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The PM40 closed Friday, 28 June 2024, at 5450.

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 28 June 2024 up 10.1% from the 30 June 2023 level.

In this issue of Disconnected Comparisons, we evaluate Amcor and 3M.

Reported insider trading since the last issue of PaperMoney.

The Light Green Machine Institute has been around for over a decade. Currently it has an international Board of Directors from all walks of life in the pulp and paper industry, from operating mills to academia and suppliers. It is a 501 C3 in the IRS parlance.

The start-up is scheduled for the end of 2025.

Paper packaging manufacturer Mpact had again opted for the modernization specialist Bellmer for its current modernization of the PM 3 at Mpact Felixton recycled containerboard mill in South Africa.

EPIQ Machinery Chief Executive Officer, Éloïse Harvey, ADF Engineering Plant Head, Bhushan Bachhav, and NOVIMEQ Automation Managing Director, Rishabh Kaushik and Services Director, Rupali Kaushik are announcing proudly the inauguration of their new spinoff entity: NOVIMEQ Automation.

Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals for water-intensive industries, has signed an agreement with Beijing PhaBuilder Biotechnology Co., Ltd., (hereinafter referred to as PhaBuilder), an innovative synthetic biology enterprise, to collaborate on further developing key PHA-based (Polyhydroxyalkanoate) technology for the paper packaging market.

Valmet is to provide two complete tissue converting lines including packaging solutions to Metsä Tissue's mill in Mariestad, Sweden.

Both will produce uncoated woodfree grades, and the start-ups are scheduled for 2026.

Ahlstrom, as a member of Ahlström Collective Impact continues to support UNICEF's global educational program in 2024. Ahlström Collective Impact's total investment to UNICEF in 2024 is close to EUR 800,000. Ahlström Collective Impact is a joint responsibility initiative by a group of companies and foundations, and Ahlstrom is one of the members and founding partners of the initiative.

Both attractive and sturdy, this eco-designed packaging offers robust protection while opening impactful visual possibilities. Its sleeve openings and high-quality printing area break the mould of the traditional format.

Graphic Packaging and Moy Park Help Sainsbury's Deliver on Its "Plan for Better" Sustainability Goals

Huhtamaki and the 2M Group of Companies have announced a multi-year supply deal to deploy deep-tech company Xampla's plastic-free Morro coating polymer to replace traditional barrier coatings in a range of takeaway containers.

A collective EPR system promoted by diverse paper and cardboard associations.

The collaboration brings together DVF's timeless designs and Lenzing's signature specialty fibers to exemplify both companies' commitment to spotlighting responsible fashion choices and bringing real change to the fashion world.

Mondi and traceless announce long-term partnership to develop bio-circular coating solution.

Mondi and Cemex have collaborated to bring SolmixBag, a water-soluble paper bag, to the Spanish islands.

PalletOne, the nation's largest single-source pallet manufacturer, has launched an automated pallet assembly machine redeployment program to provide improved pallet solutions to customers nationwide. This initiative will optimize the company's capacity following its coast-to-coast expansion as UFP Packaging's premier wood pallet builder.

The certification ensures Pregis EverTec Cushioned and Non-Cushioned Mailers are made with paper from trees grown in forests that meet stringent requirements to conserve water quality, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat.

Quad proudly celebrates its inclusion at number 19 in Ad Age's prestigious ranking of the largest agency companies, which also includes organizations like WPP, Publicis and Stagwell. Ad Age, the leading global media brand in marketing and media coverage, analyzes industry data to produce its exclusive annual report and name the world's 25 top advertising and marketing agencies.

Rayonier strives to be the preferred employer in the forestry sector. We recognize that without a strong and enduring workforce, operating within an inclusive and supportive culture, our company cannot sustain its success.

At drupa 24, HP announced that RR Donnelley has made an major investment in HP Indigo and PageWide presses.

Produced at the company's Maastricht Mill in the Netherlands, the paperboard is made of 100% virgin fibres, making it fully recyclable.

