Item 1. Business
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Item 1. Business
Overview
Smurfit Westrock was created in July 2024 as a strategic combination between Smurfit Kappa Group plc (“Smurfit Kappa”), one of
the leading integrated corrugated packaging manufacturers in Europe, with a large-scale pan-regional presence in Latin America, and
WestRock Company (“WestRock”), one of the leaders in North America in corrugated and consumer packaging solutions and a
multinational provider of sustainable fiber-based paper and packaging solutions.
We are a global leader in sustainable, paper-based packaging with extensive scale, quality products and geographic reach and
diversity. We aim to create the ‘go-to’ packaging partner of choice, bringing together highly complementary portfolios and sets of
capabilities benefiting customers, employees and shareholders.
Background
Smurfit Westrock was incorporated and registered in Ireland on July 6, 2017, under the Irish Companies Act as a private company
limited by shares with registered number 607515, with the name “Cepheidway Limited.” On September 12, 2023, Smurfit Kappa and
WestRock announced entry into a transaction agreement pursuant to which the companies would execute a strategic combination (the
“Combination”). Prior to the Combination, Smurfit Westrock re-registered as an Irish public limited company pursuant to Part 20 of
the Companies Act 2014 of Ireland, as amended (the “Irish Companies Act”) and was renamed “Smurfit Westrock plc.”. Upon
completion of the Combination, Smurfit Kappa and WestRock each became wholly owned subsidiaries of Smurfit Westrock, and
Smurfit Westrock continued as the new holding company of the combined group of Smurfit Kappa and WestRock. As a result of the
Combination, former Smurfit Kappa shareholders and WestRock shareholders became holders of Smurfit Westrock ordinary shares.
Smurfit Westrock had no historical operations nor traded or carried out any business of its own since its incorporation until just prior
to consummation of the Combination.
Smurfit Westrock has a dual listing on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and the equity shares (international commercial
companies secondary listing) category of the Official List of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), and Smurfit Westrock
ordinary shares trade on the NYSE and the London Stock Exchange’s main market for listed securities.
Products
Our primary products fall into a number of categories, as further described below. Primarily, we produce paper-based packaging
products. Our vertically integrated system provides raw materials of wood or recovered fiber, which are used to manufacture various
grades of board, which are then converted into packaging products. Our main categories of packaging are corrugated containers,
manufactured from containerboard; and consumer packaging, manufactured from paperboard. We also produce other grades of board,
such as solidboard, kraft paper, and graphic board, as well as other packaging products such as solidboard packaging, paper sacks and
bag-in-box.
Containerboard and Corrugated Containers
Containerboard is the general term that describes the intermediate materials used to manufacture corrugated sheet, namely linerboard
and medium.
Linerboard is used to form the inner and outer layers of the corrugated sheet. Linerboard can be manufactured from virgin fiber
(known as “kraftliner”) or recovered paper (known as “testliner”). The recycling of old corrugated cases (“OCC”) provides the
primary source of recovered paper. In general, kraftliner is of higher quality and more versatile than testliner. Linerboard can be
surface treated to improve the printing quality through the use of white, mottled or fully bleached pulp as the top layer.
Medium is used to form the inner layer of the corrugated sheet. It is primarily manufactured from recovered paper but can also be
manufactured from virgin fiber.
We feed linerboard and corrugating medium into a corrugator that flutes the medium to specified sizes, glues the linerboard and fluted
medium together, and slits and cuts the resulting corrugated paperboard into corrugated sheets whose dimensions fit ultimate customer
specifications, and are subsequently converted into corrugated packaging.
Corrugated packaging refers to the conversion of corrugated sheets through the production and the sale of corrugated containers and
other corrugated products including displays. Corrugated packaging is used to provide protective packaging for shipment and
distribution of food, paper, health and beauty, and other household, consumer, commercial and industrial products. Corrugated
packaging may also be graphically enhanced for retail sale, particularly in club store locations. Our corrugated packaging operations
manufactures primarily corrugated sheets, corrugated packaging and preprinted linerboard for sale to consumer and industrial products
manufacturers and corrugated box manufacturers. We produce a wide range of high-quality corrugated containers designed to protect,
ship, store, promote and display products made to our customers’ specifications.
Paperboard and Consumer Packaging
Paperboard is a general term that describes the intermediate materials used primarily to produce folding cartons and other consumer
packaging products. There are a number of different types of paperboard, that can be manufactured using virgin fiber or recovered
paper, or a recycled basestock that is laminated with kraftliner. Paperboard can be unbleached, coated or fully bleached, and
manufactured primarily using either wood or recovered fiber as a primary raw material. These are used primarily to manufacture
folding cartons and can have specialty characteristics such as grease masking and microwaveability.
Consumer packaging is used mainly as primary packaging for products, providing convenience, marketing support and protection for
products, and can consist of folding cartons, carriers and other containers. Our folding cartons are used to package items for industries
such as food, paper, beverages, dairy products, confectionery, health and beauty and other household consumer, commercial and
industrial products, primarily for retail sale. Our folding cartons are also used by our customers to attract consumer attention at the
point-of-sale. We also manufacture express mail packages for the overnight courier industry, provide inserts and labels, as well as
rigid packaging and other printed packaging products, such as transaction cards (e.g., credit, debit, etc.), brochures, product literature,
marketing materials (such as booklets, folders, inserts, cover sheets and slipcases) and grower tags and plant stakes for the
horticultural market. For the global healthcare market, we manufacture paperboard packaging for over-the-counter and prescription
drugs.
Solidboard and Solid Board Packaging
Solidboard is a layered form of paperboard. It has an outer layer of linerboard, which is laminated onto a solid layer of recycled paper,
producing a product that is heavier and more resistant to moisture and cold than corrugated containers. Solidboard is better suited for
certain more demanding packaging applications which may be exposed to wet conditions and freezing temperatures, such as the
transportation of fresh products, including fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, poultry and dairy products. Solidboard sheets are produced in
paper mills and converted into Solidboard packaging in converting units.
Graphic board
Graphic board is a heavyweight type of solidboard with distinct properties, including rigidity and stability, which makes it suitable for
processing into different applications, such as book covers, game boards, jigsaw puzzles and lever arch files, onto which sophisticated
graphics can be laminated.
