Monthly Archives: October 2016
Fitch Affirms Arauco’s IDRs at ‘BBB’; Outlook Revised to Negative; hardwood prices between USD550 and USD600 per ton during 2016-2017
(Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Sept. 29, 2016) Fitch Ratings has affirmed the Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) for Celulosa Arauco y Constitucion S.A. (Arauco) at ‘BBB’ and the National long-term rating at ‘AA-(cl)’. The Rating Outlook is revised to Negative from Stable. A full list of rating actions follows at the end of this release.
The revision of the Outlook to Negative reflects Fitch’s base case projections that Arauco’s net leverage will remain above 3.0x in Read More...
Global Pulpwood Prices Moved Upward in Second Quarter 2016
(Seattle, USA, Oct 17, 2016) Wood fiber costs currently account for almost 60% of the cash costs when manufacturing wood pulp. Prices for both wood chips and pulplogs have trended downward for a long time, but this came to an abrupt halt in the 2Q/16 when the softwood price index rose 2.3% and the hardwood price index increased 3.7% from the 1Q/16, according to the latest Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ).
The wood fiber costs for the world’s pulp industry had Read More...
Pregis acquired Easypack, a paper-based protective packaging company
(UK, October 14, 2016) Pregis has acquired Easypack, Hertfordshire, UK, a paper-based protective packaging company, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition will enable Pregis to expand its North American product portfolio to include a complete line of paper void fill, cushioning and block/brace solutions.
Pregis will continue to operate Easypack’s three UK manufacturing facilities, as well as offices and distribution centers in France and Germany. Easypack employs approximately 70 people across Europe.
“We are continuously looking for ways to support brand Read More...
Pritzker to acquire ProAmpac
(Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, Oct. 17, 2016) Pritzker Group Private Capital today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire ProAmpac, a leading global flexible packaging company, from Wellspring Capital Management.
Pritzker Group Private Capital and other co-investors are investing alongside the ProAmpac management team, which will remain a significant shareholder, continue to lead the company and serve on its board of directors. The transaction is expected to close later in November.
ProAmpac operates under the Prolamina, Ampac and Tulsack brands. Read More...
AR Packaging Acquires Maju Jaya Sarana Grafika in Indonesia
(Sweden / Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2016) AR Packaging Group AB is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding agreement with PT Maju Jaya Sarana Grafika (MJSG) for the acquisition of a significant majority stake in the company. Adrian Koesnendar, CEO and co-owner of the family business, will continue to own the remaining shares.
Maju Jaya is one of the leading Indonesian packaging companies with a majority of the customer base in the tobacco and food segments. The Read More...
Saica Group acquires Americk Packaging
(Dublin, October 16, 2016) Americk Packaging have informed its employees, customers, suppliers and now the market of its recent acquisition by the Saica Group.
Subject to approval by the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Saica Group will acquire 100% of the Irish owned Americk Packaging Group of companies. Consisting of six manufacturing sites in Ireland and the UK, employing 691 staff plus additional operations PP Global and Starfish Brand Solutions who operate as independent brands in the same Read More...
Arauco reported 2Q net income of $57.5 million; an increase of 8.6%
(Santiago, Chile, Oct. 16, 2016) Arauco’s net income for the 2Q 2016 was $57.5 million, an increase of 8.6%, or $4.5 million compared to the $52.9 million obtained in the 1Q of this year.
Revenues reached $1,207.3 million during the 2Q 2016 compared with the $1,146 million in the previous quarter, thanks to an improvement in its revenues from the pulp, wood products, and forestry businesses.
Adjusted EBITDA for the 2Q 2016 was $283.4 million, 12.1%, or $30.6 million higher than Read More...
Czech paper machine maker signs India deal
(Prague, Oct 17, 2016) Czech paper machine maker Papcel a.s. has signed a contract to sell its machinery to an unnamed Indian paper producer, according to the company’s spokesperson Martina Pavlikova.
