Welch’s, an iconic leader in the fruit-based food and beverage industry in the US, celebrated the official opening of its new corporate headquarters at Reservoir Place, owned by BXP, in Waltham, Massachusetts. The move marks a pivotal moment in the company’s 150-year history, reinforcing an enduring commitment to quality and innovation while investing in strategic growth to support the next chapter of the company’s continued evolution.
“The official opening of our new headquarters marks an exciting milestone in our Welch’s journey,” said Trevor Bynum, President and Chief Executive Officer of Welch’s and National Grape Cooperative. “As we enter our next phase of growth, this new space in the dynamic business community of Waltham provides the ideal environment for our teams to thrive and reach our ambitious goals.”
A grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on June 17 to celebrate the occasion, featuring inspiring remarks from Bynum, Waltham Mayor Jeanette McCarthy, as well as a number of other notable local officials including City Councilors Bill Hanley, Kathleen McMenimen, Sean Durkee, and Councilor at Large Carlos Vidal. Guests also enjoyed a spread of the latest innovations across Welch’s Sparkling and new ZERO beverage lines, plus refreshments from local favourites Muddy Water Coffee Food Truck and Kane’s Donuts.
“We’re proud to welcome Welch’s to Reservoir Place and to the BXP community,” said Patrick Mulvihill, Senior Vice President of Leasing for BXP’s Boston region. “It’s exciting to see such a historic yet forward-looking brand bring its next chapter to life here in Waltham, and we look forward to Welch’s continued success in our thriving business district.”
Located at 1601 Trapelo Road, the 60,000 square-foot facility was designed in partnership with SGA, and project managed by A/E/C solutions, featuring new and modern lab space, open collaboration spaces, and modern amenities while offering strategic visibility and accessibility off I-95. The move to Waltham reflects Welch’s commitment to providing a dynamic environment that supports current employees, attracts top talent, and creates new opportunities for the company and its workforce. More than a change of address, the new headquarters enhances operational efficiency and brings Welch’s vibrant brand identity to life.
Welch’s is thrilled to welcome its 200 corporate employees into the new space that will power the next chapter of the company’s historic legacy.
PulPac licensee, Stora Enso, announces the opening of a groundbreaking Dry Molded Fiber Production Unit in Skene, Sweden. The facility is the largest and most advanced of its kind, marking a significant milestone in sustainable packaging technology. Production is set to begin in Q4 2024 after successful large-scale testing.
Stora Enso’s Skene Production Unit utilises PulPac’s innovative Dry Molded Fiber process to produce high-performance formed fiber products, such as cup lids, designed to replace traditional plastics in food and beverage packaging. Unlike conventional wet forming, the dry process reduces water and energy consumption significantly, thus offering an even more sustainable manufacturing method for fiber-based packaging. Additionally, any excess material is recaptured and reused, ensuring a circular process with minimal waste.
At the heart of this innovation is the advanced technology developed by PulPac, the leading company in the field. Their Dry Molded Fiber technology provides efficient production at high speeds, enabling Stora Enso to meet growing market demand for fully renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable fiber-based packaging solutions.
The products produced with Dry Molded Fiber offer a significantly lower CO2 footprint compared to single-use plastics. The dry forming process offers also flexibility in barrier additives for customised functionality as well as an excellent surface finish with the option to advanced decoration possibilities.
Sustainability is at the core of Stora Enso’s operations. Implementing Dry Molded Fiber is an example how they continue to lead the transition to circular, low-carbon solutions in the packaging industry, making a lasting impact on both the environment and the communities it serves.
EUR 10 million center will speed up new packaging and product developments
SIG is celebrating the official opening of its EUR 10 million Packaging Development Center Europe, located at the site of the company’s packaging plants in Linnich, Germany. The center will accelerate new and most sustainable packaging developments and offer SIG customers added value.
The new center features state-of-the-art extrusion and finishing technology, coupled with advanced quality measurement systems and testing equipment. It will significantly increase packaging processability in serial production, system validation and capacity for future digital technologies.
As demand for more sustainable packaging options increases, the new Packaging Development Center Europe will speed up the development of innovative packaging formats and materials to further expand SIG’s leading position in sustainable packaging solutions. It is built according to the latest and most effective energy standards.
SIG is celebrating the official opening of its €10 million Packaging Development Center, located at the site of the company’s packaging plants in Linnich, Germany. The center will accelerate new and most sustainable packaging developments and offer SIG customers added value.
The new center features state-of-the-art extrusion and finishing technology, coupled with advanced quality measurement systems and testing equipment. It will significantly increase packaging processability in serial production, system validation and capacity for future digital technologies.
As demand for more sustainable packaging options increases, the new Packaging Development Center will speed up the development of innovative packaging formats and materials to further expand SIG’s leading position in sustainable packaging solutions. It is built according to the latest and most effective energy standards.
Sidel has expanded its presence in Africa with the opening of a new office in Nairobi, Kenya. The move increases its support for its customers in East Africa, a key market for Sidel and one of the continent’s fastest-growing regions.
Sidel has been serving the African market for many years. Building on this, the new East Africa office will enable it to drive development in the region by working more closely with customers to provide them with dedicated engineering capability and on-the-ground customer service.
“East Africa continues to show impressive market growth in Sidel’s core business areas of beverages, food, home and personal care packaging,” says Vishal Gupta, Managing Director for Sidel Services East Africa. “This is more than an office, it’s a symbol of our commitment to the African market, to our customers and to developing the skilled local engineering and operational talent pool.“
The East Africa region is made up of 15 countries, from Eritrea in the north to the island of Mauritius. Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia have some of the highest levels of GDP and disposable income growth on the continent, indicating significant potential for years to come.
The new Sidel office, which was officially opened on 28th July, is located in the heart of Nairobi’s central business district alongside sister company TetraPak as well as the African head offices of other international companies.
Africa is home to the world’s youngest and fastest-urbanising population and has the potential to become one of the major sources of global growth. At more than one billion, sub-Saharan Africa’s population is currently growing at around 2.7 % a year – more than twice as fast as South Asia and Latin America.
‘Hive’ will address major global food system challenges
Unilever has invested €85m in the new center, named ‘Hive’ for its location amidst leading academic research centres, start-ups and external partners. From Hive, Unilever will lead its global Foods innovation programs for brands like Knorr, Hellmann’s, The Vegetarian Butcher and Calvė. Areas of research will include: plant-based ingredients and meat alternatives, efficient crops, sustainable food packaging and nutritious foods.
Together with its partners, Unilever aims to transform the food industry into a healthy and sustainable system, driving innovations that are healthier for people and for the planet.
Alan Jope, Unilever CEO, said: “We need a fundamental transformation of the food system if we are to feed more than 9 billion people sustainably and nutritiously. Malnutrition, obesity, climate change and food waste are issues that can only be addressed if we work in partnership to accelerate technology and innovation. Having a global research and development centre in Wageningen will enable us to do exactly this.”
The Wageningen area in the Netherlands is often nicknamed “Food Valley” – a nod to Silicon Valley – in recognition of the breakthroughs in agri-food tech being generated by start-ups, science institutes, NGOs and companies located in the area.
Unilever’s Hive has the highest certification for sustainable buildings: ‘BREEAM-NL Outstanding’. Large parts of the fully circular interior are accessible to the public. Earlier this year, the building won two prestigious design awards: the Global Design Award for Commercial Projects and the Global Public Award.
