FORM 3 
         U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION       _____________________ 

                 WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549              |    OMB APPROVAL     | 

                  INITIAL STATEMENT OF                |_____________________| 

           BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES         |OMB NUMBER: 3235-0104| 

                                                      |EXPIRES:             | 

                                                      | SEPTEMBER 30, 1998  | 

       Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the         |ESTIMATED AVERAGE    | 

         Securities Exchange Act of 1934,             |BURDEN HOURS         | 

        Section 17(a) of the Public Utility           |PER RESPONSE 0.5     | 

          Holding Company Act of 1935                 |_____________________| 

       or Section 30(f) of the Investment 
              Company Act of 1940 

 ___________________________________________________________________________
 1. Name and Address of Reporting Person 
   
       Crichton                Robert                    W.                  
 ___________________________________________________________________________

        (Last)                 (First)                    (Middle) 
     

            100 Tri-State Drive, Suite 200
 ___________________________________________________________________________


                                   (Street) 
   
         Lincolnshire            IL                        60069           

 ___________________________________________________________________________


        (City)                  (State)                    (Zip) 
  

___________________________________________________________________________



 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 

     February 26, 1998

 ___________________________________________________________________________
 

 3. IRS OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OF REPORTING PERSON (VOLUNTARY) 
     

 ___________________________________________________________________________
 4. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol 
     

          Ivex Packaging Corporation/IXX
 ___________________________________________________________________________

 5. RELATIONSHIP OF REPORTING PERSON(S) TO ISSUER (CHECK ALL APPLICABLE) 
  (  ) DIRECTOR 

  (  ) 10% OWNER    
  (X ) OFFICER (GIVE TITLE BELOW) 

  (  ) OTHER (SPECIFY TITLE BELOW) 
     Vice President and General Manager

 ___________________________________________________________________________
 6. IF AMENDMENT, DATE OF ORIGINAL (MONTH/DAY/YEAR) 
     

 ___________________________________________________________________________
 7. INDIVIDUAL OR JOINT/GROUP FILING (CHECK APPLICABLE LINE) 
    _X_FORM FILED BY ONE REPORTING PERSON 

    ___FORM FILED BY MORE THAN ONE REPORTING PERSON 
  

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 TABLE I - NON-DERIVATIVE SECURITIES BENEFICIALLY OWNED 
 ____________________________________________________________________________

 |1. TITLE OF SECURITY|2. AMOUNT OF   |3. OWNERSHIP  |4. NATURE OF INDIRECT  |

 |   (INSTR. 4)       |   SECURITIES  |   FORM DIRECT|   BENEFICIAL
 OWNERSHIP| 
 |                    |   BENEFICIALLY|   DIRECT (D) |   (INSTR. 5)         
 | 
 |                    |   OWNED       |   OR INDIRECT|                      
 | 
 |                    |   (INSTR. 4)  |   (I) (INSTR.|                      
 | 
 |                    |               |   5)         |                      
 | 
 |____________________|_______________|______________|_____________________
__| 
  

 [TYPE ENTRIES HERE] 
  

  
  

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 TABLE II - DERIVATIVE SECURITIES BENEFICIALLY OWNED 
        (E.G., PUTS, CALLS, WARRANTS, OPTIONS, CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES) 

 ___________________________________________________________________________
 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4) 
     

       Stock Options (right to buy)
 ___________________________________________________________________________
 
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year) 
              Date Exercisable                     Expiration Date
          1.  (1)                                     
1.  9/29/07
          2.  (2)                                     2.  2/25/08
 ___________________________________________________________________________

 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4) 
                 Title                         Amount of Number of Shares 

          1.  Common Stock                            1. 
 7,500
          2.  Common Stock                            2. 10,000
 ___________________________________________________________________________


 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 
     

          1.  $16.00                2.  $22.50
 ___________________________________________________________________________



 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct(D) or Indirect(I)(Instr. 5) 

     
          1.  D                     2. 
D                                     
 ___________________________________________________________________________



 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) 

     
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    EXPLANATION OF RESPONSES: 

  
      1.   These options vest in three equal annual installments beginning

           on 9/29/98. 
  

      2.   These options vest in three equal annual installments beginning 
           on 2/26/99. 

  
  

  
  

                                                     
        /s/  Robert W. Crichton                         3/06/98

    **  SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON                     DATE  

  
  

  
 _____________________________ 

  
    **  INTENTIONAL MISSTATEMENTS OR OMISSIONS OF FACTS CONSTITUTE FEDERAL 

        CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS. 
        SEE 18 U.S.C. 1001 AND 15 U.S.C. 78FF(A). 

  
   NOTE:  FILE THREE COPIES OF THIS FORM, ONE OF WHICH MUST BE MANUALLY

   SIGNED. IF SPACE PROVIDED IS INSUFFICIENT, SEE INSTRUCTION 6 FOR PROCEDURE 

  
   POTENTIAL PERSONS WHO ARE TO RESPOND TO THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION  

   CONTAINED IN THIS FORM ARE NOR REQUIRED TO RESPOND UNLESS THE FORM  
   DISPLAYS A CURRENTLY VALID OMB NUMBER. 

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