Major Announcements

Stora Enso has started a feasibility study at its paper production site in Langerbrugge, Belgium, for the conversion of one of the two paper lines into a high-volume recycled containerboard line.

Pactiv Evergreen announced that Jonathan "Jon" Baksht joined the company as Chief Financial Officer, effective May 27, 2022.

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. on Tuesday said Vito Consiglio has stepped down as president, chief executive and a director by mutual agreement with the board after just five months at the helm of the cellulose-products maker.

Roseburg Forest Products held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of its new Roanoke Valley Lumber sawmill in Weldon, North Carolina. The company announced it planned to expand its operations in the Southeastern U.S. last summer with the new 375,000-square-foot, high-capacity dimensional lumber mill, during an event with N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper.

Ten years after the catastrophic explosion and fire at the Verso Paper Mill in Sartell, it will soon be a day for public reminiscence.

British paper and packaging firm Mondi Plc said on Wednesday it would sell its Russian assets, the latest company to exit the country following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The evaluation of options is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

UFP Industries, Inc. announced that President and COO Pat Webster will retire at the end of 2022 after a remarkable career spanning nearly four decades at the company. Over the next several months, Pat's duties will be transferred to existing or new members of the leadership team as part of the company's 2020 reorganization plan.

Essity has initiated an exit from the Russian market, according to the company's quarterly report. Essity's conditions to pursue business in Russia have worsened, the company said. As a result, the Essity's assets in Russia were impaired by approximately SEK 1.4 billion ($146.7 million).

UPM and the Paperworkers' Union have agreed on first-ever business-specific collective labour agreements for five UPM businesses. The strike at UPM mills in Finland will end immediately and employees will return to work. The strike covered UPM Pulp, UPM Communication Papers, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Raflatac and UPM Biofuels units in Finland. UPM will restart customer deliveries as soon as possible.

Stora Enso has entered into an agreement to divest its two sawmills in Russia. The Company's Nebolchi and Impilahti sawmills will be divested to local management. In addition, the divestment includes Stora Enso's Russian forest operation which through its harvesting supplies wood to the sawmills.

"We're very honored to be in Cedar Hill and we're committed to the great state of Texas - in fact this is our fifth box factory here," Anthony Pratt, executive chairman of Pratt Industries, said in a statement. "We have long prided ourselves on the fact that we employ 11,000 Americans in well-paying, green-collar manufacturing jobs and we have now invested in America to the value of $10 billion. Cedar Hill will be our 71st factory in the U.S.A."

Georgia-Pacific announced it has officially opened new facilities in McDonough, Georgia and Jonestown, Pennsylvania to produce an innovative, recyclable paper padded mailer. When combined with the recently added manufacturing capacity of a third production line at the company's Phoenix-area plant, Georgia-Pacific has expanded its recyclable mailer production by 350% to help meet growing demand for more sustainable e-commerce packaging options.

Huhtamäki Oyj's President and CEO Charles Héaulmé will resume his duties on April 19, 2022. On December 21, 2021, Huhtamaki announced that he was diagnosed with cancer and had to take a leave of absence.

WestRock says the Panama City mill would "require significant capital investment" to maintain and improve. The press release on the WestRock website says, "By closing this mill, significant capital that would be required to keep the mill competitive in the future will be deployed to improve other key assets."

Sonoco announced promotions among its senior operational leadership which are aligned with the Company's strategy to simplify its operating structure to improve efficiency and effectiveness, according to Howard Coker, President and Chief Executive Officer. The appointments are effective immediately.

Smurfit Kappa has become the latest business to announce that it is to exit the Russian market. In a statement, the company said it stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and everyone impacted by the "totally unjustified attack on Ukraine and its people."

The Paperworkers' Union announced March 31 that the strike at most UPM's Finnish mills will continue until 30 April 2022, unless new collective labour agreements are reached before that.

Stora is looking for buyers for its mills in Finland's Anjala, Germany's Maxau and Sweden's Hylte and Nymolla, while planning to keep its mill in Langerbrugge in Belgium.

This transaction brings together two organizations with highly complementary technologies, geographies and product portfolios in specialty materials. The combined company will capitalize on powerful megatrends with strong positions in large, growing categories including Filtration, Healthcare & Wellness, Protective & Adhesive Solutions, Industrial Solutions, and Packaging & Specialty Paper.

Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, issued the following message from its CEO, Ron Delia, to its global workforce on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the company's operations in the region.

ND Paper, the US subsidiary of Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited, is taking critical steps to build on its growth in packaging products. At ND Paper's Biron, Wisconsin mill, the company will be converting its B26 paper machine at the end of 2022 from coated mechanical papers to lightweight, high-strength recycled packaging products.

Canfor Pulp Products Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Edgson as President and CEO effective April 11, 2022.

Mercer International Inc. announced that David Gandossi, who has served as chief executive and president since 2015, is retiring. The company said its board of directors has appointed Juan Carlos Bueno to succeed Mr. Gandossi as CEO and president, effective May 1, 2022.

Greif is outraged and dismayed at the invasion of Ukraine and the continuing attack on the country and its citizens. We strongly condemn the actions of the Russian government.