The 4evergreen alliance will work to increase the recycling of fibre-based packaging
Image: UPM has joined 4evergreen initiative to boost value chain collaboration. Photo: courtesy of UPM.
UPM has joined the 4evergreen alliance to increase the contribution of fibre-based packaging in a circular and sustainable economy.
The 4evergreen, which is a new initiative undertaken by pan-European association Cepi, was established as a forum to involve and connect industry members from across the fibre-based packaging value chain.
The alliance includes different companies ranging from paper and board producers to packaging converters, brand owners and retailers, technology and material suppliers, waste sorters and collectors.
The 4evergreen alliance will set guidelines for product design to enable circularity and secondary use of fibres
Cepi’s alliance works to increase awareness about innovation in fibre-based packaging materials and recycling, as well as set guidelines for product design to enable circularity and secondary use of fibres.
UPM speciality papers business intelligence and development director Mikko Rissanen said: “We welcome this initiative as it brings together the whole value chain and has the potential to provide strong facts in support of fibre-based packaging.
“We believe that we can speed up the development of improved, sustainable products and recycling solutions when we increase information sharing and collaboration between the packaging value chain members.”
The members of the 4evergreen alliance include Nestlé, Danone, Stora Enso, Metsä Board, Smurfit Kappa, Sappi, Mayr-Melnhof Group, Reno de Medici, Kotkamills, Ahlstrom Munksjö, International Paper, BillerudKorsnäs, Huhtamäki, SEDA, SIG Combibloc, Tetra Pak, Elopak, Walki, Schur Group, Cardbox Packaging and Firstan.
UPM operates six business units, including UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Plywood.
With a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices, UPM Raflatac provides paper and film label stock for consumer product and industrial labelling applications.
Recently, UPM Raflatac has opened a new labelstock slitting and distribution terminal in Chelyabinsk, Russia.
With two meter-wide slitting capabilities, the new facility enables the company to provide an expanded range of sustainable paper, film and specials products to the customers in the Ural region.