Catalyst curtails production in Powell River

First Quarter 2022 Operating Results: Sales of $5.1 billion in the first quarter of 2022 increased 7 percent compared to the year-ago period. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates reduced sales 2 percent. Organic sales increased 10 percent as net selling prices rose 6 percent, volumes grew 2 percent and product mix increased sales 2 points. In North America, organic sales increased 13 percent in consumer products and increased 5 percent in K-C Professional. Outside North America, organic sales rose 10 percent in developing and emerging (D&E) markets and 8 percent in developed markets. First quarter operating profit was $693 million in 2022 and $770 million in 2021. Results in 2022 include the net benefit of the acquisition of a controlling interest of Thinx and 2021 results include charges related to the 2018 Global Restructuring Program.

Headquartered in Cohoes, New York, Mohawk is North America’s largest privately-owned manufacturer of fine papers and envelopes which are used for commercial and digital printing, social stationery, high-end direct mail and packaging. With a culture of innovation reaching back to its beginning in 1931, Mohawk is committed to providing materials that help make every printed project more beautiful, effective and memorable. A family-owned business since its inception, Mohawk serves the creative needs of designers, brand-owners and printers in more than 60 countries around the globe. A leader in environmentally and socially responsible paper making since the 1980s, Mohawk sources pulp responsibly, conserves the water its craft relies on and harnesses wind power for its mills. Many of Mohawk's recycled and virgin papers are certified by Green Seal and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Mohawk was the first U.S. manufacturer of commercial printing papers to match 100% of its electricity with wind power renewable energy credits (RECs) and the first U.S. premium paper mill to shift toward carbon neutral production.

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from Shandong Huatai Paper Industry Shareholding to upgrade an existing BCTMP (bleached chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp) plant to become the world’s largest mechanical pulping line for P&W (Printing & Writing) paper production at the mill in Dongying, Shandong province, China. Start-up is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2022. ANDRITZ will rebuild two existing high-consistency (HC) refiners as well as the existing screw presses, disc filters and screens, and supply new equipment for all other process steps. The upgrade project features the following technological highlights: *New MSD Impressafiner with the latest IIoT features for optimum wood chip maceration and chemical impregnation *New Side-Entry Plug Feeder (SEPF) feeding system for constant and efficient HC refiner feeding *Rebuild of the existing HC refiners, including the Hydraulic Commander, to enable fully autonomous monitoring and control *New DCS system as a future-oriented control system for the new fiberline