Paper machine shutdown will cost 222 jobs in Calhoun, Tennessee

Artigo, an international rubber flooring company, will produce their next-generation flooring collections from 2025 with UPM BioMotion™ Renewable Functional Fillers (RFF). By incorporating UPM Biochemicals’ RFF, Artigo has achieved CO2 footprint savings of up to 0.5 kg CO2e/sq. meter1 and managed to reduce the weight by up to 5% per square meter flooring. UPM BioMotion™ RFF are a CO2-negative2 solution for diverse rubber and plastic applications, containing 100% renewable carbon, certified by DIN CERTCO, which is sourced from sustainably managed forests. They support carbon footprint improvements by enabling flooring manufacturers to increase their share of renewable materials in products and reduce the use of traditional highly CO2-intensive fillers, such as precipitated silica, and other fossil-carbon based raw materials. RFF deliver the same technical performance as precipitated silica in aiding flooring durability and elasticity, with the added benefit of being up to one third lighter.

Minerals Technologies Inc. announced today that it has signed an agreement with Phoenix Paper LLC to re-establish a 35,000 ton per year satellite precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) plant at its paper mill in Wickliffe, Kentucky. This paper mill had been idled for the past five years and was recently purchased and restarted by Phoenix Paper, a subsidiary of Shanying International, a Chinese-based company focused on entering the North American paper market. MTI has been providing its PCC from nearby sources to the Wickliffe site since the facility restarted operations in November of 2019. "We are very pleased to collaborate with Phoenix Paper to support production of higher value grades from their paper machine in Wickliffe, Kentucky, using our PCC technology," said Douglas T. Dietrich, Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to see the redeployment of our PCC assets in North America through this opportunity."

Iggesund Sawmill is being modernised to allow for an increase in production. Holmen is currently investing SEK 70 million in a new drying plant which will increase its drying capacity from 400 000 to 500 000 m3. The new drying plant is what is known as a tunnel dryer. It is much more energy efficient than the old kiln dryers which it will partly replace. The greater drying capacity will primarily be used for dried wood products for the joinery industry. In addition to investing in new dryers, the group had previously agreed to invest in land for timber storage and warehouse space.