Pratt Industries is investing USD 92.5m to build a new recycled packaging plant in Rock Hill, South Carolina, alongside an existing Pratt recycling operation at the same site. The Conyers, Georgia-based company expects the facility to create 116 jobs.
Why this mattersThe plant adds recycled packaging capacity in the US mid-Atlantic, extending Pratt's vertically integrated recycling and manufacturing network.
- Investment of USD 92.5m announced 23 September 2026
- Site located at 2087 Williams Industrial Blvd, Rock Hill, South Carolina
- Facility expected to create 116 new jobs
- Plant will produce the company's recycled packaging
- Pratt already operates a recycling facility at the same Rock Hill location
- Pratt Industries is headquartered in Conyers, Georgia
US District Judge Mary M. Rowland denied on 4 September 2026 the joint motion to dismiss and the separate motions by Packaging Corporation of America and Pratt Industries in the containerboard price-fixing class action brought in July 2025 by Artuso Pastry in the Northern District of Illinois. The 49-page decision found six of seven alleged lockstep or near-lockstep price increases sufficient to show parallel conduct, lifting the stay on discovery. Defendants must answer by 29 September 2026 and file a joint status report with discovery dates the following week.
Why this mattersThe case moves to discovery, exposing containerboard producers to damages claims and scrutiny of a market the plaintiff says five players now control with at least 85% share.
- Judge Mary M. Rowland denied the joint and the individual dismissal motions in a 49-page decision on 4 September 2026 in the Northern District of Illinois.
- Defendants must answer the complaint by 29 September 2026 and file a joint status report with discovery dates the following week.
- The case, Artuso Pastry Foods Corp. v. Packaging Corp. of America et al, was filed in July 2025 and alleges seven rounds of parallel price increases from November 2020 raising prices by about 30%.
- The court found six of the seven alleged coordinated increases plausible, including a USD 50-per-ton rise implemented on the same day after two and a half years without an industry increase.
- Ten defendants remain, including PCA, Pratt Industries, International Paper, Georgia-Pacific, Greif, Smurfit Kappa, WestRock and three Cascades entities.
- Graphic Packaging International and Smurfit Westrock were dismissed late last year, cutting defendants to 10 from 12; the court gave no reasons.
Pratt Industries will build its first Iowa manufacturing facility, a corrugated packaging plant in Bondurant, with total capital investment of USD 97.6m including more than USD 80m in equipment. The project is expected to create 105 jobs and has been awarded USD 1.8m in tax credits by the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
Why this mattersThe plant extends Pratt's US corrugated footprint into a new state, adding capacity against Smurfit Westrock, International Paper and Packaging Corporation of America.
- Total capital investment of USD 97.6m, including more than USD 80m in manufacturing equipment
- The corrugated plant in Bondurant will be Pratt's first manufacturing facility in Iowa
- The project is expected to create 105 jobs, 20 of them incented at a qualifying wage of USD 35.11 per hour
- The Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded USD 1.8m in tax credits through its BIG programme on 19 September 2026
- Pratt (4.0 Corrugating), LLC, a subsidiary of Pratt Corrugated Holdings, is part of Atlanta-based Pratt Industries
- Pratt Industries expects the Bondurant plant to increase its use of Iowa-based suppliers
The US House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 28 to 19 on 16 September 2026 to send H.R. 7502 to the House floor, a bill that would count advanced recycling as recycling and set a national standard for recycled-content labelling claims, overriding state rules. The American Forest & Paper Association opposes the bill. Conservative group Consumer Action for a Strong Economy has written to International Paper, Pratt Industries, Kimberly-Clark, Packaging Corporation of America, Smurfit Westrock and Procter & Gamble, all of which have executives on the AF&PA board, asking them to make the association drop its opposition or reconsider membership.
Why this mattersFederal rules on recycled-content claims would set one standard across the states and expose the split between paper and plastics recycling interests.
- The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 28 to 19 on 16 September 2026 to advance H.R. 7502, sponsored by Republican New York Rep. Nick Langworthy.
- The bill would set a national standard for when a product can be labelled as made with recycled material and would override state rules on those claims.
- AF&PA opposes the bill, spokesperson Lindsay Murphy told Politico; the association says recycled-content claims should reflect the material actually in the product.
- Consumer Action for a Strong Economy sent September letters to International Paper, Pratt Industries, Kimberly-Clark, Packaging Corporation of America, Smurfit Westrock and Procter & Gamble.
- The letters ask each company to make AF&PA stop opposing advanced recycling legislation or reconsider its board membership.
- Texas Rep. Marc Veasey was the only Democrat to vote for the bill, and no Senate version has been introduced.
Valparaiso, Indiana's city council tabled first readings of annexation and rezoning ordinances on 15 September 2026 needed for Pratt Industries to build a new corrugated converting plant, after residents raised concerns over noise, smells and traffic. A decision is now due on 28 September 2026. Pratt cites an investment of USD 100m creating about 50 jobs, while city documents put capital spending at USD 70m for a 300,000 to 400,000 square foot facility.
Why this mattersThe delay shows local zoning and community opposition can slow converter capacity additions even for an established, large local employer.
- Council tabled first readings on annexation and rezoning ordinances until 28 September 2026
- Proposal covers 92 acres, rezoned from light to heavy industrial
- Jeff Beaver of Pratt Industries cited a USD 100m investment for the converting plant
- City materials cited a USD 70m capital investment for a 300,000 to 400,000 square foot plant
- Plant expected to create about 50 jobs in year one, paying USD 28.59 per hour
- Pratt Industries has operated in Valparaiso for 23 years and is the city's largest private employer and taxpayer
Smurfit Westrock, Pratt Industries and the United Steelworkers filed trade petitions on 9 September 2026 alleging dumped and subsidised pizza box imports from China, Malaysia and Turkey are harming the US corrugated industry. The petitions, submitted via law firm Wiley Rein, ask the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission to investigate duties on boxes sold at margins the filers put as high as 568.5% below US prices. A preliminary ITC injury ruling is expected by late October 2026, with final determinations likely in late 2027.
Why this mattersA successful case would raise landed costs for imported pizza boxes and could shift US foodservice packaging volume back to domestic corrugated producers.
- Petitions were filed on 9 September 2026 by the American Pizza Boxes Manufacturers Coalition, made up of Smurfit Westrock and Pratt Industries, with the United Steelworkers.
- Alleged dumping margins are 96.62% to 568.50% for China, 110.73% for Malaysia and 120.65% to 210.37% for Turkey.
- A countervailing duty petition targets Turkey alone, alleging Turkish government tax breaks and discounted inputs plus Russian cross-border subsidies.
- Pizza box imports from the three countries rose at least 130% between 2023 and 2026.
- Commerce must decide on initiation within 20 days of filing; the ITC votes on preliminary injury by 26 October 2026.
- Final dumping, subsidy and injury determinations are expected in late 2027, though duties can attach from the preliminary determinations.