Kraft Paper and Paper Sacks
Kraft paper is a grade of paper made primarily from wood which is used in different applications, the key one being in paper sack
production, with the grade being known as sack kraft. Sack kraft is either converted into sacks for industrial use, transporting building
materials, agriculture, chemicals, minerals and animal feed, or bags subject to high quality graphics for more sophisticated packaging
end uses such as pet food and retail carrier bags. Other kraft paper has a large number of uses such as but not limited to paper bags,
wrapping, and interleaving products.
Bag-In-Box
Bag-in-box is a form of packaging where a liquid is packed in a flexible plastic film or “bag” with a tap attached, which is then
generally inserted into a corrugated container.
Geographical Footprint
We maintain operations in 40 countries, primarily in North America, Latin America and Europe, and with some operations in Asia,
Africa and Australia. In North America, we are a leader in corrugated and consumer packaging, containerboard and paperboard. In
Europe, we are one of the leading companies by production volume in corrugated packaging, containerboard and bag-in-box, and one
of the leading producers of consumer packaging. In Latin America, we are a large-scale pan-regional player in corrugated packaging
and containerboard.
We currently operate 62 paper mills (40 of which produce containerboard only, and 10 of which produce paperboard only, with five
producing both, four producing containerboard and another grade, one producing paperboard and another grade and two producing
kraft paper only), 459 converting plants (306 of which convert containerboard into corrugated containers, 88 of which convert
paperboard into consumer packaging or manufacture leaflets or labels for consumer packaging, five sack plants and 60 other
conversion facilities), 63 recovered fiber facilities, two wood procurement operations in Europe (which together provide raw material
for our mills in Europe), two forestry operation in Latin America and 58 distribution facilities in North America, and 31 other
production facilities carrying on other related activities. In addition, we own approximately 301,000 acres of forest plantations in Latin
America, which support mill operations in addition to propagating trees for planting. Our footprint allows us to better serve customers
in close proximity to our corrugated box plants.
Our geographic reach is organized around three segments:
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Smurfit Westrock North America (including the U.S., Canada and Mexico);
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Smurfit Westrock Europe, Middle East and Africa (“MEA”) and Asia-Pacific (“APAC”); and
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Smurfit Westrock Latin America (“LATAM”).
The North America, Europe, MEA and APAC and LATAM segments are each highly integrated within the segment and there are
many interdependencies within these operations. They each include a system of mills and plants that primarily produce a number of
grades of containerboard that is converted into corrugated containers within each segment, or is sold to third parties.
In addition, the North America segment also produces paperboard, kraft paper and market pulp; other paper-based packaging, such as
folding cartons, inserts, labels and displays and also engages in the assembly of displays as well as the distribution of packaging
products.
The Europe, MEA and APAC segment also produces other types of paper, such as solidboard, graphic board, sack kraft paper and
machine glazed paper (together known as kraft paper) and graphic paper; and other paper-based packaging, such as honeycomb,
solidboard packaging, folding cartons, inserts and labels; and bag-in-box packaging (the latter with operations located in Europe,
Argentina, Canada, Mexico and the U.S., but managed under the Europe, MEA and APAC segment).
The LATAM segment also comprises forestry; other types of paper, such as paperboard and kraft paper; and paper-based packaging,
such as folding cartons and paper sacks.
Our global corporate headquarters are located in Dublin, Ireland, our North American operations are headquartered in Atlanta,
Georgia, U.S., our Europe, MEA and APAC operations are headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and our Latin American
operations are headquartered in Florida, U.S.
Business Strategy
Our business strategy combines the key strategic priorities of both Smurfit Kappa and WestRock, with a continuing focus on the
successful integration of the two businesses.
Our Vision
Our vision is to be a globally admired business, dynamically and sustainably delivering secure and superior returns for all
stakeholders, comprising shareholders, employees, customers, local communities and suppliers.
- Globally Admired Business**. We strive to operate a globally admired business, underpinned by the following; (1) our values
of safety at work, loyalty, integrity and respect; (2) being an employer of choice; (3) providing a demonstrably differentiated
offering to our customers; (4) being a leader in sustainability in the industry; and (5) being valued in excess of our peers.
- Dynamically and Sustainably Delivering**. With a performance-led culture and a diverse workforce that is both driven and
engaged, we seek to seize internal and external growth opportunities by engaging in disciplined and focused capital allocation
in order to present a highly differentiated and sustainable offering to customers.
- Secure and Superior Returns**. In seeking secure and superior returns, we focus on strong cash generation, balance sheet
strength with significant financial flexibility and low-cost operations, and an optimum level of vertical integration to mitigate
cyclical risk while maximizing the performance of our assets. We aim to have a team of dedicated and engaged employees
continually innovating across our product range.
Our vision guides our strategic objective of maintaining and deepening long-term customer relationships by seeking to provide
customers with innovative and differentiated sustainable packaging solutions that aim to enhance customers’ prospects of success in
their end markets.
To achieve this objective, we have identified three key areas of focus through our integrated system:
- Converting.** Capitalize on differentiation to drive growth. This differentiation encompasses our paper-based packaging
offerings corrugated and consumer packaging across our segments, along with other specialist product offerings such as bag-
in-box and paper sacks. The offerings are supported by our innovation initiatives.
- Paper.** Drive the optimization of our paper system to service the growth of the downstream converting businesses, taking into
account the dynamics of the marketplace. This is a particular focus in light of the enlarged paper system that was created
through the Combination.
- Integration.** Bring together the best of Smurfit Kappa and WestRock into a culturally aligned, customer-focused and
motivated organization.
Based on these focus areas, we have developed the following six strategic priorities:
1.Integrating Smurfit Kappa and WestRock’s businesses, administration and cultures, and achieving synergies arising
from the Combination;
2.Expanding market positions through focused growth, including in particular driving the sustainability agenda;
3.Continuing Smurfit Kappa’s and WestRock’s focus on customer engagement and innovation to become the supplier/
partner of choice for our customers;
4.Enhancing operational excellence through the continuous upgrade of customer offerings and service;
5.Recruiting, retaining, developing and motivating the best people; and
6.Efficiently allocating capital.
