In October 2021, Mohawk Fine Papers, Inc., North America’s largest privately owned manufacturer of fine papers and envelopes, introduced Paper With a Plan: A new attribute-driven approach to specifying paper. Mohawk refined and reorganized its paper portfolio into 5 distinct Collections that help make choosing paper by its properties and attributes easier. Mohawk’s paper grades are now grouped into the Beautiful, Sustainable, Expressive, Elevated, and Practical Collections. Mohawk recognizes that sustainability has never been more important to brand storytelling. As sustainability stories have become more sophisticated, so have the material inputs used that drive their narratives. Experience Mohawk’s Sustainable papers as they were intended with the release of the “The Material is the Message” inspiration piece.

Metsä Tissue's 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. The renewal is an investment in increasing the production and improving the quality properties of Lambi, Serla and Katrin tissue paper products manufactured locally in Mänttä. The first products were trialled in June and the softness and strength of the paper have further improved. The new technology also enables tissue paper to be produced more energy-efficiently than before. The main machine supplier for the renewal was Valmet.

Sappi Limited announced today that it has concluded an agreement with AURELIUS Investment Lux One S.à.r.l. regarding the divesture of its Maastricht Mill in the Netherlands, its Stockstadt Mill in Germany and its Kirkniemi Mill in Finland. Steve Binnie, CEO of Sappi Limited commented: “We are very happy to have reached agreement with AURELIUS to take ownership of the three mills. Although they no longer fit in Sappi’s portfolio, they are strong assets with good people." The mills included in the sale: Sappi Maastricht Mill produces 260,000 ton per annum (tpa) of coated woodfree paper and paperboard mainly sold to printers and packaging converters globally Sappi Stockstadt Mill is an integrated pulp and paper mill located in Germany, producing 145,000 tpa of pulp which is used to produce 220,000 tpa of coated and uncoated woodfree paper mainly sold into the European print market. Sappi Kirkniemi Mill is an integrated pulp and paper mill located in Finland, producing 300,000 tpa of bleached mechanical pulp which is used to produce approximately 750 000 tpa of a variety of coated mechanical paper grades used in the print publication industry globally.

Total European shipments of graphic papers for July 2022 were down 12.0% vs. July 2021 and were down 10.5% year-to-date. Total European shipments of newsprint for July 2022 were down 11.0% vs. July 2021 and were down 7.4% year-to-date. Total European shipments of sc-magazine for July 2022 were down 27.5% vs. July 2021 and were down 13.6% year-to-date. Total European shipments of coated mechanical reels for July 2022 were down 14.8% vs. July 2021 and were down 20.2% year-to-date. Total European shipments of uncoated mechanical (improved & others) for July 2022 were down 19.7% vs. July 2021 and were down 13.3% year-to-date. Total European shipments of coated woodfree for July 2022 were down 5.7% vs. July 2021 and were down 0.3% year-to-date. Total European shipments of uncoated woodfree for July 2022 were down 5.8% vs. July 2021 and were down 11.0% year-to-date.

Modernisation of the power plant boiler at Sappi’ s production site in Gratkorn, Austria, is finally completed. As of now, more sustainable fuels will be used instead of coal to power the paper machines at the company’s largest mill in Europe. During a transitional phase, the new state-of-the-art boiler will run on natural gas and biomass. In the future, predominantly biomass will be used. “Our ultimate goal is to use only sustainable and renewable fuels. This will make us more independent in the future, especially in times of gas shortages and uncertainty on the energy market,” explains Sappi Gratkorn Managing Director Max Oberhumer. By entirely phasing out coal, the Gratkorn plant is making an important contribution to climate protection and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 30 per cent. The project is a top priority on Sappi Europe’s sustainability agenda. The 35 million euro investment represents a clear commitment to the Gratkorn site and shows that climate and environmental protection are deemed pivotal in the paper industry. More information on the shift from coal to renewable resources at Sappi’s Gratkorn mill is available at: www.sappi.com/co-creating-a-shift-from-coal-to-renewables-at-gratkorn-mill

UK paper making has been dealt a further blow after Arjowiggins Group’s UK operations – including the historic mills at Stoneywood and Chartham – were placed into administration after the business became unsustainable in the face of spiralling costs for energy and raw materials. Administrators Blair Nimmo and Alistair McAlinden from Interpath Advisory were appointed joint administrators at ten Arjowiggins Group UK subsidiary companies on the afternoon of 22 September 2022. An MBO team acquired the business and assets of the Arjowiggins Fine Papers and Arjowiggins Chartham businesses in September 2019, just a few months before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. The deal came about after a complex saga involving the insolvency of its former French parent group and was supported by Scottish Enterprise, which provided £7m of funding. The Stoneywood mill has been making paper since 1770 and specialises in fine papers, while Chartham has been in operation since 1738 and makes translucent papers. Stoneywood’s brands for graphics and packaging include Conqueror, Curious Collection, Keaykolour and Delos. It had also diversified into making casting papers, security papers and smart papers for printed electronics.

