The European Commission has told UPM and Sappi it is not convinced their planned EUR 1.42bn (USD 1.59bn) graphic paper joint venture would deliver enough cost, environmental or resilience benefit to offset the risk of higher prices, reduced choice and lower quality for customers. UPM says the project is on schedule, with bank financing secured and the leadership named, and expects a decision in early November 2026 after an oral hearing on 15 September 2026. UPM argues the pricing concern does not hold in a market that has shrunk from 40 million tonnes in 2008 to 13 million tonnes in 2025 with 30 per cent overcapacity.
Why this mattersA Commission block would scupper Europe's main consolidation route for shrinking graphic paper capacity, leaving overcapacity and closure decisions to individual producers.
- The proposed joint venture is valued at EUR 1.42bn (USD 1.59bn), according to The Capitol Forum
- The Commission says it is not convinced the combination offers sufficient savings, environmental or resilience benefits to outweigh possible harm, citing higher prices, less choice and lower quality
- An oral hearing was held on 15 September 2026; UPM expects a decision in early November 2026, with the joint venture due to be in place in early 2027
- If cleared, about 2,500 employees and 1.2 million tonnes of German graphic paper output would move into the new company
- European graphic paper consumption fell from 40 million tonnes in 2008 to 13 million tonnes in 2025, with 30 per cent overcapacity and 8 million tonnes forecast for 2030
- Gunnar Eberhardt of UPM is designated chief executive and Stephen Blyth of Sappi chief financial officer; bank financing is secured
Union employees returned on 12 October 2026 to the Nippon Dynawave Packaging mill in Longview, Washington, five months after a chemical tank implosion killed 11 workers on 26 May 2026. The site is not yet running at full capacity, and staff not yet scheduled to return will keep receiving pay through 17 January 2027.
Why this mattersThe restart begins restoration of pulp and paper capacity at a site shut for nearly half a year by one of the industry's deadliest recent accidents.
- A chemical tank implosion at the Longview, Washington mill on 26 May 2026 killed 11 employees and injured several others, including a firefighter.
- The tank released hundreds of thousands of gallons of white liquor, the chemical used to break wood down into pulp.
- Most union members represented by the AWPPW returned to work on 12 October 2026, nearly five months after the incident.
- The mill was still not operating at full capacity as of 12 October 2026.
- Employees not yet scheduled to return continue to be paid through 17 January 2027, according to the union's Washington area representative.
German speciality paper maker Drewsen Spezialpapiere and grid operator Avacon are testing a flexible electricity connection at Drewsen's Lachendorf site to cut the carbon intensity of paper production. Drewsen is installing a power-to-heat system that converts grid electricity into process heat, drawing extra power only when grid capacity allows, with the system due to start operating in autumn 2027. First reliable results from the trial are expected after one to two years.
Why this mattersThe trial tests whether flexible, grid-aware electrification can let paper mills decarbonise process heat without waiting years for grid expansion.
- Drewsen Spezialpapiere and grid operator Avacon launched the pilot at Drewsen's Lachendorf, Germany site on 12 October 2026.
- Drewsen is investing in a power-to-heat system to convert grid electricity into process heat alongside existing wind, photovoltaic and biomass energy use.
- The system is scheduled to become operational in autumn 2027.
- Under a temporary contractual arrangement, Drewsen can draw additional electricity only when grid capacity is available, reducing consumption if capacity is needed elsewhere.
- First reliable findings are expected after one to two years given seasonal variation in grid utilisation.
- Lower Saxony Minister-President Olaf Lies attended the project's presentation.
PM Studio Group has acquired TNT Group, a specialist in high-end primary and secondary packaging for the beauty and wine and spirits sectors, creating a group with roughly EUR 130m (USD 145m) of combined turnover and about 150 staff internationally. TNT Group founders Thomas Diezinger and Toby Cattermole have reinvested part of their disposal proceeds, and Damon Kennish becomes chief executive of TNT Group. No transaction value was disclosed; the next step is operational consolidation of the two businesses.
Why this mattersThe deal creates a vertically integrated premium packaging player spanning design, metal engineering and secondary packaging, raising competitive pressure on rivals serving luxury beauty and spirits brands.
