The packaging industry is constantly, and rapidly, changing to meet the needs of
manufacturers, retailers and consumers in an increasingly global, competitive and
technological world marketplace. In these changing times, the corrugated packaging
industry faces unprecedented competition from alternate materials.
Corrugated Packaging Alliance
The Corrugated Packaging Alliance (CPA), co-sponsored by the
FBA and AF&PA, recently completed a four-year initiative with special funding
to combat competitive material threats to corrugated's dominant share of the fresh-produce
packaging market. The CPA succeeded in saving nearly 500,000 tons of corrugated
production through its work with major grocery retailers, preventing and limiting
their adoption of RPCs in place of corrugated. While its initial four-year charter
and funding have concluded, the CPA continues to meet on an as-needed basis and
monitors competitive material threats and opportunities that might require future
action.
Achievements:
- The Corrugated Common Footprint for produce was created to help
combat market loss to returnable plastic containers (RPCs).
- The Case Ready Meat System was created to meet packaging needs
for case-ready meat, preventing further market loss for corrugated.
- Cost analysis case scenarios were researched and reported upon,
documenting supply-chain savings in using corrugated packaging vs. RPCs.
- A new recyclability protocol was developed to help increase corrugated
recycling and promote use of new, recyclable wax alternatives.