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The PM40 closed Friday, 30 October 2020, at 2962.

Get the latest PM40 updates by listening to the weekly Nips show and the PM40 Daily Show on Pulp & Paper Radio International.

The PM40 closed 30 October 2020 down 5.6% from the 1 November 2019 level.

In this issue of Disconnected Comparisons, we evaluate Graphic Packaging and PCA.

Reported insider trading since the last issue of PaperMoney.

What happens today is going to have a profound effect on the pulp and paper industry. That is said without tipping my hand one way or another.

Domtar Corporation announced it has signed an agreement with Voith to provide equipment and technical services to convert the paper machine at its Kingsport, Tennessee, mill to produce recycled containerboard including high-performance lightweight packaging grades, as well as industry standard grades.

Kadant Fiberline (China) Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Kadant Inc., started up the OCC system at ShanYing International's Jingzhou mill in China. The new line is equipped with a Kadant recycled fiber processing system and an approach flow system with a design capacity of 400,000 tons per year.

Metsä Fibre and Lujabetoni have entered into a preliminary agreement on reinforced concrete pile delivery for the planned Kemi bioproduct mill.

Valmet has completed the acquisition of PMP Group in Poland. PMP Group is a provider of technologies and services for the paper industry. The enterprise value of the acquisition is approximately Euro 64 million, plus a conditional and capped earn-out component.

Valmet will supply a complete tissue line, including full automation package, to WEPA's mill in Bridgend, the United Kingdom. The investment is a strategic step for the company to strengthen its presence in the United Kingdom.

Valmet has decided to invest in filter fabric manufacturing in Pune, India in order to better serve its customers and improve delivery times of filter fabrics to the Asia Pacific and Middle East areas.

Valmet will supply a new OptiConcept M container board making line with extensive package of automation to Shanying Paper, Guangdong at its Zhaoqing mill in China.

Valmet will supply a fine paper making line with stock preparation and an extensive scope of automation to Asia Symbol (Guangdong) Paper in XinHui, China. The new high-capacity fine paper making line will be designed to produce top-quality woodfree uncoated paper (WFU) grades. The start-up of PM 13 is scheduled for 2022.

DS Smith Tecnicarton has received the Liderpack Award in the category 'best logistics and distribution packaging' for its latest innovative design, a telescopic lid valid for different packaging lengths.

Hygiene and health company Essity is launching TENA SmartCare, a new and reusable digital sensor for improved incontinence care. TENA SmartCare is available for both professional and family caregivers.

KeelClip™ and PaperSeal®, two award-winning packaging innovations from fiber-based packaging solutions leader Graphic Packaging International (Graphic Packaging), are being recognized again, this time at the at the Institute of Packaging Professionals' 2020 AmeriStar Packaging Awards.

Graphic Packaging International (GPI), a leading provider of paper-based packaging solutions for food, beverage, foodservice and other consumer products, earned a noteworthy number of awards at the 2020 Paperboard Packaging Council's carton competition, including the top honor, Paperboard Package of the Year, in addition to the Innovation, Sustainability and Folding Carton of the Year awards.

Mercer International Inc. is proud to have been recognized for excellence in three categories at the 2020 Canada's Safest Employer Awards (CSEA) virtual ceremony: President and CEO, David Gandossi as CEO of the Year, and Mercer Celgar for both Best Wellness and Psychological Safety Program and Canada's Safest Manufacturing Employer.

To offer customers a full portfolio of packaging papers, UPM Specialty Papers has launched UPM SolideTM, a family of kraft papers that feature a versatile combination of strength as well as converting properties. All grades in the portfolio offer excellent printability to maximise the shelf impact of packaging. All papers in the UPM SolideTM family are recyclable in regular paper recycling stream.

There has been a surge in consumer demand for Bag-in-Box wines in the current year according to new data, partially caused by changing behaviours due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Research by packaging leader Smurfit Kappa in collaboration with Wine Intelligence found that Bag-in-Box wine attracted 3.7 million new consumers in France and the UK during the past six months.