The planting machine BraSatt, Södra's investment in new advanced technology for better plant survival, has now been awarded the prestigious Red Dot Awards, the world's most important design competition. The innovation agency Boid and Södra, the largest forest-owner association in Sweden, have won the Best-of-the-Best prize in the category "Autonomous".

NeoLigno® by Stora Enso is a bio-based binder, ideal for mineral and glass wool. By changing to a binder made from renewable materials you can decrease your carbon footprint, while removing harmful formaldehyde and isocyanates from your loop.

Hygiene and health company Essity is presenting new financial targets based on the company's portfolio following the divestment of the subsidiary Vinda. The new targets are an increase in ambition with an emphasis on profitable growth and are based on the company's robust platform with leading positions in growing and attractive markets.

London-listed shares in Smurfit Kappa rose on Wednesday after Bloomberg News reported that Smurfit WestRock, the company formed by a merger between the Irish packaging group and U.S. peer WestRock, will be included in S&P Dow Jones Indices's averages.

Sonoco announced it will raise the price for all converted paperboard products by a minimum of 6 percent, effective with shipments in the United States and Canada, on or after July 10th, 2024. This includes tubes, cores, cones and protective packaging.

The new packaging solution is designed to be recyclable, contributing to virgin plastic reduction goals.

The partnership will launch UPM's CO₂-negative Renewable Functional Fillers1 into a new market segment and highlights the possibilities to use a lighter weight, 100% renewable alternative to traditional CO₂-intensive fillers.<

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company (RRD), a global provider of business communication and marketing services, agreed to pay over $2.1 million to settle disclosure and internal control failure charges relating to cybersecurity incidents and alerts in late 2021.

Two workers when to the emergency room over suspected exposure to hexavalent chromium.

Clearwater Paper will invest $22.59 million in an expansion in Shelby that will create 13 jobs paying $60,769, on average.

With a second e-boiler, Sappi takes a further step towards sustainability and advancing decarbonisation.

According to Klabin, the money will go towards the installation of a new recovery boiler with "cutting-edge technology."

Mondi has completed a €125 million investment project in its Kuopio mill, which will increase production capacity by 55,000 tonnes per annum while enhancing efficiency and improving environmental performance.

Södra is now establishing a new business to become a world leader in the production of kraft lignin. Södra's production facility will be the first commercial facility in Sweden and the largest of its kind in the world. This is an investment of over SEK 2 billion and expected to be in operation in 2027.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of calendar 2024 and is subject to approval by Glatfelter shareholders and completion of the remaining customary closing conditions.

On Tuesday, DS Smith and International Paper announced that the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act has expired.

Ennis, Inc. is pleased to announce its acquisition of Printing Technologies, Inc. (PTI) located in Indianapolis, IN. Founded in 1994, PTI is a leading manufacturer of innovative media solutions used in all types of Printing Technologies including direct thermal, thermal transfer, ink jet, dot matrix and laser.

The Italian paper and packaging company Fedrigoni said it has acquired a majority stake in the Chinese company BoingTech, one of the major RFID (radio frequency identification) inlay and tag manufacturers worldwide with operations in China and Malaysia.

Shares in the new entity, Smurfit WestRock, will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday and will immediately join key US stock indices, including the S&P 500, the most widely-followed equities index in the world. The company will also retain a secondary listing in London.

The U.S. packaging firm expects to achieve more than $100 million in synergies from the integration of Eviosys with Sonoco's complementary metal can business.

Brazilian pulpmaker Suzano said it has terminated talks to buy International Paper, adding the U.S.-based firm did not engage with the highest price it was willing to pay.

James K. Irving, a titan in Canadian business and industry, passed away at the age of 96, leaving behind a legacy deeply intertwined with the economic and social fabric of Canada. Born into the esteemed Irving family, James, along with his brothers, John (known as Jack) and Arthur, were the sons of K.C. Irving, whose vision and enterprise laid the groundwork for one of Canada's largest and most diversified conglomerates, J.D. Irving Ltd.

McKinley Paper Company plans to lay off 193 employees at its Port Angeles location on Aug. 25.

