It would appear that Smurfit Kappa’s profits have declined and they feel it’s necessary to charge more for their products in an attempt to stop the slide – they could be on dodgy ground though – I wonder how many of their converting customers are going to feel able to pass on any of the increases to their own clients. 

Or is this a signal that the market is on the rise – will other manufacturers see what Smurfit is doing and also push for increases – comment by J Bear

Simeon Goldstein, packagingnews.co.uk, 17 September 2009

Corrugated board manufacturer Smurfit Kappa is raising its European recycled-grade containerboard prices for the second time in two months.

via Smurfit Kappa announces further European price hike | packagingnews.co.uk.

Ben Bold, packagingnews.co.uk, 16 September 2009

US packaging group Sonoco is making redundancies and consolidating a number of its businesses in an attempt to cut $20m £12.12m per year in costs.

via Sonoco seeks $20m annual savings with huge restructure | Business | packagingnews.co.uk.

By Simon Pitman, 31st July 2009  www.cosmeticsdesign.com

L’Oreal says that robust sales in emerging markets helped to boost preliminary results for the company in its most recent quarter.

The company reported sales were down 2.1 percent on a like-for-like basis during the second quarter, to reach €4.40bn, a figure that represented an increase of 2.6 per cent on a reported basis.

via L’Oreal results point to sales recovery in Q2.

that after a difficult decision the WINNER of their Sustainability and Cost Optimisation Competition has been chosen.

4fx Healthcare are the lucky company and we are really excited about working with the 4fx team and getting our “teeth into” their sustainability issues.

Thanks to all of you who entered.  The judges said they had a difficult time deciding who would benifit most from the £3000 worth of free consultancy.

Don’t forget, for those of you not lucky enough to win, Design Cognition could still offer help and support, just give use a call to discuss your company’s unique challenges.

By Simon Pitman, 28-Jul-2009    www.cosmeticsdesign.com

Global hair care leader Alberto Culver has announced a big rise in profits on account of significant cost cutting measures.

The company’s net profits for the third quarter beat analysts’ expectations, rising 32 percent to $28m and says that it is standing by full year forecasts, despite a tough second quarter.

via Albert Culver profits increase on cost cutting.

Barcode replacement shown off - By Jonathan Fildes Technology reporter, BBC News

A replacement for the black and white stripes of the traditional barcode has been outlined by US researchers.

Bokodes, as they are known, can hold thousands of times more information than their striped cousins and can be read by a standard mobile phone camera.

To read the full article, just click on the following link http://bit.ly/10P13c

Simeon Goldstein, packagingnews.co.uk, 22 July 2009

Asda has not concluded which suppliers will need to provide information for owner Wal-Mart’s sustainable product index when it is launched in the UK next year.

via Wal-Mart sustainability index to reach UK in 2010 | packagingnews.co.uk.

Josh Brooks, packagingnews.co.uk, 21 July 2009

Cadbury is to sue Amcor for £116m in the latest fall-out from the packaging manufacturers alleged price-fixing pact with rival Visy, according to reports in the Australian press.

via Cadbury to begin £116m lawsuit against Amcor: reports | packagingnews.co.uk.

10-Jul-2009  www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com

Plastic packaging supplier Alpla is opening a $7.2m (€5.2m) facility in North Carolina to produce plastic bottles for shampoo, conditioners and body wash products.

The facility will operate out of a Unilever plant in Raeford, one of the company’s biggest clients, according to press reports.

To read more just click the link http://bit.ly/17K98z

By Rory Harrington, 10-Jul-2009  www.foodproductiondaily.com

Neither the public nor federal regulators in the United States know enough about where bottled water comes from or how it is made safe, the chairman of a congressional oversight committee has said.

To read more just click the link  http://bit.ly/1zYleh