APP Group and Charta Global strengthen US paperboard supply

APP Group and Charta Global are strengthening their presence in the US packaging market as brands and retailers increase demand for paper-based alternatives to plastic and place greater emphasis on supply reliability.

The companies highlighted their joint capabilities during the PPC Spring Meeting 2026 in Louisville, where discussions focused on the need to balance sustainability objectives with material availability, speed of delivery and commercial performance.

US stocking programme targets faster delivery

Charta Global operates as the exclusive sales channel for APP Group in the United States and is using a domestic stocking programme to make paperboard products available for immediate distribution across the country.

Local inventory can reduce lead times compared with sourcing exclusively through international shipments and provide converters with greater flexibility when demand changes or customers require shorter production schedules.

Portfolio covers multiple folding carton applications

The US programme provides access to a broad range of APP Group paperboard grades, including premium one-side and two-side coated folding box board, food-grade FBB, recycled FBB and specialist grades for tobacco packaging.

The range also includes PE-free barrier-coated FBB base paper designed for food, foodservice and other packaging applications where conventional polyethylene coatings may traditionally be used to provide barrier performance.

Plastic-to-paper transition increases material demand

Brands across food, consumer goods and retail are continuing to evaluate paper-based packaging as they seek to reduce conventional plastic use and respond to evolving sustainability requirements.

However, material substitution requires more than choosing a fibre-based substrate. Packaging producers must also consider print quality, barrier performance, converting efficiency, product protection and the reliability of the underlying paperboard supply chain.

Availability becomes part of packaging sustainability

APP Group and Charta Global argue that sustainability strategies need to be commercially practical. For converters and brands, a technically suitable board grade has limited value if it cannot be supplied consistently or within required production schedules.

Maintaining inventory closer to customers can therefore become part of a broader packaging strategy, reducing uncertainty and allowing companies to implement paper-based formats without creating additional supply-chain risk.

Paperboard portfolio targets diverse market requirements

The range of virgin, recycled and barrier-coated boards allows customers to select materials according to specific performance and sustainability requirements rather than relying on a single standard solution.

Food packaging may require stronger barrier properties, while premium consumer goods can place greater emphasis on printability and surface quality. Recycled board can support circularity objectives in applications where its technical characteristics are appropriate.

APP links packaging strategy to wider sustainability goals

The initiative also forms part of APP Group’s broader environmental strategy. The company is developing its sustainability commitments through Regenesis, a platform covering forests, communities and supply-chain responsibility.

Its Forest Positive Policy includes commitments related to conservation, ecosystem restoration, community empowerment and responsible sourcing, linking packaging materials with the wider environmental management of fibre resources.

US paper packaging market demands speed and flexibility

The collaboration reflects a packaging market where environmental performance increasingly needs to be delivered alongside operational certainty. Converters face shorter lead times, changing demand patterns and growing pressure from customers to provide lower-impact materials without increasing complexity.

By combining APP Group’s paperboard manufacturing portfolio with Charta Global’s US distribution network, the companies aim to make the shift towards fibre-based packaging easier to implement while maintaining the availability and performance required for commercial production.