Rayonier Advanced Materials Announces ISCC Plus Certification At Fernandina Beach Facility

The year 2024 was marked by significant advancements in the Company's strategy, including the acquisition of new businesses and the start-up of the new mill in Ribas do Rio Pardo and the conclusion of its learning curve as early as December, anticipating the initial nine-month forecast. Regarding the performance of the pulp business unit in the last quarter of the year, base prices in China fell by 15% until the end of November (vs. the 3Q24 average), but it has been stable after this period. The quarter was also marked once again by the significant appreciation of the average USD against the average BRL and the increase in sales volume, both factors offsetting the decline in the average net pulp price. The cash production cost (excluding the effect of scheduled maintenance downtime) was 7% lower than in 3Q24, also benefited from the gradual stabilization of production at the Ribas do Rio Pardo unit. Therefore, adjusted EBITDA from pulp remained stable compared to 3Q24 but increased 53% compared to 4Q23. In the paper business unit, adjusted EBITDA declined in 4Q24 vs. 3Q24 (-9%), but remained stable in relation to 4Q23, in which the Company concluded the acquisitions of the Pine Bluff and Waynesville units.

FibDex® wound dressing – made from nanofibrillar cellulose by UPM Biomedicals – has taken a significant step in its path to market, as leading medical device distributor Steripolar Oy now sells the product in Finland. FibDex is the first clinical product of renowned forest-based bioindustry company UPM and shows promising signs for future developments, such as cell therapy. ”We are excited to offer this Finnish product, made from Finnish raw material, first in the world to Finnish healthcare professionals and patients,” said Johana Kuncova-Kallio, Director of UPM Biomedicals. “Nanofibrillar cellulose has proven its potential both in the development of cell therapies and in clinical applications, and we are committed to further innovation.” Kaj Dahlström, CEO of Steripolar, added: “We were attracted to the ingenuity of FibDex. We are always looking for products and solutions that offer diverse and pain-free healing, while minimizing damage to the environment.”

The Finnish Paperworkers’ Union has issued a strike announcement to UPM, declaring a strike to all work under the expiring paper industry collective agreement at UPM. The strike would start at the mills on Saturday 1 January 2022 at 6.00 EET except at the Lappeenranta biorefinery, where the strike would start on 1 January 2022 at 7.00 EET. The strike would end on 22 January 2022, at 6:00 EET, unless an agreement for a new collective agreement is reached before then. Should the strike materialise, UPM strives to meet customer demand through deliveries from its mills outside Finland to the extent possible. UPM will not disclose the financial impact of the possible strike at this point.