Segment Overview
A**)** North America Segment
Our North American operations are in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Sales of our North America segment accounted for 47% of our net sales to external customers in 2024. This percentage is expected to
be higher in 2025 as a result of the full-year inclusion of combined Company results. See “Note 3. Segment Information” of the
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, as well as Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations”, for additional information.
Products
We are one of the largest integrated producers of linerboard, white-top linerboard and containerboard and kraft paper in North
America (including the U.S., Canada and Mexico), and we serve primarily corrugated packaging markets. We are one of the largest
producers of paperboard in North America, and we operate both integrated virgin and recycled fiber mills. Our mill system
manufactures paper for our converting system that utilizes the paper in the manufacture and sale of packaging products to our external
packaging customers, together with sales of paper to external paper customers.
Mills
Our mill operations consist of both integrated virgin and recycled fiber mills, that produce containerboard, paperboard and specialty
grades, including kraft paper and market pulp. The majority of the output of the mill system is used in our own converting operations.
We have recycling operations in the segment whose business is conducted as a procurement function, focusing on the procurement of
low cost, high quality recycled fiber for our mill system. See Item 2. “Properties” for additional information on our annual production
capacity and types of containerboard and paperboard we manufacture, and Item 1. “Business — Sales and Marketing” for additional
information on our vertical integration.
In the year ended December 31, 2024 our containerboard mills in North America produced approximately 8.2 million tons, including
tons produced by WestRock before the Combination. In the year ended December 31, 2024, our paperboard mills in North America
produced approximately 3.1 million tons, including tons produced by WestRock before the Combination.
Any paper not used in our own operations is sold through our commercial paper operations, generating revenues primarily from the
sale of containerboard, paperboard and specialty grades to external customers, and we serve primarily corrugated packaging, folding
carton, food service, liquid packaging, tobacco and commercial print markets. We sell our products globally to customers who value
our scale, wide range of products, and service.
Corrugated Packaging
We convert corrugated sheets into corrugated products ranging from one-color protective cartons to graphically brilliant point-of-
purchase packaging. Our corrugated container plants serve local customers and regional and large national accounts. We provide
customers with innovative packaging solutions to help them promote and sell their products. We provide structural and graphic design,
engineering services and custom, proprietary and standard automated packaging machines, offering customers turn-key installation,
automation, line integration and packaging solutions. We offer a machinery solution that creates pouches that replace single-use
plastics, including bubble mailers.
We design, manufacture and, in certain cases, pack temporary displays for sale to consumer products companies and retailers. These
displays are used as marketing tools to support new product introductions and specific product promotions in mass merchandising
stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, home improvement stores and other retail locations. We also design, manufacture and, in
some cases, pre-assemble permanent displays for these customers. We make temporary displays primarily from corrugated
paperboard. Unlike temporary displays, permanent displays are restocked with our customers’ product; therefore, they are constructed
primarily from metal, plastic, wood and other durable materials. We manufacture and distribute point of sale material utilizing litho,
screen and digital printing technologies. We manufacture lithographic laminated packaging for sale to our customers that require
packaging with high quality graphics and strength characteristics.
We also have distribution operations that generate revenues primarily from the distribution of packaging products and assembly of
display products. We distribute corrugated packaging materials and other specialty packaging products, including stretch film, void
fill, carton sealing tape and other specialty tapes, through our network of warehouses and distribution facilities. We also provide
contract packing services, such as multi-product promotional packing and product manipulation, such as multipacks and onpacks.
We are the one of the largest manufacturers of corrugated packaging in North America, with operations in the U.S., Canada and
Mexico. In the year ended December 31, 2024 our corrugated operations in North America produced approximately 83.9 billion
square feet, including square feet produced by WestRock before the Combination.
Consumer Packaging
Our consumer packaging operations generate revenues primarily from the sale of consumer packaging products such as folding
cartons, inserts and labels. We are one of the largest manufacturers of folding cartons in North America, with operations in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico. Our customers generally use our inserts and labels to provide customer product information either inside a
secondary package (e.g., a folding carton) or affixed to the outside of a primary package (e.g., a bottle). Folding cartons typically
protect customers’ products during shipment and distribution, and employ graphics to promote them at retail. We print, coat, die-cut
and glue the cartons to customer specifications and ship finished cartons to customers for assembling, filling and sealing. We employ a
broad range of offset, flexographic, gravure, backside printing, coating and finishing technologies, as well as iridescent, holographic,
textured and dimensional effects to provide differentiated packaging products, and support our customers with new package
development, innovation and design services and package testing services.
B) Europe, MEA and APAC Segment
Our Europe, MEA and APAC segment includes a system of mills and box plants that primarily produce a full line of containerboard
that is converted into corrugated containers. We operate in 23 countries across western and eastern Europe. Our main European
operations are in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden and Austria. Our Europe, MEA and
APAC operational management manage a number of operations outside Europe, including four (non-European) facilities that
manufacture bag-in-box, located in Argentina, Canada, Mexico and the United States, a recently inaugurated corrugated plant in
Morocco, Africa, a containerboard mill and corrugated plant in India, and consumer packaging operations in China, Japan and
Australia and therefore such operations are included in the Europe, MEA and APAC segments.
Sales of our Europe, MEA and APAC segment accounted for 45% of our net sales to our external customers in 2024. See “Note 3.
Segment Information” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, as well as Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”, for additional information.
Products
We are one of the European leaders in terms of capacity in corrugated packaging, containerboard, consumer packaging and bag-in-
box. We also operate in several other packaging and paper market segments, such as sack kraft paper, machine glazed paper, graphic
board, solidboard, solidboard packaging and boxboard.
Our operations in the Europe, MEA and APAC segment are highly integrated, with the total production of the mills in 2024
approximately matching the volume of the containerboard that is converted into corrugated containers in our converting plants.
Containerboard and Corrugated Containers
We operate 14 recycled containerboard mills throughout Europe (two in France, three in Germany, two in each of the United
Kingdom, the Netherlands and Italy, and one in each of Spain, the Czech Republic and Serbia). Our three kraftliner mills, located at
Piteå (Sweden), Facture (France), and Nettingsdorfer (Austria), are among the largest and, we believe, the lowest cost kraftliner mills
in Western Europe.
In the year ended December 31, 2024, our containerboard mills in Europe, MEA and APAC produced approximately 6.2 million tons.
