The global forest products industry has been making headlines since the COVID-19 pandemic struck at the beginning of 2020. First, the pulp & paper sector was the talk of the town during the widespread run on toilet paper that took place from March - June, and the lumber sector has been front-page news in recent weeks as prices for finished lumber have set new records by huge margins.

TietoEVRY will enhance data science capabilities with specialist third-party cooperation. Yazzoom, a digital services and software company, has in-depth expertise in applying Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning and advanced analytics to machine data and production processes, with positive references from the pulp and paper industry. Together, by combining the expertise, our customers’ operational excellence can be improved.

Valmet will deliver a new bleach plant and upgrade of the batch cooking and fiberline to ITC's Bhadrachalam pulp mill in India.

The KHS Group and Ferrum AG are intensifying their longstanding cooperation. Pending approval from antitrust authorities, KHS GmbH will be acquiring a stake in Ferrum Packaging AG. The aim is to optimally bundle the competencies of both machine-engineering companies to form a common system portfolio in the interest of providing integrated customer systems.

To ensure future competitiveness of UPM Communication Papers, UPM announces plans for permanent closing of UPM Kaipola paper mill in Finland, sale of UPM Shotton paper mill in Wales (UK) and streamlining Communication Papers business function teams.

Greif Paper Packaging & Services segment's 3Q 2020 net sales decreased by $70.7 million to $459.3 million primarily due to approximately $54 million of prior year net sales attributable to the divested Consumer Packaging Group business, lower published containerboard and boxboard prices, and lower volumes.

German paper manufacturer Progroup AG has successfully commissioned the PM 3, one of the most modern packaging paper machines in the world, at the company’s Sandersdorf-Brehna facility in Saxony-Anhalt. The PM 3 is set to produce 750,000 tons of testliner and corrugated medium annually. A comprehensive sustainability concept ensures the least possible consumption of resources.

Andritz has received an order from Papierfabrik Palm GmbH & Co. KG to supply two ADuro P shredders, type 2000 – an improved version of the proven ANDRITZ FRX shredder – to its paper mill in Wörth, Germany.

FPInnovations’ much anticipated tissue course is officially going digital this year and will be taking place October 26 to 29, 2020. The sessions will run from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m EST.

The 200th BTG Single Point Kappa Analyzer (SPK) was supplied to the Oji Group, one of the leading manufacturers of paper and paperboard in the world, headquartered in Japan. Oji was among the early adopters of the SPK, and this latest order for Oji Materia in Japan is a key element in replacing an existing multi-point kappa analyzer system.

Food packaging often ends up being incinerated due to it being a composite product, which cannot be separated and properly reused. A large number of players are now joining forces to develop a technology that will make flexible plastic packaging reusable.

Valmet will supply Valmet IQ quality management system to PJSC Kyiv Cardboard and Paper Mill in Kiev, Ukraine. The new system will be installed in the corrugated packaging plant of the mill which is undertaking modernization actions.

The containerboard market is expected to recover slowly in the coming months, but the possibility of a second phase of the Covid-19 pandemic remains an element of uncertainty, according to Pro-Gest.

Georgia-Pacific is expanding its offerings to include paper padded mailers — a sustainable solution to meet growing demands. In May, the company opened a new facility in Arizona to manufacture curbside recyclable paper padded mailers with Amazon as a key customer. This will extend Amazon's strategic supply chain of this innovative mailer in the western United States.

Stora Enso will build a pilot facility for producing Cellufoam by Stora Enso, a lightweight, fiber-based foam material for protective packaging and cushioning. Bio-based foams are renewable and recyclable and can be used in packaging, for example, to replace oil-based polymer foams which are widely used today. The pilot plant will be located at Stora Enso’s Fors Mill in Sweden.

Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, is one of the founding members of the new #GreenSource pulp industry initiative together with other members of EPIS, the European Pulp Industry Sector, and Cepi, the Confederation of European Paper Industries. The new industry initiative aims to promote the role of forest-fibre industries in the effort to achieve the EU’s climate neutrality target by 2050.

Hutamaki announced that Clay Dunn, (63), President, North America business segment has decided to retire at the end of 2020 after successfully leading Huhtamaki's business in North America since 2005.

DS Smith appoints Johan van Baarle as Sales Director of its Paper Division. Reporting to Niels Flierman, Managing Director for Paper, Van Baarle will be responsible for the division's paper sales across Europe and North America - managing around 5 million metric tons of paper produced at DS Smith's mills annually.

Discover how shifting consumer demand has led to innovative transitional grades and new markets at TAPPI’s International Bioenergy & Bioproducts Conference (IBBC) Virtual Conference, November 2-4. Register today.

TAPPI has compiled every event for this month in a single listing! Check out the virtual events below and pick and choose what pops out.

Joining a Standard-Specific Interest Group (SSIG) is a great way to share your knowledge, advance your career, and play a role in the future of the industry.

Turn to Kraft Recovery Boilers, Third Edition for troubleshooting tips and learn how avoid unscheduled boiler shutdowns