Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors presented by Atlantic Packaging | Podcast Guru

Details

Join industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers as we explore the future of packaging through the lens of sustainability. Hosted by Cory Connors, an industry expert with over 25 years of experience, and presented by Atlantic Packaging, the leader in innovative sustainable solutions, we dive into what’s working (and what’s not) from cutting-edge materials to circular design strategies that can reduce waste and protect our planet. Each episode blends real data, expert insights, and a dose of fun to help you stay informed and inspired. Whether you're in the packaging industry or simply passionate about sustainability, this podcast is your weekly go-to resource for making smarter, greener choices.

Recent Episodes

Why You Must See 3M at PACK EXPO International | David Glover

In this episode, Cory Connors sits down with David Glover of 3M to preview what attendees can expect from 3M's booth at PACK EXPO, taking place October 18–21 in Chicago. David shares his 14-year journey at 3M — from product specialist to global sales trainer to portfolio marketing manager — and explains why he considers himself a "tape nerd." The conversation covers 3M's long history of packaging innovation, the growing challenge of sealing high-recycled-content corrugate, and the new product...

27 MIN

The Barcode Revolution Is Coming | Teresa Williams

In this episode, Cory Connors talks with Teresa Williams, Director of Strategic Accounts for GS1 US, about Sunrise 2027 — the biggest shift in retail packaging data in 50 years. Teresa explains how the industry is transitioning from the traditional 1D linear UPC barcode to a data-rich 2D barcode (a QR code powered by GS1 Digital Link), why it matters for brands and retailers, and how companies can start preparing now. The two also discuss Teresa's path into the AIDC (automatic identification ...

23 MIN

How Atlantic Packaging Built an 80-Year Legacy of Innovation | Rusty Carter, Bill Balkcum, & Wes Carter

Recorded live on stage at Atlantic Packaging's National Sales Meeting, this special episode traces Atlantic Packaging's remarkable 80-year journey from a small-town North Carolina newspaper to a billion-dollar, family-owned leader in sustainable packaging. Host Cory Connors sits down with CEO Rusty Carter, VP Bill Balkcum, and President Wes Carter to unpack the company's origin story, its evolution into packaging, the sales-driven culture that has defined it for decades, and the values the fa...

67 MIN

Inside Europe's Toughest Packaging Law | Anna Perlina

In this episode, Cory Connors sits down with Anna Perlina, a sustainable packaging and EU PPWR consultant with Integrity Solutions, to unpack why the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is reshaping how companies — even those outside Europe — think about packaging strategy. Anna traces her path from leading global packaging procurement at a major FMCG company to founding her own consultancy, and explains how the PPWR has turned "sustainable packaging," once a vague and subjec...

23 MIN

Packaging Waste Needs a Seat at the Policy Table | Jackie Hope Glass

In this episode, Cory Connors sits down with Delegate Jackie Hope Glass of the Virginia House of Delegates to talk about the road that led her from community organizing to the statehouse, and what that experience has taught her about building real partnerships between policymakers and the packaging industry. Jackie shares how a habit of "minding other people's business" turned into a grassroots homework program for neighborhood kids, then a school board run, and eventually a seat in the Gener...

27 MIN