportunities, ensuring long-term growth. This innovative strength will be on display at electronica next month and at LOPEC 2025," concludes Klaus Hecker.