We are one of the leading producers of corrugated containers in Europe by capacity, with 190 production facilities (comprising
corrugated plants, sheet feeders, sheet plants and other specialized facilities). We have an extensive geographic presence in western
Europe and a growing presence in eastern and southeastern Europe. We also have a containerboard mill and corrugated conversion
facility in India. In 2024, our corrugated operations in Europe, MEA and APAC produced approximately 97.5 billion square feet.
Consumer Packaging
We operate 40 consumer packaging plants in Europe in 12 countries which primarily manufacture folding cartons, labels and leaflets
for consumer packaging markets. We are one of the largest producers in Europe. We also have operations in China, Japan and
Australia in consumer packaging.
Other Paperboard and Other Paper
In the year ended December 31, 2024 we produced approximately 0.7 million tons of other paperboard, comprising sack kraft,
machine glazed paper, graphic board, solidboard and boxboard in five mills located in Germany and Spain. We are one of the leading
manufacturers of both solidboard and solidboard packaging in Europe.
Our containerboard mill in the Netherlands also produces graphic paper for use in inserts. Its production in the year ended
December 31, 2024 was approximately 0.2 million tons.
Bag-in-box
We are one of the largest European manufacturers in the high growth bag-in-box market, a leading European supplier of bags for bag-
in-box packaging (primarily packaged in corrugated boxes) for the wine market, and a significant global supplier for taps for bag-in-
box packaging for the wine market. We have sales offices and agencies across more than 25 countries and nine bag-in-box or tap
manufacturing facilities located in France, Spain, Italy, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, Germany and the United States.
C) Latin America Segment
We are a leading business in containerboard and corrugated containers in Latin America.
In Latin America, we are one of the largest producers of corrugated containers and containerboard, by volume, with corrugated
operations in nine countries. Our largest operations in Latin America are in Brazil and Colombia, with other corrugated operations in
Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Chile and Peru, and other operations in Ecuador and El Salvador. We have operated
continuously in Latin America since 1986.
Reliable third-party data on Latin America is not available and, therefore, statements in relation to our market position in Latin
America are based on management estimates.
Sales of our Latin American segment accounted for 8% of our net sales in 2024. See “Note 3. Segment Information” of the Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements, as well as Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations”, for additional information.
Products
Our Latin American segment mill operations consist of 9 mills in three countries (Brazil, Colombia and Argentina) producing
containerboard, consumer packaging board and sack kraft paper, with combined productions of around 1.5 million tons the year ended
December 31, 2024 (of which containerboard represented around 1.3 million tons).
The Latin American segment also has 28 corrugated plants in 9 countries – Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Costa
Rica, El Salvador, Peru, Chile and Puerto Rico. Production for the Latin American segment for the year ended December 31, 2024 was
approximately 23 billion square feet of corrugated containers.
We also have folding cartons operations in Costa Rica and El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, paper sack operations in
Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, and a recycling plant in Nicaragua.
Sales and Marketing
We provide packaging products for the transportation of a diverse range of consumer and industrial goods, such as processed and fresh
food, agricultural products, beverages, industrial and consumer electronics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and a range of other
products, as well as higher value-added corrugated products, such as those featuring enhanced graphics used for point of sale displays
and consumer and shelf-ready packaging. During 2024, the majority of our products were sold to the fast-moving consumer goods
sector.
No individual customer accounted for more than 10% of our net sales in 2024. We generally manufacture our products pursuant to our
customers’ orders. We believe that we have good relationships with our customers.
A proportion of our customers are considered pan-regional, and we have teams devoted to managing and servicing the requirements
of these customers. These teams work in conjunction with local operations. Another proportion of our customers are multi-national
accounts, serviced in more than one country (or state, in the case of the U.S.) but not across a full region. We have also built teams to
service their requirements. The remaining customers are considered either multi-site national accounts within a single country or local
accounts, and marketing and sales activity for these customers is primarily undertaken by local businesses. The dual approach to sales
and marketing allows us to remain close to our customers irrespective of size while also staying updated on competitors’ offerings and
local market developments.
We market our products through our own sales force. We also market a number of our products, primarily paper, through independent
sales representatives and independent distributors. We generally pay our sales personnel a combination of base salary, commissions
and annual bonus. We pay our independent sales representatives on a commission basis. Orders from our customers generally do not
have significant lead times. We discuss net sales to unaffiliated customers through our foreign operations and other financial
information in “Note 3. Segment Information” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
A considerable portion of our converted product sales are made under customer contracts with terms ranging from one to three years.
These agreements typically provide that the customer will source a specified percentage of its total product requirements from us on an
exclusive basis, and typically allow for raw material cost movements to be passed through to end pricing.
Our marketing strategy focuses on product quality, design differentiation and high caliber customer service. Through continuous
communication with customers, our goal is to improve our service quality and proactively anticipate or respond to customers’ needs.
The marketing strategy for our mills is to profitably match the sale of appropriate paper and containerboard to the demand
requirements of both internal and external converters located within an economically reasonable shipping distance from each mill,
thereby minimizing logistics costs. Our strategy for the corrugated container and other converting plants focuses on both customized
products tailored to fit customers’ needs and high-volume sales of commodity products, such as transport packaging for predominantly
local markets. Most sales of converted products are made on the basis of short-term orders for specified volumes at market rates.
These orders are priced based on a number of factors such as currency, volume, weight, applications (printing, die-cutting and
lamination) and geographic area. We seek to maintain a broad customer base for each market to avoid customer concentration.
Since all of our businesses operate in highly competitive industry segments, we regularly discuss sales opportunities for new business
or for renewal of existing business with customers. Our packaging products compete with packaging made from other materials,
including plastics. The primary competitive factors we face include price, design, product innovation, quality, service and
sustainability, with varying emphasis on these factors depending on the product line and customer preferences. Our machinery
solutions represent one example of how we compete by providing differentiated solutions that create value for our customers. We
believe that we compete effectively with respect to each of these factors and we obtain feedback on our performance with periodic
customer surveys, among other means.
Competition
We operate in a competitive global marketplace. The industries in which we operate are highly competitive, and no single company
dominates any of those industries.
