DS SMITH TURNS CORRUGATED BOARD INTO A BOAT, A ROCK STAGE AND A FESTIVAL SHOW
At Make it! Race it! Recycle it! 2026 in Timișoara, DS Smith showed that corrugated board can be much more than packaging.
Its Cartonica project brought together a corrugated board racing boat, a cardboard rock stage, guitars, drums and even a motorcycle — turning sustainability into something visual, playful and memorable.
The most exciting part: Cartonica did not only look good — it raced and won, receiving several awards at the event.
On corruga.expert, we look at how corrugated board became a material for design, teamwork, public art and inspiration.
Read the story and watch the video:
https://corruga.expert/news/cardboard-rockstars-how-ds-smith-turned-corrugated-board-into-a-boat-a-stage-and-a-festival-show/
#corrugatedboard #DSSmith #corrugaexpert

METSÄ BOARD AT INTERPACK 2026: THE LIGHTEST PIZZA BOX IN THE WORLD?
At interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf, Adam Tkalenko from corruga.expert spoke with Joni Myyryläinen from Metsä Board about a remarkably lightweight pizza box and the future of high-performance paper solutions for food delivery.
Watch the video on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/KgxTruQ6rcc?si=U_9zS_MeJb-nhtkl
#MetsäBoard #interpack #corrugatedboard #corrugaexpert

SAPPI AT INTERPACK 2026: PAPER AS AN ENGINEERING PLATFORM FOR PACKAGING
At interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf, corruga.expert spoke with Aaron Rodriguez from Sappi about how specialty papers, premium liners and paperboard solutions are changing the future of packaging.
From high-barrier papers for food applications to liner solutions for corrugated packaging, Sappi shows how paper can help brands move toward recyclable mono-material structures and more premium shelf impact.
Watch the video on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/YusRBBqeHZE?si=l-e8Yzr37szrCgAE
#Sappi #interpack2026 #paperpackaging #corrugatedboard #corrugaexpert

VPK TAKES FULL CONTROL OF FENCOR: WHAT THE DEAL MEANS FOR UK CORRUGATED BOARD CONSOLIDATION

VPK Group has moved from a 28% minority stake to 100% ownership of Fencor Packaging Group, the owner of Manor Packaging in Cambridgeshire.

The financial contrast is striking: VPK reported €1.8 billion in annual turnover, while Fencor Packaging Group is projected to reach £14.8 million in revenue in 2025.

But this deal is not only about size.

For VPK, Manor Packaging adds a stronger UK platform in corrugated packaging, e-commerce boxes, stockholding, warehousing and delivery reliability.

For the UK corrugated board market, the message is clear: consolidation is moving toward companies that can protect the customer’s supply chain — not only manufacture boxes.

Read the full corruga.expert analysis:

https://corruga.expert/news/vpk-takes-full-control-of-fencor-what-the-deal-means-for-uk-corrugated-board-consolidation/

#VPK #FencorPackaging #ManorPackaging #corrugatedboard #corrugatedpackaging #UKpackaging

WHY IS THE INDIAN CORRUGATED INDUSTRY GROWING SO FAST?
At interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf, corruga.expert spoke with Richabh Agarwal of RIYO PARAPACK about the rapid growth of India’s corrugated packaging industry, new investments, modernization and future opportunities.
Watch the full video on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/k7jZk4Qa8-I?si=ZH1SBSDzp7SPZs6W
#corrugatedboard #corrugatedpackaging #India #interpack2026 #corrugaexpert

EMMEPI GROUP AT ACCCSA 2026: WHY INTERNAL FLOW MATTERS

Emmepi Group will take part in the corrugated board industry exhibition in Guatemala City, focused on automation, efficiency and plant modernization.

At ACCCSA 2026, the company will be represented by Alessandro Bersanetti, President, and Alfio Brandi, Business Development Director.

For many box plants, the key question is no longer only which machine to buy next, but how to move stacks, pallets, sheets and finished products faster, safer and with fewer bottlenecks.

Emmepi Group will be at Stand 92, close to Nova.Latin.America at Stand 73, focusing on internal logistics, palletizing, strapping, wrapping and plant automation.

Read more on corruga.expert:
https://corruga.expert/news/emmepi-group-at-acccsa-2026-intralogistics-and-automation-for-latin-america-s-corrugated-board-plants/

#EmmepiGroup #ACCCSA2026 #corrugatedboard #automation #corrugaexpert

TOP 10 CORRUGATED BOARD AND PAPER-BASED PACKAGING GIANTS BY REVENUE

The global corrugated packaging market is worth roughly $180–220+ billion a year. But which companies have the scale to shape it?

corruga.expert compared the largest corrugated board and paper-based packaging groups by annual revenue, reported currency, revenue scope and key operating signals.

