Mayr-Melnhof will rejoin the Austrian ATX blue-chip index on 21 September after a one-year absence, the Vienna Stock Exchange said. The group also raised the cumulative target for its 'Fit for Future' efficiency programme to more than EUR 330m by 2027 versus a 2024 base year, up from a prior goal of over EUR 250m, with more than EUR 100m expected in the second half of 2026 alone. H1 2026 revenue (excluding TANN) fell 4.7% to EUR 1,849.3m and adjusted EBITDA was EUR 200.2m, while management flagged a further difficult market environment in H2, including about EUR 35m of Q3 operating-profit impact from scheduled maintenance shutdowns.
Why this mattersA target lifted by EUR 80m implies management expects cartonboard demand and pricing to stay weak into 2027, after a 4.7% first-half revenue decline.
- Mayr-Melnhof rejoins the Austrian ATX index on 21 September 2026 after a one-year absence.
- H1 2026 revenue excluding TANN was EUR 1,849.3m, down 4.7% year on year.
- Adjusted EBITDA in H1 2026 was EUR 200.2m.
- Fit for Future cumulative earnings target raised to more than EUR 330m by 2027 against a 2024 base, from more than EUR 250m previously.
- Scheduled maintenance shutdowns are expected to reduce Q3 2026 operating profit by about EUR 35m.
- MM Board & Paper signed an agreement in August 2026 to acquire the business of German recycled cartonboard mill R.D.M. Arnsberg, capacity about 230,000 t/yr, closing targeted for Q4 2026 subject to antitrust clearance.
Domtar's Howe Sound pulp mill on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast faces indefinite closure after an August 20, 2026 announcement citing deteriorating markets and a decline in affordable domestic fibre. The provincial government appointed negotiators Don Wright and Don Kayne on September 4, 2026 to work with Domtar, as an industry consultant warns the shutdown could trigger a wider collapse of the region's coastal forest sector. Talks continue amid a broader wave of BC pulp mill curtailments, with Domtar's Crofton mill already closed permanently and Canfor's Northwood mill set to shut before year end.
Why this mattersA permanent Howe Sound closure would remove pulp-log demand for coastal sawmills, accelerating structural decline across British Columbia's integrated forest-products supply chain.
- Domtar announced indefinite closure of its Howe Sound pulp mill on August 20, 2026, citing deteriorating markets and a decline in affordable domestic fibre.
- The mill and associated Bayview Fibre facility employ more than 400 people.
- British Columbia's provincial government appointed negotiators Don Wright and Don Kayne on September 4, 2026 to work with Domtar.
- Domtar's Crofton pulp and paper mill closed permanently, taking hold in early 2026.
- Canfor said in July 2026 it would shut its Northwood pulp mill in Prince George before the end of the year.
- A coalition of 15 forest industry groups and unions called BC's industry "at a breaking point" in a letter to the province.
Sappi and UPM have nominated Gunnar Eberhardt as CEO and Stephen Blyth as CFO of their planned graphic papers joint venture, subject to regulatory clearance. The move comes after the European Commission issued a statement of objections roughly three weeks earlier, citing concerns that the merger could raise prices and reduce quality in communication papers. Sappi shareholders had already approved the deal with a 98.5% majority, and management aims to complete the transaction by the end of 2026.
Why this mattersRegulatory pushback on the Sappi-UPM graphic papers combination signals scrutiny that could delay or reshape a deal meant to consolidate a shrinking market.
- Gunnar Eberhardt nominated CEO and Stephen Blyth CFO of the planned Sappi-UPM graphic papers joint venture on 9 September 2026, subject to regulatory approval
- European Commission issued a statement of objections about three weeks earlier, citing risks of higher prices and lower quality in communication papers
- Sappi shareholders approved the joint venture with a 98.5% majority
- Sappi management targets completion of the transaction by the end of 2026
- Sappi reported Q3 adjusted EBITDA of USD 53m, down 34% year on year, within its July guidance
- Sappi has removed USD 120m of costs, half of it fixed-cost reductions mainly at European sites
Ball Corporation and Crown Holdings are investing a combined INR 50bn (USD 523m) in two separate aluminium beverage can projects at Uttar Pradesh's Integrated Manufacturing and Logistics Cluster. Crown has started construction of a two-line plant at Unnao costing INR 21bn, first announced in April 2026 and due on stream in the second half of 2027. Ball Beverage Packaging India has selected a site at Meerut for a plant with a proposed investment of INR 29bn, which has been granted incentives under Uttar Pradesh's 2023 policy for FDI and Fortune-listed investors.
