New owner pledges to protect 1,500 existing Catalyst related forest industry jobs as part of an aggressive business strategy investing heavily into effectively making P&P / boosting operations, assets during the current five to seven year period. Paper Excellence is reportedly happy with the industrial port access in B.C. as well as existing infrastructures.

 

Portland, Maine newspaper published another (new) article about the state's pulp, paper & related industries making a comeback; noting among developments the recent purchases made this month by Nine Dragons and discussing the current state of regional paper markets. It's an expensive process, but more former P&W paper mills are being refit to produce labels. Students with chem. eng. degrees are once again being hired for P&P careers within the state.

 

This week marks the 58th anniversary recognizing the every-day impact of pulp, paper, packaging, tissue, and wood products on our lives. TAPPI joined with industry employees in Washington, D.C, USA, and around the country to celebrate the week with events and advocacy campaigns to mark the occasion.

 

By Jake Handelsman, senior director, International Trade, American Forest & Paper Association. On Sept. 30, 2018, the U.S. and Canada reached an agreement that allowed Canada to join the U.S.-Mexico trade agreement negotiated earlier. The new agreement, to be called the "United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement" (USMCA), will replace the 24-year-old NAFTA.

 

Production in September 2018 was up 4.9% compared with September 2017 and up 2.0% year-to-date. Month-over-month average daily production compared with August 2018 was 1.3% lower.

 

Market is projected to grow from $6.95 billion in 2018 to $14.92 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 16.5% from 2018 to 2023. Increasing demand for bioplastics from the packaging industry, favorable government policies, increase in waste management regulations in Europe, and increasing concern for human health are projected to drive the market.

 

Shipments in September 2018 were up 5.7% compared with September 2017 and up 2.6% year-to-date. The operating rate for September 2018 eased back from 99.1% in August to 95.9% in September. Inventories dropped 1.1% since August.

 

In a newly released market research report, FMI suggests that increasing construction activities and industrialization in emerging countries is expected to be the key driving force for the growth of heavy duty bags and sacks globally.

 

Demand was down 7.1% y/y in September 2018, a worse than 4% decline year-to-date.

 

GDP chart shows steady GDP growth decline during past eight years. China’s third quarter 2018 y/y GDP growth rate of 6.5% was the lowest since the first quarter of 2009.

 

The important rebuilding operation was successfully completed by A.Celli Paper and ended with the start-up of the Israeli customer’s machine. The operation consisted of the supply of a new reel, an innovative DCS system, a set of more efficient motors, renewed roller equipment, and the relative drives.

 

Company to invest SEK 170 million to increase the production of wood products at Braviken Sawmill. At the same time, a rail-based solution is being set up to transport raw material from Holmen’s forest in northern Sweden to industrial facilities in Norrköping. New dryers and trimming saw expected to begin operating in 2020.

 

A large warehouse fire that broke out on Aug. 17 destroyed 20,000 out of 70,000 sq. feet of paperboard products and the storage area where paper was densely packed (in a way which proved difficult when trying to stop the fire) having a significant impact on Western Pulp Products headquartered in Jacksonville, Tex., USA where the incident occurred.

 

The new recovery boiler will increase the profitability and sustainability of the mill and is part of a EUR 134 million investment in Nettingsdorf, Austria. New boiler is set to cut CO2 emissions by 40,000 metric tpy, which equates to about two-thirds of the current emissions at the site, and 1.5% of those from the whole Smurfit Kappa Group.

 

According to a new study by Carton Ondulé de France, the number of customers buying fruit and vegetables increases between 13% and 16% when the produce is presented in corrugated board trays rather than in plastic containers.

 

Panama City linerboard mill received extensive damage from Hurricane Michael. Due to the extraordinary efforts of employees, contractors, vendors, the insurance carrier and government officials, WestRock has already made substantial progress in assessing the damage and implementing required repairs to return the mill to operation within 30 days.

