BillerudKorsnäs, a Swedish manufacturer of packaging materials, has opened a regional facility in the Chicago area. Combined with its offices in Portland, Oregon, and Miami, Florida, the new location represents a significant expansion of customer service, support and supply capabilities in the North American market, the company says. The move comes as BillerudKorsnäs looks to grow its business in the U.S. and Canada.
With net sales of more than $2.5 billion, BillerudKorsnäs provides paper, fluting, liners, paperboard materials and technologies to brand owners and converters. The company also offers BillerudKorsnäs Managed Packaging, a service that “unlocks supply chain opportunities and reduces operational costs” for global brands shipping from Southeast Asia. Additionally, the company says its Corrugated Solutions supplies lightweight and strong materials, including flutings and liners, to help brand owners package fragile goods requiring protection within demanding distribution systems.
BillerudKorsnäs recently was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index’s Containers and Packaging category as among the 10 percent most sustainable companies in the world. BillerudKorsnäs says it improves packaging performance and enhances sustainability efforts for North American brands by sourcing raw materials from responsibly managed forests. The company is making significant investments in its production capabilities, including $622 million to construct a new board machine at its Gruvön, Sweden, production site and rebuilds in its existing pulp mill. These investments enable expanded production of liquid packaging board, coated and uncoated white kraft liners and cartonboard products to satisfy growing global demand, including in North America.
To help support brands and converters in North America, BillerudKorsnäs has expanded its staff with industry professionals. Supporting sales and providing customer service are the following individuals:
- Inger Heinke, business development director, Cartonboard, has been leading product and market development initiatives in the forest products industry for more than 25 years, focusing on sustainable products and sustainable sourcing strategies.
- Sherrie Scales, customer service specialist, Cartonboard, has more than 10 years of customer care experience and is based in the Chicago office. She manages inquiries and is responsible for providing customer care and support.
- Jeff Espin, sales manager, Cartonboard, has a printing and packaging industry background that spans more than 25 years. His positions have included sales management, operations management and technical services. He will be managing sales to folding box and printer customers.
- Brian Jermyn, business development manager, Cartonboard, has more than 20 years of business development experience working with high-end packaging companies marketing to luxury brands in the cosmetics, liquor, specialty foods and electronics industries. Based in New York, Brian will be working with brands to achieve “new possibilities” in packaging design and facilitating sustainable strategies.
- Scott Carlson, international account executive, has more than 17 years of packaging industry experience, providing custom solutions to the industrial, food and beverage and automotive segments. Based in Chicago, Scott helps global brands reduce total supply chain costs through BillerudKorsnäs Managed Packaging.
- Mark Maxwell, international account executive with BillerudKorsnäs Managed Packaging, has more than 20 years of global packaging experience in the consumer goods, industrial and automotive segments. Based in Detroit, Mark works with brands to develop sustainable packaging solutions from Asia.
- Peter Malmqvist, marketing director for the Americas, recently relocated to the U.S. and will be managing marketing efforts from the Chicago office. Previously, Malmqvist served as marketing director with BillerudKorsnäs in Sweden.
“Opening a new facility in Chicago reflects the long-term strategy of BillerudKorsnäs to grow market share in North America by helping brand owners implement sustainable and innovative packaging solutions and to realize supply chain efficiencies. It also enhances our ability to supply high-quality products to our customers. Additionally, we are bringing new talent with years of experience in the paper and converting industries who will be dedicated to meeting and exceeding customer needs,” said Malmqvist.
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