Business Description
Graphic Packaging Holding Company (“GPHC” and, together with its subsidiaries,
the “Company”) is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes
a world of difference. The Company is a leading provider of paper-based packaging
solutions for a wide variety of products to food, beverage and other consumer
products companies. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest
producers of folding cartons in the United States ("U.S."), and holds
leading market positions in coated unbleached kraft paperboard (“CUK”)
and coated-recycled paperboard (“CRB”).
The Company’s customers include many of the world’s most widely
recognized companies and brands with prominent market positions in beverage,
food and other consumer products. The Company strives to provide its customers
with packaging solutions designed to deliver marketing and performance benefits
at a competitive cost by capitalizing on its low-cost paperboard mills and converting
plants, its proprietary carton and packaging designs, and its commitment to
quality and service.
Paperboard Mills includes the seven North American paperboard mills which produce
primarily CUK and CRB. The majority of the paperboard is consumed internally
to produce paperboard packaging for the Americas and Europe Paperboard Packaging
segments. The remaining paperboard is sold externally to a wide variety of paperboard
packaging converters and brokers.
Americas Paperboard Packaging includes paperboard folding cartons sold primarily
to Consumer Packaged Goods ("CPG") companies serving the food, beverage,
and consumer product markets primarily in the Americas.
Europe Paperboard Packaging includes paperboard folding cartons sold primarily
to CPG companies serving the food, beverage and consumer product markets in
Europe.
The Company also operates in three geographic areas: the Americas, Europe and
Asia Pacific.
CUK Production. The Company is the largest of four worldwide producers of CUK.
CUK is manufactured from pine-based wood fiber and is a specialized high-quality
grade of coated paperboard with excellent wet and dry tear strength characteristics
and printability for high resolution graphics that make it particularly well-suited
for a variety of packaging applications. Both wood and recycled fibers are pulped,
formed on paper machines, and clay-coated to provide an excellent printing surface
for superior quality graphics and appearance characteristics.
CRB Production. The Company is the largest North American producer of CRB.
CRB is manufactured entirely from recycled fibers, primarily old corrugated
containers (“OCC”), doubled-lined kraft cuttings from corrugated
box plants (“DLK”), old newspapers (“ONP”), and box
cuttings. The recycled fibers are re-pulped, formed on paper machines, and clay-coated
to provide an excellent printing surface for superior quality graphics and appearance
characteristics.
Corrugated Medium. The Company manufactures corrugated medium for internal
use and sale in the open market. Corrugated medium is combined with linerboard
to make corrugated containers.
The Company converts CUK and CRB, as well as other grades of paperboard, into
cartons at converting plants the Company operates in various locations globally,
including a converting plant associated with the Companys joint venture in
Japan, contract converters and at licensees outside the U.S. The converting
plants print, cut, fold and glue paperboard into cartons designed to meet customer
specifications.
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