Metsä Group's pre-engineering project for a potential commercial-scale Muoto fibre product plant is progressing. After the pre-engineering phase, Metsä Group may consider making an investment decision. The partners selected for the pre-engineering project are Elomatic, SRV, Valmet Technologies and A-insinöörit Suunnittelu.

European cities are giving their dead leaves to a startup called Releaf Paper to turn them into shopping bags and paper.

USA Today collaborated with Statista, a leading market research firm, to compile the second annual America's Climate Leaders list.

Metsä Group aims to reduce fossil carbon dioxide emissions from wood supply by 30 per cent from the 2022 level by 2030. In the first phase the focus is on reducing emissions from wood transport operated by lorries, trains and vessels.

UPM Raflatac has received a new certificate of validity from leading international assurance service provider, DEKRA, for its RafCycle™ recycling service. Going forward, this certification validates the credibility of the CO2 impact assessments provided by RafCycle in Europe and the US. As a result, customers can communicate their environmental contributions in the labeling value chain with increased assurance.

Södra is investing in a production line at Värö which will create a vegetable tanning agent from bark. This new tannin can be used to process leather in a more environmentally friendly way. Scheduled to be commissioned in 2026, the plant will have the capacity to produce tannins for millions of square metres of leather.

SCA has decided to take the lead ahead of the government report "The Value of Wind" (SOU 2023:18) by implementing its own compensation model, inspired by the report's proposals, for residents living near new wind farms developed by the company. The amount of compensation will be based on the distance to the turbine and the revenue generated by the turbine.

Konraad Dullaert has been appointed Executive Vice President for Food and Consumer Packaging division and Chief Innovation Officer effective June 19, 2024. He continues as a member of the Executive Management Team. He succeeds Mark Ushpol, who will pursue his career outside Ahlstrom, as previously announced.

Billerud announced that Kevin Kuznicki, President, Billerud North America and member of the Group Management Team, is leaving the company to pursue other ventures, effective 14 June 2024.

The Corner Brook paper mill was temporarily shut down in early April, after the provincial government issued an order under the Public Safety Act. Operations resumed later that month.

The first curtailment will begin June 28th and run until July 15th, 2024, with a second set of reduced employee hours slated to begin august 26 to September 6th, according to the memo.

State-of-the-art technology increases the production speed of sustainable fiber-based packaging solutions.

A fire broke out at a South Macon paper mill Tuesday evening, June 25, after a tractor malfunctioned and caught on fire, according to Macon-Bibb County Fire Department's lead fire investigator Capt. Kyle Murray.

Gunnar Eberhardt has been appointed Executive Vice President, UPM Communication Papers. He will be a member of UPM's Group Executive Team and report to Massimo Reynaudo, President and CEO. He will start in his role in October 2024.

Unifor announces the conclusion of a historic agreement in principle between the employees at the Kruger facility in Trois-Rivières and the company's management, putting an end to the strike that began on May 30, 2024.

Mativ Holdings, Inc. announced it has appointed John K. Stipancich as an independent member of its board of directors, effective June 13, 2024, for a term of office expiring at the 2027 annual meeting. In connection with his appointment, Stipancich has also been appointed to serve on the Board's audit committee.

The repair work caused by the gas explosion in the mill's evaporation plant in March has been completed, and other annual maintenance work was done during the production shutdown.

Most recently, Jackson was Executive Vice President, Operations for the Novolex Food & Delivery segment.

On June 13, 2024, Sealed Air and Jannick Thomsen, Vice President and Chief People & Digital Officer of the Company, mutually agreed that Mr. Thomsen will be stepping down from his current position as an executive officer, effective June 17, 2024, and continue to serve in an advisory role through July 15, 2024.

Sodra's Mönsterås mill is strengthening its position as a producer of green electricity with a new GIS switchgear from Siemens Energy.

Sonae Arauco, one of the world's most relevant companies for engineered wood solutions, has transformed its first plant in Germany, the Nettgau site, into a digital plant, a format that provides an extensive and relevant set of data in real-time to support decision-making.