News & Events
Graphic Packaging Holding Company reports fourth quarter and full year 2016 results
(USA, Feb. 7, 2017) Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK), a leading provider of packaging solutions to food, beverage and consumer product companies, today reported Net Income for fourth quarter 2016 of $34.9 million, or $0.11 per share, based upon 317.9 million weighted average diluted shares. This compares to fourth quarter 2015 Net Income of $57.2 million, or $0.17 per share, based on 329.6 million weighted average diluted shares.
Fourth quarter 2016 Net Income was negatively impacted by $9.8 million (net Read More...
Link: UPM 4Q results — “cautious outlook and dividend caution”
(Helsinki, Jan. 31, 2017) A cautious outlook and dividend disappointment knocked shares in Finnish pulp and paper maker UPM-Kymmene on Tuesday, despite it notching up record profits for 2016.
UPM has so far protected its profitability with cost cuts as well as its focus on pulp, a product with a brighter outlook than paper. Pulp is also used to make tissue and packaging board, which are seeing growing demand, particularly from China.
For this year, UPM said it expected profitability to Read More...
Sappi Europe to Increase Prices for its European Coated and Uncoated Fine Papers
(Brussels, Feb. 7, 2017) Sappi Europe announced that it will increase prices for all European coated and uncoated fine paper business by 8% for both sheets and reels, effective March 15.
For fine paper grades exported outside of Europe, Sappi said it will selectively apply a price increase based on specific local circumstances.
In a press release Sappi explained, “The sudden and continuing sharp rise in input costs and the consequently squeezed profit margins make corrective pricing measures inevitable as Sappi Read More...
Lecta to Hike Prices for all its 2-side CWF Paper Grades in Europe
(Spain, Feb. 8, 2017) Lecta announced that it will increase the prices of all its 2-side CWF (coated woodfree) grades of paper in sheets and reels by 8% to 9% in Europe, effective with the deliveries from 13 March 2017.
Lecta said, “The price movement is unavoidable to offset rising manufacturing costs, particularly energy, pulp, latex and other raw materials.”
“The price increase will also be applied in export markets according to product format and on a country by country basis,” Read More...
Sonoco Announces Price Increase in North America for Molded Wooden Plugs
(USA, Feb. 07, 2017) The Reels Division of Sonoco today announced it is implementing a general price increase for both new and recycled molded wooden plugs in the United States and Canada.
Sonoco said that it has not increased prices for its plug products since 2011.
The price increase is expected to be in the range of 6-8%.
“This increase is necessary to capture inflationary pressure that has entered the market over the past 6 years across a range of operational and Read More...
Asahi Shiko becames wholly-owned subsidiary of Rengo; will work toward expanding the Rengo Group corrugated board business
(Japan, Feb. 07, 2017) Rengo Co., Ltd. has acquired all of Nippon Paper Industries’ shares of Rengo consolidated subsidiary Asahi Shiko Co., Ltd., making it a wholly-owned subsidiary.
Asahi Shiko has plants in three locations: Konosu-shi, Saitama Prefecture; Kitasaku-gun, Nagano Prefecture; and Kamisu-shi, Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan.
Rengo will strengthen the cooperation between Asahi Shiko and neighboring plants directly managed by Rengo, as well as with Group companies, and work toward expanding the Rengo Group corrugated board business in the Kanto Read More...
Digitalization and automation crucial for the survival of Scandinavian industries
(Stockholm, Feb. 08, 2017) There is an urgent need to create a new industrial paradigm in Sweden where not only environmental sustainability is safeguarded, but also new business models that secure long-term competitiveness. That is one of the key findings in the outlook report “The road ahead for Scandinavian industry”, published by Tieto and KTH today.
Digitalization is pressing on, customer demands are more challenging than ever and environmental concerns are calling for a re-organised approach toward industrial production. These Read More...
Shaping the future with 3D printing; opportunities for the forest industry?