The Fedrigoni Group and Mohawk Fine Papers, Inc. have entered into a manufacturing agreement to expand the reach of their specialty papers globally. Shared core values of craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability make this a natural and valuable opportunity for both organizations. The Fedrigoni Group is the first global player in the manufacture of high added value specialty papers for luxury packaging and other creative applications and world leader in premium labels and self-adhesive materials. Mohawk, founded in 1931, is family owned and operated, manufacturing some of the world's most recognized specialty papers for designers, consumer brands, and printers. Mohawk's early innovation in digital printing and sustainability secured its leadership position in these two significant growth sectors. “The agreement with Mohawk is a further element in our growth strategy in a market with excellent prospects such as specialty papers, especially for luxury packaging, where we intend to consolidate our global primacy. Many synergistic opportunities are also present for our selfadhesive materials division, which will expand its leading position in premium labels for the wine market in the US", comments Marco Nespolo, CEO of Fedrigoni Group. "This is an important step forward to reinforce our geographical penetration in the United States, where we will directly produce and distribute high value-added papers, leveraging all possible industrial and commercial synergies with our Group. We will also better support the ESG strategies of our clients, especially those in the luxury sector by giving them the option of moving to near shoring rather than global purchasing”.

Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC has announced the mill located in Jay, ME will close in the first quarter of 2023. The mill employs approximately 230 people who will be affected by the closure. The mill produces specialty label and release papers, as well as industrial and packaging solutions for eCommerce and food service. Its two paper machines have a capacity of 230,000 tons annually. The mill has endured significant business and financial challenges that were compounded by the April 2020 rupture of one of its pulp digesters and catastrophic damage impacting the continued operability of the entire pulp mill. No one was injured in the event, and the mill subsequently transitioned into higher margin specialty products and invested capital to increase operational efficiencies while operating on purchased pulp. The company intends to work with its customers where possible to transition their products to other Pixelle mills or to plan for volumes of orders in the limited production leading up to mill closure.

Canfor Corporation is announcing a temporary reduction in production in British Columbia (BC) due to challenging market conditions. The production capacity will be reduced through a two-week curtailment beginning September 26, 2022 at the majority of solid wood facilities in BC and will be followed by the resumption of reduced operating schedules until the end of 2022. This is expected to result in a reduction of approximately 200 million board feet of production capacity. “We are temporarily curtailing production in BC due to reduced market demand. We will leverage our global operating platform to prioritize the requirements of our customers,” said Don Kayne, President and CEO, Canfor. To limit the impact on employees, they will have the opportunity to work during the downtime to complete maintenance projects and other site activities.

Stora Enso has signed an agreement to divest its Nymölla paper production site in Sweden, and all related assets to Sylvamo, a US-based global producer of uncoated paper. The enterprise value is EUR 150 million. Closing is expected in the beginning of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals. The Nymölla site’s capacity is 485,000 metric tonnes of woodfree uncoated office papers, with Multicopy as the leading paper brand. Based on the 2021 figures, the divestment is expected to reduce Stora Enso’s annual sales by approximately EUR 290 million. Stora Enso will, at closing, book a one-time disposal loss of approximately EUR 20 million in its IFRS operating profit, as an item affecting comparability, subject to closing date adjustments.

UPM Raflatac has completed the acquisition of AMC AG (Advanced Methods of Coating). The acquisition announced in May 2022 was closed on 15 September 2022 after regulatory clearances. AMC AG employs more than 300 people and has two production sites in Northern Germany, in Kaltenkirchen and in Hagenow. UPM Raflatac expects to realize significant synergies through the acquisition. By joining forces with AMC AG UPM Raflatac will accelerate its growth and expand its product portfolio. New product areas include Viscom/Graphics materials which are currently sold under the Intercoat brand, and removable self-adhesive stationary products under the brand names Global Notes and Print Inform. Furthermore, the transaction will strengthen UPM Raflatac’s position in Central Europe.

Sappi Europe is set to extend its capacity at its mill in Gratkorn, Austria, enabling the mill to also manufacture wet-strength label papers. The double-digit million-euro investment in a state-of-the-art technical infrastructure will drive expansion of the site – and establish Sappi as a leader in the label sector for the long term. • Innovation through investment: expansion of the Gratkorn mill’s technical infrastructure • Increased demand for high-quality label papers • Guaranteed production and delivery reliability

Stora Enso has signed an agreement to divest its Maxau paper production site in Germany, and all related assets to Schwarz Produktion, part of Schwarz Group, one of the top retailers in the world. The enterprise value is approximately EUR 210 million. Closing is expected in the beginning of 2023, at the latest, subject to regulatory approvals. This transaction is part of the earlier announced plan to divest four of Stora Enso’s five paper production sites. In line with its strategy, Stora Enso’s focus is on long-term growth potential for its renewable products in packaging, building solutions and biomaterials innovations. Schwarz Produktion is expected to assume ownership for the Maxau site in the beginning of 2023. Schwarz’s plan is to continue paper production at the site, and the 440 employees belonging to the mill organisation at Maxau will be part of the transaction. Stora Enso will continue to operate the Maxau site and serve its supercalendered paper (SC) customers until the closing of the transaction.

