Industrial Packaging, a leading customized contract packaging, technical services provider, and packaging materials & machinery supplier for manufacturers and distributors of foods, consumer and industrial goods, has become the first packaging company in the world and the first U.S.-based company to achieve Pandemic Prepared Certification.

Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and part of Metsä Group, has been recognized for leadership in corporate sustainability by global environmental non-profit CDP, securing a place on its prestigious ‘A List’ for tackling climate change, as well as acting to protect water security – two of the three environmental themes covered by CDP.  

Valmet will supply an extensive paper machine grade conversion rebuild with a wide scope of automation and services for Cascades’ Bear Island mill in Virginia, the United States. In the project, paper machine PM 1, designed to produce newspaper, will be rebuilt to produce high-quality, lightweight, 100 percent recycled linerboard and medium grades for the North American market. The start-up of the rebuilt paper machine is scheduled for the end of 2022.

Alberni Valley News reports that Paper Excellence Canada is investing $13 million in upgrades to its Port Alberni paper mill. The move will allow the company to diversify into unique food grade papers used by restaurants and food preparation enterprises.

Pinnacle Renewable Energy ("Pinnacle" or the "Company") (TSX: PL) announced it has commenced initial pellet production at its newly-constructed facility in High Level, Alberta, which is owned 50% by Pinnacle and 50% by Tolko Industries Ltd. ("Tolko") through a limited partnership.

It has been announced that CCE International will be postponed and will now take place from 22 – 24 June 2021 at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany.

In the 2020 financial year (ending September 30, 2020) the Voith Group performed reasonably well given the significant adverse impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic across all segments and markets in the second half of the year. In this context, the Group benefited from its broad-based positioning in terms of sectors and geography; its stable, regionally-organized supply chains; and its very sound financial situation.

Mayr-Melnhof Group has agreed to acquire Kotkamills Group from its shareholders for an Enterprise Value of around EUR 425 million. The addition of Kotkamills will grow MMK’s position in the attractive virgin fiber based cartonboard (FBB) and Food Service Board (FSB) market, complementing its established position in recycled fiber-based board.

The Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper mill (APPM), one of Russia’s leading pulp and paper producers, is considering expanding into the Asia Pacific market by the beginning exports of its products to South Korea, according to recent statements of the company.

Tecno Paper (Italy) has supplied to Filar Fijałkowscy Spółka Jawna (Poland) one Tissue Slitter Rewinder model TP-3US-TRH18, version High Performance for processing high quality tissue.

The Ukranian pulp and paper sector may show good growth rates in 2021, which, however, will primarily depend on the further situation with pandemic in the country and situation in the Ukranian economics, according to recent statements, made by some leading Ukranian analysts in the field of paper business and some local media reports.

Valmet will deliver a new flash drying and baling line and a rebuild of the existing integrated thermomechanical pulp (TMP) production line at SCA’s Ortviken mill into a chemi-thermomechanical pulp (CTMP) market pulp line, which will have a capacity of 300,000 metric tons per year.

PaperTech, a leading manufacturer of paperboard packaging products to the frozen food industry and foodservice markets, today announced it has been acquired by May River Capital, a Midwest-based private equity firm focused on helping high-caliber industrial businesses grow and prosper.

Metsä Spring and Valmet have started construction of a 3D fiber product pilot plant in Äänekoski, Finland. The pilot plant will enable testing and further development of a novel process for producing a new type of packaging solution.

The greenfield building will host the pilot line, which converts wood fiber into ready-to-use 3D fiber products, which, in turn, can replace similar packaging solutions made from plastic and aluminum.

In board machines, threading the paper web following shutdowns or breaks in the dryer section has until now been a complicated and time-consuming process. The process of using ropes to guide the tail through the dryer section presents safety risks and involves an extensive maintenance effort. A new Voith solution offers paper manufacturers unprecedented flexibility and reliability.

ABB has upgraded its industry-leading L&W Felt Moisture and Felt Permeability Meters with new software, unlocking new features that improve their value for paper mill customers as a key process measurement solution to optimize press section performance.

Voith has comprehensively optimized its HydroMix stock mixing system. The new generation of this tried and tested system features an automatically adjustable stock nozzle, ensures an excellent mixing quality of stock and whitewater, and guarantees consistently superior sheet quality.

The Navigator Company has once again been given an “A” rating by the CDP (previously known as the Carbon Disclosure Project) in a world survey assessing company action on climate change, achieved by only 3% of companies evaluated throughout the entire world.

Valmet has been recognized for its actions and strategy to mitigate climate change by receiving the second-best A- rating and maintaining its leadership position in CDP’s climate program ranking. CDP’s evaluation is based on the company’s disclosure about its actions in the last reporting year to develop the low-carbon technology and solutions, cut emissions and mitigate climate risks.

BillerudKorsnäs’ contribution to the low-carbon economy and actions to cut emissions have been recognized by the global environmental non-profit CDP, when BillerudKorsnäs today secured a place on the prestigious ‘A List’ for tackling climate change.

The Paper and Packaging Board (P+PB) announces the appointment of James Harrell, Sonoco; Pete Watson, Greif; and, Rob Melton, Domtar by USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue for a three-year board term beginning January 2021.

WestRock welcomes Brandi Colander to its executive leadership team as chief sustainability officer. Colander further strengthens WestRock's commitment to sustainability, both within the company and in the packaging solutions it provides its customers.

Willamette Falls Paper Company announced that Ed Buehler will join the company as part of its executive leadership team.

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