In North America, our containerboard and paperboard operations compete with integrated and non-integrated national and regional
companies operating primarily in North America, and to a limited extent, manufacturers outside of North America. Our competitors
include large and small, vertically integrated companies and numerous smaller non-integrated companies. In the corrugated packaging
and folding carton markets, we compete with a significant number of national, regional and local packaging suppliers in North
America. In the promotional point-of-purchase display and converted paperboard products markets, we primarily compete with a
smaller number of national, regional and local companies offering highly specialized products.
In Europe, there are different types of companies operating in the vertically integrated containerboard and corrugated container
industry; some are vertically integrated, having both containerboard and corrugated container capacity, while others may be in only
one of those businesses. There are also a number of companies which have a presence in more than one country, while others operate
in a single geography. Our key competitors for containerboard and corrugated containers in western and eastern Europe are the other
leading pan-continental producers of containerboard and corrugated containers. As containerboard and corrugated containers products
are largely standardized products, competition is primarily based on price. Our key competitors for consumer packaging board and
consumer packaging are also pan-continental players.
In Latin America, our key competitors for containerboard and corrugated containers in Latin America are regional or national
companies within the countries in which we operate, as there are few pan-continental or international producers of containerboard and
corrugated containers. As containerboard and corrugated containers products are largely standardized products, competition is
primarily based on price. Our key competitors for consumer packaging board and consumer packaging are also pan-continental
players.
Seasonality
While our businesses are not materially impacted by seasonality, there is some variability in demand that occurs from quarter to
quarter, with net sales in the first quarter of each year typically being the lowest. Generally, we expect more of our earnings and cash
flows to be generated in the second half of the year than in the first half of the fiscal year due to these variations and other factors.
Raw Materials
The primary raw materials used by our mill operations are recycled fiber at our recycled containerboard and paperboard mills and
virgin fiber from hardwoods and softwoods at our virgin containerboard and paperboard mills. Certain of our virgin containerboard is
manufactured with some recycled fiber content.
In Europe, the principal raw materials for the recycled containerboard, recycled consumer packaging board, solidboard and graphic
board mills are various grades of recovered papers and, in particular, OCC. In Europe, we source recovered paper in a number of
different ways, which we refer to as “grip” levels, through sources we directly control or with whom we have contracts, with the
remainder being acquired primarily under spot purchases. We believe this security of supply to be a significant benefit at times when
recovered fiber is in short supply.
From a price perspective, most of our requirements in Europe are linked to official reference prices and are therefore based on market
prices.
Our kraftliner mills and sack kraft mill require virgin fiber as their principal raw material. We purchase virgin fiber on the open market
through contractual arrangements and, in some cases, cooperate with landowners to develop forest resources. We are not reliant on any
one supplier for a substantial portion of our raw materials sourced from third parties.
Our overall fiber sourcing for all of our mills in North America is approximately 55% virgin and 45% recycled. Recycled fiber prices
and virgin fiber prices can fluctuate significantly. We source virgin fiber from third party sources, and recycled fiber through a
combination of our own depots, long and short term contracts and from the open market.
Our overall fiber sourcing for our mills in Europe, MEA and APAC is approximately 24% virgin and 76% recycled. Recycled fiber
prices in particular can fluctuate significantly, and may not necessarily move in the same direction or quantum as in other regions. We
source virgin fiber in Europe from third party sources, and recycled fiber through a combination of our own depots, long and short
term contracts and on the open market.
Our overall fiber sourcing for our mills in Latin America is approximately 58% virgin and 42% recycled. Recycled prices in particular
can fluctuate significantly and vary from country to country in Latin America. We source virgin fiber primarily from our own forestry
bases in Colombia and Brazil, but also from the market. We source recycled fiber through a combination of our own depots, long and
short term contracts and from the open market.
Containerboard and paperboard are the primary raw materials used by our corrugated and consumer packaging converting operations
in our operating segments. Our converting operations use many different grades of containerboard and paperboard. We supply
substantially all of our converting operations' needs for containerboard and paperboard from our own mills and through the use of
trade swaps with other manufacturers. These arrangements allow us to optimize our mill system and reduce freight costs. Because
there are other suppliers that produce the necessary grades of containerboard and paperboard used in our converting operations, we
believe we would be able to source significant replacement quantities from other suppliers in the event that we incur production
disruptions for recycled or virgin containerboard and paperboard.
Energy
We incur energy costs in our mill operations and the cost of natural gas, oil, electricity and purchased biomass fuel is subject to
fluctuations. In our recycled mills, we primarily use natural gas and electricity, supplemented at certain mills with fuel oil. In our
virgin fiber mills, we primarily use biomass and natural gas, supplemented at times with fuel oil, and, at a limited number of facilities,
coal, to generate steam used in the pulping and paper making processes and to generate some or all the electricity used on site. We
primarily use purchased electricity and natural gas to operate our converting facilities. We generally purchase these products from
suppliers at market or tariff rates. We use commodity contracts to hedge energy exposures. See Item 1. “Business — Governmental
Regulation — Environmental” and Item 7A. “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk — “Energy” for additional
information.
Transportation
We also incur costs of inbound and outbound freight in our business. Factors that influence our freight expense are distance between
shipping and delivery locations, distance from our facilities to customers and suppliers, mode of transportation (rail, truck, intermodal
and ocean) and freight rates, which are influenced by supply and demand and fuel costs. The principal markets for our products are in
North America, Europe and Latin America.
Innovation
Our approach to innovation focuses on helping customers save more, sell more, and optimize packaging solutions to improve
consumer experience.
Our innovation model prioritizes agility for faster innovation and smarter testing, promoting global innovation with local relevance,
fostering end-to-end circular packaging innovation, and enabling quicker, better decision making with market-leading capabilities.
We emphasize local implementation and strong coordination to optimize efficiency and effectiveness across all operations and
customer interactions. To help achieve this, we have 30 interconnected customer-centric Innovation and Experience centers,
strategically positioned throughout the organization. These hubs are responsible for bringing to life a “local” approach by aligning the
global vision with local customization influenced by the culture, trends and customer needs. Additionally, our European innovation
team focuses on customer focused initiatives, backed by market-leading capabilities. We also have an innovation center in Richmond,
Virginia which focuses on solutions for converted products, paper and processes.
