Displaying items by tag: packaging

Sonoco one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today announced that its 2009 Annual Report to Shareholders is now available on the Company's Web site at www.sonoco.com, in the "Investor Relations" section. The annual report entitled, "Lean, Fit and Ready to Grow," reviews Sonoco's financial performance in 2009 while highlighting how Sonoco has leaned its cost structure, further reduced debt to create one of the fittest balance sheets in the Company's history and continued to focus on growth.

"Clearly, 2009 was one of the most difficult, and yet one of the most rewarding years for Sonoco. The continuation of the deepest global recession in decades significantly impacted volumes Companywide, particularly in our businesses which serve industrial markets," Harris E. DeLoach, Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer, wrote in his letter to shareholders in the 2009 Annual Report.

"In response we moved quickly to lean our business by sizing our manufacturing footprint to meet the new market realities of our served markets. In addition, we realigned our businesses and streamlined our management organization. By proactively 'managing the guts' of our business, we significantly reduced costs, achieved record productivity and improved annual gross profit margins to the highest level since 2007."

Throughout the 2009 Annual Report, case studies are outlined that illustrate Sonoco's strategy and successes during the year, including: the "game changing" Flavor Lock Lid and new composite paperboard can that Sonoco produces for Kraft Foods' Maxwell House coffee; Sonoco's successful packaging services and growth in Wroclaw, Poland; and Sonoco Recycling, Inc.'s growth in residential recycling in the Southeast United States.

Sonoco has mailed the 2009 annual report and proxy statement to its shareholders in preparation for its annual meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Center Theater, 212 North Fifth Street, Hartsville beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. For those unable to attend the meeting in person, a live webcast can be accessed via the Internet at http://www.sonoco.com/, under the "Latest News" section. Those planning to participate should plan to connect to the live webcast at least 10 minutes prior to the start. The meeting webcast also will be archived on the "Investor Relations" section of Sonoco's Web site.

SOURCE: Sonoco

Sonoco
Roger Schrum, 843-339-6018
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B&B announces price increase for label- and flexible packaging papers up to 8% with validity from 1.4.2010

Considerable cost increases for raw material and strong order income for label – and flexible packaging papers, make it necessary to adapt the paper prices immediately.

B&B is a leading supplier for label- and flexible packaging papers with sites in Austria, Brigl & Bergmeister and in Slovenia, Papirnica Vevce.

Despite of a comprehensive cost saving program to improve the competitiveness sustainably, a price increase will be necessary as early as possible.

This will also ensure that the quality and service standards of B&B will remain on the highest level.

For all deliveries from 1.4.201 onward, 8% price increase will be applied.

For further information contact:

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RockTenn announces today a $60 per ton price increase on all grades of Containerboard. The price increase is effective for April, 2010 orders.

RockTenn (NYSE:RKT) is one of North America's leading manufacturers of paperboard, containerboard and consumer and corrugated packaging, with annual net sales of approximately $2.8 billion. RockTenn's 10,000 employees are committed to exceeding their customers' expectations - every time. The Company operates locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Chilé and Argentina. For more information, visit www.rocktenn.com.

SOURCE: RockTenn

RockTenn
John Stakel, 678-291-7900
VP-Treasurer

DS Smith Plc, the international packaging manufacturer and office products wholesaler, today publishes its Interim Management Statement, in respect of the period since 1 November 2009.

DS Smith Group
As discussed in our previous statements, the Group's results have been underpinned by the actions taken to cut costs, raise productivity and generate cash. In the third quarter of financial year 2009/10, trading has been ahead of management's expectations at the time of the Group's interim results announcement in December 2009. Primarily this reflects better
sales than previously anticipated, across both Packaging and Office Products Wholesaling. There has been no significant change to the financial position of the Group since the publication of the results for the six months to 31 October 2009. Cash flow generation remains strong.

Packaging
As reported in our December 2009 statement, demand for corrugated packaging in the European market continues to recover, although it is still below the level at this time in 2007. Our corrugated case material (CCM) price increases of September and October 2009 were implemented as expected and we are continuing the programme of increasing box prices. Combined, these actions are progressively allowing us to recover the significantly higher input costs incurred in the second half of the last calendar year. The cost of our key raw material, waste paper has continued to move up and we have advised our customers of a further increase in CCM prices.

Plastic Packaging has continued to display the recovery in profits noted in the first half; benefiting from restructuring, cost cutting and sales into new markets.

Office Products Wholesaling
As previously advised demand for office products across our markets is substantially affected by the slowdown in the European economy. Against this background, Spicer's sales performance continues to be good. The actions taken in the UK business are improving its performance and this is starting to come through in the results. Outside of the UK the
combined profits are in line with last year.

Outlook
We continue to be faced by both the uncertainty surrounding the strength of the economic recovery and the need to recover rising input costs. Nevertheless, business performance remains encouraging and management is confident of meeting its expectations for the year to April 2010.

To Download the offical release: click here....>

CEO Perspectives in the Forest, paper & packaging industry worldwide - 2010 Edition

PricewaterhouseCoopers recently conducted its third series of in-depth interviews with CEOs in the Forest, Paper and Packaging (FPP) industry. We interviewed 33 executives from leading companies around the world. The objective, as with the first two sets of interviews in 2006 and 2007, was to learn more about executives' opinions of the state of the industry, the key issues it faces and its future direction.

Our last edition of CEO Perspectives grappled with major changes in the world in which the FPP industry operates. The years 2008 and 2009 saw global credit markets, and then the world economy, go into freefall. The crisis exacerbated existing declines in some markets and precipitated steep drops in demand in many others, particularly in mature markets.

It has also highlighted the split between mature and emerging markets; China and India experienced much shorter and less severe shocks than did Western Europe and North America. So far, the FPP industry has seen relatively few business failures, even in struggling markets – but very few companies can point to real successes either. So how will the industry reshape itself to meet future challenges? Our study takes a look at the types of transformation needed in the industry, and elaborates on four key trends in the following discussion.

To read the full article hit the banner.

Rottneros Packaging AB, a wholly-owned subsidiary in the Rottneros Group, develops, manufactures and sells food packaging based on cellulose fibre under the SilviPak brand.

Rottneros has concluded an agreement with the Swiss packaging company SIG Combibloc concerning the assignment of intangible assets, mainly in the form of patents and patent applications.

Rottneros Packaging's business operation with food trays under the SilviPak brand is not covered by this agreement. This transaction will have a minor impact on Rottneros' income statement, but will improve the Group's cash flow. The parties have agreed to keep the financial details related to the agreement confidential.

For further information, please contact:
Ole Terland, President and CEO, +46 8 590 010 00

NB
This information is such that Rottneros must disclose in accordance with the Swedish Securities Markets Act and/or the Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication on Friday 19 February at 10.00 CET.

You can read the press release incl attachments here.