Yearly Archives: 2017
33 Companies Joining Forces with VTT to Develop New Generation Sustainable Forest Products
(Finland, August 30, 2017) Together with a large industrial consortium, VTT Technical Research of Finland has launched a EUR 4.5 million project to speed up the development of fibre-based products as alternatives to oil-based materials like plastics. The project, funded partly by the European Regional Development Fund ERD, has brought together 33 companies, ranging from small to large, global companies.
The Future Fibre Products project coordinated by VTT will transform laboratory-scale results into pilot-scale demonstrations for products and processes with Read More...
Rapid technology changes drive growth in speciality papers market
(London, UK, 15 Aug 2017) The speciality paper industry is changing as fast as the markets are moving. New machinery and technology is entering the markets, as the commodity printing and writing market went through rapid decline and now is slowly shrinking in the developed countries. This will tend to disrupt the speciality paper makers, as new technology will enable faster and wider machines to effectively and economically produce more technical speciality grades.
Smithers Pira’s latest report ‘The Future of Read More...
Smithers Pira forecasts steady growth for liquid paperboard demand
(London, UK, 15 Aug 2017) There will be steady increases in demand for liquid paperboard materials across the next five years according to the latest in-depth industry study from Smithers Pira.
Exclusive data published in The Future of Liquid Paperboard to 2022 shows production of liquid packaging board (LPB) and food/cupstock (FCS) boards combined passed the 7 million tonne mark in 2015. This has grown by over 3% annually on average since 2012. Reaching 7.2 million tonnes in 2016, this Read More...
Voith builds new XcelLine board machine for Bohui Paper Group
(Heidenheim, Germany, August 18, 2017) In February 2017 Bohui Paper Group contracted Voith to supply a new board machine. The BM 4 will be built at Dafeng in the Chinese province Jiangsu and following completion will be one of the largest board machines in the world. Voith will supply the complete XcelLine process line from wet end process to winder. This reduces the number of interfaces for the customer to a minimum and provides cost transparency for the entire Read More...
Mercer International’s 2Q revenues up 30 per cent
(Montreal, Canada, 16 Aug 2017) Mercer International Inc. reported results for the 2Q ended June 30, 2017. For the 2Q 2017, net loss was $2.1 million, compared to a net loss of $4.2 million in the comparative quarter. In the prior quarter, net income was $9.7 million.
Total revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2017 increased by approximately 30% to $283.2 million from $218.1 million in the same quarter of 2016 primarily due to 24% higher pulp revenues Read More...
US paper manufacturer calls for antidumping duties on Canadian imports
(Gernsbach, Germany, 16 Aug 2017) The US paper manufacturer Norpac claims that Canadian companies received state subsidies and were therefore able to sell paper cheaper on the US market, according to Euwid.
The company calls for antidumping and countervailing duties on certain grades of uncoated groundwood paper.
Norpac recently filed a petition with the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) on 9 August to impose antidumping and countervailing duties on Canadian imports. (Source: EUWID)
Read More...
Uncoated Free Sheet: Admit It or Not, Lots of Support Emerging
(New York, USA, August 15, 2017) According to Vertical Research Partners’ packaging and forest products analyst Chip Dillon, there are a number of forces that could influence an increase in pricing of uncoated free sheet. Through June (the latest month for which complete data are available), North American (PPPC) and US (AF&PA) demand are down year-to-date by 4.7% and 5.3%, respectively. The PPPC indicates a North American YTD operating rate of 89% while the AF&PA shows that US mills Read More...
Recovered paper exporters look for new markets as China tightens scrap paper imports
(Brussels, July 27, 2017) Supported by strong domestic dynamics and healthy global demand, Chinese economic growth registered 6.9% in the second quarter to match that of the previous three months. Emerging economies are expected to grow at an average of 3.7% and the projection for the EU is 1.7%.
