Over the Wire

Total U.S. printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments increased 2% in December compared with December 2012, with increases in uncoated papers more than offsetting decreases in coated grades

 

CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries), Brussels, Belgium, reports that, according to preliminary figures, paper and board production by its member countries declined some 1.3% in 2013, with production totaling about 91 million metric tons

 

Altai Capital Management LP, New York, N.Y., USA, has joined Starboard Value LP, New York, N.Y., in its push for changes at Wausau Paper Corp., Mosinee, Wis.

 

Catalyst Paper, Richmond, B.C., Canada, reports that the Supreme Court of British Columbia has ruled in favor of the company’s action against the Province of British Columbia involving a reassessment of the amount of sales tax payable under the Social Services Tax Act on electricity purchased from Powell River Energy Inc. in 2001 through 2010

 

Brazilian pulp and paper producer Fibria Celulose SA, Sao Paulo, which has struggled with high debt in recent years, plans to repurchase $690.2 million in bonds maturing in 2020 from investors

 

Kimberly-Clark Corp., Dallas, Texas, USA, is one of two companies that will receive the prestigious 2014 Catalyst Award, which annually honors innovative initiatives that expand leadership and opportunities for women and business

 

Mondi Group has contracted Valmet, Finland, to upgrade a recovery boiler at its Dynäs paper mill in Sweden and a power boiler at its Stambolijski mill in Bulgaria

 

Stora Enso, Helsinki, Finland, reports that its cartonboard mill in Skoghall, Sweden, will return to full production this month

 

Thiele Kaolin Co., Sandersville, Ga., USA, this week announced that it has repurchased Stora Enso Oyj’s (Finland) stock interest in Thiele

 

Bekaert Solaronics, France, reports that it has received an order through Bellmer Ibérica, Iberia, for the rebuild of drying equipment on PM 2 at the Empaques Modernos de Guadalajara (EMG) mill in Mexico

 

Cascades Inc., Kingsey Falls, Que., Canada, a producer of packaging and tissue products, reports that the Competition Bureau of Canada has accepted a transaction it concluded on Nov. 27, 2013, with Maritime Paper Products Ltd. (MPPL), for the creation of a new joint venture of converting corrugated board activities in the Atlantic Provinces

 

Cascades Inc., Kingsey Fall, Que., Canada, a producer of green packaging and tissue products, announced that its subsidiary, Cascades Djupafors, located in Ronneby, Sweden, will start the consultation process with unions on February 25 concerning potential closure of the Djupafors business

 

Mil-Spec Packaging of Georgia, Macon, Ga., USA, this week announced that it has been awarded a GSA Schedule 81 IB contract and is now certified to provide shipping, packaging, and packing supplies and services to the federal government

 

Metsä Board Corp., a part of Metsä Group, Finland, reports that it is in negotiations to divest its property in Lielahti, Tampere, Finland, to the City of Tampere for EUR 26 million

 

PaperWorks Industries Inc. Bala Cynwyd, Pa., USA, announced this week that it will close its Phoenix, Ariz., folding carton plant in the coming months

 

Zhejiang JINXING Paper Joint Stock Co., People’s Republic of China, has ordered from PMT Italia S.p.A, Italy, a new film size press, ÆGO™SIZER FC, for PM 15 at its Pinghu Mill in China

 

Metsä Board, Finland, is launching a new cartonboard, Carta Allura, designed especially for luxury end-uses

 

Vi-Cas Manufacturing, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, is now producing round vacuum cups from 0.09 in. dia to 14.69 in. dia.—to handle many round, oval, and hard-to-grip products, including those with smooth or textured surfaces

 

Tetra Pak, Lausanne, Switzerland, this week launched Tetra Top® with Separable Top, an innovation that enables consumers to detach the plastic top from the carton sleeve, allowing them to be recycled separately

 

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan, will increase the price of beverage cartons for milk and cold beverages by 10% to 15%, effective with deliveries beginning April 1

 

Ahlstrom, Finland, reports that it aims to achieve sales growth through winning new business and speeding up the commercialization of new products

 

In assuming her new position, Buckman Gibson will step away from her role as chairman of the board of Buckman, a position she has held since 2000

 

John Williams, President and CEO of Domtar, Montreal, Que., Canada, has been elected chairman of the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA, board, along with the 2014 slate of AF&PA board officers

 

Kazakhstan Kagazy Group, Kazakhstan, has appointed Poul Bech CFO, succeeding outgoing CFO Aida Yelgeldiyeva, who will remain in the Group as advisor to the CEO

 

MeadWestvaco Corp., Richmond, Va., USA, has elected Dr. Robert K. Beckler and Robert A. Feeser each to the position of EVP, effective immediately

 

The TAPPI Nonwovens Engineers & Technologists Division presents two upcoming webinars hosted by the Binders & Additives Committee that preview sessions of the NETInc program in Nashville, Tenn., USA, April 27-30.

 

Check your calendar for dates in February and March for courses designed expressly for reliability and maintenance professionals.

 

Member Paul Krochak Sets Personal, Professional Goals High.

 

Candidates should have made an outstanding contribution to the research into and/or the industrial development of high yield pulping, i.e. mechanical or chemi-mechanical pulping, utilizing mechanical defibration techniques and/or new applications using high yield pulps.

 

The Certified Occupational Safety Specialist (COSS) Course is coming February 17-21 to the TAPPI Training Facility in Metro Atlanta, Ga., USA.

 

Be a part of the future as IBBC explores the technology and economics of commercializing biorefineries.

 

Advance your career by presenting at the 2014 TAPPI PEERS Conference in Tacoma, Wash., USA. Deadline for abstracts is March 3, 2014.

 

This March 10-12 course is designed for operators, engineers, supervisors, and pulp mill managers engaged in pulp mill recovery operations.

 

This best-selling text provides an introduction to the entire technology of pulp and paper manufacture and features 27 chapters covering all aspects of pulping and papermaking.

 

Keeping you "In Tune for Sustainability, Agility, and Profitability," the PaperCon program should not be missed.

 

A call for papers has been issued for IPBC, with a deadline of March 31, 2014.