Week of 29 June 2026: Safety--Can't Anticipate It

I received a call from a gentleman in Bogota. He was interested in purchasing a couple of paper mills outside of Cali. I had been recommended to him as someone who could quickly assess these mills and give him my recommendation as to whether or not to proceed. About a week later, I found myself landing at the Cali airport.

Life is Short

Live, love, be kind to others. Remember, life is too short and fragile to not do that.

Safety: Digging Beneath the Numbers

The tragedy at Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview, Washington, on May 26, 2026 serves as a sobering reminder that the pulp and paper industry is hazardous, even in an era of advancing technology and heightened awareness.

Digital Dementia

We're all susceptible to Digital Dementia. Even NASA couldn't remember how they got to the moon on 4 kilobytes of RAM. At least that's what I heard. For the Boomers, GenX, and Millennials...remember when we all used to maintain a physical address/phone book decades ago? We still do, in a sense, maintain those databases of contacts, but we're digital now. It's just as important to do so now as then, however, it so much easier.

What Successful Pulp and Paper MES Implementations Have in Common

Lessons from decades of MES projects across pulp and paper manufacturing

[Adv.] Kadant Inc.

(Adv.) SAP offers you an easy direct link to their breaking developments

Perseus Information Security Consulting Becomes Fully Accredited Certification Body for ISASecure ACSSA Program

The International Society of Automation (ISA) -- the leading professional society for automation -- announced Perseus Information Security Consulting has received full accreditation from the A2LA Accreditation Body to serve as an ISO/IEC 17065 accredited certification body (CB) for the globally recognized certification program ISASecure®, a wholly owned subsidiary of ISA.

Resetting cost competitiveness in pulp and paper packaging

Overcapacity, volatile costs, and weak demand are compressing margins. Successful companies are harnessing AI to pursue cross-functional interventions that target the total cost baseline of a mill.

Read the monthly Industree 4.0 newsletters here

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Fiber Processing

Steam and Condensate Chronicles

Where is Jim this week?

As I travel, I am always looking for someone to go to dinner with, share a barbeque sandwich lunch and so forth.

Miami student receives Paperitalo Publications endowed scholarship

Katie Bielecki, right, is shown receiving the Paperitalo Publications endowed scholarship from Steve Sena at the Miami University Paper Science & Engineering Foundation Meeting in 2026. Katie is a rising Junior, Chemical Engineering student. She participated in the SASI workshop during J-term (winter semester) and is interning with Smurfit Westrock in Evadale, Texas, this summer.

Beech Island, South Carolina crews battle fire at Kimberly-Clark facility

Beech Island fire crews responded to a confirmed fire at the Kimberly-Clark facility in Beech Island Thursday afternoon, June 25,according to officials.

UFP Industries: Deckorators Opens Its First Northeast Manufacturing Plant

Lackawanna, New York, facility adds 50 new jobs and doubles production capacity for the brand's Surestone technology decking products

Rayonier Advanced Materials Completes Previously Announced Employment Inducement Award for President and Chief Executive Officer

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. announced the completion of the grant of the employment enducement award to Daniel M. Krawczyk, President and Chief Executive Officer, as previously disclosed in the Company's current report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on June 22, 2026.

What the Suzano-Kimberly-Clark Joint Venture Means for the Market

Suzano and Kimberly-Clark, a global leader in the consumer staples industry, announced in early June the creation of a US$3.4 billion joint venture focused on the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of consumer and professional tissue products, such as toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, and facial tissues, in over 70 countries. Suzano will acquire a 51% interest in the new entity, with Kimberly-Clark holding a 49% interest.

Tiger Group Offers OCC Pulp Mill Packed with Late-Model Equipment

Sale by Tiger and partner Can-Am Machinery features pulping, drying, baling and other assets from a fiber-processing and pulp-production plant in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Nippon Dynawave Longview paper mill implosion: What 3 investigations are examining

Federal investigators have embarked on the monthslong probe into the fatal disaster at Nippon Dynawave Packaging, interviewing workers and reviewing company records as they seek to answer why a 900,000-gallon tank containing a caustic chemical failed so catastrophically.

LP Building Solutions Breaks Ground on New LP® SmartSide® ExpertFinish® Manufacturing Facility in North Branch, Minnesota

State-of-the-art facility to create 125 jobs and expand LP's growing ExpertFinish network.