(Stockholm, Sweden, 07 February 2017) 3D printing is emerging as one of the game changers of the past few years. The potential for these technologies, also called “additive manufacturing,” has gone beyond prototyping: 3D printing is now an exciting area that is opening broad possibilities for engineering and design manufacturing. But where are the opportunities for the forest industry? This is what FPInnovations will be exploring on February 15, 2017 in Montréal during a one-day workshop on 3D printing Read More...
What to expect at BIOFOR International
(Montreal, Canada, 07 February 2017) Following a very successful first edition, the BIOFOR International Conference is back!
Held in conjunction with PaperWeek, the most important conference dedicated to the forest products sector in Canada, the BIOFOR conference is dedicated to the advancements of the forest bioeconomy.
BIOFOR will revolve around 3 main focus areas:
MARKET development / PROCESS advancements / and new TECHNOLOGY.
In order to help maximize synergy between the forest and bioceconomy sectors and promote dialogue, the two events will Read More...
Hong Kong consumers willing to pay a premium for sustainable paper products
(Hong Kong, February 07, 2017) Gold East Trading (Hong Kong) Company Limited, a subsidiary of Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), today announced the results of the "Sustainable and Safe Paper Usage in Hong Kong" survey which revealed that nearly 70% of Hong Kong consumers are willing to pay an additional 5% or more to purchase paper products from sustainable sources. Additionally, more than 70% of respondents prefer to visit restaurants which use safe food packaging.
The survey of 1,037 people Read More...
Stora Enso invests Euro 28 million in Heinola fluting mill
(Helsinki, Finland, Feb. 06, 2017) Stora Enso is investing Euro 28 million at its Heinola fluting mill in Finland. The investment improves quality as well as increases production capacity of its AvantFlute SC product portfolio. Implementation of the investment is scheduled to start immediately with completion in the 2Q 2018.
AvantFlute SC is semi-chemical fluting made from virgin fibre and is developed especially to endure demanding conditions. The production capacity of AvantFlute SC will increase by 15,000 tonnes once the Read More...
Mondi Group Acquires Excelsior Technologies for GBP 33 Million
(London, Feb. 6, 2017) Mondi Group has acquired 100% of the outstanding share capital of Excelsior Technologies Limited from funds managed by Endless LLP and certain other minority shareholders, for a total consideration of GBP 33 million (EUR 38 million), on a debt and cash-free basis.
Excelsior is a vertically-integrated producer of innovative flexible packaging solutions, mainly for food applications, with a unique packaging technology for microwave steam cooking. With two plants, located in Deeside (Northern Wales, UK) and Nelson Read More...
UPM to switch off PM 3 at Steyrermühl end of March; 305K tpy of publication paper capacity taken off the market
(Helsinki, Finland, Feb. 02, 2017) After the closure of PM 2 at the Augsburg site at year-end, UPM has now announced it would permanently shut down the PM 3 at the Steyrermühl mill at the end of March. Employee consultation processes at both mills have been concluded.
UPM has set a date for the closure of the PM 3 at its Steyrermühl site in Austria. The company said it would switch off the SC paper machine at the end of Read More...
UPM denies speculations of alleged pulp mill investment in Uruguay
(Helsinki / Montevideo, Feb. 03, 2017) UPM recently stated that it is not engaged in negotiations on a pulp mill investment with the Uruguayan government. As earlier announced, the company is considering prospects and prerequisites for long-term development in Uruguay. Currently UPM is engaged in discussions with the Government of Uruguay on infrastructure development.
The discussions with the Government of Uruguay have proceeded in positive spirit. The start of any investment project concerning a potential pulp mill would require a Read More...
SCA fined by Poland’s competition watchdog
(Warsaw, Feb. 01, 2017) Poland’s competition watchdog UOKiK has handed fines for a total of PLN 3.29 million (€750,000) to SCA Hygiene, SCA Hygiene Products and the companies’ distributors in the Polish market.
“The unlawful cooperation was related to the prices of hygienic products, such as paper towels … and tissue paper,” the authority said in a statement.
The UOKiK said that the companies agreed on the minimum re-sale prices of their products for institutional customers, and, as a result, Read More...