Leading Stories

The current market environment is characterised by very high production costs, in particular energy costs, and weaker demand primarily due to destocking in the value chain.

This month marks a new milestone for paper production for Willamette Falls Paper Company (WFPC). On October 1, WFPC expanded its capacity on a third paper machine to manufacture additional coated freesheet paper.

The project includes an estimated investment of $235 million and state-of-the-art operational, environmental and security technology.

Nordic Paper has entered into a binding agreement to sell its 37.6% minority shareholding in Åmotfors Energi AB to the utility infrastructure company Nevel AB. Nordic Paper will include a capital gain and a positive cash flow effect, both of about SEK 40m, in the accounts for the fourth quarter 2022 following the transaction.

Firefighters were on scene for around five hours before the blaze was under control. There was some damage to the field and a nearby fence. However, no one was hurt.

The pulp mill has been closed since 2006 and changed ownership several times over the years.

Unprecedented number of immediate payments made during three weeks of $50 million fund.

Enviva Inc., the world's leading producer of sustainably sourced woody biomass, held a ceremonial ribbon cutting at its recently constructed wood pellet manufacturing facility in George County, Mississippi (MS). The event commemorates the emergence of more U.S.-based green jobs, and the completion of a new state of the art manufacturing facility, along with Enviva's continued success, growth, and positive economic impact in Mississippi.

The company is investing $21 million to upgrade and restart the #24 paper machine (PM24) and plans to hire 52 full-time employees to operate and maintain it. Pixelle will also fill 50 temporary positions to support construction and engineering requirements related to the restart.

Southern Champion Tray (SCT), a leading manufacturer of paperboard packaging for the bakery and food service industry, will purchase substantially all the assets of Evergreen Packaging (Evergreen) based in La Mirada, CA effective October 3, 2022. Evergreen, founded in 2001, is a bakery, deli, food service, and wholesale packaging provider with a predominant market presence in California.

Talks between WestRock and its three unions have stalled. And the current agreement expires this week.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö has started to operate under the business name Ahlstrom as of October 3, 2022. The company has completed the ownership reorganization of its Decor business and thus proceeded with its plan, announced in May 2022, to change its name to Ahlstrom. The divested Decor business continues as an independent company under the well-recognized Munksjö name.

Governor Laura Kelly joined officials from Pratt Industries as they opened their new state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing corrugated box plant in Park City. The plant represents a $200 million investment that will create high-paying, quality jobs in Sedgwick County over the next five years.

The purchase price is C$325 million, on a cash and debt free basis, which includes approximately C$31 million of net working capital.

Construction of the Rauma sawmill started in the spring of 2020, and the value of the investment is approximately EUR 260 million. This is the largest sawmill investment ever in Finland.

The Mayr-Melnhof Group (MM) has successfully completed the acquisition of Essentra Packaging, which was agreed in June 2022, following the approval of all relevant competition authorities.

More than 1,100 employees from 14 different locations in Washington and Oregon have been on strike since Sept. 13.

Metsä Tissue's, part of Metsä Group, renewed tissue paper machine at the Mänttä mill has moved from the trial run phase to continuous production. The renewed paper machine will be used to produce fresh fibre-based tissue paper products especially for the Finnish market. The upgrade will increase the production capacity of the tissue paper machine by 15 per cent, as well as improve product quality and energy and production efficiency.

Roseburg announces automation and modernization at Pembroke MDF Moulding. The two-line moulding operation is in the midst of a significant modernization project.

"We're honored to have Governor John Bel Edwards here with us today," said Anthony Pratt, Executive Chairman of Pratt Industries. "His economic leadership of Louisiana is characteristic of the reason that Pratt Industries has invested $250 million in the great state of Louisiana."

Packaging Corporation of America (PCA), headquartered in Illinois, has agreed to pay $2.5 million in civil penalties to resolve allegations that it violated the Clean Air Act's General Duty Clause and Risk Management Program Regulations at its containerboard production mill in DeRidder, Louisiana.

The carve-out transaction from Sappi's European business includes sites in Kirkniemi (Finland), Maastricht (The Netherlands), and Stockstadt (Germany), with over 1,400 full-time employees combined.

2 men died in 2021 accident after scaffolding fell

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter and Georgia-Pacific officials announced the company will invest at least $425 million to construct a state-of-the-art Dixie® manufacturing facility in Jackson.

Tolko's High Prairie team is continuing to work hard on the clean-up effort following the serious press fire that occurred at the mill on May 20, 2022. The damage to the press and press building was significant, and much of the equipment was a total loss.