Sappi Announces Price Increase for North America

In order to prepare Kotkamills Absorbex Oy, a subsidiary of Kotkamills Oy and the leading global supplier of Laminating Papers, to meet the increasing demand, as well as to replace the discontinuing production volume of Paper Machine 7 in Tainionkoski, Imatra (Stock Exchange release on the 3rd of July 2017), Kotkamills Oy has started the pre-feasibility study of a new Paper Machine 3 (PM 3) in Kotka. The final decision of this possible investment will be done by the end of year 2018. The capacity, cost estimation and start-up timing of the the PM 3 will be published later on subject to the positive investment decision. After the possible start-up of the PM 3, Kotkamills Oy is maximizing the integration advantages of the Kotka site. In addition to the efficient investment cost of PM 3 to the already available infrastructure, the energy and fixed costs per produced volumes of the whole integrated site would be lower than today. The possible investment would have a positive impact on the profitability of Kotkamills Group. Click Read More below for additional information.

UPM Raflatac’s innovative Vanish PCR plastic labeling materials for the U.S. market have again been independently certified by SCS Global Services as featuring at least 90 percent post-consumer recycled content (PCR) in both the face and liner. The UPM Raflatac Vanish™ PCR range of clear PET films label materials enables brands to maximize eye-catching visuals with more sustainable labels that support the circular economy. Ideal for food, beverage, or personal care end-uses, these thin yet robust products use less raw material compared to other standard clear-on-clear products. Vanish PCR is the only clear-on-clear labeling solution on the market that incorporates recycled content, featuring PET face and liners made from 90 percent post-consumer recycled content. The recycled content in all of the UPM Raflatac 1.2 mil and 0.92 mil face and liner label materials have been verified in accordance with SCS Global Services’ Recycled Content Standard.

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.