Solenis to Increase Prices in North America for Pulp & Paper and Industrial Water

Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and dissolving pulp, today announced that its Spectro® paperboard line has been certified as compatible with all HP Indigo Digital Offset Color™ presses. As part of the certification process, the company added new Digital substrates to its C1S and C2S lines to further expand its offerings for custom, short-run packaging and commercial printing applications. The new Spectro Digital for HP Indigo C1S and C2S products obtained the highest three-star rating based on runnability, adhesion and blanket compatibility from the Rochester Institute of Technology's Printing Applications Lab as a part of the HP Indigo Media Certification Program. Each product exhibited a high percentage of ink adhesion and exhibited excellent runnability with a high level of blanket cleanliness during normal testing intervals. The adhesion levels for all calipers and sides of the board, both coated and uncoated, exhibited side-to-side consistency and tested at photo recommended levels.

Clearwater Paper Corporation announced the successful completion of the sale of its tissue business to Sofidel America Corp., a subsidiary of Sofidel S.p.A., for $1.06 billion in cash, prior to customary purchase price adjustments. The transaction represents a significant step in the Company’s transformation into a premier independent supplier of paperboard packaging products to North American converters. Terms of the sale were first announced on July 22, 2024. “This is the next big step in transforming Clearwater into a premier independent paperboard packaging supplier in North America,” said Arsen Kitch, president and chief executive officer of Clearwater Paper. “While it’s the right business decision, it’s a bittersweet moment for our company. We are parting ways with valued colleagues, and that’s difficult. The Tissue team has built a fantastic business and delivered strong results. I am proud of their work and wish them well.” “We’ll use the proceeds from the sale to pay down debt and strengthen our balance sheet. We will be well positioned to scale and diversify our paperboard business to create long-term value for our shareholders,” said Mr. Kitch.

According to the Federal Environmental Agency, 2.8 billion disposable cups are consumed each year in Germany alone. Around 60% of these are plastic-coated paper cups which are currently thrown away, as they cannot be recycled in a reasonable and economically meaningful manner. The reason for this is the plastic coating on the inside, which prevents the cups from leaking or softening. The composite material of paper and plastic slows the recycling process. So far, the paper fibres could only be separated from the plastic coating in special recycling facilities and with a large amount of effort. However, separating the two materials is the prerequisite for restoring the paper fibres to the recycling loop. A newly developed, innovative recycling product now enables the fresh fibre pulp from disposable cups to be returned to the recycling loop in a resource saving and efficient way, without disproportionate additional input in the paper treatment process. The innovative idea for the new product comes from the Printing and Media Technology department of the creart advertising agency in Fulda, in the state of Hesse. “The upcycling that takes place here serves to upgrade the material,” explains authorised officer Torsten Gröger, who came up with the idea. “The waste product of disposable cups become a raw material again, in this case for a graphic paper that can be used for various purposes in communication and advertising.” As the name suggests, CoffeeCup Paper comprises around 25% disposable paper cups and 75% directly recyclable waste paper. Once manufactured, it can be recycled again at least six more times.