Leading Stories

A fire at UP Paper in Manistique Saturday morning, April 10, started in a paper machine and spread to the roof.

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. (RYAM) and GreenFirst Forest Products Inc., a Canadian lumber company, have entered into a binding asset purchase agreement pursuant to which RYAM has agreed to sell all of its lumber and newsprint facilities and related assets located in Ontario and Québec.

North Pacific Paper Company (NORPAC) is excited to announce the arrival of a new state-of-the-art drum pulper that will help the company expand its production of lightweight recycled packaging papers and safeguard more than 400 mill jobs and support other indirect jobs in Cowlitz County.

One of nearly 2,000 CEOs that have come together for CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, Julie Schertell, is committing herself and Neenah to advance diversity and inclusion efforts in the company and in the communities where Neenah employees live and work.

Boise Cascade Company announced the transition of its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Treasurer position. Wayne Rancourt has communicated his intent to retire effective May 14, 2021. Our Board of Directors has promoted Kelly Hibbs (current VP, Controller) to SVP, CFO and Treasurer, effective upon Wayne's retirement.

UPM sells its Jyväskylä plywood mill site and premises, located in Säynätsalo, Jyväskylä in Finland, to real estate developer Redeve Oy. The transaction was completed today, and the ownership of the real estate was transferred to Redeve immediately. At the same time, businesses currently renting premises on the site, will become tenants of Redeve.

The full agenda is now live for the upcoming International SAP Conference for Forest Products, Paper, Packaging (April 27-29, Online).

The Marlboro Mill, Tatum Converting Center and Rock Hill Converting Center received the award based on their lost workday case rate during the calendar year.

Södra is acquiring Ture Johanssons Trävaru AB and AB Tenhults Impregneringsverk. The acquisitions will take effect immediately following approval by the Swedish Competition Authority. This process is expected to take up to six weeks.

UPM has published its first Green Bond Report. The report provides details on the use of proceeds as well as the estimated impacts of the UPM´s EUR 750 million Green Bond issued in November 2020.

Paper Excellence is proud to announce the acquisition of an interest in the Atli Chip Limited Partnership. The Partnership has acquired the assets of the North Island Chipping facility situated in Beaver Cove, BC, located on the traditional territory of the 'Namgis First Nation.

Neenah, Inc. announced that it had completed the previously announced agreement to acquire Global Release Liners, S.L., the parent company of Industrias de Transformacion de Andoain, S.A. ("ITASA"), from Magnum Capital and other minority shareholders.

Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. obtained a final order from the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Canada, approving the plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), pursuant to which Drax Group plc through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Drax Canadian Holdings Inc., will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company for C$11.30 in cash per share.

Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC announced it has completed two strategic investments that will further strengthen its portfolio and enhance service to new and existing customers. On March 31st, Pixelle acquired the specialty paper business Rollsource from Veritiv Corporation. On April 5th, Pixelle acquired the carbonless rolls and security papers business from Appvion Operations Inc.

Essity is acquiring the distribution rights to the wound care technology Sorbact® in Australia and New Zealand from the Australian company Bayport Brands. In 2020, sales of Sorbact® in the region amounted to AUD 1.7m (approximately SEK 11m).

A potentially dangerous situation at the Evergreen Packaging paper mill in Canton on Monday, April 5, was brought under control.

As a consequence of its strategic direction, Stora Enso is in the process of exiting the segment of dissolving pulp for viscose production globally. This segment is not core for company and stands for only a small part of its overall business.

Sonoco announced it has closed on the sale of its Display and Packaging business in the United States to Hood Container Corporation for $80 million in cash.

North Pacific Paper Company is pushing further into the recycled paper market, adding a new drum pulper that will support an existing 400 mill jobs and produce recycled packaging papers from waste material previously sent to China.

Verso Corporation, owner of the now defunct Luke paper mill, agreed to clean up toxic waste that seeped into the Potomac River from the mill and pay the state of Maryland $650,000. The actions are part of a settlement to resolve lawsuits over the pollution.

Red Leaf Pulp is scheduled to commence construction of its initial facility in central Saskatchewan in 2022, with commercial production commencing in 2023.

Pelican Lake First Nation, Witchekan Lake First Nation, and Tolko Industries Ltd. announced that they have signed an Agreement in Principle that will enhance the ability for Pelican Lake and Witchekan Lake First Nations to further their expertise as a logging contractor.

A representative of the would-be buyer says: "We are almost ready to give up."

With help from Domtar and others, AFF is expanding a model designed to enlist landowners in the effort to ensure that biodiversity thrives in a forest habitat.

Smurfit Kappa has announced a further investment of over €25 million at its Pruszkow 'mega-plant' located in central Poland. This investment forms part of the accelerated capital investment programme following the company's €660 million equity capital raise which took place in November 2020.