“Deliveries will be made for the same customer for whom Papcel is currently overhauling two paper machines,” Pavlikova told local news agency CTK.
Most recently, the Czech manufacturer secured deals from customers in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and China.
Set up in 1950 and headquartered in Litovel, in the Czech Republic’s eastern part, Read More...
SKF to provide lubrication technology for Metsa Fiber’s Äänekoski mill
(Gothenburg, Sweden, Oct 19, 2016) SKF’s industry leading lubrication technology and system engineering support is being used to help ensure optimal operational performance on the world’s first next generation bioproduct mill. The groundbreaking mill, which is being built by Metsä Fibre in Äänekoski, Finland, will use 100% of the raw materials and run solely on renewable energy.
The new mill is the largest ever single investment in the nation’s forest industry at approximately Euro 1.2 billion and it is a Read More...
Valmet launches new quality management solutions for corrugators
(Helsinki, Oct 17, 2016) Valmet has developed a totally new concept for quality oriented process control of corrugating machines. This includes cost- and space-efficient Valmet IQ Multipoint Moisture Measurement system and a new camera based Valmet IQ Warp Measurement for the combined board flatness control.
Previously, corrugating machine process control has been based on sheet temperatures due to a lack of suitable moisture sensors built for the tight confines of corrugating machines.
Valmet’s experience from paper machine processes has shown that Read More...
Storopack launches temperature-controlled protective packaging; thermal delivery systems for temperature-sensitive products
(Germany, October 17, 2016) Storopack, specialist in protective packaging, is adding a 96-hour system solution to its product portfolio for temperature-controlled shipping. The new prequalified box maintains a temperature of between 2 and 8°C in the shipping unit for around 96 hours, depending on the required temperature profile. As such, the protective packaging is suitable for international shipments, particularly for products in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology sector. Storopack supplies the 96-hour system solution in four sizes with a useable Read More...
Swiss chemicals firm Zeochem to build production plant in Zvornik, Bosnia and Herzegovina
(Uetikon am See, Switzerland, Oct 17, 2016) Zeochem, a subsidiary of CPH Chemie + Papier Holding AG (the holding company of the CPH Group), has acquired a 5,400-square-meter industrial site in Zvornik, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“At Zeochem’s new site we will manufacture molecular sieve powders (Purmol), specialty zeolites (ZEOflair) and silica chromatography gels (ZEOprep)”, says Dr. Alois Waldburg-Zeil, CEO of Zeochem.
The new plant shall be completed by the end of 2017 and will employ some 40 personnel. The development Read More...
Researchers make breakthrough in biobased materials
(Pullman, Wash., Sept. 28, 2016) Washington State University researchers have developed a way to practically separate lignin from wood, a breakthrough that could provide new sources of lignin for advanced renewable fuel and advanced materials applications.
The work is featured on this week’s cover of the journal Green Chemistry.
Lignin is the second most abundant renewable carbon source on Earth. It is in all vascular plants, where it forms cell walls and provides plants with rigidity. Lignin allows trees to stand, Read More...
Kemira announces price increase for AKD Wax in APAC
(Helsinki, Oct. 14, 2016) Kemira will implement a price increase of up to 15% for selected AKD (alkyl ketene dimer) wax based sizing products in APAC (Asia-Pacific). The adjustment will be immediately implemented or as the existing AKD wax contracts allow.
The price adjustment is a result of increased costs within the AKD-wax supply chain. AKD-wax is the main raw material for AKD-sizing products.
Kemira is a global chemicals company serving customers in water-intensive industries. To learn more about Kemira, please Read More...
FSC Honors International Paper as Responsible Forestry Champion
(USA, Oct. 14, 2016) Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) recently recognized International Paper with an FSC Leadership Award for forest certification commitment and program innovation. The FSC Leadership Awards celebrate organizations and people who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to responsible forest management and FSC. Winners were selected by a jury panel of professionals, FSC staff, and board members and were announced at the FSC Leadership Awards ceremony on Oct. 5, 2016 at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles.
International Paper was Read More...