Smurfit Kappa North America Wins 3 Internat’l Awards for Sustainable Packaging Solutions

Smurfit Kappa North America won three international awards because of its innovative solutions that are sustainable and eco-friendly. 

The company won a RISI Award in the Environmental Leadership category for its waterborne coatings. 

It also obtained two Graphic Design USA (GDUSA) Packaging Design Awards in the Sustainable Packaging category, thanks to its EPS endcaps replacement and in the CBD and Cannabis category for its sustainable solution, both were developed for its customers Rheem and Imperial Seeding in the US. 

The waterborne coatings produced in the Forney, Texas operation have replaced wax on papers and provide watershed properties. They are being used for live plants and frozen or refrigerated goods and by the major beef and pork processors in the US.

These solutions have been tested and are FDA compliant for food contact and confirmed to repulp/recycle better than the materials they replaced

GDUSA Packaging Design Awards recognized the reduction of 610 tons of CO2 emissions with the solution for Rheem, developed to substitute EPS foam with a paper-based solution, which is 100% recyclable and reduces waste to landfills. 

Due to its resistance, the solution is capable of cushioning and absorbing shocks, leading to secure transportation of the products.

In addition, Smurfit Kappa North America won a second GDUSA Packaging Design Award in the CBD and Cannabis category for its sustainable solution for Imperial Seedling.

The solution developed by Smurfit Kappa North America supports two trays, protecting the plants and maintaining the humidity needed to withstand the 3,760-kilometer journey between Calexico, Mexico and New York.

“This package allowed us to save additional costs, and to introduce a new line of production to enlarge our opportunities in the market outside of our usual field that we could not supply before,” said Colte Koen, president of Imperial Seedlings.

“[W]e consider sustainability and innovation as two of our key business pillars. We are committed to supplying solutions that are responsible for the environment and respond to the needs of our customers and their markets in an innovative way,” added Juan G. Castaneda, CEO of Smurfit Kappa The Americas.