Kruger Announces Newsprint/UGW price Increase

Catalyst Paper today announced the appointment of Sean Krajnik as Vice President & General Manager of the Biron mill, effective January 2, 2018. Mr. Krajnik brings extensive experience in the pulp and paper industry to his new role. He has spent more than 20 years in the coated specialty papers segment working in progressively senior roles, including product development, quality management, technical services, and production and mill management. Most recently, Mr. Krajnik was the mill manager of a major Las Vegas-based tissue, paper and converting facility. Click Read More below for additional information.

Resonating with the ambitious EU regulatory targets for reducing waste, UPM Specialty Papers has introduced a new “LinerLoop compatible” label to promote closed loop recycling of release papers used in self-adhesive labels and tapes. Release papers carrying the label qualify for recycling in UPM LinerLoopTM, which is the first commercial-scale closed-loop recycling solution for silicone coated release papers. Currently some 50% of used release papers and matrix materials are recycled in Europe, but it is estimated that only 15% are recycled back to release papers in a closed loop (source: CELAB, AWA). As a member of CELAB-Europe and AFERA, UPM Specialty Papers works towards increasing the share of closed-loop recycling. Recycling silicone coated papers in a circular fashion is a technically demanding process. One factor, for instance, impacting closed-loop recycling is the shade of paper. As the typical shade of glassine used in label applications is white or some other light shade, recycling darker coloured glassine grades in the same stream would contaminate the recycled pulp.

Domtar Corporation reported net earnings of $54 million ($0.86 per share) for the first quarter of 2018 compared to a net loss of $386 million ($6.16 per share) for the fourth quarter of 2017 and net earnings of $20 million ($0.32 per share) for the first quarter of 2017. Sales for the first quarter of 2018 were $1.3 billion. "We continued to see strong price momentum for our products in the first quarter with higher price realizations in both of our pulp and paper businesses," said John D. Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Despite improved results, some of our operations were adversely affected by severe weather, notably in our pulp business, which impacted production and costs. Constrained availability of trucking options also contributed to higher than expected freight costs in the first quarter. Nevertheless, the short-term outlook for pulp and paper markets continues to be favorable." Click Read More below for additional information.