During the second quarter, exporters became concerned about the possible impact of the enforcement of China’s “Border Gate Sword” operation, with an announcement of the implementation of 100% control on all Read More...
Sappi Limited Delivers Solid Profit during Fiscal Third Quarter
(Johannesburg, Aug. 3, 2017) Sappi Limited today provided a financial summary for the quarter ending June 2017 (the company's fiscal third quarter):
• Profit for the period US$58 million (Q3 2016 US$32 million)
• Net debt US$1,318 million, down US$265 million year-on-year
• EPS excluding special items 11 US cents (Q3 2016 11 US cents)
Commenting on the group's performance, Sappi's Chief Executive Officer, Steve Binnie, said, "I am pleased to report that during the past quarter Sappi delivered profits up 81% from a year ago Read More...
Brazil’s Revenue from Exports of Pulp, Paper and Wood Panels Up 7.3% in First Half 2017
(Sao Paulo, August 4, 2017) The Brazilian Tree Industry (Ibá) reported that in the first half of 2017 (January - June) pulp exports rose 6.8% in comparison with the same period of the previous year, reaching 6.8 million tons; exports of wood panels increased by 34.8%, with 597,000 cubic meters directed to foreign markets, and paper exports grew 1% with almost 1.1 million tons traded. This positive performance propelled export revenues past the US$4 billion mark in the first Read More...
Voith to supply The Navigator Company with new tissue machine in Portugal
(Heidenheim, Germany, August 7, 2017) Voith said that it will supply The Navigator Company with a new XcelLine tissue machine for the production of high-quality tissue paper. The new production line will be integrated into The Navigator Company's existing pulp mill complex located in the town of Cacia, in the Aveiro district, Portugal. The pulp mill currently produces 320,000 tons per year of bleached eucalyptus pulp.
The scope of supply includes the latest Voith technologies to minimize energy consumption and Read More...
Cascades to Build New Corrugated Packaging Plant In New Jersey
(USA, August 3, 2017) Cascades Inc. today announced an investment of US$80 million for the construction of a new 400,000 sq. ft. containerboard packaging plant in Piscataway, New Jersey (USA).
According to Cascades, the new plant will manufacture corrugated packaging products and create 120 jobs. Once all equipment is installed, total annual production capacity will be 2.4 billion square feet. Ultimately, this represents an increase in the integration rate of approximately 5%.
“The investment announced today, which is already included in Read More...
Orchids Paper Products Company Reports 2017 Second Quarter Results
(USA, August 7, 2017) Orchids Paper Products Company (NYSE American: TIS) today reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2017.
Jeff Schoen, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "As expected, the second quarter was not a good one, financially speaking. Sales volumes continued at relatively low historical levels through May, and then in June the previously announced new business with its resultant revenues kicked-in. The June sales volume equates to an ongoing annualized rate in the $180 million to Read More...
Brazil’s Forest Products Sector Records Steady Growth, January – May 2017
(Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 20, 2017) The Brazilian Tree Industry (Ibá) reported that the trade balance for the Brazilian planted tree industry reached US$2.9 billion from January to May of 2017 -- growth of 4.9% compared to the same period last year. During the year, the sector accumulated total exports of US$ 3.3 billion, 3.2% higher than the same period in 2016. Pulp sales abroad reached US$ 2.4 billion (+4.1%), while foreign sales of paper were US$ 767 million Read More...
Vinda Paper starts up two Toscotec supplied machines
(China, July 18, 2017) Vinda Paper Zhejiang fired up two Toscotec supplied tissue machines, TM 3 and 4, at its Longyou mill in Zhejiang province. The mill successfully achieved start-up according to schedule and thus increased its production capacity by 60,000 tons/year.
The new AHEAD-2.0M tissue lines are designed for the production of premium quality tissue products, including toilet paper and facial tissue. Vinda Zhejiang’s new mill currently has four Toscotec’s tissue machines, two AHEAD-1.5M fired up in 2014 and Read More...