Two North American West Coast paper makers have told customers this week they will match the $30 per metric ton mid-summer newsprint price increase that was set in the U.S. this past week by eastern mills, contacts for Midland Paper (Wheeling, Ill., USA) reported yesterday (May 4).

Norpac (Salem, Ore.) announced April 29 that it would increase 30 lb. newsprint prices in two $15 per metric ton installments on June 1 and July 1, in line with the hike led by Resolute Forest Products (Montreal, Canada) and separately supported by both White Birch (Greenwich, Conn., USA) and Kruger (Montreal, Canada).

Midland's sources said that Catalyst Paper (Richmond, Canada) told its customers on May 3 that it too will implement $15 increases on 30 lb. newsprint, effective on June 15 and July 15.