NORWAY – Leading global supplier of carton packaging and filling equipment Elopak is partnering with Japan based Nippon Paper Industries to advance collaborative efforts in the field of liquid-paper packaging.
Nippon Paper Industries is the largest liquid packaging player in Japan with expertise in paper packaging born from wood, a renewable resource.
Elopak, on the other hand, offers sustainable packaging solutions that provide a natural and convenient alternative to plastic bottles.
According to a statement from both companies, the new collaboration will be looking at how potential business can be jointly developed and organised given their respective expertise, assets, and networks.
Collaboration between Nippon and Elopak is built on the companies’ shared commitment to sustainability and innovation.
Both companies are members of the United Nations Global Compact and incorporate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their development strategies.
They also have a shared dedication to sustainable forest management and improved recycling of their paper products.
The two companies have worked closely together for many years and in 2016 they signed a product licensing agreement that allows Nippon Paper to manufacture and sell certain Pure-Pak® cartons in Japan.
When Elopak listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in June 2021, Nippon Paper entered into a cornerstone agreement to acquire shares equivalent to 5.0% of the share capital.
Commenting on the MoU Elopak CEO Thomas Körmendi stated, “We are delighted to be exploring the opportunities that exist for Elopak and Nippon to collaborate further.
Building on our strong track record of working together to deliver for customers, we are excited by the opportunity to leverage our relative strengths and areas of expertise to drive the adoption of sustainable packaging solutions.”
Under the new MoU, a Steering Committee will be established and tasked with selecting and implementing collaborative themes that leverage the strengths of both companies.
It will also focus on increasing competitiveness and expanding sales of paper packaging to accelerate the move toward a low carbon circular economy.
Earlier, Elopak acquired Naturepak Beverage Packaging Co Ltd, a global top fresh-liquid carton and packaging systems supplier in the MENA region.
Nature park Beverage, which provides fresh liquid carton and packaging systems in the MENA region with local production facilities in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, has now been integrated into Elopak’s global production network.
Elopak said the acquisition will reinforce its position in the region and is an important milestone in management’s ambitions to target 2-3% organic revenue growth, deliver inorganic opportunities, and grow its global footprint by entering new geographies.
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