Why this mattersTwo major can makers building capacity in the same Indian cluster signals a bet on rapid growth in aluminium can demand across alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Combined investment of INR 50 billion (USD 523 million) across two projects
- Ball Beverage Packaging India selected a site in Meerut, IMLC, investing INR 29 billion (USD 303 million)
- Crown Holdings is investing INR 21 billion (USD 220 million) in a greenfield plant on nearly 40 acres in Unnao
- Crown's plant was first announced in April 2026 and is scheduled to start operations in second half of 2027
- Crown's facility is expected to produce around 2.2 billion cans annually and create over 200 direct jobs and 1,500 indirect jobs
- Crown has lined up long-term customers including United Breweries, part of Heineken
Nippon Paper Industries will suspend operations at its wholly owned Hungarian subsidiary Nippon Paper Chemicals Europe (NPCE) from 31 December 2026, citing a slower-than-expected EV market and intensifying competition. Production of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) for lithium-ion battery applications will be consolidated at the group's Gotsu plant in Japan. The group expects to book an extraordinary loss of about JPY 5 billion for the year ending 31 March 2027, and has not given a date for resuming Hungarian operations.
Why this mattersSlower EV battery demand growth in Europe is prompting Japanese materials producers to retreat from local capacity built for that market.
- NPCE will suspend operations on 31 December 2026.
- Nippon Paper expects an extraordinary loss of about JPY 5 billion for the year ending 31 March 2027.
- NPCE, based in Vacratot, Hungary, had 24 employees as of 31 August 2026.
- NPCE reported revenue of EUR 74,000 and an operating loss of about EUR 5.98 million for the year ended 31 December 2025.
- NPCE was established in September 2022 to produce SUNROSE MAC CMC for lithium-ion batteries; local production began in 2025.
- CMC production will be consolidated at Nippon Paper's Gotsu plant in Japan.
France's Ministry of Ecological Transition confirmed in September 2026 that it will not enforce a mandatory deposit return system for plastic bottles, opting instead for voluntary schemes at municipal level, extended producer responsibility and increased funding for local waste management. Local government associations France Urbaine, AMF, Intercommunalités de France and the Cercle National du Recyclage welcomed the decision, which followed a joint report by the IGF and IGEDD inspectorates concluding a deposit scheme would not improve plastic bottle recycling rates. The associations are now calling for working sessions to define alternative measures targeting a 90% collection rate and 315,000 tonnes of plastic bottles collected annually.
Why this mattersA major EU market abandoning mandatory bottle deposits shifts recycling policy toward EPR and municipal systems, affecting collection volumes and rPET supply for packaging producers.
- Announcement made in early September 2026 by France's Ministry of Ecological Transition
- Joint report by IGF and IGEDD concluded a deposit scheme would not improve overall plastic bottle recycling performance
- Target cited: 90% collection rate and 315,000 tonnes of plastic beverage bottles collected annually
- Alternative proposals aim to eliminate 5 million tonnes of plastic pollution and keep 38 million tonnes of household waste in the circular economy
- UK's Exchange for Change set producer fees at 0p from October 2027 to December 2028 for its deposit return scheme launching October 2027
- Sweden's Returpack/Pantamera scheme became first in Europe to receive RecyClass certification for PET bottle sorting
California's legislature has sent a package of packaging and recycling bills to Governor Gavin Newsom, including AB 2253, which would require recycled-content claims to be substantiated through documented chain-of-custody accounting rather than purchased credits. Newsom has until 30 September 2026 to sign or veto the bills; AB 2253 would take effect on 1 January 2030 if enacted. Separately, the federal PACK Act, which would pre-empt state recyclability-claim laws, advanced through committee, and an Oregon federal court ruling upholding that state's EPR law is being cited in litigation over California's SB 54.
Why this mattersA recycled-content verification standard, if signed, would force brand owners and resin suppliers to prove claims with certified supply-chain data rather than credits.
- AB 2253 was enrolled on 3 September 2026 and is on Governor Newsom's desk, with a 30 September 2026 deadline to sign or veto
- AB 2253 would require recycled-content claims to be substantiated through named chain-of-custody accounting models with written documentation, effective 1 January 2030
- The bill would bar substantiating claims by buying credits from third parties
- Opponents include Ameripen, the American Beverage Association, the American Chemistry Council, the Glass Packaging Institute and the Plastics Industry Association
- Supporters include the California Product Stewardship Council, Beyond Plastics, Republic Services, PureCycle and the Ecology Center
- The federal PACK Act (HR 6832) would set FTC-enforced national standards for recyclable, compostable and reusable claims, pre-empting state laws including California's
HMRC collected GBP 250m from the UK Plastic Packaging Tax in 2025-26, down 4% from GBP 261m the prior year, as the taxable share of plastic packaging fell to 37% from 41% in 2022-23. The government is evaluating whether the tax has driven the shift toward recycled content or whether other factors are responsible, while separately introducing mass balance accounting and certification rules for chemically recycled plastic from April 2027.
