in the past few days we have started to rebuild our social media appearance. From now on you can find us on LinkedIn as well as Twitter. We look forward to a lively exchange. Also, the upcoming issue of P3 (1-2/2022) is currently being finished - the ePaper will be available soon!

And below, as usual, please find a selection of the latest news from the world of pulp and paper.

ipw news

Stora Enso has initiated a sales process for a possible divestment of four paper production sites. In line with Stora Enso’s strategy, paper is not a strategic growth area for the Group. The divestment intent is aligned with the Group’s strategy to focus on long-term growth potential for its renewable products in packaging, building solutions and biomaterials innovations.

About 250 exhibitors will participate in the “leading international event for the forest industry”, PulPaper 2022. The program consists of the PulPaper Conference, the new Green Economy Business Summit, and a wide range of presentations at the Future Square Stage. The startup competition presents the most interesting innovations during the event. The three-day PulPaper will be held from 7 – 9 June 2022. ChemBio Finland and Helsinki Chemicals Forum will be arranged at the same time at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre.

Sappi Europe continues to face increasing costs to its Graphic Paper business, related to energy costs as well as raw material cost rises due to availability challenges. It is forecast that this volatile environment will persist for now due to the current uncertain political and economic climate. Accordingly in order to maintain profitability and keep its mills running full, Sappi will implement a further price increase of 10% to its Woodfree paper grades effective for deliveries from early April latest beginning May depending on the market. This will be in addition to the previously announced increases.

The number of paper manufacturers using the digital remote services of Voith's OnPerformance.Lab is growing continuously. After setting the cornerstone for the global OnPerformance.Lab in Heidenheim in the fall of 2020, Voith is now strengthening its regional market presence in the Asia-Pacific region with another location in Tokyo, Japan. Experts at the OnPerformance.Lab advise, accompany and support customers worldwide, enabling them to deploy digitalization profitably.

The Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority has approved today, March 28, 2022, a supplement to the Finnish language merger and listing prospectus (the “Merger Prospectus”) concerning the merger between Valmet Oyj (“Valmet”) and Neles Corporation (“Neles”) (the “Merger”).

Due to the current extraordinary situation, the Felix Schoeller Group is imposing a temporary cost surcharge on its products. The general surcharge is segment-based and will apply from 1 April 2022 until further notice. The temporary cost surcharge affects all production at the Felix Schoeller Group's German sites.

Andritz has successfully started up the rebuilt PM2 kraftliner paper machine for Cartiera Giacosa S.p.A. at their mill in Front Canavese, Italy, and has received a follow-up order to further improve its performance. The PM2 has a design speed of 400 m/min and a working width of 3 m. It produces kraftliner in the range of 170 to 225 gsm for laminated sheets used in furniture applications.

Cepi, the European paper industry association, and its members across Europe have responded decisively in face of the unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and in a spirit of solidarity with the people in Ukraine at this difficult time. We support EU leaders in their defence of international law, human rights and democratic values.

Metsä Group has made donations of EUR 160,000 to Aalto University, LUT University, Tampere University, Åbo Akademi, University of Jyväskylä and University of Eastern Finland. Depending on the university, the donations will be allocated to the fields of technology, natural sciences or agriculture and forestry.

Kemira increases prices for all product lines in Pulp & Paper, Americas effective March 15, 2022. Costs for all main raw materials, energy (direct and indirect), packaging materials and freight have massively increased during recent months and continue to rise.

Toscotec will supply to linerboard manufacturer ETAP a technological rebuild of PM2’s press section at their Borg Elarab paper mill, near Alexandria in Egypt. The paper machine has a sheet trim width of 2,520 mm and it manufactures testliner and kraftliner in the range from 125 to 240 gsm. This is a repeat order for Toscotec, who in 2018 had completely rebuilt in stainless steel the Fourdrinier wire section of PM2.

The experts from Voith's OnPerformance.Lab (OPL) and Hamburger Containerboard have achieved 35 percent faster grade changes, optimized length profile and more stable processes on PM 1 at the producer's Spremberg site. Hamburger Containerboard, a member of the Prinzhorn Group, produces around 340,000 tons of paper each year on its PM 1.

bio-fibre news

Huhtamaki, global provider of sustainable packaging solutions, has strengthened its manufacturing capabilities in smooth molder fiber, a transformative and technologically advanced material which can be used to produce high-precision food packaging and replace rigid plastics.

Central European roundwood markets are at a turning point. Over the past four years, forests have suffered extensive damage from a spruce bark beetle outbreak in much of the region, leading to temporary increases in harvesting, lumber production, and log exportation. The infestation in the Czech Republic and Germany has resulted in record-high timber harvests over the past few years. As a result, from 2017 to 2021, annual roundwood removals were up 15% and at an unsustainable level.

Cepi’s thoughts are with our colleagues and the people of Ukraine who are suffering an unbearable war. Today, we see how the unprovoked and unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine has become a dramatic wakeup call to strengthen the European Union’s energy security and to build its strategic autonomy. In this context, the forest fibre-based industry offers readily available solutions to address the serious shortcomings of Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels.