“As the third-generation leader of Atlantic Packaging, Wes Carter is the driving force behind A New Earth Project, the company’s sustainability initiative. As president of Atlantic Packaging, Carter is committed to working with brands of all sizes to transition away from environmentally problematic packaging and help rid the world’s oceans, lakes, and rivers of plastic pollution. He serves on the boards of directors for The Conservation Alliance and WildAid, the California SB-54 Packaging Producer Responsibility Advisory Board, and the Lowcountry Land Trust.”

“As Atlantic continues to serve its core customers across a range of industries, the company will catalyze innovation in sustainable packaging while creating closed loops where waste becomes a resource. Atlantic recognizes the environmental impact of packaging as well as the opportunity to help customers and industry innovators transition to closed loop systems that mitigate waste and pollution. Atlantic Packaging is poised to scale sustainable solutions for the packaging industry and the broader supply chain.”

“Atlantic Packaging, a supplier of secondary packaging systems and solutions, partnered with Cruz Foam to add a lightweight solution for Wild Idea Buffalo Company. Recently, Wild Idea Buffalo replaced its expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam cooler with the biobased Cruz Cool alternative for the direct-to-consumer shipments of its wild buffalo meat.”

“CanopyWrap is paper alternative to shrink film. Atlantic Packaging teamed up with the Nvenia division of Duravant to make it possible to run paper on what used to be a film bundler.”

“The Pee Dee Basin Initiative is a partnership between the U.S. Forest Service, the Open Space Institute, the South Carolina Forestry Commission, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina Office of Resilience and Atlantic Packaging.

Atlantic Packaging, a packaging company with offices in Charleston, has created an endowment for the long-term management of the land.”

“Failing to use right-sized packaging also has unintended consequences such as greater freight emissions. The smaller packages are, the more you can fit on a truck, resulting in fewer trucks on the road delivering packages and pumping out planet-warming pollution.

DeLoach further explained that flashy packaging is almost inherently disposable, saying that so much thought is put into the first second the consumer interacts with the product but so little thought is put into what happens after you have removed the packaging.”

“‘People want to understand what happens to their recyclables, and we need to show them so that they can develop an appropriate level of trust in the process,” DeLoach said. ‘Municipalities and advocacy groups must work with MRFs to show how sortation actually works, mostly to acknowledge the current limitations of the system so that consumers might understand what materials they can actually recycle.'”

“To that end, Atlantic Packaging works with its clients, such as global behemoths Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Williams Sonoma, to develop sustainable packing materials, increase efficiency by optimizing technology, and drive demand by appealing to environmentally conscious consumers. This year, the company announced a partnership with Coca-Cola to create a closed-loop system to recapture and reuse stretch wrap, which consolidates the company’s pallets of soda for shipping.”

“Atlantic Packaging has been at the forefront of the packaging and printing industry in North Carolina. The company began as a local newspaper before becoming one of the largest paper-based packaging producers in the United States.”

“Atlantic Packaging, a leader in industrial packaging solutions, has recently launched the latest version of its innovative beverage carrier, the Fishbone C-Clip. While Fishbone has existed for a few years, Atlantic Packaging has launched its 2.0 edition, featuring a new C-Clip design with enhanced durability and resistance to refrigerated conditions.”

“Sustainable cable tie provider EVLR International joined forces with Atlantic Packaging and its sustainability initiative, A New Earth Project, to introduce FibreStrap, their sustainable replacement for plastic zip ties, in North America.”

“Many of the world’s largest CPG companies embrace this reality and are actively seeking more renewably sourced recyclable or compostable packaging alternatives. However, our conversations with these companies continues to unearth a common barrier: CPGs are struggling with the capital expenditure necessary to purchase equipment that can run these innovative products. In virtually every industry including food, building products, medical supplies, ecommerce, and everything in between, most packaging is applied using high-speed, highly automated, capital-intensive equipment that was specifically designed to run SUP. Replacing or reconfiguring this machinery presents a highly technical and expensive transition for even the largest companies.”

“North Carolina-based Atlantic Packaging is working with Sweden-based ELVR International to exclusively introduce the latter’s FibreStrap to North America. They call it the world’s first fiber-based zip tie, which is intended to replace conventional plastic cable ties for bundling, securing or attaching items.”

“FibreStrap stands out for its patented design, offering a sustainable solution across various industries.
Crafted from renewable products, it boasts a reduction of more than 80% in carbon emissions and water usage compared to plastic ties.
This innovation aligns with the growing demand for eco-conscious products.”

“Atlantic Packaging released a new version of its fiber Fishbone can and bottle carrier, the Fishbone C-Clip. It’s designed with a second carrier layer that provides extra support in instances of lost tension or moisture exposure, and it’s suitable for refrigerated environments, the company said in a news release. The product is intended to be a sturdier version of the fiber multi-pack carriers that have emerged as an alternative to plastic ring carriers.”

“Additionally, Atlantic Packaging continues to implement climate-smart strategies across key areas including renewables for logistics and material handling; energy efficiency in lighting; and zero-waste facilities. As part of an ongoing commitment to influencing its value chain, Atlantic has also been one of 20 brands enrolling key suppliers win the Supplier Leadership on Climate Transitions (S-LoCT) program, a knowledge platform and brand collaborative to collectively reach net-zero emissions by 2050.”

“Made from paper instead of plastic, the packaging is part of Atlantic Packaging’s continued commitment to eliminating single-use plastics from the packaging supply chain. The UN’s Environment Programme estimates that plastic debris kills more than 1m seabirds and 100,000 marine animals each year.”

“Atlantic Packaging has been recognized for leadership in corporate transparency and climate action by global environmental non-profit CDP, securing a place on its annual ‘A List’.

Based on data reported through CDP’s 2023 Climate Change questionnaire, Atlantic Packaging is one of 346 companies worldwide and only 29 in North America that achieved an ‘A’ out of over 21,000 companies scored.”

“Wes Carter is President of Atlantic Packaging, the largest privately-owned industrial packaging company in North America. Acknowledging that his own industry has been a significant contributor to the waste crisis, Carter is on a mission to use his seat at the table to create lasting change. A recently appointed board member of The Conservation Alliance who’s also involved with the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network, Carter is passionate about the possibilities that exist if consumers, businesses, and politicians work together to create a better future.”

“Atlantic Packaging actively engages its 800 employees across North Carolina in conservation efforts, providing sustainability and conservation education to inspire more sustainable practices both at work and at home. As a leader in sustainable packaging, their influence extends to cities like Charlotte, Greensboro, and Wilmington, where they collaborate with local organizations to promote environmentally conscious practices during major events and contribute to coastal beautification. Through partnerships, investments, and outreach efforts, Atlantic Packaging impacts conservation initiatives, fostering positive change in North Carolina and beyond.”

“Single-use plastic pollution is growing exponentially across the world, including here in South Carolina. By 2040, we’ll be emitting 36 million tons of plastic into our oceans every year. Although South Carolina is a coastal state with strong bipartisan support for protecting our wild places, we’re failing to solve this problem.”

“Atlantic Packaging is pleased to announce that the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has approved its science-based targets for reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2046. With this approval, Atlantic Packaging becomes the first North American packaging company with an approved net-zero target.”

“With its integrated solutions offerings, Atlantic can help customers with their packaging from start to finish, assisting with packaging and equipment design, testing, and supply of the best materials and configurations. ‘We help our customers utilize packaging more efficiently,’ said Carter.”

“Long story short: We have tons of material to recycle, but insufficient infrastructure to recycle it, and not enough incentives for companies to use recycled or recyclable packaging materials. Consumer pressure has prompted some progress, but not nearly enough to spur the level of transition we need towards sustainable packaging, much less to improve our recycling and composting systems.”