The top three are:

1. Smurfit Westrock — about $31.2bn
2. International Paper — about $23.6bn
3. Oji Holdings — about $12.4bn

The full article includes a detailed table for all Top 10 companies and explains what this means for corrugated board producers in 2026–2027.

Read more:
https://corruga.expert/news/top-10-corrugated-board-and-paper-based-packaging-giants-by-revenue-who-controls-the-global-market/

#corrugatedboard #corrugatedpackaging #containerboard #corrugaexpert

FROM BOX TO BED: WHEN CORRUGATED BOARD BECOMES SOMETHING YOU CAN SLEEP ON
We have already written about corrugated board becoming boats, musical instruments, festival stages, sculptures and furniture.
And now — a bed.
Yona Furniture shows another GoFArt idea: a real bed made from corrugated board that can be bought, carried home, assembled without tools and used every day.
According to the company, the structure can support up to 7,040 lbs — about 3,193 kg.
But the main point is not only strength.
It is the idea itself: flat-pack delivery, easy movement, fast assembly, recycled cardboard and an engineered structure that distributes weight across many support points.
Corrugated board is moving beyond the box — now into the bedroom.
Read the full story and watch the video:
https://corruga.expert/news/from-box-to-bed-when-corrugated-board-becomes-something-you-can-sleep-on/
#corrugatedboard #corrugatedpackaging #GoFArt #cardboardfurniture #paperbasedmaterials #sustainability #packaginginnovation #corrugaexpert

SOUTH AMERICA IS NOT A PERIPHERAL MARKET ANYMORE
At LatamPAPER & LatamCORR 2026 in Buenos Aires, corruga.expert spoke with Mariano Saludjian, General Manager of CAFCCO, about the future of the South American corrugated board industry.
He explains how technology, geopolitics, changing consumption patterns and sustainability are reshaping the region — and why South America is not a passive market, but an important part of global trade.
Read the full interview:
https://corruga.expert/news/south-america-is-not-a-peripheral-market-anymore/
#corrugatedboard #LatamCORR2026 #CAFCCO #corrugaexpert

TRG PACKAGING: FIVE ACQUISITIONS IN ONE YEAR

The Royal Group has rebranded as TRG Packaging and Display Solutions — after a major expansion phase.

The company says it has completed 12 acquisitions over the past 10 years, including five in the past year, and now operates more than 30 locations across the US.

For the corrugated board industry, this is a clear signal: independent groups are building networks, not just buying individual plants.

Full analysis on corruga.expert:
https://corruga.expert/news/trg-packaging-and-display-solutions-five-acquisitions-in-one-year-and-a-new-roll-up-model-for-independent-corrugated-packaging/

#corrugatedboard #corrugatedpackaging #TRG #corrugaexpert

BOBST MASTERFOLD 2026: 20-MINUTE FASTER SETUPS
BOBST has launched a new MASTERFOLD 170 | 230 | 300 platform for corrugated board converting.
The key point: this is not just a new folder-gluer. BOBST is moving folding-gluing into a more digital and automated era — with HMI SPHERE, BOBST Connect, Matic setup, quality control, energy monitoring and data support.
Setup time can be reduced by up to 20 minutes, while automated positioning can add up to 15 minutes of productive uptime on repeat jobs.
For corrugated board producers, this directly addresses daily problems: operator shortages, shorter runs, repeat jobs, quality costs, energy use and future safety requirements.
Read more:
https://corruga.expert/news/bobst-masterfold-2026-20-minute-faster-setups-and-a-new-digital-platform-for-corrugated-folder-gluers/
#BOBST #MASTERFOLD #corrugatedboard #foldergluer #corrugaexpert

PRINT4ALL CONFERENCE 2026 OPENS IN VARESE
Print4All Conference 2026 has opened in Varese, Italy — a strategic step on the road to Print4All 2027.
The event brings together printing, packaging and converting at a time when automation, AI, sustainability and digital workflows are reshaping the industry.
corruga.expert represented Ukraine in the B2B meetings area, together with Expert Form.
One key message from Varese is clear: corrugated board is becoming more connected with the future of printing and converting.
Read more:
https://corruga.expert/news/print4all-conference-2026-opens-in-varese-what-it-means-for-printing-packaging-converting-and-corrugated-board/
#Print4All2026 #corrugatedboard #packaging #converting #Ukraine #corrugaexpert

SMURFIT WESTROCK SHUTS BIRMINGHAM MILL

Smurfit Westrock is closing its SSK paper mill in Birmingham, removing around 200,000 tonnes of fluting and liner capacity from the UK and Irish corrugated packaging supply chain.