As of September 1st, Technicote, a North-American company specializing in self-adhesive solutions, is the latest addition to Beontag’s growing family of international companies. The acquisition marks Beontag’s entry to the North American market, and is another step in its global expansion and internationalization strategy initiated in 2020. Besides the United States, Beontag has operations in other countries, such as Argentina, Uruguay, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, among others. This acquisition is more than Beontag wanting to enter a new market. It was also motivated because of the broad network of customers that Technicote has had for more than four decades and the diversity of products they offer in the segments of graphic and self-adhesive materials. Their portfolio offers a wide range of self-adhesive rolls and sheets, as well as solutions in silicone coated release liners and is a perfect fit for Beontag’s expanding international portfolio of products. Technicote will also be integrating many of those products into their North American range.

Along with members of the community, provincial and federal elected representatives, staff at Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp mill (MLMP) and Paper Excellence Canada today celebrated 30 years of the pulp mill being in operation. The mill is located just east of Meadow Lake and has been operational since 1992. MLMP was the first mill Paper Excellence Canada acquired in 2007. The mill employs over 200 full-time employees, creates approximately 1,300 direct and indirect jobs, and creates approximately $470 million in economic activity annually. MLMP produces approximately 400,000 tonnes of bleached chemi-thermal mechanical pulp (BCTMP) annually. BCTMP is used to make a variety of products from tissue and paper towel to food and board packaging.

The world’s first autonomously operated logyard cranes have been successfully lifted up at Metsä Fibre’s bioproduct mill in Kemi, Finland. Supplied by international technology group ANDRITZ, the delivery includes two 2 x 25-ton cranes on a 540 m long runway with a storage capacity of approximately 120,000 m3. The cranes will handle approximately 7.6 million m3 wood/year shipped on trucks and trains as well as handling log storage and wood feeding to the pulping process. The cranes feature the latest in Artificial Intelligence, thus optimizing log handling, minimizing wood losses and securing environmentally friendly and cost-effective operation when compared to traditional log-handling solutions. The fully autonomous logyard cranes featuring Artificial Intelligence are part of the comprehensive ANDRITZ portfolio of sustainable solutions and products that help customers reaching their goals with regard to environmental protection and sustainability

365 days of operation and a trajectory that stands out for its excellent performance. One year after the start of activities for the first paper machine (PM) of the Puma II Project - the biggest investment in Klabin's history, which includes the construction of two paper machines with integrated pulp production -, the MP27 surpassed the mark of 330 thousand tons of Eukaliner® and Eukaliner White® produced and sold to the domestic and foreign markets, reinforcing the Company's vocation for the development of sustainable and innovative solutions in paper and paper packaging in Brazil. The machine, which has the capacity to produce 450,000 tons per year, surpassed the learning curve expected for the period. Developed and patented by Klabin, the Eukaliner® product range, produced at MP27, is the first in the world with kraftliner paper made 100% from eucalyptus fiber, which guarantees advantages such as the optimization of the forest area necessary for its production. (less resource for manufacturing the same volume of paper), in addition to properties such as a more robust structure, which allows for a reduction in the weight of corrugated cardboard packaging with increased resistance and better printing quality.

Suzano S.A. informs its shareholders and the public that, regarding the project “Partial retrofit of the pulp production plant located in Aracruz involving the replacement of parts in the recovery boiler and installation of a crystallization system”, as disclosed in the Material Fact notice dated December 19, 2019, the following is planned during its implementation phase in the fourth quarter of 2022: • Temporary downtime of the A line production for around 45 days due to interventions in the recovery boiler; • No adjustments to the Company’s original operating plan for 2022, which will ensure that clients’ needs are fully met without any changes to the commercial strategy. The project’s capital investments amount to R$298 million, of which R$188 million was already invested by July 2022, with the remaining amount considered in the capex estimate for the year disclosed by the Company on July 27, 2022.

Canfor Corporation is announcing reduced operating schedules effective September 12, 2022 at its Swedish facilities due to a decrease in market demand. The reduced operating schedules will result in a 15% decrease in production capacity and are anticipated to be in effect through the fourth quarter. “Rising inflation and mortgage rates in Europe, which are expected to persist into the fall, is impacting demand for lumber and as a result we are reducing production capacity. We are committed to continuing to meet the needs of our customers,” said Don Kayne, President and CEO, Canfor. The decrease in production capacity will be achieved through reduced shifts. The Company will continue to assess and make adjustments to operating schedules based on changes in market demand.