PaperAge

McKinely Paper plans to shut-down operations at its paper mill in Port Angeles, Washington, and lay-off 193 employees on August 25. The mill produces containerboard, i.e. liner and corrugated medium, along with packaging grades. https://lnkd.in/eSNbWEGX #paperindustry

Suzano said that it will not it will not pursue a transaction involving the acquisition of International Paper. https://lnkd.in/emNVgHk6 #paperindustry #pulp

As an industry we spend a lot of time worrying about paper deselection, and rightly so. But lately, I seem to hear more about companies that had previously decided to get out of paper and are now back with paper.   And I don’t just mean the utilities and banks and service providers who, sometimes despite their best efforts, have found that customers still want paper billing options.   No, companies of all kinds are experiencing what one author colorfully calls “The Revenge of Analog,” a growing appreciation for—and pull toward—the physical, the tangible and the real. https://lnkd.in/eGEn22NB #paperindustry #paper

Norske Skog announced the start of a study to form the basis of building a bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp (BCTMP) production line at its Saugbrugs mill in Halden, Norway. The potential new pulp line is based on reutilizing a portion of the mill that housed PM6 and was heavily damaged during a rockslide that occured in April of 2023. PM6, which had the capacity to produce 260,000 tonnes per year of SC (supercalendered) magazine paper, was shutdown and remains idle. https://lnkd.in/e-S67M5E #pulp #paperindustry

First Quality has announced a $418 million expansion will take place at its manufacturing facility in Macon, Georgia, for the production of baby diapers and training pants. The expansion will create 600 new jobs and increase capacity for diapers and training pants by 50%. The expanded facilities will be located at 2108 Avondale Mill Road, adjacent to First Quality's current location in Macon. The company will be hiring for executive, administrative, supervisory, and production positions. Job opportunities will be posted to the First Quality careers site as they are available. https://lnkd.in/etjtU2g7 #paperindustry #jobs #hygieneproducts

UPM Communication Papers announced plans to permanently close its Hürth newsprint mill and to shut down one fine paper machine at Nordland Papier (PM 3) in Dörpen -- both assets are located in Germany. If realized, the measures would result in annual reductions of 330,000 tonnes of newsprint paper capacity and 280,000 tonnes of uncoated fine paper capacity in UPM’s portfolio. UPM said the measures are in response to overcapacity in the market. https://lnkd.in/e79cnCdW #paperindustry

Billerud’s Board of Directors has decided to not proceed with plans to convert its Escanaba mill to cartonboard production. Instead, the company will target to shift its product mix gradually towards packaging materials in North America with a moderate investment level. “After in-depth feasibility studies, evaluations, and supplier discussions, we have concluded that the projected return on investment is not sufficiently attractive to proceed with the conversion of Escanaba to cartonboard production,” said Ivar Vatne, President and CEO of Billerud. https://lnkd.in/e3fni5Qy #paperindustry #pulpandpaper

Cascades has announced the appointment of Hugues Simon as its new President and CEO. He will succeed Mario Plourde, no later than July 1, who will retire. Currently, Mr. Simon is President of the Wood Products business at Resolute Forest Products. After more than 11 years at the helm of Cascades, Mr. Plourde will support the new President and CEO during a transition period lasting until December 2024, after which he will act as a Special Advisor. https://lnkd.in/ecY3kDv3 #paperindustry #pulpandpaper

International Paper today issued a statement addressing "rumors or speculation" in recent media reports. "Consistent with its standing practice, International Paper ("IP") (NYSE: IP) offers no comment on rumors or speculation contained in recent media reports. The IP team, led by new CEO Andy Silvernail, is executing on business strategies and pursuing commercial and cost improvement initiatives across the portfolio to achieve best-in-class profit margins and significant earnings growth... https://lnkd.in/ei47v4wj #pulpandpaper #paperindustry

Brazilian pulp and paper company Suzano has approached U.S.-based International Paper to express interest in an all-cash acquisition that would be worth almost $15 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. https://lnkd.in/e32TEehW #paperindustry #pulpandpaper