The Latest
-
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Bottle bill talks gain momentum amid America First buzz, EPR
Eager to capture more high-quality material to incorporate into new packaging domestically, leaders from the competing plastic, glass and metal sectors are looking to jointly build on momentum from 2025’s legislative sessions.
-
Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images
Tracking packaging mergers and acquisitions in 2025
Novvia Group acquired assets of Aaron Packaging, CD&R agreed to acquire Sealed Air, and Welch Packaging acquired Abcor Packaging. Plus, catch up on deals from PaperWorks, Supply One and others.
Updated Nov. 21, 2025 -
Katie Pyzyk/Packaging Dive
Private label growth unwraps opportunities for packaging manufacturers
Store brands are outpacing name brands’ growth, according to speakers at a Private Label Manufacturers Association trade show. Those products and shelf-ready packaging are “essential to our model,” said Lidl US CEO Joel Rampoldt.
-
Courtesy of Coca-Cola
How much further can source reduction in packaging go?
U.S. packaging volumes reportedly fell by about 5 million metric tons between 2019 and 2024, despite population growth and an e-commerce boom. Future progress will require trade-offs, brand owners and packaging converters say.
-
Courtesy of ExxonMobil
US Plastics Pact weighs pluses and minuses of chemical recycling
The group’s new position paper tackles a polarizing issue. “Too often, these technologies are talked about in extremes — either as a silver bullet or as something to be dismissed outright,” said CEO Jonathan Quinn.
-
Permission granted by Penn State University
Verallia, Penn State envision low-carbon future for glass
In addition to being lower carbon than conventional soda lime silicate glass, the LionGlass material invented at Penn State is more resistant to cracks. The early-stage partnership with Verallia could result in a prototype in about a year.
-
Jessica Loder/Packaging Dive
Convenience store food popularity spurs packaging adaptations
As some consumers frequent this channel over fast-food restaurants and replace meals with snacks, TC Transcontinental sees how food packaging can help build trust, emphasize freshness and offer new on-the-go formats.
-
Getty Images
EPR for packaging laws: Dates to know
This fall, Oregon opened its first producer-funded drop-off sites for hard-to-recycle items, and EPR discussions were front and center at numerous industry conferences.
Updated Nov. 18, 2025 -
Courtesy of Orbis
Orbis, Peli BioThermal, Averra expanding US packaging manufacturing
Amcor, Gaia Biomaterials, Saica, SmartSolve and Wyda are also adding to their American footprints.
-
Courtesy of ExxonMobil
Sealed Air agrees to sell to private equity firm for $6.2B
The deal would lead to the food and protective packaging company delisting from the New York Stock Exchange in mid-2026. But first, it allows Sealed Air 30 days to solicit other offers before moving ahead with the transaction.
-
Courtesy of International Paper/Cision
International Paper to close facilities in California, Kentucky
More than 200 employees will be affected by the closures. This brings the tally of workers affected by IP’s streamlining to more than 4,500 since October 2024.
-
Retrieved from Sealed Air on November 14, 2025
Food and beverage trends loom large over packaging earnings
Beef industry struggles specifically came up during packaging, food and beverage companies’ recent earnings calls, as did consumer trade downs and federal changes related to immigration and food assistance benefits.
-
Getty Images
WM now accepting polypropylene and paper cups curbside
The recycler says recent automation upgrades and changes to bale specifications helped spur the change, along with market demand for the materials. WM is asking customers to also add the materials to their lists.
-
Getty Images
How packaging producers and CPGs stacked up in EMF’s 2025 progress report
As the Ellen MacArthur Foundation engages businesses on an updated 2030 agenda, these are some of the 2024 data highlights from the businesses involved in the “first chapter” since the Global Commitment’s 2018 launch.
-
Getty Images
Deep DiveIndustrial M&A ramps up as tariffs settle in, interest rates drop and funds are flush
Private equity and strategic buyers are increasingly competitive acquirers in numerous areas of manufacturing. Deal experts predict much more activity as the market heats up into 2026.
-
Getty Images
Aluminum beverage can recycling rate hit 75% globally: report
The update at COP30 comes two years after the industry pledged to recycle at least 80% of these containers worldwide by 2030 and nearly all by 2050. The picture is weaker in the U.S. and North America.
-
Courtesy of Amcor
Amcor to ramp up North American flexibles production
The company called the protein packaging capacity expansion, which will involve installing new equipment through the first half of 2026, one of its largest investments to date.
Updated Nov. 12, 2025 -
Courtesy of International Paper/Cision
International Paper to close 5 sites, affecting 500 employees
In recent months, IP executives have referenced the importance of “rightsizing Europe” following the January acquisition of London-based DS Smith. The integration hasn’t fully gone according to expectations.
-
Permission granted by Ball Corporation
Ball announces sudden CEO transition
The Colorado-based aluminum cans maker announced a new CEO on Monday. The company also recently elected a new board chair and formalized its pick for CFO.
-
Courtesy of Smurfit WestRock
Smurfit Westrock to close Atlanta plant, affecting 55 workers
The closure is slated for completion early in 2026 as part of the company’s ongoing optimization efforts.
-
Permission granted by Sonoco
Sonoco outlines another restructuring, names leaders
The new business structure will be divided into market regions rather than substrates. A series of M&A deals and executive shifts had put the company in flux since restructuring its core businesses less than two years ago.
-
Courtesy of O-I Glass
O-I Glass nears end of network cuts
The manufacturer has closed 8% of its capacity, on the way to a target of 13%. With beer and wine sales declining, O-I is eyeing a more sustainable future in non-alcoholic beverages and food.
-
Permission granted by Smurfit Westrock
Packaging innovations: Smurfit Westrock’s BIB isn’t hard to handle, Mannol’s caps cut counterfeits
Plus, Reusables.com gets a patent for technology that tracks reusable containers while keeping consumers’ sensitive payment information private.
-
Getty Images
Greif ups cost savings projection despite ‘bumpy’ fiscal 2025
Greif is accelerating the optimization plan launched in fiscal 2025 for a potential total savings of $120 million. The company eliminated roughly 8% of professional roles in fiscal Q4, executives said on Thursday’s earnings call.
-
Courtesy of Amcor
Amcor trims portfolio as Berry integration progresses
In discussing their first fully combined quarter integrating Berry Global, execs detailed recent sales of two businesses and next steps with the North American beverage business, including a possible joint venture or partnerships.