We have a suite of tools to support our innovation and selling efforts. The strength of these tools is the fact that they are internally
developed and are equally available to all operations.
Demonstrating our industry leadership, in 2024, we won 106 awards across a host of categories, including design, safety,
sustainability, community engagement and as a top employer. We were recognized for our technical innovation and creativity by
winning 16 awards at the Flexographic Industry Association UK awards in addition to 13 WorldStar 2024 awards, more than any other
entrant. We were also the proud winner of PepsiCo’s “Supplier of the Year” award, as well as Mondelez’ “Supplier of the Year”
award.
Our “Better Planet Packaging” initiative aims to develop our sustainable packaging to positively impact global supply chains, improve
our packaging environmental footprint and reduce packaging traces on the planet. Characteristics of Better Planet Packaging include:
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optimized and fit-for-purpose materials;
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reduced carbon footprint;
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designed to be recyclable and are actually recycled;
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manufactured with recycled material when possible, and sustainably sourced virgin material when needed; and
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naturally biodegradable.
To support the market in developing and implementing innovative packaging solutions more rapidly, reliably and collaboratively, we
launched our Design2Market concept in 2022. With over 80 successful projects executed for leading brands, our customers benefit
from a streamlined testing process, reduced risk and sustainable packaging options, all aligned with our commitment to innovation and
sustainability through the Better Planet Packaging initiative.
Sustainability
Commitment to Sustainability Matters
At Smurfit Westrock we are committed to creating packaging solutions that protect what we all care about. We believe this
commitment is evident in our culture and behaviors at all levels and across all areas of our business, informing our strategic business
decisions and actions, now and into the future.
As a global leader in sustainable, paper-based packaging, we are proud to create solutions from renewable and recyclable materials,
that help deliver a better future for all. Together, we are committed to being an impactful business and supporting a greener, bluer
planet.
There is strong oversight of sustainability and related matters within the Company. The Sustainability Committee of the Company’s
Board of Directors (the “Board”) has been in place since the completion of the Combination and met on three occasions in 2024.
Climate change is a regular agenda item at Board Committee meetings, where the Sustainability Committee reviews various aspects of
the Company’s climate strategy, stakeholder expectations and the evolving regulatory landscape. The Company’s chief executive
officer (the “CEO”), through his overall responsibility for the day-to-day oversight of the Company’s business and the implementation
of the Company strategy and policies, is directly responsible for actions governing sustainability, including areas such as climate
change. He is also responsible for providing that the Company’s purpose, values and culture are instilled throughout the Company.
The CEO is also a Director of the Board.
As a responsible company, operating globally, we provide products that are sustainable, driven by a culture with strong values of
loyalty, integrity, respect and safety at work. We understand the challenges facing both our business and the planet and are committed
to doing our part in resolving these critical issues. Our ambition is to deliver sustainable growth for the benefit of all our stakeholders
based on three pillars: Planet, People and Impactful Business.
Planet
The circular economy has long been the core of our business. We use renewable, recyclable, and recycled materials to create
innovative, sustainable packaging solutions. As a leading consumer of recycled fiber, we play our part in the circular economy by
recycling old paper-based packaging. The virgin wood fiber we use is sourced from responsibly managed forests and all our fiber-
based manufacturing facilities have been chain of custody certified to internationally recognized standards. We work with our
customers to help them deliver on their sustainability goals.
People and Communities
Having engaged employees is critical for the success of our business. We are committed to providing an inclusive and safe place to
work for the talented people in our globally and culturally diverse organization. Our commitment also extends to all of the
communities in which we operate.
Impactful Business
Through our activities, we aim to create sustainable value for our customers, investors, employees, suppliers and the communities in
which we are privileged to operate. We innovate and partner with our customers to create packaging solutions that can replace less
sustainable materials and reduce their carbon footprint. We aim to do this with the highest ethical business standards.
Our sustainability report is expected to be made available on our website in the second quarter of 2025 at www.smurfitwestrock.com/
sustainability. The information contained in our sustainability reports is not incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K and should
not be considered part of this or any other report that we file with or furnish to the SEC.
Climate-Related Disclosures
We recognize the need for climate-related disclosures as part of our commitment to sustainability and responsible corporate
citizenship. We plan to publish an overview of our approach to climate risk management in the first half of 2025 which will take into
consideration the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures as part of our sustainability reporting
for 2024.
Sustainability Performance
Due to the mid-year merger of Smurfit Kappa Group and WestRock, consolidated targets and data are not yet available but are
expected to form an integral part of our reporting on the 2025 financial year. For our 2024 calendar year reporting, we plan to report
on a selection of each of the legacy company’s key sustainability metrics.
Environmental Regulations
We may incur additional compliance costs and burdens resulting from the enactment of new laws and regulations aimed at reducing
carbon emissions, which could take the form of cap-and-trade, carbon taxes or a greenhouse gas (“GHG”) reduction mandate.
We may also incur higher prices for certain raw materials and fuels, including biomass and natural gas, related to the transition to a
lower-carbon economy or the enactment of GHG reduction mandates. Also, new climate rules and regulations that result in fuel
efficiency standards could increase our transportation costs.
Certain jurisdictions in which we have manufacturing facilities or other investments have already taken actions to address climate
change.
We also operate in countries or regions that have already adopted GHG emissions trading schemes such as the European Union where
we are subject to the impact on energy prices and compliance from the EU Emission Trading Scheme Directive.
Human Capital Resources
People are our priority. Our primary objective is to provide a great place to work for all our colleagues guided by our commitment to
equal employment opportunity for all. We understand that our success is driven by our highly valued and motivated, diverse teams
across the world. By building a safe and inclusive work environment that empowers and inspires our global workforce, our people will
be able to thrive and grow our business. Our responsibility as an employer is to create a workplace where people can earn a fair living,
where they will be safe and can return home to their families every day, and to provide the conditions where they feel valued and
respected.
As of December 31, 2024, we employed approximately 100,000 people in the 40 countries in which we operate, of which
approximately 52,500 were in the North America segment, approximately 37,000 in Europe, MEA and APAC, and approximately
10,500 in the Latin America segment. Our businesses can be seasonal in nature which results in peaks and troughs in employment
numbers across certain sections of our workforce. These changes are managed through fair and flexible hiring practices in accordance
with applicable laws.
