Ahead of the Curve

Great Packaging Design Tells a Story

08 Jan 2020 Great Packaging Design Tells a Story

Emerging Asia-Pacific Region Drives Cartonboard Growth

18 Dec 2019 The cartonboard packaging industry had a market value exceeding US$110 billion in 2018 and will experience high growth at the end-user level, approaching US$150 billion in 2024. This growth is driven by growing demand in emerging regions, especially Asia-Pacific. This region is requiring an additional 11 million metric tons of material, worth over US$20 billion at current prices and exchange rates, to meet this demand.

What is E-Media Doing to our Health?

11 Dec 2019 The following article first appeared on the blog page of Two Sides North America, a global initiative by companies from the graphic communications industry (including forestry, pulp, and paper) to promote the sustainability of that industry and dispel common environmental misconceptions.

Finnish Forest Companies and IT Leaders Plant a SEED

04 Dec 2019 Finnish IT and forest companies plan to begin working in close cooperation to position their facilities as a platform for innovation. The following information was first published in November on the blog of VTT, a research and development organization that operates under the mandate of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.

UMaine Earns Three Guinness World Records With 3-D Printer

27 Nov 2019 What might you wish to bring if you were going to be marooned on a deserted island? If you had the space—and a very long extension cord—you may want to stop at the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center and ask to borrow their 3D printer. In October, the UMaine Composites Center was awarded three Guinness World Records: the world’s largest prototype polymer 3D printer, largest solid 3D-printed object, and largest 3D-printed boat.

TAPPI Nano 2019: Focus on New Markets

30 Oct 2019 (Note: This article originally appeared in the September/October issue of Paper360°, and is excerpted here for the benefit of Ahead of the Curve readers who may have missed it. View the entire article at www.paper360.tappi.org.)

Everyone’s Talking About #ForestProductsWeek!

23 Oct 2019 This week (Oct. 20 – 26, 2019) has been officially designated National Forest Products Week with a White House proclamation. It is the 59th anniversary of the first such proclamation, and recognizes the important role that forest products play in the US economy and in our national identity.

Sustainability Push Is Leading To Packaging Materials Transition

16 Oct 2019 Making packaging more sustainable through the use of new and transitioning materials is a significant industry trend, according to new research, which reveals that the force and influence of users and consumers in the market is increasing dramatically. This is driving demand for choice, functionality, quality, and environmental sustainability in packaging. In response to sustainability concerns, industry leaders, brand owners and retailers are making a significant proportion of packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable, as well as increasing the use of recycled content.

Mentoring Millennials: Do You Have What it Takes?

09 Oct 2019 In her 2018 Forbes article titled “The Millennial Workforce Needs Mentors, Not Managers,” Celinne Da Costa writes, “Millennials don’t want (nor will respond to) an archaic management system that dictates rules and constraints—this generation craves mentors that guide and inspire them.”

Safety: A Call to Action

02 Oct 2019 During the recent Pulp & Paper Safety Association (PPSA) meeting in San Antonio, TX, a Call to Action Panel discussed the possibility of what could be seen as a sea change in the safety arena: to stop using the recordable incident rate as the be all and end all of how to judge safety performance.