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# Materials matter: how you can create a circular and sustainable packaging value chain without compromising performance
- URL: https://packaging-europe.ghost.io/materials-matter-how-you-can-create-a-circular-and-sustainable-packaging-value-chain-without-compromising-performance/
- Published: 2026-07-20T13:40:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-11T07:05:14.000Z
- Author: Packaging Europe staff writers
- Tags: Webinars, #On Demand Webinars, #layout-s, #type-article, #packaging-europe, #Import 2026-09-08 15:54

[](https://webapp.spotme.com/login/eventspace/UPM%5Fmaterials%5Fmatter%5F3%5F9%5F26?ref=packaging-europe.ghost.io)

### About the webinar

### FACT: Regulatory and market pressures are making packaging increasingly important to your bottom line.

Your questions about sustainable packaging demand answers powered by material expertise and industry insights. In this webinar, professionals from material solutions provider UPM demystify how to create packaging that delivers the sustainability and business results you need. Using examples from real-world successes with converters, brands, and packaging value chain partners that co-create solutions with UPM, you’ll understand how to make decisions that improve circularity and renewability with equal or even superior performance. 

[**Register to attend**](https://webapp.spotme.com/login/eventspace/UPM%5Fmaterials%5Fmatter%5F3%5F9%5F26?ref=packaging-europe.ghost.io)

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### Learning Objectives

1. Understand how material choices can balance circularity, renewable content, and high-performance requirements without compromising functionality or shelf appeal.
2. Evaluate potential trade-offs in packaging materials and design to make informed, sustainability-driven decisions.
3. See how working with partners in the packaging value chain supports the development of solutions that meet business goals, market expectations, and regulatory compliance.
4. Understand how emerging recyclability and sortability requirements are influencing material decisions and regulatory preparedness.

[**Register to attend**](https://webapp.spotme.com/login/eventspace/UPM%5Fmaterials%5Fmatter%5F3%5F9%5F26?ref=packaging-europe.ghost.io)

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![Marinela](https://storage.ghost.io/c/61/60/61607b5b-1c0b-4249-a886-4bc4c284c107/content/images/d2wrwj382xgrci-cloudfront-net/Pictures/2000xany/7/8/7/19787_marinela_158995.png)

### Marinela Crisan

Technical Sales Manager  
**UPM Next Generation Renewables**

Marinela Crisan is a Technical Sales Manager at UPM Next Generation Renewables, supporting customers in the rubber and plastics sectors with technical evaluations, product trials, approvals and application guidance for renewable functional fillers. With more than 15 years of experience as a chemical engineer, she brings expertise in rubber compounding, elastomer development, quality control and customer-facing technical roles across the European materials industry.

![Ashley](https://storage.ghost.io/c/61/60/61607b5b-1c0b-4249-a886-4bc4c284c107/content/images/d2wrwj382xgrci-cloudfront-net/Pictures/2000xany/7/8/5/19785_ashley_94141.png)

### Ashley Drew

Manager, Sustainability, EMEIA  
**UPM Adhesive Materials**

Ashley Drew is a Sustainability Manager in UPM Adhesive Materials’ EMEIA business, supporting converters and brands on their sustainability journey. With more than 12 years of experience, Ashley brings a dynamic sustainability skill set built across the automotive, wine and spirits and packaging sectors, helping companies move toward more sustainable futures and deliver measurable positive impact. Ashley has spent six of those years at UPM Adhesive Materials. She also holds an MBA.

![Janne](https://storage.ghost.io/c/61/60/61607b5b-1c0b-4249-a886-4bc4c284c107/content/images/d2wrwj382xgrci-cloudfront-net/Pictures/2000xany/7/8/6/19786_janne_686473.png)

### Janne Varvemaa

Director, Products and Technology  
**UPM Specialty Materials**

Janne Varvemaa leads global product management, product development and R&D and technology steering at UPM Specialty Materials. With more than 30 years in the paper industry, he brings deep expertise in fibre-based materials for labels and flexible packaging, where performance, printability, barrier properties and convertibility carry high demands. He previously managed UPM’s paper business R&D portfolio and led UPM’s largest R&D center in Lappeenranta, Finland. He holds an MSc in paper technology from Helsinki University of Technology (now Aalto University) and an eMBA from Lappeenranta University of Technology.