Stora Enso was honoured with Biorenewable Deployment Consortium (BDC)'s 2020 Forest Products Innovation Award for the culture of innovation and leadership in the deployment of new sustainable biorenewable processes directed toward achieving the full value of trees.

WestRock Company was recognized for packaging design excellence at the 77th Annual North American Paperboard Packaging Competition. The company won 18 awards, including two major awards: Rigid Box of the Year and Digital Application of the Year.

Greif, Inc. announced that it is implementing a $50 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) effective with shipments on or after Monday, November 9th, 2020.

Kotkamills, a manufacturer of fully recyclable food service board, is currently exploring the possibility of establishing its own sales office in the North America. The launch of production in the still growing North American food packaging market is also being explored.

The fourth sheeting line at the UPM Kymi paper mill started full production at the end of October, strengthening UPM's position on the market for graphic fine paper sheets.

Sonoco announced that it is implementing a price increase for all paperboard tubes and cores by 8 percent, effective with shipments in the United States and Canada on or after November 23, 2020.

Sonoco announced it is implementing a $50 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning November 16, 2020.

Stora Enso has decided to start using a valuation method for its forest assets in the Nordics based on market transaction data and change the accounting policy from the fourth quarter of 2020 onwards. Preliminary estimations, based on transactions in those areas in which Stora Enso has forest land, indicate that the value of the Group's forest assets, including leased land, will be between EUR 6.5 billion and EUR 7.0 billion, compared with the end of Q3/2020 book value of EUR 5.4 billion.

Effective with all orders shipping on or after November 1, 2020, Verso Corporation is increasing the transaction price of all pulp products by $30.00 per metric tonne.

BillerudKorsnäs and AB Group Packaging present the reusable paper bag, which is one of the world´s strongest paper bags.

The owners of LignoTech South Africa, Borregaard and the Sappi Group, have decided to permanently close the lignin production facility and to terminate the cooperation agreement.

Enviva announced they are teaming up to engage small forest landowners across the U.S. Southeast to voluntarily participate in global greenhouse gas emissions reduction programs.

Eight start-ups have been selected to receive mentorship and up to $300,000 in grants to develop innovative circular economy solutions.

Pelican Lake First Nation and Witchekan Lake First Nation and Paper Excellence Canada announced the signing of a Letter of Intent that sets out the intentions of all parties to build a collaborative relationship with each other in Saskatchewan.

The Kalamazoo City Commission has voted to accept a $5.4 million settlement with Georgia-Pacific and 3M over PFAS contamination in the City of Parchment and Cooper Township.

Iggesund Sawmill is being modernised to allow for an increase in production. Holmen is currently investing SEK 70 million in a new drying plant which will increase its drying capacity from 400 000 to 500 000 m3.

CMPC, through its subsidiary CMPC Celulose Riograndense Ltda., entered into a purchase agreement with Florestas do Sul Agroflorestal Ltda. in relation to the equity interest issued by a newly incorporated subsidiary of Florestas do Sul Agroflorestal Ltda. that will own all the timber assets currently owned by Florestas do Sul Agroflorestal Ltda.

CREEL has completed the acquisition of the offset printing operations in Las Vegas known as Creel Printing from LSC Communications. The acquisition returns control of the offset business to the Creel family who founded it in the 1950s.

Hygiene and health company Essity divests its 49% stake in Sancella Tunisia to the other owner Sotupa. Sancella Tunisia offers a range of Essity's products and brands in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Libya. Essity will retain a presence on these markets through license and distribution agreements.

Klabin acquired the units producing corrugated board and paper for packaging from International Paper in Brazil in March.

ePost Global LLC, a tech-enabled global shipping solutions provider, announced it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the International Mail and Parcel Logistics Business ("International Logistics") from R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company (RRD). ePost Global will continue to provide cost-effective, global delivery solutions to its clients.