- Combined group turnover is approximately EUR 130m (USD 145m).
- PM Studio Group alone had turnover of more than EUR 70m (USD 78m) and over 90 employees before the deal.
- The enlarged group employs about 150 people internationally.
- TNT Group founders Thomas Diezinger and Toby Cattermole reinvested part of their sale proceeds in the group.
- Damon Kennish is appointed chief executive of TNT Group.
- TNT Group operates a fabless model with metal engineering expertise in recycled zamak, aluminium, brass and stainless steel, plus offices in Hong Kong, Paris and New York.
Sixteen retailers and brands, including Decathlon and several French cosmetics and fashion labels, have joined Reuse Fast Track, a European reusable shipping packaging programme led by Re-Zip, Raja and DS Smith. The closed-loop system uses reusable cardboard boxes returned via postal letterboxes, with 100,000 reusable parcels expected to be dispatched by spring 2027. The initiative is positioned partly as preparation for upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation requirements due by 2030.
Why this mattersA reuse scheme spanning 16 brand owners, backed by a major fibre packaging maker, signals e-commerce packaging shifting ahead of PPWR reuse mandates.
- 16 retailers and brands joined Reuse Fast Track, including Decathlon.
- The scheme is led by Re-Zip, Raja and DS Smith.
- 100,000 reusable parcels are expected to be dispatched by spring 2027.
- Returns are centralised by Raja for quality control and repackaging before re-circulation.
- French online product sales reached EUR 76bn in 2025, according to Fevad.
- Some provisions of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation come into force by 2030.
Cascades has had new 2035 greenhouse gas reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative, covering Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions against a 2019 baseline. The targets form part of the fifth sustainability plan the Quebec-based packaging group launched in June 2026, and follow a 32.6% cut in Scope 1 and 2 emissions already achieved between 2019 and 2025.
Why this mattersSBTi validation gives customers and investors a third-party benchmark for Cascades' decarbonisation claims as scope 3 supply-chain pressure on packaging buyers increases.
- Cascades targets a 67.2% cut in combined Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2035 versus a 2019 baseline.
- The company targets a 41.3% reduction in Scope 3 emissions across purchased goods, fuel and energy activities, upstream transport and end-of-life treatment of sold products.
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions fell 32.6% between 2019 and 2025, already tracking toward the 2035 goal.
- Cascades says its 2025 emissions were 25% below the North American paper industry average.
- The targets are part of the company's fifth sustainability plan, launched in June 2026.
Six European wooden pallet companies and associations, including CJ Sheeran Group, Foresco, PGS Group and EPAL, have launched the Wood Pallets for Europe alliance to coordinate the sector's engagement with EU institutions. The group aims to provide data-based input to Brussels on packaging, sustainability, traceability and recycling rules affecting wood pallets. No budget, staffing or specific regulatory targets were disclosed.
Why this mattersA unified wood-pallet lobby could shape EU packaging and circularity rules in ways that affect cost and material competition with plastic pallets.
- Founding members are CJ Sheeran Group, Euroblock Verpackungsholz, Foresco, PGS Group, EPAL and Woodpack Global
- The alliance covers pallet production, repair, reuse and management across Europe
- Its stated aim is to represent the sector in discussions with EU institutions and policymakers in Brussels
- The alliance intends to argue the case for wood as a renewable, recyclable material in EU regulatory debates on packaging, traceability and emissions
- Launch announced 13 October 2026
PT Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper, a Sinar Mas Group unit, has outlined IDR 3.50 trillion of new bonds, sukuk and dollar notes to refinance debt maturing in November 2026. The package comprises IDR 2.00 trillion of bonds, IDR 1.50 trillion of sukuk and USD 13.76 million of dollar bonds, against IDR 1.043 trillion plus USD 900,000 of obligations due on 21 and 22 November 2026. The company reported first-half 2026 sales of USD 1.70 billion, up 8.74 percent year on year, and net income of USD 372.00 million, more than double the prior-year period.
Why this mattersA refinancing package larger than the November maturities it replaces gives the Sinar Mas pulp and paper unit room to roll debt rather than repay from operating cash.
- New debt instruments total IDR 3.50 trillion: IDR 2.00 trillion bonds, IDR 1.50 trillion sukuk, USD 13.76 million dollar bonds.