As of December 31, 2024, approximately 54% of our hourly employees in the U.S. worked pursuant to collective bargaining
agreements and 60% of our employees in Europe were covered by collective labor agreements. The majority of our unionized
employees are represented by the United Steel Workers. During 2025, we expect to negotiate for renewal or extension of 27 contracts
(27% of total contracts) that have recently expired or that will expire during the year. During 2024, we experienced no work
stoppages, and we believe we have satisfactory labor relations with our employees.
Safety, Health and Well-Being
We promote a strong culture of safety and well-being. The safety and well-being of our employees, contractors and other stakeholders
is paramount to us, and is a core value for Smurfit Westrock. Operating safely is a non-negotiable, and our ‘Safety for Life’ Program is
embedded across many of our operations; this will continue to be deployed in our expanded organization and facilities. We strive
every day to ensure that each of our colleagues return home safely.
Smurfit Westrock invests substantial time, effort and financial resources to comply with applicable regulations and ensure a safe
workplace. In 2024, we achieved a lost time incident rate of 0.27, and a global Total Recordable Incident Rate of 0.58 for the
combined group, based on the number of incidents per 200,000 work hours for employees and contractors globally. Beyond reporting
of incidents, we proactively invest in initiatives, tools, technology and safety programs across the group, to make incident reporting
easier, to ensure the right safety conversations are happening, and to better control and mitigate potential risks.
An Employer of Choice
We are truly a diverse organization with approximately 100,000 colleagues from across the 40 countries in which we operate. We are
committed to fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace where everyone has a real sense of belonging and can be their
authentic selves at work every day. We strive for a culture and a workplace where all our employees feel valued, respected, and
empowered to thrive. Our people priorities, which are designed to help us develop a sustainable business, includes a focus on
employee engagement, people development and social support to our communities.
We have a number of communications coordinators and Employee Resource Groups in each region which focus on the topics that
matter most locally. These groups have been established on a voluntary basis, are employee-led based on common interests and
backgrounds, and have executive sponsorship to help with momentum, profile and resourcing.
We are deeply committed to our communities and collaborating with them. We encourage our local teams to connect with their
communities through social and environmental initiatives. Our Open Community initiatives cover all aspects of our involvement with
our communities around the world, with almost 200 projects in flight centered on four pillars: Empowering Communities,
Encouraging Wellbeing, Inspiring Our Future and Protecting Our Planet.
Culture & Engagement
Our culture is rooted in our values, which expects each employee, leader and function to live our values of safety, integrity, respect
and loyalty. We infuse our values through our ways of working and communication across the organization. In addition to engagement
and pulse surveys (we anticipate carrying out the first Smurfit Westrock global employee engagement survey in the first half of 2025),
we also encourage regular, live communication across the organization and host quarterly global town halls with our senior leadership
that include business updates and employee question-and-answer sessions. In addition, regional business town halls are held on a
regular basis.
Learning and Development
For employees, across all levels and businesses in our Company, our learning and development programs equip employees with the
relevant skills to be effective in their current roles and also to prepare them for the future, both within and outside of Smurfit
Westrock.
As a business with a strong track record of developing talent internally, our talent planning initiatives and programs help our business
to ensure we have the right people, with the right experience ready to progress in their careers as critical roles and talent needs arise.
Through our talent cycle of talent identification, succession planning and talent development, we have been able to ensure talent
mobility across the organization in a timely manner into key vacancies.
Through our Smurfit Westrock Learning Academy, we have a number of key management development programs which take place
annually, including Regional Graduate Programs, Advanced Management Development Program and Global Manager Program. These
serve to ensure that we retain, motivate and develop employees, allowing us to have a robust talent pipeline at all career stages. We
partner with leading academic institutions, including Harvard and INSEAD, which allow us to leverage global best practice in this
area. Since 2016 our flagship leadership development program, Open Leadership, runs in partnership with INSEAD business school
and has seen more than 500 of our senior leaders attend this year long three-module program. This investment in our leadership
community is based on the belief that business performance is linked to human behavior.
Compensation & Benefits
We believe our compensation packages provide the appropriate incentives to attract, retain and motivate our employees, and
ultimately to grow our business. Our compensation programs are designed to re-enforce performance, our business growth and our
talent strategy. We provide base pay that is market relevant and competitive and that aligns with employee positions, skill levels, and
experience. In addition to base pay, we provide opportunity for employees to receive annual performance-based incentive awards for
certain jobs and job levels. Our employee benefits packages, which vary by country and region, are competitive and local market
relevant.
We continue to evolve our medical and welfare benefits programs to ensure we provide for employees’ health and well-being,
including employee assistance programs. Additionally, to foster a strong sense of accountability and ownership, and align the interests
of managers with shareholders, we grant stock-based incentives to our most senior manager levels.
We are committed to equal pay for equal work. To deliver on that commitment we conduct frequent pay analysis, global pay equity
benchmarking and job analysis, and review our pay practices annually.
Patents and Other Intellectual Property
We hold a substantial number of foreign and domestic trademarks, trademark applications, trade names, patents, patent applications
and licenses relating to our business, our products and our production processes. Our patent portfolio consists primarily of utility
patents relating to our products and manufacturing operations, including proprietary automated packaging systems. Our company
name and logo, and certain of our products and services, are protected by domestic and foreign trademarks. Our patents, trademarks
and other intellectual property rights, particularly those relating to our manufacturing operations, are important to our operations as a
whole. Our intellectual property has various expiration dates.
Governmental Regulation
Health and Safety
Our business involves the use of heavy equipment, machinery and chemicals and requires the performance of activities that create
safety exposures. Safeguarding the health, safety and overall welfare of our team is core to how we operate and critical to attracting
and retaining the best talent, while also playing a pivotal role in realizing our business and sustainability objectives. We implement our
health and safety requirements through comprehensive safety management systems that include global policies, performance
standards, implementation tools, guidance documents, standardized forms, best practice sharing and operational learning. We seek to
reduce exposures and eliminate life changing events through engagement, execution of targeted, results-driven activities, and
implementation of systems that promote continuous improvement.
