Flexible packaging plays to its strengths in sustainability for continuing growth

By Tom Polischuk

Bemis experienced a net sales decrease of 2.3 percent for its U.S. Packaging segment in 2012. Although facility consolidation costs negatively impacted operating profit results, the company reported its operating profits for 2012 at 12.1 percent of net sales, compared to 10.1 percent for 2011.

Facility consolidation work at Bemis will continue into the first quarter of this year and the company expects these efforts to result in $37 million incremental savings in 2013. Henry Theisen, president and CEO, explains, "We are aggressively managing our business to improve earnings and returns. We expect recent sales mix improvements to be sustainable as we continue to drive volume growth in barrier packaging. …We are on pace to achieve the cost savings associated with our 2012 facility consolidation program."