- November maturities comprise IDR 739.72 billion bonds and IDR 303.56 billion sukuk due 21 November 2026, plus USD 900,000 dollar bonds due 22 November 2026.
- First-half 2026 sales reached USD 1.70 billion, up 8.74 percent year on year.
- First-half 2026 net income reached USD 372.00 million, up 127.43 percent year on year.
- Indah Kiat is listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange under ticker INKP, with market capitalisation of IDR 45.5 trillion as of 13 October 2026.
- Indah Kiat is a unit of Sinar Mas Group.
California's SB 343 truth-in-labelling law, which restricts use of recyclability symbols such as the chasing arrows, applies to products and packaging made after 4 October 2026, according to CalRecycle. A preliminary injunction granted in July suspended most enforcement, but companies that do not comply remain exposed to private lawsuits. Amcor says the resulting uncertainty is stalling moves to formats such as paper-based flexible packaging, while How2Recycle is continuing to prepare for compliance.
Why this mattersUnresolved recyclability-claim rules leave US converters exposed to private litigation and are holding back commitments to new recyclable formats such as paper-based flexibles.
- SB 343 restrictions on recyclability claims apply to products and packaging made after 4 October 2026, according to CalRecycle
- A preliminary injunction granted in July 2026 suspended most enforcement, but private lawsuits against non-compliant companies remain possible
- Under SB 343, a material may be called recyclable only if it is collected by programmes covering at least 60 per cent of California's population and sorted at facilities serving at least 60 per cent of state recycling programmes
- Recyclability determinations under SB 343 also feed into the extended producer responsibility programme created by SB 54 of 2022
- Sarah Paleg, sustainability director at Amcor's flexible packaging division, says the law has added a new level of substantiation and is stalling shifts to formats such as paper flexibles
- How2Recycle processed about 35,000 label requests this year as users migrated to How2Recycle Pro, with requests up 29 per cent year on year
Eutecma, the Mannheim-based reusable temperature-controlled packaging maker backed by Great Point Partners, has acquired TempAid Corporation, a North American maker of single-use thermal shippers and mailers for pharma and life sciences. The deal combines Eutecma's reusable, larger-format shipping systems with TempAid's parcel and last-mile thermal packaging, giving the combined business operations across Europe, North America and Asia. No deal value was disclosed.
Why this mattersPairs reusable and single-use cold chain formats under one owner, letting pharma shippers source the full pallet-to-parcel range from a single supplier.
- Eutecma, founded 2008 in Mannheim, Germany, acquired TempAid Corporation, a North American temperature-controlled packaging maker.
- TempAid's range includes SpeedyPac mailers, SteadyPac thermal shippers, gel packs and PCM mats, manufactured in North America and Asia.
- The combined company will offer reusable and single-use solutions from individual mailers to bulk pallet shippers across Europe, North America and Asia.
- The acquisition follows Great Point Partners' 2025 majority investment in Eutecma.
- Health Business Group advised Eutecma and Great Point Partners, conducting commercial due diligence on TempAid.
- Great Point Partners, based in Greenwich, Connecticut, manages approximately USD 1.7bn of capital including committed and uncalled funds.
CuBE Packaging Solutions, a maker of reusable polypropylene food containers backed by private equity firm Kent Road Capital, is investing more than USD 30m to expand its plant in St Charles, Illinois. The project covers renovation plus a phased installation of high-speed injection moulding machines and end-of-line automation. The first phase is complete and in production, with further phases running through 2027.
Why this mattersAdds US injection moulding capacity for reusable polypropylene foodservice containers, giving grocery and restaurant buyers a domestic alternative to imported rigid formats.
