Three Australian companies, and one from New Zealand, have picked up nods in the prestigious WorldStar Packaging Awards.

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has warned more investment is needed in the manufacturing sector, with capital expenditure slumping by more than 10 per cent over the past decade.

Orora has bought Texas-based Pollock Packaging, spending US$80.5m ($110m) on the deal. CEO & MD Nigel Garrard says, "With Pollock on board we have $500m worth of business in Texas, and a platform to grow in North America."

Grant Harrod will step down as CEO of Pro-Pac Packaging after just a year and a half in the top job, and John Cerini, formerly of Integrated Packaging Group, is also quitting as a full-time executive.

UK-based packaging development-to-manufacture company Sirane is expanding into Australia, and will have a stand at AUSPACK 2019 in March.

Packaging solutions manufacturer tna today opened its new 80,000 sq ft manufacturing centre in Boronia, Vic, with company founder Alf Taylor telling PKN that the business is aiming to achieve sales of more than $1bn in five years time.

'Smart. Connected. Sustainable.' is the theme of a new business and industry conference taking place alongside the AUSPACK exhibition, in Melbourne in March next year.

Kodak has sold its flexographic packaging division to a private equity firm for up to an estimated $390 million USD ($540 million AUD).

The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) has continued its long-standing partnership with Foodbank by packing 38,256 meals for Victorians experiencing food insecurity.

Visy will open a new corrugated cardboard plant in Truganina, Victoria, as part of its push to create new manufacturing jobs.

Sustainable packaging producer BioPak is partnering with Swedish company Duni to expand its environmentally-friendly product range across the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.

Hailed as its biggest show to date, Pack Expo International this week in Chicago drew over 50,000 packaging professionals to view the wares of over 2500 exhibitors. PKN was there walking the aisles, spotting trends and meeting friends.

Jet Technologies and Screen drew a good crowd of industry professionals for the Sydney leg of a three-part series presenting the latest in labelling and narrow web printing.

Amcor managing director and CEO Ron Delia has highlighted sustainability and the Bemis takeover as positives for the company in an upbeat speech at this morning’s annual general meeting.

David Yaffa, proprietor of Yaffa Media, publisher of PKN, has died aged 84. A staunchly independent and passionate publisher, he built an empire of more than 30 business and consumer magazines and websites, becoming a significant force in Australian media.

Read about Bannister Downs' award-winning dairy design that stars Ecolean packaging and equipment, CCA's new closure line, and Lion's investment in agility with a solution from Foodmach... and much more.