Elopak and Nippon Paper Industries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their partnership and advance collaborative efforts in the field of liquid-paper packaging.
The Japan-based liquid packaging producer Nippon Paper Industries is concentrating efforts in the field of wood-based paper packaging, while Elopak, a global supplier of carton packaging equipment, offers sustainable solutions that provide a natural and cost-effective alternative to plastic bottles. The Memorandum of Understanding, therefore, is in line with Elopak’s ambitions to meet the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions by pursuing a growth strategy focused on investing in innovation; finding new business opportunities in existing and new markets; and driving the conversion from plastic to cardboard.
The two companies have worked closely together for many years. In March 2016, they signed a product licensing agreement allowing Nippon Paper to produce and sell certain Pure-Pak cartons in Japan. When Elopak listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in June 2021, Nippon Paper entered into an agreement to acquire shares equivalent to 5.0% of the share capital.
Under the MoU, a steering committee will be established, tasked with selecting and implementing collaboration topics that leverage the strengths of both companies, while increasing competitiveness and expanding paper packaging sales to accelerate the shift to a low-emission circular economy.
The collaboration between Nippon and Elopak is based on the companies’ shared commitment to sustainability and innovation. Both companies are members of the United Nations Global Compact and incorporate the UN Sustainable Development Goals into their development strategies.
«We look forward to exploring the opportunities that exist for Elopak and Nippon to collaborate further, » comments Elopak CEO Thomas Körmendi. «Building on our strong track record of collaboration, we are excited about the opportunity to leverage our relative strengths and areas of expertise to drive adoption of sustainable packaging solutions».
Commenting on the MoU Nippon noted that «We are very excited about this opportunity to grow our strong relationship with Elopak and look forward to creating collaborative value based on the deep expertise and strength they bring to the packaging solutions market, » concludes Yasuhito Obayashi, Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of the Paper-Pak Sales Division at Nippon Paper Industries.