Novvia Group appoints waste Veteran Bob Boucher as New CEO

CANADA – Missouri-based rigid packaging company Novvia Group has appointed Bob Boucher as its chief executive officer, effective November 2024. 

Boucher, a seasoned leader from the waste management sector, steps into the role following the retirement of Sarah Macdonald, who had guided the company since 2021. 

Macdonald will continue contributing as a board member.

Boucher joins Novvia after serving as CEO of Waste Harmonics Keter, a major waste brokerage firm backed by TPG Growth. 

He left that position last month, with Scott Gilbertson, chair of Waste Harmonics Keter’s board, now acting as interim CEO during the search for a permanent successor. 

The merged entity, formed in 2023 from TPG’s acquisition of Keter Environmental and Arcapita’s Waste Harmonics, operates across about 750 customers in nearly 70,000 locations. 

It combines retail waste expertise with industrial services, headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. 

Earlier this year, the company restructured its New York office, leading to some layoffs as part of the integration process.

Ken Roessler, executive chairman of Novvia’s board, welcomed the appointment in a statement. He noted that Boucher brings substantial expertise in scaling multinational operations into global entities. 

The board anticipates his involvement in advancing Novvia’s growth in sustainable rigid packaging solutions, such as recyclable plastic containers and eco-friendly materials for consumer goods.

With over three decades in waste and environmental services, Boucher previously led Win Waste Innovations as president and CEO until 2023. 

That firm emerged from Macquarie’s purchase of Wheelabrator Technologies and related assets, where he had also served as CEO. 

His earlier roles included heading Transpacific and positions at WM, Republic Services, and Synagro, focusing on operational efficiencies and waste reduction strategies transferable to packaging sustainability.

This leadership shift arrives amid rising demand for circular economy practices in rigid packaging. 

Novvia, which specializes in blow-molded and injection-molded products, reported US$450 million in annual revenue last fiscal year, with 20 percent derived from recycled content initiatives. 

Boucher’s background in waste optimization positions the company to enhance material recovery rates in its supply chain.

In related developments, the packaging industry is seeing parallel efforts to integrate sustainability at the executive level. 

For instance, Stahl recently completed the integration of Weilburger Graphics’ Turkish operations into its packaging coatings division on December 2, 2025. 

This move expands eco-friendly coating options for rigid and flexible formats, serving clients in the Middle East and Africa with low-VOC formulations that reduce environmental impact by up to 30%. 

According to a company release, the integration creates a unified team of 150 specialists dedicated to water-based technologies. 

Meanwhile, RecyClass announced certification for nitrocellulose-free inks on November 29, 2025, enabling higher recyclability for flexible packaging, a step that could extend to rigid applications by minimizing contamination in sorting facilities. 

These updates highlight ongoing mergers and certifications driving greener production worldwide.

Novvia’s board expressed confidence in Boucher’s ability to navigate market challenges, including regulatory pressures for reduced plastic use. 

The company plans to invest US$50 million over the next two years in advanced recycling partnerships, targeting a 25 percent cut in virgin plastic reliance by 2027.

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