253 - Christopher Davidson share about new and exciting sustainable innovations from WestRock

People of Packaging · 2 Apr 2024 · 30m

What this episode covers

Chris Davidson, Vice President of Sustainability at WestRock, discusses the company's shift toward sustainable packaging solutions, highlighting the CanCollar® paperboard alternative to plastic rings and the EverGrow™ produce container. He explains how the pandemic accelerated e-commerce demand and consumer awareness for eco-friendly materials, while also detailing WestRock's automation capabilities and recent progress in decarbonization through virtual power purchase agreements.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 8m

    BONUS - iNEMI VP of Technical & Project Operations Grace O'Malley at APEX 2023 - EMSNOW & SCOOP On Location

    Grace O'Malley, Vice President of Technical & Project Operations at iNEMI, explains how the organization transitioned its famous roadmap from a static print document to a dynamic, real-time online platform to better serve the electronics manufacturing industry. She details how the pandemic accelerated collaboration on advanced packaging, smart manufacturing, and sustainability initiatives, including the development of an 'eco-impact estimator' tool. O'Malley highlights the industry's shift from simple material substitution to holistic lifecycle analysis, emphasizing the need for validated data on critical resources and carbon footprints across the entire supply chain.

  • Thoroughly Considered · 1h 09m

    100: Embodied Energy

    Dan Provost and Tom Gerhardt of Studio Neat reflect on the company's history, discussing the pivot from the failed Obi Kickstarter to their current focus on durable tools like the Mark 1 and the newly launched Mark 3 mechanical pencil. They analyze the strategic risks of building hardware dependent on Apple's ecosystem, such as MagSafe docks, and debate the sustainability of reusable mug programs versus single-use packaging. The episode also features a deep dive into the Apple Vision Pro, with Myke Hurley sharing his impressions of spatial computing, pass-through video quality, and the device's potential for content consumption versus productivity.

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 35m

    EMS@C-LEVEL Season #2021 Episode #7 with Mariana Kobal and Shane Hassett, WAZP

    Mariana Kobal and Shane Hassett, co-founders of WAZP, explain their asset-light, distributed manufacturing model that uses 3D printing to produce volume goods closer to the point of need. They discuss overcoming early skepticism from the eyewear industry regarding quality and price, and detail a large-scale project with IKEA where they produced products for 50% of their global stores using 100% waste materials. The founders highlight how the pandemic accelerated the shift to direct-to-consumer (D2C) fulfillment and near-shore manufacturing, aiming to deploy automated 'print-and-fulfill' factories in locations like post offices.

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 7m

    Electronica 24: Steve Driver on Fresh Talent and Green Tech in the PCB World

    Steve Driver, CEO of Jiva Materials, discusses his company's development of a sustainable printed circuit board (PCB) laminate designed to replace traditional FR4. He explains how he partnered with young innovator Jack to create a 'green' material that offers a 67% carbon reduction while maintaining comparable performance for low-life electronics. The episode highlights their strategy of securing early adoption from major OEMs, such as a recent first purchase order from a major American OEM, and the importance of engaging with board shops to ensure the material is a 'drop-in' solution with minimal process adjustments.

  • How I Built This · 43m

    Making garbage useful with Tom Szaky of TerraCycle

    Tom Szaky, co-founder and CEO of TerraCycle, recounts his journey from a Princeton dorm room to building a multimillion-dollar recycling enterprise. He details the early pivot from selling worm poop fertilizer in reused soda bottles to solving the broader waste crisis by partnering with brands like Stonyfield and Clif Bar to collect non-recyclable packaging. Szaky explains the economics of voluntary funding for waste management and introduces Loop, TerraCycle’s reusable packaging initiative, which aims to make traditional recycling obsolete by enabling infinite reuse of containers from brands like Tide and Häagen-Dazs.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by People of Packaging. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.