HORST Bittermann has been appointed the new president of Pro Carton, the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers.
Bittermann, who is head of marketing at Mayr-Melnhof Karton, is succeeding WEIG-Karton’s Roland Rex, who stood down at the organisation’s AGM after eight years in the role.
Pro Carton said the appointment comes at a “strategically important time” given the focus on sustainable packaging at the moment.
Described as an experienced sales and marketing professional, Bittermann has held senior roles in private banking, retailing and packaging. He joined MM Karton in 2008.
He said, “It is an honour to become the president of Pro Carton at this exciting time for the packaging industry. Pro Carton is the voice for cartonboard and folding cartons and as sustainable packaging becomes increasingly valuable to brands, retailers and the planet as a whole, we need to communicate the sustainable nature of our members’ products even more intensively.
“Packaging has to deliver on three main functions, or the three Ps – preserve the quality of the product, promote the sale of the product and protect the environment. As well as being an extremely eye-catching packaging medium, folding cartons do not leave any lasting scars on the environment, but rather help protect it by reducing product damage and food waste. Cartonboard as a material is made from renewable sources, is biodegradable and almost fully recyclable – all attributes which epitomise the circular economy that we should be striving for.
“I am certain that cartonboard and folding cartons will become the most widely-used packaging medium in the coming decade and that Pro Carton can play an important role in achieving that success.”