We are subject to a broad range of foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to occupational health and safety, and
our safety program includes measures required for compliance. We have incurred, and will continue to incur, operating costs and
capital expenditures to meet our health and safety compliance requirements, as well as to continually improve our safety systems. We
believe that future compliance with occupational health and safety laws and regulations will not have a material adverse effect on our
results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
Certain governmental authorities in locations where we do business have established asbestos standards for the workplace. Although
we do not use asbestos in manufacturing our products, asbestos containing material (“ACM”) is present in some of the facilities we
own or lease. For those facilities where ACM is present and ACM is subject to regulation, we have established procedures for properly
managing it.
Environmental
Environmental compliance requirements are a significant factor affecting our business. Our manufacturing processes involve the use
of natural resources, such as virgin wood fiber and fresh water, discharges to water, air emissions and waste handling and disposal
activities. These processes are subject to numerous federal, state, local and international environmental laws and regulations, as well as
the requirements of environmental permits and similar authorizations issued by various governmental authorities.
We invested approximately $127 million of capital expenditure during fiscal 2024 on matters relating to environmental compliance.
This is the combined amount between Smurfit Kappa and WestRock; however, it is an approximation as the same definitions and
methodology were not used by the respective companies in calculating it and this number remains subject to review and adjustments
as we refine our methodology post-combination.
Available Information
Our website address is www.smurfitwestrock.com, and our investor relations website is https://investors.smurfitwestrock.com. We
promptly make available on our investor relations website, free of charge, the reports that we file or furnish with the SEC, corporate
governance information (including our Code of Conduct and Code of Ethical Conduct for Directors and Senior Financial Officers) and
select press releases. None of the information on our website is incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K or any other
filings the Company makes with the SEC. We file annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on
Form 8-K, proxy and information statements, and amendments to reports filed or furnished pursuant to Sections 13(a), 14, and 15(d)
of the Exchange Act. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other
information regarding Smurfit Westrock and other issuers that file electronically with the SEC.
From time to time, we have used, and expect in the future to use, our website as a means of disclosing material information to the
public in a broad, non-exclusionary manner, including for purposes of the SEC’s Regulation Fair Disclosure. Financial and other
material information regarding the Company is routinely posted on our website and accessible at https://
investors.smurfitwestrock.com. In order to receive notifications regarding new postings to our website, investors are encouraged to
enroll on our website to receive automatic email alerts.
Information About Our Executive Officers
Our executive officers as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are as follows:
Anthony Smurfit, 61, serves as our President & Group Chief Executive Officer, a position he held since 2024 and as director of
Smurfit Westrock since 2023. He served as a director of Smurfit Kappa, our now subsidiary, and its predecessors from 1989 until the
Combination closed on July 5, 2024 and as Group Chief Executive Officer of Smurfit Kappa between 2015 and July 5, 2024. Prior to
that, he served as Group Chief Operations Officer of Smurfit Kappa from 2002 until 2015. He was Chief Executive of Smurfit Europe
from October 1999 to 2002 prior to which he was Deputy Chief Executive of Smurfit Europe and previously Chief Executive Officer
of Smurfit France.
Ken Bowles, 53, serves as our Executive Vice President & Group Chief Financial Officer, a position he held since 2024 and as
director of Smurfit Westrock since 2023. He joined a predecessor of Smurfit Kappa, our now subsidiary, in 1994 and occupied a
number of finance roles in various parts of Smurfit Kappa and its predecessors. He was appointed Group Chief Financial Officer of
Smurfit Kappa in 2016, prior to which he was the Financial Controller between 2010 and 2016. He served as a director of Smurfit
Kappa between 2016 and the completion of the Combination on July 5, 2024. Previously, he served as Smurfit Kappa’s Head of Tax
from 2007 to 2010, prior to which he was appointed as the first Head of Compliance in 2004.
Laurent Sellier, 56, serves as our President & Chief Executive Officer, North America (including Mexico), a position he held since
the completion of the Combination on July 5, 2024. He joined Smurfit Kappa, our now subsidiary, in 1994 as an internal auditor, and
since then has worked in several positions across Smurfit Kappa in France, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Mr.
Sellier was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Smurfit Kappa Americas in January 2022. Mr. Sellier was formerly the Chief
Operating Officer of the Smurfit Kappa Europe Paper and Board Division.
Saverio Mayer, 59, serves as our President & Chief Executive Officer, Europe, MEA and APAC, a position he held since the
completion of the Combination on July 5, 2024. He joined Smurfit Kappa, our now subsidiary, in 1986 and since then has held a
number of commercial and operational roles. Mr. Mayer was appointed Chief Executive Officer, Europe, at Smurfit Kappa in April
- Formerly Mr. Mayer was Head of Pan European Sales in 1996, before taking up the position of Chief Executive Officer of
Smurfit Kappa Italy in 2001. In conjunction with his role in Italy, Mr. Mayer also served as the Chief Executive Officer of Smurfit
Kappa Russia from 2007 to 2009, Chief Executive Officer of Smurfit Kappa Poland from 2007 to 2011 and since 2011 was
responsible for the Bag-in-Box (“BIB”) Division. In September 2015, he was appointed Chief Operations Officer of Corrugated and
Converting Europe and was responsible for the operational, sales, and financial performance of the corrugated plants and BIB
Division.
Alvaro Henao, 59, currently serves as our President & Chief Executive Officer, LATAM, a position he held since February 1, 2025.
Prior to this role, Mr. Henao served as the Company’s Senior Vice President of Integration, the role he has held since 2024.
Previously, over the course of 36 years, he held various positions of increased responsibility at Smurfit Kappa, our now subsidiary.
Most recently, between 2013 and 2023, he served as Chief Executive Officer, Central Cluster, at Smurfit Kappa.
Ben Garren, 63, serves as our EVP & Group General Counsel, a position he held since July 8, 2024. Prior to his current position, Mr.
Garren worked for The Coca-Cola Company, a multinational beverage corporation, for more than 24 years, during which he held a
number of senior legal roles, including most recently serving as General Counsel, International between 2018 and 2021, overseeing
legal operations for EMEA, LATAM and APAC Groups, and prior to that, he served as General Counsel, North America. Before
joining The Coca-Cola Company, Mr. Garren practiced law in New York as a litigation associate with leading law firms Baker Botts
LLP and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.
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