UPM Announces SC Price Increase

Total shipments of graphic papers in November 2022 were down 23.7% vs. November 2021 and were down 12.5% year-to-date. Total shipments of newsprint in November 2022 were down 18.8% vs. November 2021 and were down 8.7% year-to-date. Total shipments of sc-magazine in November 2022 were down 18.4% vs. November 2021 and were down 15.9% year-to-date. Total shipments of coated mechanical reels in November 2022 were down 29.2% vs. November 2021 and were down 20.9% year-to-date. Total shipments of uncoated mechanical (improved & others) in November 2022 were down 13.9% vs. November 2021 and were down 13.7% year-to-date. Total shipments of coated woodfree in November 2022 were down 36.0% vs. November 2021 and were down 8.0% year-to-date. Total shipments of uncoated woodfree in November 2022 were down 20.4% vs. November 2021 and were down 11.4% year-to-date.

Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) applauds the Canadian government, and in particular Minister Champagne, on the signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. This agreement will benefit the Canadian forest products industry by eliminating tariffs, as well as providing clear provisions to help settle disputes and avoid unfair blocking of imports because of concerns about issues such as insects or other contaminants. For example, forest products from Canada now face:. •31% tariff to Vietnam for certain kinds of wood, going down to 0% starting Year 1 and up to 27% for paper, which will be at 0% by Year 4. •40% tariff to Malaysia for plywood and up to 25% for paper, down to 0% by Year 6. •10% tariff to Japan for wood products, going down as low as 5% in Year 1 and 0% as early as Year 11. “The CPTPP will increase Canadian forest products access to key global markets,” says CEO of FPAC, Derek Nighbor. “Growing exports will create more middle class jobs in the over 600 forest dependent communities across Canada and help the forest sector diversify its markets.” Click Read More below for additional information.

In a groundbreaking move to bolster America’s clean energy future, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains and the state of Michigan’s Competitiveness Fund have selected Mitra Chem, a leading innovator in battery materials, for up to $125 million in awards. This substantial funding, with additional funding anticipated from the state of Michigan, will support Mitra Chem to establish a cutting-edge battery material manufacturing facility in Muskegon, Michigan. The site will be the first mass production facility for lithium iron phosphate cathodes in North America, unlocking a domestic supply chain that strengthens U.S. national security and expands the domestic workforce. Mitra Chem is launching the American Production of Lithium Iron Phosphate and Future Innovation (AmPLIFI) project as a linchpin to building a robust domestic electric vehicle battery supply chain that is cleaner, safer, faster, more affordable, and independent of China. The grant, aligned with the goals of the Inflation Reduction Act, marks a significant step towards establishing the United States as a global leader in battery manufacturing for EVs, energy storage systems (ESS), and defense applications.