- Investment exceeds USD 30m at the St Charles, Illinois plant, which entered production in late 2025
- Spending covers facility renovation and a multi-phase installation of high-speed injection moulding machines with integrated end-of-line automation
- The initial phase is complete and in production, with further phases planned through 2027
- The site complements CuBE's Aurora, Ontario plant, described by the company as one of the largest single-site food storage injection moulding facilities in North America
- CuBE, founded in 2009, makes reusable, recyclable polypropylene containers for retail, grocery, restaurant and foodservice customers in the US and Canada
- CuBE is a portfolio company of Toronto-based private equity firm Kent Road Capital
Greif has secured validation from the Science Based Targets initiative for its greenhouse gas reduction goals, confirmed 13 October 2026, after committing to set such targets in April 2026. Using fiscal 2024 as a baseline, the company targets a 30% cut in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 17.5% cut in Scope 3 emissions by fiscal 2030, rising to a 90% cut across all three scopes by fiscal 2050. Greif is now preparing a decarbonisation plan, due by the end of its fiscal second quarter.
Why this mattersSBTi-validated targets give Greif a verified decarbonisation benchmark as industrial packaging customers increasingly demand supplier emissions data.
- SBTi validated Greif's emissions targets on 13 October 2026
- Greif committed to set SBTi targets in April 2026
- Target: 30% absolute Scope 1 and 2 reduction by fiscal 2030, baseline fiscal 2024
- Target: 17.5% absolute Scope 3 reduction by fiscal 2030
- Target: 90% reduction across Scope 1, 2 and 3 by fiscal 2050
- Decarbonisation plan due by end of fiscal second quarter
EPL Ltd said sustainable packaging reached 43 percent of its global tube sales in the first half of fiscal year 2026-27, up from 5 percent in fiscal year 2021-22. The company has equipped 85 percent of its global manufacturing capacity for these formats and is targeting 60 percent sustainable sales and a 55 percent emissions cut by 2030.
Why this mattersA major tube maker shifting the bulk of its output to recyclable and recycled-content formats pressures rivals and brand-owner customers to match the pace.
- Sustainable packaging was 43 percent of EPL's global tube sales in H1 FY2026-27, up from 5 percent in FY2021-22
- EPL produces over 9 billion tubes annually across 21 facilities
- 85 percent of EPL's global manufacturing capacity is now equipped for sustainable formats
- Recycled input use rose to 566 tonnes in FY2025-26 from 113 tonnes in FY2021-22
- EPL's Platina, Etain and r-Platina platforms use recyclable laminates with up to 60 percent post-consumer recycled content
- EPL targets 60 percent sustainable sales and 55 percent emission reductions by 2030, and net-zero by 2050
German CDMO Vetter has started up its first new commercial filling line, designed for pre-sterilised syringes, as part of a programme to add ten filling lines across its network. Seven lines are going into existing sites through 2028, while the remaining three are planned for a new commercial site in Saarlouis, Germany, due to start up by 2031.
Why this mattersAdds sterile fill-finish capacity for syringes, vials and cartridges as pharma and biotech customers seek CDMO partners with proven aseptic manufacturing scale.
- Vetter is adding ten commercial filling lines in total across its network.
- The first new line, for pre-sterilised syringes, has become operational.
- A second line is expected to follow by the end of 2026.
- A further five aseptic production lines are planned through 2028 at existing sites.
- Three lines are planned for a new commercial site in Saarlouis, Germany, expected operational by 2031.
- Vetter employs 7,400 people with production in Germany, Austria and the US.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has completed a USD 27.7m (AUD 39.7m) upgrade of its Kewdale plant in Perth, Western Australia, centred on a new can production line. Capacity rises by more than 40 per cent to 16 million cases, about 384 million cans a year, and line speed increases from about 1,060 to 1,500 cans a minute. The line will run around the clock through the summer peak.
Why this mattersAdding 384 million cans a year of filling capacity in Western Australia lifts regional demand for can bodies and ends.
- Investment of USD 27.7m (AUD 39.7m) at CCEP's Kewdale plant in Perth, Western Australia
- The new can line lifts manufacturing capacity by more than 40 per cent
- Capacity reaches 16 million cases, about 384 million cans, a year
- Line speed rises from about 1,060 cans a minute to 1,500 cans a minute
- The line will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the peak season
- Kewdale employs 300 people, including 125 in manufacturing, and is CCEP's fourth-largest Australian plant
Beiersdorf has increased the recycled aluminium content of its Nivea Creme tin to 95%, up from 80% in 2024, in partnership with aluminium producer Novelis. The higher-recycled-content tin has been sold in Germany since early 2026 and will be extended across Europe and other markets from 2027.
