Gov. Andy Beshear congratulated Morris Packaging, a leading Minority Business Enterprise-certified manufacturer of flexible products, on plans to build a new $60.9 million production plant in Marion County, a project that will create 276 full-time jobs. “I’d like to welcome Morris Packaging to Marion County and to their New Kentucky Home, as well as the 276 quality jobs the company will create with this investment,” said Gov. Beshear. “This is the latest company to recognize the value of locating in Kentucky and the many strengths our state offers to ensure businesses thrives. Morris Packaging will be a great addition to our sustainability efforts and to our manufacturing sector, which continues to diversify and grow.” The more-than-100,000-square-foot facility in Lebanon will provide Morris Packaging with increased printing and bag converting capacity and provide a redundancy option to its customers across the United States. As a leader in sustainable packaging products, this state-of-the-art production plant will be Safe Quality Food-certified and allow the company room to grow in the future. Construction on the new facility in Lebanon is expected to be completed by October.

The Biodegradable Products Institute is ramping up its push for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to publish an interim final rule on compost that could improve clarity on acceptable compost inputs across the United States. The member organization recently sent a letter to the agency urging it to act related to an August 2023 petition from BPI. USDA did not act directly on that petition, which requested a revised regulatory definition of “compost feedstock.” BPI’s February letter garnered dozens of supportive signatories. The list included associations such as Ameripen, the EPR Leadership Forum, the Foodservice Packaging Institute and the Consumer Brands Association. Producers in support included Georgia-Pacific, InnoPak, CJ Biomaterials, Atlantic Packaging and NatureWorks. Composters and haulers that signed on included Black Earth Compost, Veteran Compost, Garbage to Garden and Earth Matter.

Smurfit Westrock, a global leader in sustainable paper-based packaging, today announced plans to invest approximately €600 million across its operations in France, reinforcing its long-term commitment to French manufacturing, innovation, and sustainability ahead of the Choose France initiative. Smurfit Westrock’s investment will take place over the next three to five years and will support the modernisation and decarbonisation of its operations; enhancing manufacturing efficiency, customer innovation, and sustainable packaging capabilities. Established in France for over 40 years, Smurfit Westrock employs approximately 6,000 people at 50 sites across the country, underscoring France’s strategic importance to the Company’s European operations and its attractiveness as a destination for industrial investment.