Vigil held to honor Nippon Dynawave Longview chemical tank implosion victims 1 month after incident

This week marks one month since the chemical tank implosion that killed 11 workers at Nippon Dynawave Paper Mill in Longview. A vigil was held on Tuesday to honor the lives lost as friends, family, and neighbors continue to grapple with the tragedy.

Smurfit Westrock Announces Closure of Lebanon Facility in Tennessee; 52 Workers Affected

Smurfit Westrock has notified the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development that it plans to permanently close its Lebanon facility, affecting 52 employees.

Rayonier Advanced Materials names Daniel M. Krawczyk new Chief Executive Officer and President amid pressure to sell company

Krawczyk most recently served as President of Huber Engineered Materials, where he led the growth and operational transformation of a $1.3 billion global industrial and specialty chemicals portfolio.

Smurfit Westrock Announces the Completion of Delisting from the LSE

Smurfit Westrock's ordinary shares are now solely listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Rayonier Advanced Materials Investor Pushes Board for Full Sale

The shareholder, which owns about 3% of Rayonier, sent a letter to the board Wednesday arguing that the company's assets were worth a lot but weren't being managed well.

UPM to shut Kaukas pulp mill for about six weeks from August 3

The UPM Kaukas pulp mill will be temporarily shut down as of August 3, 2026 for approximately six weeks. In addition, a potential temporary shutdown of the UPM Pietarsaari pulp mill is being planned for October.

Cascades Strengthens Its Tissue Paper Production Platform in Quebec

The installation of the new equipment, a $15 M investment, will take place over a period of 9 months. This builds on a $14 M investment made in recent years, for a total investment of $29 M.

Stora Enso invests in fluff pulp production increase at its Skutskär business unit and concludes change negotiations for softwood line closure

Stora Enso strengthens its focus on specialised pulp grades by investing EUR 19 million in fluff pulp production increase at its Skutskär production unit in Sweden. This investment will cater to the growing consumer demand for hygiene products. As a result of the ongoing change negotiations, the company has also decided to permanently close softwood pulp production on fiberline 3 (L3).

Suzano and Ecofuturo partner with the Ekos Brasil Institute and the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Initiative brings together national and international expertise for the collaborative construction of a strategic tool aimed at the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of the territory

Tiger Group Offers OCC Pulp Mill Packed with Late-Model Equipment

Sale by Tiger and partner Can-Am Machinery features pulping, drying, baling and other assets from a fiber-processing and pulp-production plant in Chesapeake, Virginia.

West Fraser Timber fined $111,000 after trapped worker dies at B.C. mill

B.C. timber giant penalized over 'high-risk' safety failures leading up to a worker getting trapped and killed under falling wood fibre inside a silo.

Magnera Announces the Sale of Its Caerphilly, United Kingdom Operations

Following a strategic portfolio review of its manufacturing technologies, products, and markets served, Magnera initiated an evaluation of strategic alternatives for its Caerphilly business that produces metallized paper for various end market applications, including premium labels, gift wrap and food packaging. The evaluation initiated a sale process for the operations, resulting in an agreement with the Polyart Group to purchase 100% of the shares of the Caerphilly business.

Domtar Publishes 2025 Sustainability Report: Advancing Our Sustainability Journey

Domtar, a leading North American manufacturer of diversified forest products, has released its 2025 sustainability report entitled Advancing Our Sustainability Journey. The report reflects Domtar's second year of disclosure as a unified company and demonstrates the progress the company has made in advancing its sustainability journey.

Norske Skog Promotes CFO Mads Eikeland to Lead Skogn Mill

Norske Skog has promoted CFO Mads Eikeland to Managing Director of its Skogn plant, highlighting his deep operational insight and financial expertise.

Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG: MM Group recognised in TIME's World's Most Sustainable Companies 2026 ranking

MM Group has been named among the World's Most Sustainable Companies 2026 by TIME Magazine and Statista®, recognising the company's measurable progress in sustainability, transparent reporting and responsible business practices.

UPM and ANDRITZ partner to advance tailored tissue innovation

The world's leading multifibre pulp producer UPM Pulp and the international technology group ANDRITZ have signed a strategic, multi-year cooperation agreement to enable tissue manufacturers to develop and optimize next-generation tissue products and processes.

Prinzhorn Group Selects HERE Enterprise to Unify Industrial Operations under One Digital Workspace

Secure AI-powered browser transforms the day-to-day experience for paper manufacturers' employees, boosting productivity from factory floor to the office.

Huhtamaki recognized on TIME and Statista's World's Most Sustainable Companies 2026 list

Huhtamaki has been recognized on TIME and Statista's World's Most Sustainable Companies list for the third time.