Why this mattersA flagship global brand standardising on 95% recycled aluminium sets a reference point for recycled-content levels other personal-care packaging will be measured against.
- Nivea Creme tin now uses 95% recycled aluminium, up from an 80% milestone reached in 2024.
- Beiersdorf developed the tin with aluminium producer Novelis.
- The 95% recycled tin has been available in Germany since early 2026.
- Rollout across Europe and other markets is planned from 2027.
- Beiersdorf states recycling aluminium uses about 5% of the energy of primary production, cutting emissions by up to 95%.
UK waste manager MYGroup and materials company Shellworks have announced a collaboration letting consumers return VIVOMER-packaged products through MYGroup's beauty and cosmetics take-back network of over 800 retail stores, including Boots, Harrods H beauty and Selfridges. Returned VIVOMER, a biobased fermentation-derived polymer designed to biodegrade when composted, is processed at MYGroup's Hull facility and converted into MYboard, a wood-replacement board used in furniture and retail fit-outs. The scheme gives VIVOMER a disposal route for households without access to composting.
Why this mattersA nationwide take-back route addresses the end-of-life gap that has limited adoption of compostable bioplastics beyond niche use.
- VIVOMER is made by fermenting plant waste into biobased polymers designed to biodegrade when composted.
- Take-back points cover over 800 UK retail stores via schemes at Boots, Harrods H beauty and Selfridges.
- MYGroup's beauty and cosmetics take-back network has recovered 31 million kg of used items over five years.
- Returned VIVOMER is processed at MYGroup's Hull facility and converted into MYboard, a wood-replacement board.
- VIVOMER is used by brands including Wild (Unilever), SURI and OceanSaver, sold through Asda, Boots, Tesco, Sephora and Whole Foods.
- The collaboration was announced at British Beauty Week's Industry Day in London on 12 October 2026.
German container glass volumes dropped 7.8% year on year to about 1.82 million tonnes in the first half of 2026, according to trade body Aktionsforum Glasverpackung. Beverage bottles fell 8.7%, with wine and sparkling wine down 11.4% and beer and spirits down 6.4%, while food, pharma and cosmetics glass packaging declined 5.9%. The association's Dorothee Richardt said the hoped-for market recovery has not materialised and warned against a planned increase in taxes on sparkling wine and spirits.
Why this mattersA sustained demand slide in a core glass packaging market signals weaker volumes for bottle makers and pressure on capacity utilisation across German plants.
- German container glass sales fell 7.8% to about 1.82 million tonnes in H1 2026
- Beverage bottle segment volumes down 8.7% year on year
- Wine and sparkling wine glass packaging fell 11.4%, beer and spirits fell 6.4%
- Non-alcoholic drinks (water, milk, juice) glass packaging down 8.2%
- Food, pharma and cosmetics glass packaging segment fell 5.9% overall
- Aktionsforum Glasverpackung warns against a planned tax increase on sparkling wine and spirits
FEDEMCO, the Spanish federation of wooden packaging and components manufacturers, presented a sectoral Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for wooden packaging at Fruit Attraction 2026. The tool converts the federation's existing life-cycle assessment work into quantified, third-party-verified environmental data, positioned as a response to new EU rules on environmental claims under Directive 2024/825.
Why this mattersA verified sectoral EPD gives wooden packaging makers a standardised answer to retailers and food-chain buyers tightening green-claim scrutiny under incoming EU rules.
- FEDEMCO presented the EPD project at Fruit Attraction 2026 on 13 October 2026.
- The EPD builds on FEDEMCO's existing life-cycle assessment (LCA) of wooden packaging, adding standardised, independently verified metrics.
- The initiative responds to EU Directive 2024/825 (EMPCO), which tightens rules on environmental claims in commercial communication.
- The project is backed by the Valencian regional government's INENTI 2026 grant scheme for business associations supporting reindustrialisation.
- FEDEMCO says the EPD is not itself an environmental claim but a technical basis for substantiating claims made by packaging manufacturers.
UK materials company Aeropowder has launched its PluumoPlus recycled-feather thermal insulation to US customers, with local manufacturing to begin in the first quarter of 2027 through a partnership with ColdCorr Insulated Packaging. The range includes a new 2-8°C insulated mailer for specialty pharmacy shipments, alongside dry-ice and gel-pack configurations already sold in Europe.