 

As currently structured, lightweight packages (4.4 lbs. or less) coming from foreign nations, notably China, can be shipped into and across the U.S. at rates cheaper ($1.50) than the USPS charges domestically. "For a long time, this has created unfair competition and nobody has done anything about it," said ACMA's President.

 

More sustainable from source, packs offer lower carbon footprint and are made from more than 75% renewable materials. Providing unrivaled barrier properties and seal integrity, along with an easy-peel open feature, the pack expertly combines environmental benefits with high performance functionality, proving that sustainable packaging is not about compromise.

 

New kit is designed to improve efficiency in packaging finishing applications. These tools are designed to address corrugated triple and folded carton, foam, and triple wall packaging materials.

 

100% recycled metallized range is extended with premium wet-glue labels, for beer, water, spirits and wine labels available with high, medium, and low moisture resistance and ideal for returnable and one-way bottles; and pressure-sensitive label papers designed to be transformed into self-adhesive facestock for labels.

 

Original Elevated Drink Box structure was designed for a 1.5 liter capacity, but it has now been developed to carry heavier weight. Different corrugated boards were produced and tested for larger size and development work focused upon the die cutting to ensure that the pieces correctly fit together to create the required level of stability for 3 liter weight.

 

Systems allow users to store up to 75% more pallets than with selective racking. Rack system is engineered and manufactured to better stand up to significant wear, making it a market leader among drive-in racking systems.

 

Increases will be effective from Jan. 1, 2019, and are subject to provisions in individual contracts. Prices for hydrous kaolins will increase typically between 4% and 9% and prices for calcined kaolins will increase typically between 6% and 11%. Individual customers will be notified details of specific increase in due course.

 

Decision is a direct result of substantial and ongoing global price increases for key raw materials including pulp, synthetic fibers, viscose and other chemicals. Furthermore, the company does not see any near-term relief from this input cost inflation. Escalating energy and transportation costs further compound the inflationary situation.

 

Growing promotion of sack recycling encourages end-user recovery. more than 27 million sacks produced by member companies are now printed with the special recycling emblem, which was developed to encourage end-user recovery of qualified paper shipping sacks (also known as multiwall sacks) with corrugated.

 

Italian-based Cantina di Soave continues to invest in new methodologies and equipment to lower energy use, and to ramp up, every year, its efforts to improve sustainability. One significant component of this "commitment to green" is its joint project with UPM Raflatac.

 

"We are proud of our transparent reporting being acknowledged," said Noel Morrin, EVP Sustainability at Stora Enso. "It is especially encouraging to see that the four-tier reporting structure we use to present the most material opportunities and challenges is recognized as good practice."

 

The company has already partnered with the American Forest Foundation to help private woodland owners in northwest Pennsylvania and southwest New York preserve forestland and improve life for at-risk species by creating and enhancing critical bird habitats.

 

"Attainment of 50001 Ready gives the mill the recognition it richly deserves for these efforts and will help the facility sustain and expand its energy savings over time," said Jay Wrobel, U.S. Department of Energy.

 

Coveris strengthens its executive leadership team with the appointments of Ulf Wienböker and Bernhard Mumelter to executive roles, while reorganizing its operating model into three new business units. Wienböker was appointed CTO of Coveris. Mumelter has joined Coveris as chief innovation officer.

 

Michael D. Hsu has been named CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2019. Thomas J. Falk will become executive chairman. Hsu succeeds Thomas J. Falk who has served as CEO since 2002 and chairman of the board of directors since 2003. Falk will become executive chairman of the K-C Board of Directors to help ensure a smooth transition.

 

Registration underway for TAPPI’s essential paper training.

 

A new wave of opportunity opens new markets for an aging industry. Learn how the pulp and paper industry is reinventing itself at IBBC 2018.

 

Your window of opportunity to share your expertise and gain recognition among your peers is closing soon. Submit your abstract for PaperCon 2019 by October 26.

 

TAPPI’s Tissue 101 Course Delivers Important Fundamentals in Tissue Knowledge