The Kalispel Tribe's opening offer to purchase the recently shuttered Ponderay Newsprint Co. mill in Usk was turned down this month, leaving the fate of the bankrupt facility in Pend Oreille County uncertain.

VPK Group came to an agreement with COPI Holding to buy Encase Ltd, manufacturer and designer of corrugated cardboard packaging. Encase Ltd operates two integrated corrugated packaging plants in England and one sheet plant in Scotland. It is VPK's intention to merge Encase with its UK corrugated operations, formerly known as Rigid.

Peter Secchia -- a West Michigan businessman, Michigan State University donor and longtime figure in Republican politics -- died Wednesday at the age of 83, his wife, Joan Secchia, confirmed in a statement.

Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes announced that a long-time paper mill in McKinley County will receive economic assistance from the state so it can install new equipment and remain in business for the next decade, retaining at least 125 well-paying jobs.

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) has sent a letter to the Verso Corporation Board of Directors to either run the mill or sell it, for the sake of their employees.

ND Paper, a leading North American producer of pulp, paper, and paper-based packaging, is implementing a series of transformations at its Rumford Division to further expand into packaging grades.

Last week, ND Paper, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Chinese Nine Dragons Paper Holdings Ltd., announced that it is implementing a series of transformations at its Rumford Division to further expand into packaging grades. ND Paper also announced last Friday that there will be layoffs at the Rumford mill as it refocuses production to expand into packaging grades of paper.

Engaging young people on the benefits of circular living and the circular economy is a key part of our 'Now & Next' Sustainability Strategy. As is supporting the local communities around our offices and paper mills. That's why we have sponsored the launch of a new children's book by the charity 'Litter Angels'.

Through a focus on circular design and performance, DS Smith, a sustainable packaging leader, has today announced its innovative design methodology has removed 20,000 tons of raw material from the manufacturing process, despite increasing overall production. This has effectively taken the equivalent of 238 million boxes out of circulation over the past year.

Enviva, a leading renewable energy company specializing in wood bioenergy, announced the release of its first Corporate Sustainability Report.

More than 30,000 gallons of pulping chemicals from the ND Paper mill in Old Town leaked into the Penobscot River earlier this month, violating state and federal laws, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

Sun Chemical released its 11th annual Corporate Sustainability Report for the year ending 2019.

UPM and the Guides and Scouts of Finland have initiated a cooperation in order to increase the dialogue and understanding between young people, companies and policy makers especially on topics concerning climate change and responsibility.

Companies in the pressure-sensitive labeling industry have announced a new global industry-wide consortium, CELAB: Creating the Circular Economy for Labeling. UPM Raflatac is acting as one of the key collaborators in CELAB to boost matrix and liner recycling in the pressure-sensitive labeling industry.

Boise Cascade Company has issued a WARN Act notice to its Elgin, Oregon employees. The Company issued the notice in order to ensure that all employees are aware it is possible the mill will have to reduce production levels beginning on or about January 1, 2021. /span>

The Pixelle paper mill in Chillicothe, Ohio was briefly on fire Monday evening, Oct. 19. /span>

The continuing decline in orders in recent years in addition to enormous maintenance and operating costs of a machine that is almost 100 years old made it impossible to maintain production economically.

PaperWorks--Komori America announced that PaperWorks, a leading full-service provider of 100% recycled paperboard and specialized folding cartons for packaging applications, has installed a fully-equipped, 41-inch, seven-color Lithrone GX40 (GLX740) offset press with multiple coaters at its Greensboro, North Carolina facility to enhance capabilities and capacity. /span>

Pixelle Specialty Solutions announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, it would reduce its workforce by 67 more employees in connection with an April 15 explosion of a pulp digester, Androscoggin Mill Manager Eric Hanson said in a news release.

UPM will establish a new labor markets team which will start its activities in the beginning of December.

After months of exploring possibilities, Verso Corp. announced Wednesday it would slow down its effort to find a buyer for the Wisconsin Rapids mill.