Graphic Packaging International (Graphic Packaging), a global leader in sustainable consumer packaging, has announced the launch of its next-generation Boardio™ machinery technology, offering enhanced multi-footprint capability that transforms how brands and co-packers approach Boardio paperboard canister production.

Brands and co-packers face mounting pressure to respond quickly to shifting market demands while maximizing their equipment investments. When capital is committed to packaging machinery, that investment needs to work harder, deliver more, and provide the flexibility to adapt as consumer preferences evolve, and the new Boardio machine multi-footprint capability does just that.

Boardio is a recyclable, rigid paperboard canister that provides an alternative to plastic, glass, and metal containers. Made from up to 90% renewable materials, it can deliver a plastic reduction of more than 90% versus rigid containers. Alongside winning 20 global packaging awards since launch, Boardio has replaced more than 50 million rigid plastic containers in 2023 and 2024 alone. 

The Proven Boardio Platform, Now With Ultimate Flexibility

The new machine technology takes a proven platform and adds format flexibility through the addition of modules. The new multi-footprint capability enables Boardio production in multiple shapes — round, octagonal, triangular, and square — along with variable heights, widths, and barrier specifications, all from a single machine. Customers simply select modules based on the degree of flexibility they require.  

For co-packers managing diverse client portfolios or large brands seeking to differentiate product lines and serve both large families and smaller households, this technology represents a significant operational and commercial advantage. 

Johan Werme, head of sales for paperboard canister solutions at Graphic Packaging, said: “This new capability addresses a longstanding frustration customers have had with traditional packaging; rigid plastic and metal canisters typically lock brands into off-the-shelf formats unless they have the volumes to justify custom tooling. However, with Boardio’s new multi-footprint technology, we’re putting format control directly into the customer’s hands. That means shorter production runs across multiple configurations, the ability to iterate designs more frequently, and the transport and storage efficiency that comes from delivering canisters flat rather than pre-formed. It’s flexibility that scales with your business, not against it.” 

For co-packers and brands alike, the technology ensures that capital investments in Boardio machinery deliver sustained value as market conditions shift, product portfolios expand, and the demand for more circular, more functional, and more convenient packaging solutions continues to grow. 

The multi-footprint enhancement is now available as an option for new machine orders. 

Recycling access for paper cups has reached a new milestone in the United States. According to the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI), 20% of the U.S. population now lives in communities that accept both hot and cold paper cups for recycling — a fourfold increase from roughly 5% a decade ago.

“Expanding paper cup recycling access in the U.S. is a direct response to growing consumer demand for circular packaging solutions,” said Robbert Rietbroek, president and chief executive officer of Graphic Packaging International. “Investments across the recycling value chain, including Graphic Packaging’s advanced fiber recovery technology, are helping turn used paper cups into new packaging for many leading household brands.”

In 2026, Resource Recycling Systems found 20% of the U.S. population can recycle paper cups, up from 5% in 2017. Today, 13 of the top 20 U.S. cities accept paper cups for recycling.

Recent Milestones in Paper Cup Recycling

Increasing paper cup recycling is a cross‑industry effort, with Graphic Packaging playing a leading role. A major milestone came in mid‑2025, when ReMA — through updates to its ISRI recycling specifications — formally included paper cups as an allowable material in residential recycling streams. That update, driven by advocacy from Graphic Packaging and other key stakeholders, helped give haulers and recyclers the confidence to publicly declare acceptance of paper cups.

“Reaching this milestone took years of hard work and collaborative effort. We are proud of the progress that we’ve made and the many partnerships that made it possible,” said Natha Dempsey, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute. “There is still more work to be done so that even more of the population can recycle their paper cups. FPI will continue to support efforts to strengthen end markets, increase collection and sorting, and improve communications within communities.”

Paper Cups Are Designed to Be Recycled

Decades ago, paper cups faced recycling challenges due to the thin plastic liner required for the cups’ structure. Today, advancements in recycling and fiber‑recovery technology make it possible to separate that liner and recover the cup’s valuable fiber. Investments across the recycling system, such as Graphic Packaging’s Waco, Texas facility, are helping demonstrate that paper cups can be successfully recycled at scale.

This progress reflects years of collaboration across the recycling value chain. Communities, haulers, material recovery facilities and paper mills have invested in technology to recover fiber from used cups. Today, paper cups are recognized as a valuable source of fiber that can be recycled into new paper products, including paperboard packaging for consumer goods.

A key driver of this progress has been FPI’s Community Partnership program, which brings together local and industry stakeholders to expand acceptance of foodservice packaging, including paper cups. Since its launch, the program has helped enable recycling access for more than 8.9 million households nationwide.

Learn what makes paper cups recyclable — and why access matters.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE: GPK) has earned a series of industry distinctions in 2026, including recognition for ethical leadership, responsible business practices and packaging innovation. The latest milestone: Fortune added Graphic Packaging to its World’s Most Admired Companies list, underscoring the company’s reputation for leadership, disciplined execution and long‑term value creation.

“Being named on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies list reflects the strength of our people, our business and our packaging innovation,” said Robbert Rietbroek, president and chief executive officer of Graphic Packaging. “This peer‑driven recognition reflects the high standards we set in how we lead, how we compete and how we deliver long-term value for our customers and shareholders.”

A Competitive Ranking

Now in its 28th year, Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies list is built through a highly competitive, peer‑evaluated process that begins with approximately 1,500 of the world’s largest companies and narrows to roughly 685 high‑revenue organizations across 51 global industries.

Companies are evaluated by executives, directors and analysts who assess corporate reputation within their own industries across nine criteria, such as investment value, quality of management, innovation and social responsibility. Only companies ranking in the top half of their industry earn recognition.

Because companies enter and exit the list as business conditions and competitive performance evolve, sustained year‑over‑year recognition is particularly challenging. Continued inclusion reflects consistent peer confidence in a company’s leadership, execution and long‑term direction within a dynamic global marketplace.

“The companies at the top of the World’s Most Admired Companies list show that resilience is not reactive — it’s designed,” said Mark Royal, a Korn Ferry senior client partner and employee engagement specialist. “What sets them apart is not performance in a single year, but their ability to sustain trust and credibility over time. In an era of constant disruption, these organizations demonstrate the discipline, adaptability, and leadership required to perform today while preparing confidently for what’s next.”

Strong Traction in 2026

The Fortune recognition represents another early‑year milestone for Graphic Packaging, following several industry awards received in the first quarter of 2026, including its designation as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies and one of Just Capital’s top 100 companies for 2026. Taken together, these recognitions reflect sustained confidence in Graphic Packaging and its approach to operating and competing in the global consumer packaging market.

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