Why this mattersTaxable tonnage keeps falling, though HMRC cautions the data do not prove causation, while mass-balance rules from April 2027 add traceability cost across the plastics chain.
- HMRC collected GBP 250m in PPT receipts in 2025-26, down 4% from GBP 261m in 2024-25
- Taxable plastic packaging volume fell to 1.107m tonnes in 2025-26 from 1.399m tonnes in 2022-23
- Taxable share of plastic packaging manufactured in or imported into the UK fell from 41% in 2022-23 to 37% in 2025-26
- 51% of tonnage reported in 2025-26 met the 30% recycled-content threshold; 11% was exported, intended for export or converted
- 5,142 businesses were registered for PPT as of 13 August 2026
- The PPT rate is GBP 228.82 per tonne from 1 April 2026, and mass balance accounting becomes mandatory for chemically recycled plastic claims from 1 April 2027
The Albanese government has told industry it will not introduce a promised Commonwealth packaging standards scheme in this term of parliament, citing cost-of-living concerns. The reform, agreed with states in 2023, would have set design rules on plastics use and packaging layers and made producers responsible for packaging across its life cycle. Environment minister Murray Watt said the government will instead work with states on harmonising existing packaging and recycling policy.
Why this mattersDelayed extended producer responsibility rules remove near-term regulatory pressure on Australian brand owners and packaging suppliers to redesign for recyclability.
- Packaging accounts for 59.5% of all litter reported in Clean Up Australia's annual litter reports.
- The federal-state packaging reform agreement dates to 2023 under then environment minister Tanya Plibersek.
- The federal environment department told industry via email last week that a new Commonwealth packaging scheme will not be introduced this term of government.
- Proposed rules would have restricted certain chemicals, excessive packaging layers and empty space in packaging.
- The government cited concern that reform costs could be passed on to consumers, for example in grocery prices.
- Industry bodies including the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation and Australian Council of Recycling said the decision leaves recyclers without policy certainty.
Maine's Department of Environmental Protection received zero proposals in its RFP to select a stewardship organization to administer the state's packaging extended producer responsibility law, leaving the program without an operator. Circular Action Alliance, which runs equivalent programs in six other states, declined to bid, citing misalignment with its operating model and data systems. The DEP said on 11 September 2026 it will revise the RFP, with no new implementation timeline set.
Why this mattersProducers selling packaged goods in Maine face continued uncertainty on registration, reporting and fee obligations, and multistate compliance planning stays unsettled.
- Maine's DEP received no proposals for its RFP to administer the state's packaging EPR program.
- Maine enacted the first statewide packaging EPR law in the US in 2021.
- Six other states (California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington) have since enacted packaging EPR laws.
- Circular Action Alliance, the stewardship organization in those six states, did not submit a bid for Maine's program.
- On 11 September 2026 the DEP emailed stakeholders saying it will revise the RFP, with no timeline yet given.
- An Oregon federal court recently rejected a dormant commerce clause challenge to Oregon's EPR law brought by the National Association of Wholesaler Distributors.
Sappi Europe announced a 5-7% price increase across its full range of Woodfree Coated (WFC) papers sold in European markets, effective on all new orders and deliveries from 12 October 2026. The company attributes the move to continued escalation of supply chain costs pressuring paper production economics. Customers will be contacted individually by Sappi's sales organisation to discuss implementation.
Why this mattersA price hike of this scale signals persistent cost pressure in graphic paper and may prompt matching moves by competing WFC producers in Europe.
- Price increase of 5-7% applies across Sappi Europe's full Woodfree Coated (WFC) paper range.
- The increase takes effect on all new orders and deliveries from 12 October 2026.
- Sappi cites continued escalation of supply chain costs as the reason.
- Sappi Europe's sales organisation will contact customers individually on implementation.
Smurfit Westrock published results on 3 September from a study of consumer sorting of bag-in-box packaging (plastic bladder vs cardboard) at recycling sites in four European countries. France recorded the lowest separation rate at 67 percent, against 97 percent in Germany, 93 percent in Belgium and 87 percent in Sweden. The company attributes the French shortfall to collection systems that do not require cardboard-plastic separation, while producer responsibility body Citeo-Adelphe launched a sorting awareness campaign in December 2025.
Why this mattersLow sorting rates in France risk sending recyclable bag-in-box material to incineration, complicating compliance with the EU's 2030 PPWR recyclability requirements.
- Smurfit Westrock unveiled the study results on 3 September
- France's bag-in-box separation rate stands at 67 percent, the lowest of four countries studied
- Germany recorded a 97 percent separation rate, the highest among the countries studied
- Belgium recorded 93 percent separation and Sweden 87 percent
- At the Antwerp, Belgium site, 77 percent of collected bag-in-boxes came from the wine market
- Citeo-Adelphe launched a sorting awareness campaign in France in December 2025
