Avery Dennison Completes Acquisition of Vestcom

The Norwegian Environment Agency has given prior notice of a potential decision to exclude Norske Skog Skogn and Norske Skog Saugbrugs from participation in the European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS) in the period from 2026 to 2030, with the effect that the mills do not receive free allocation of European Union Allowances (EUAs) in the period. "This is a significant setback for sustainable industry and very disappointing for everyone that has invested and prioritised a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Implementation of the revised biomass qualification criterion will incentivise installations to continue or even increase their use of fossil fuels. Together with industry partners and stakeholders, we will work towards biomass being treated on equal basis to other decarbonisation measures. On the positive side, we see positive political development for CO2 compensation being reintroduced in Austria, which would neutralize the effects of exclusion from free allocation of EUAs in Norway", says CEO Geir Drangsland.

Stora Enso has signed an agreement to divest its Sachsen Mill located in Eilenburg, Germany, to the Swiss-based family-owned company Model Group. Sachsen Mill has an annual production capacity of 310 000 tonnes of newsprint specialty paper based on recycled paper. Under the agreement, Model Group will own and operate Sachsen Mill after the transaction is closed. Stora Enso will continue to sell and distribute Sachsen’s paper products under a contract manufacturing agreement for a period of 18 months after the closing. After that period, Model will convert the mill to the production of containerboard. All 230 employees at Sachsen Mill will move to Model Group with the transaction. “We believe Model will be a good owner to ensure long-term development of the Sachsen Mill. We will continue to serve our customers with high quality paper products from Sachsen Mill at least until the end of 2022,” said Kati ter Horst, EVP, Stora Enso’s Paper division.

Only a few weeks after start-up, the 5.6 m wide PrimeLineTM W6 tissue machine that was delivered by ANDRITZ to Arkhbum Tissue Group LLC in Vorsino (Kaluga region), Russia, reached a speed of 2,000 m/min with a grammage of 16 g/m² and is now producing high-quality facial, toilet, napkin, and kitchen towel grades made of 100% virgin pulp (bleached hardwood and softwood pulp). Irina Galakhova, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Arkhbum Tissue Group LLC, says: “We are extremely satisfied with our products – and so are our customers. We appreciate the high quality and softness. In addition, we achieve remarkable cost savings compared to systems with conventional presses and Yankees.”