The decision matters because Smurfit Westrock is the world’s largest paper-based packaging group — and this closure shows how paper supply, cost pressure and network optimization are reshaping the corrugated board industry.

Read more:
https://corruga.expert/news/smurfit-westrock-shuts-birmingham-mill-what-200-000-tonnes-of-lost-uk-capacity-means-for-corrugated-board-converters/

#SmurfitWestrock #corrugatedboard #containerboard #packaging

GPC PAPIER ET CARTON’S $53M BET
GPC Papier et Carton is investing approximately $53 million (MAD 500 million) to modernize its Mohammedia site and increase corrugated packaging capacity from around 90,000 to 160,000 tonnes by 2030.
But this is not just about more boxes.
The company is adding two Koenig & Bauer Celmacch Chroma machines, moving toward Africa’s first Kento Hybrid system, using green financing and has been linked to possible IPO visibility.
For corrugated board producers, the key question is bigger than one plant:
Is Morocco entering a new phase as a regional base for higher-value corrugated packaging?
Read the full corruga.expert analysis:
https://corruga.expert/news/gpc-papier-et-carton-s-53m-bet-why-morocco-s-corrugated-market-is-entering-a-new-phase/
#GPCPapierEtCarton #corrugatedpackaging #corrugatedboard #Morocco #corrugaexpert

CORRUGATED BOARD IN EUROPE’S FLEXO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
FTA Europe has named 34 finalists for the Diamond Awards 2026 — and corrugated packaging is clearly part of the European premium flexo conversation.
Among the important names for corrugated board producers: DS Smith, Saica Group and Smurfit Westrock.
The signal is simple: competition is moving beyond price, logistics and board strength. Print quality, colour control, pre-print, post-print and brand value are becoming more important for higher-value corrugated packaging.
Read the full corruga.expert analysis:
https://corruga.expert/news/corrugated-board-in-europe-s-flexo-champions-league-why-the-fta-europe-diamond-awards-2026-finalists-matter/
#corrugatedboard #corrugatedpackaging #flexoprinting #corrugaexpert

BOBST AT CORRUGATED 2026: WHY THE NEXT BATTLE IS NOT SPEED, BUT SMARTER PLANTS
A faster machine will not save a corrugated box plant if the factory does not understand where it loses time.
At Corrugated 2026 @ FESPA in Barcelona, BOBST delivered three presentations focused on e-commerce pressure, robotics and digitalization.
The key message: the next advantage in corrugated packaging will not come only from speed, but from smarter plants — with better capacity use, fewer manual bottlenecks, stronger data visibility and more connected production flow.
The real question for converters is simple:
Where does the factory lose money every day?
Setup time?
Manual handling?
Palletising?
Quality control?
Lack of real-time data?
Read the full article:
https://corruga.expert/news/bobst-at-corrugated-2026-why-the-next-battle-is-not-speed-but-smarter-plants/
#corrugatedboard #corrugatedpackaging #BOBST #Corrugated2026 #FESPA

CORRUGATED PACKAGING SCORES AT THE WORLD CUP

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is happening now — and football is not only on the pitch.

Smurfit Westrock and Coca-Cola China have developed a special packaging range for the World Cup campaign, including octagonal gift packs, a basket-style pack and an e-commerce solution.

The most interesting part is not just the design.

It shows how corrugated, carton and other paper-based packaging structures can move beyond protection — and become part of retail visibility, gifting, unboxing and the football emotion.

During the World Cup, everyone watches the ball.

But on the shelf, packaging is playing too.

Read more:
https://corruga.expert/news/corrugated-packaging-scores-at-the-world-cup-how-smurfit-westrock-and-coca-cola-china-turned-paper-based-packs-into-football-emotion/

#corrugatedpackaging #SmurfitWestrock #CocaCola #WorldCup2026

WHY CORRUGATED EXPERIENCE COULD BECOME EUROPE’S NEXT MAJOR CORRUGATED HUB

Corrugated Experience could become an important new meeting point for the European and Mediterranean corrugated industry.

At the Print4All Conference in Varese, Enrico Barboglio, General Manager of ACIMGA, shared the story behind the creation of the project and its successful debut at the previous Print4All edition at Fiera Milano SpA.

The idea is to bring together Italy’s strengths in corrugated packaging, converting, printing, digital technologies, machinery, automation and software.

With the next Print4All planned for 25–28 May 2027 at Fiera Milano, Corrugated Experience now has a clear window to grow.

Read the full article on corruga.expert:
https://corruga.expert/news/why-corrugated-experience-could-become-europe-s-next-major-corrugated-hub/

#CorrugatedExperience #Print4All #corrugatedpackaging #corrugatedboard