Novolex Appoints Dan Debicella as Chief Commercial Transformation and Strategy Officer

Debicella has more than 25 years of experience leading transformation and growth across multiple industries.

Saica Group brings together more than 650 professionals to discuss the future of packaging at its European Customer Event

The company held the 14th edition of this event in Málaga, where it discussed with customers and experts the key trends, regulatory challenges, and innovations that will shape the future of packaging.

Anchor Packaging and Pizza Hut® Team Up on Award-Winning Wing Bowl That Keeps Wings Fresh

Anchor Packaging, now part of Georgia-Pacific's (GP) Foodservice Solutions platform, played a pivotal role in earning the honor for Package Design Innovation.

Metsä Board secures refinancing of EUR 250 million bond maturing in 2027

Metsä Board has secured the refinancing of its EUR 250 million bond maturing in September 2027 through a committed credit facility signed on 24 June 2026.

Ennis, Inc. Reports Results for the Quarter Ended May 31, 2026 and Declares Quarterly Dividend

The Company's revenues for the first quarter ended May 31, 2026 were $98.6 million compared to $97.2 million for the same quarter last year, an increase of 1.4%.

Student Spotlight: Junior Naomi Halphen of Georgia Tech

Paperitalo Publications interviewed Naomi Halphen, and we asked her a few questions about her experiences at Georgia Tech.

Student Spotlight: Graduating senior Kelsey Mosqueda of the University of Washington

Kelsey Mosqueda is a senior in the UW program. Kelsey is graduating this spring with her Bioresource Science & Engineering degree and will be working at International Paper in Springfield, Oregon. We asked her about her experiences at the University of Washington.

Interview with University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Paper Science and Engineering Graduating Senior Ethan Fisher

Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with Ethan Fisher, a graduating senior in the program, and we asked him a few questions about his experiences at UWSP.

Student Spotlight: Graduating senior Aimee Lambert of Western Michigan

The Western Michigan University Paper Technology Foundation is a 501(c)(3) corporation founded by industry leaders in 1958. The mission of the corporation has been and continues to be to support the Department of Chemical and Paper Engineering at Western Michigan University. Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with Aimee Lambert, who is a graduating senior in the program. We asked her a few questions about her experiences at Western Michigan.

Student Spotlight: Senior Avery Hendl of Miami University

The Paper Science & Engineering Foundation at Miami University was founded in 1960 through the donations of several local paper mills and corporations who wanted to ensure the education of future paper engineers. The foundation continues to actively work with students in the paper science and engineering program at Miami University. Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with senior Avery Hendl. We asked her a few questions about her experiences at Miami.

Student Spotlight: Interview with N.C. State Paper Science and Engineering junior Abby Hickman

Abby Hickman shares her experiences at N.C. State.

Interview with University of Maine senior Kenzie Karpinski

The University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation leads a partnership between the University of Maine, the Pulp and Paper industry and aspiring engineering students. Its role is to recruit, support and prepare talented engineering students to become the next great leaders in the pulp and paper industry, while also helping to meet the workforce needs of the industry, specifically in chemical, civil, computer, electrical and mechanical engineering. Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with senior Kenzie Karpinski. We asked her a few questions about her experiences at UMaine.

Student Spotlight: Cameron Borner of Minnesota, graduating in Spring 2026

At the University of Minnesota, the Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering (BBE) program prepares students to solve real-world problems with practical, sustainable solutions. It brings together biological sciences, engineering principles, and technology to address society's growing demands for material, food, and energy using renewable resources. Cameron Borner is a student in the program, and he shares some of his experiences at Minnesota.

The Light Green Machine Institute

Ideas you can use now.

Capital Arguments for June 2026

Check out TALOtech groups on LinkedIn

The purpose of the TALOtech groups on LinkedIn is to provide a convenient forum for people working within the manufacturing part of this industry to share technical and operating related dialog to promote safe and competitive operations.

Energy & the Environment News

Your contributions are welcome in this department, regardless of point of view. A few criteria--if you send us a copyrighted piece, also provide a permission to publish statement from the owner. We will not publish overtly political pieces or anonymous pieces.

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Volatility in the OCC/wastepaper market, trends in the recovered fiber and sustainable packaging markets

We welcome Myles Cohen, founder of Circular Ventures, LLC, to discuss the volatility in the OCC/wastepaper market, plus trends in the recovered fiber and sustainable packaging markets.