SCA stops PM5 at Ortviken paper mill

Highlights * Q1, 2018 adjusted operating income of $238.7 million driven by historically high lumber prices and record-high pulp and paper earnings; record-high sales of $1.23 billion * Adjusted net income of $145.4 million, or $1.13 per share * Net debt of $96.8 million, or 4.3% net debt to total capitalization, at March 31, 2018. Click Read More below for additional information.

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. and GreenFirst Forest Products Inc. announced that the parties have entered into a binding asset purchase agreement pursuant to which RYAM has agreed to sell all of its lumber and newsprint facilities and related assets located in Ontario and Québec to GreenFirst for an expected purchase price of approximately US$214 million including inventory on hand at the time of closing which is payable approximately 85% in cash, 15% common shares of the capital of GreenFirst. In addition, a chip offset credit note will be issued to RYAM by GreenFirst in the amount of CDN$7.9 million, which may be set off against amounts owing to GreenFirst for chip purchases, equally over the next 5 years. Notably, RYAM will retain all of the cash generated by the Purchased Assets plus all softwood lumber duties, including earned interest on the duties, paid to the U.S. Department of Commerce through the closing date. RYAM estimates the duties to be approximately $110 million at the time of closing. The Purchased Assets: *include six lumber mills which are located in Chapleau, Cochrane, Hearst and Kapuskasing in Ontario and in Béarn and La Sarre in Québec as well as one newsprint mill located in Kapuskasing, Ontario. *produced 604 million board feet in 2020 with a combined nameplate capacity of 755 million board feet and are capable of producing a wide range of forest products used in residential and commercial construction, including dimensional lumber, wood chips and by-products. *include the lumber and newsprint mills as well as certain real property, machinery, inventory, permits, licenses and other related assets. *exclude accounts receivable and accounts payable.

Finland's industrial, logistics and electrical workers have agreed to extend strikes in protest against planned labour market reforms to a fourth week, the head of trade union association SAK said on Wednesday. The workers have been on strike since March 11, targeting exports, imports and cargo transportation. "The strikes will continue from Monday morning onwards for a week," SAK President Jarkko Eloranta told Reuters. "We are trying to negotiate and compromise with the government but unfortunately there has been no response to these efforts." Several of Finland's largest companies have said the strikes, which are disrupting ports and the rail system, are negatively affecting their operations.