Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) announced that it will temporarily idle the operations of its Kingsport, Tennessee mill and the A62 paper machine at its Ashdown, Arkansas mill for three months in response to the unforeseeable business conditions driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mondi is committed to playing its part to produce important supplies and components during the COVID-19 outbreak. As a global leader in packaging and paper, Mondi's Personal Care Components team has found a way to convert a production line at its Gronau plant in Germany to manufacture soft, elastic straps which are now being used for face masks and used by medical professionals and consumers globally.

Due to the increasing spread of Covid-19 in Europe and the uncertainty associated with this, Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH and the association ZELLCHEMING e.V. have jointly decided to cancel the ZELLCHEMING-Expo in Frankfurt am Main. The event was originally scheduled for June 24-25, 2020 and will be held again next year.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö increases capacity across its entire protective medical fabrics product portfolio to support the healthcare industry. The exponential spread of the COVID-19 virus around the world has caused an exceptional situation, creating strong demand for healthcare goods in general, and specifically for protective medical products that are made from the company’s fabrics.

Pro Carton has posted the following blog by President Horst Bittermann.

A crucial $1.1tn financing source for blue-chip US companies remains strained despite efforts by the Federal Reserve to stabilize the market, prompting groups like cigarette maker Altria and hotel operator Marriott to search for other sources of funding.

Mercer International Inc. (“Mercer”) (Nasdaq: MERC) reports that its joint venture Cariboo pulp mill will be taking approximately four weeks of downtime starting on or about April 20, 2020, resulting in an approximate reduction of NBSK production of 30,000 metric tons of which Mercer’s share is 15,000 metric tons. The downtime is in connection with reduced fiber availability resulting from regional sawmill downtime. The cogeneration facility at the Cariboo mill will continue to operate during the downtime. 

ANDRITZ has received an order from Mayr-Melnhof Karton to supply a Vertical Screw Thickener (VST) dewatering system for the RMP (Refiner Mechanical Pulp) process at the mill in Frohnleiten, Austria.

Columbia Pulp announced that it has suspended operations due to COVID-19 related safety measures. The new facility had started up in the fall of 2019 and had been ramping up production over the past 6 months. The company issued the following statement.

Appvion Operations, Inc., a leading manufacturer of specialty, high value-added coating solutions and coated paper products, announces that it is now certified compliant with FDA cGMP regulations for the manufacture of food packaging. Auditing firm ASI issued an excellent rating in certifying Appvion's newly dedicated food packaging operation compliant with applicable 21 CFR FDA cGMP regulatory standards.

The Ingersoll Rand® IQV20 Series™ W7152 1/2” Impact Wrench is the most powerful cordless impact wrench in its class. It delivers 1,500 foot-pounds of nut-busting torque and 1,000 foot-pounds of max torque. The W7152 is IPX6 rated and has a patented steel-reinforced nylon casing to withstand jets of water and prevent against chemical exposure. Paper and pulp maintenance technicians can rinse the W7152 with water without damaging the tool.

The plastic-free eco-barrier paperboard, MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB, has recently achieved DIN CERTCO certificates in both industrial and home compostability. The industrial certification complies with DIN EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 standards and the home compostability certification complies with NF T 51-800.

Georgia-Pacific has named Ryan Elwart as Chief Customer Officer for the Consumer Products Group. In this newly created position, Elwart will lead a combined sales organization of both the company's retail and commercial (GP PRO) businesses.

American Eagle Paper Mills announced the appointment of Scott Igoe as company President. “This is a cause for celebration amidst challenging times in the industry, our community, and the world. Scott has dedicated nearly his entire career to American Eagle and its employees. His commitment to excellence and sound judgment have been a driving force behind its success,” said board member Philip Devorris.

Kadant Johnson LLC, a subsidiary of Kadant Inc. (NYSE: KAI), announced the expansion of its Operations group and appointed Alan Ives as vice president, operations and Harry Brown as director of manufacturing. The expanded Operations group now includes Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, EH&S, and Engineering.

The Supervisory Board of Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG has appointed Peter Oswald (57) as new Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of the company with a contract for a period of five years. Peter Oswald will become member of the Management Board as of April 1, 2020.

PaperCon, TissueCon and the NETINC conferences coming together in Atlanta next year for one amazing event!

For more than 70 years, the forest products industry has turned to TAPPI Journal for impactful basic and applied research and technical reviews. A new publishing model makes accessing this information easier than ever.

Join us in congratulating the Asociación de Corrugadores del Caribe, Centro y Sur América (ACCCSA) on their 40th anniversary.

TAPPISAFE launches COVID-19 questionnaire to help keep your workforce safe.

MiniFIBERS Inc. is accepting applications for Technical Sales Representative for its Johnson City, Tennessee, USA location.