Why this mattersA feather-based alternative to polyurethane foam gives US pharma shippers a non-plastic option as California and Washington tighten single-use plastic packaging rules.
- PluumoPlus is made from recycled feathers sourced from the bedding and clothing industries
- US production starts Q1 2027 via manufacturing partner ColdCorr, which has sites in Arizona, Kentucky and Tennessee
- The new 2-8°C insulated mailer holds temperature for 53 hours in summer and 96 hours in winter against modified ISTA 7E profiles
- Aeropowder says the mailer can cut freight costs by up to 45% and dry-ice configurations cut dry ice use by up to 30%
- Aeropowder aims to scale to millions of units supplied into the US market annually
- California's SB 54 and Washington's expanded polystyrene ban are cited as drivers for the US launch
EU environment commissioner Jessika Roswall urged the Council to speed up simplification of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation before Black Friday and Christmas shopping, after member states blocked a Commission proposal to delay the authorised-representative requirement until 2035. Austria, Czechia and Estonia want wider exemptions for small producers from extended producer responsibility fees, while Belgium, Spain, France, Germany and Italy oppose further changes beyond the original deregulation proposal, citing the polluter-pays principle.
Why this mattersDelays or carve-outs to PPWR's EPR and representative rules change compliance costs and timelines for every producer placing packaging on the EU market.
- PPWR requires an authorised representative in every EU country a micro-enterprise ships to, at a potential cost of several thousand euros.
- EU countries blocked the Commission's proposal to postpone the authorised-representative requirement for all businesses until 2035.
- Germany proposed limiting the exemption to firms using less than 10 tonnes of packaging waste annually.
- Austria, Czechia and Estonia called for a temporary suspension of the representative requirement and exemption from EPR financial contributions for low-volume producers.
- Belgium, Spain, France, Germany and Italy oppose further amendments beyond the Commission's original deregulation proposal.
- The exemption for very low packaging-waste generators received broad support from ministers at the 13 October Council of the EU meeting.
Kazakhstan's Order No. 253 of 6 October 2026 sets rules requiring producers of oil, polymer, glass, paper and cardboard packaging, as well as battery makers, to confirm that at least 30% of the relevant raw material is recycled domestically. Producers must file supporting documents with the extended producer responsibility operator twice a year, by 20 July and 20 January, with the rules taking effect from October 2026.
Why this mattersA binding domestic recycled-content floor forces Kazakh packaging manufacturers to prove local recycling supply chains or risk non-compliance with EPR rules.
- Order No. 253 dated 6 October 2026 approves confirmation rules for recycled waste use in production
- Minimum recycled content set at 30% for oils, polymer, glass, paper and cardboard packaging, and batteries
- Confirmation required separately for each product and waste type
- Producers must submit applications twice yearly, by 20 July and 20 January
- Required evidence covers environmental permits, waste collection and transport records, processing logs and sales reports
- Rules apply from October 2026, with late submissions not considered
Bangladesh's Ministry of Commerce has asked India to withdraw anti-dumping duties on Bangladeshi jute products and PET film, raised at the 16th Bangladesh-India Joint Working Group on Trade in New Delhi on 8-9 October 2026. Dhaka also sought continued tariff preferences under SAFTA after its planned graduation from least-developed-country status, plus eased land-port restrictions and faster cargo clearance.
Why this mattersRemoval of the duties would reopen Indian demand for Bangladeshi PET film, a packaging material input, easing cost pressure on regional converters.
- The 16th Bangladesh-India Joint Working Group on Trade met in New Delhi starting 8 October 2026 for two days.
- Bangladesh requested withdrawal of Indian anti-dumping duties on jute products and PET film.
- Dhaka sought continued SAFTA tariff preferences after its graduation from least-developed-country status.
- Bangladesh asked India to remove export restrictions through land ports and improve border infrastructure.
- India raised its own concerns over restrictions on cotton yarn exports to Bangladesh via certain land ports.
- The Bangladeshi delegation of 10 members was led by Ayesha Akter, additional secretary to the Ministry of Commerce.
