Major Announcements

UPM Raflatac plans to open a new state-of-the-art slitting and distribution terminal in the Toronto, Canada metropolitan area. The new facility will improve service and quality to UPM Raflatac's customers in Eastern Canada and Northeastern U.S., while strengthening relationships in the region.

Graphic Packaging International plans to close its facility at 800 Westinghouse Blvd. on March 31, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) recently filed with the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The closing will result in 112 layoffs starting March 11.

A company spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the decision to close the plant came after an evaluation of the company's portfolio.

The state-of-the-art facility, which came online in Q4 2023, adds new capacity to the company's water-based adhesive manufacturing. This becomes the third location in the Greif Adhesives Group network, along with Kernersville, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Texas.

The addition of automated, state-of-the art thermoforming equipment at Amcor's world-class healthcare manufacturing plant in Oshkosh, Wisconsin will support increasing demand from customers in the medical, pharmaceutical, and consumer health sectors.

LP Building Solutions (LP) announced the appointment of LP Chair and CEO Brad Southern to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Board of Directors for its Nashville Branch.

PaperWorks, based in the Philadelphia suburb of Fort Washington, filed paperwork Thursday with the N.C. Department of Commerce that stated it was permanently closing the Montgomery County facility for "financial reasons" but was not more specific. None of the employees who work there are part of a union.

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. announced that it will close its sawmill in Maxville, Florida and indefinitely curtail operations at its sawmill in Huttig, Arkansas by the end of this month.

Four hundred workers are affected by the production shutdown which takes effect immediately.

Lecta Ltd announces that Dr. Dermot F Smurfit has decided to retire from his role as Chairman of the Board and that he will be succeeded by Javier Abad Marturet.

Mark Holbrook began his career 25 years ago with Scott Paper and continued to progress to more senior positions within Kruger Products.

Metsä Group is exploring possibilities to construct a carbon capture facility at one of its pulp or bioproduct mills. The investigation is a continuation of the work initiated in the spring, in which Metsä Group and Fortum jointly studied the capture of wood-based carbon dioxide and its use in the chemical industry and hydrogen economy, for example.

Cascades Inc., a leader in the recovery and manufacturing of eco-friendly packaging and hygiene products, announced that Alain Lemaire will step down from his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Company's annual general meeting, to be held in May 2024, and that Patrick Lemaire will succeed him. Alain Lemaire will continue to sit on the Board as a director.

Essity continuously evaluates its various businesses to increase long-term value creation. In the strategic review of Consumer Tissue Private Label Europe it was concluded that the business as a result of the implemented divisionalization, is a competitive and value-creating part of Essity.

Sean McLaren will succeed Ray Ferris as president and chief executive officer following Mr. Ferris's retirement at the end of the year. The board of directors has appointed Mr. McLaren to join the board of directors effective Jan. 1, 2024, in place of Mr. Ferris.

Anna Jonhed has been appointed CEO of Rottneros Packaging. She will take office during the first half of 2024 and will be part of the Rottneros group management.

DS Smith CEO Miles Roberts plans to retire after 13 years, the British cardboard maker said on Thursday, as the company reported a sharp drop in half-year profits and said the macro environment was challenging for demand.

Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc., the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United States, announces Daniel J. Burke as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Treasurer. Dan will be assuming the role following the upcoming retirement of Andrew Manns in the new year.

Green Bay Packaging -- a paper company that makes shipping containers, cartons and label products -- is set to build a new regional corporate headquarters to replace its current facility in Germantown.

The Saica Group has unveiled its Research, Development & Innovation (R&D&I) Centre at its El Burgo de Ebro plant in Zaragoza, Spain. The centre will service Saica's four divisions globally: Saica Natur, Saica Paper, Saica Pack and Saica Flex.

The workers had hoped to be back on the job Dec. 1, but the company says international paper markets have not recovered as anticipated.

UPM Pulp, UPM Timber, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Biofuels will start change negotiations on possible temporary layoffs. The negotiations are conducted to prepare for possible temporary adjustment of production in the Finnish units should the uncertainty in the operating environment continue.

Due to uncompetitive wood prices from the Polish State Forests' monopoly and low market demand across paper and board products, the company decided to significantly reduce the planned multiannual strategic investment project at MM Kwidzyn relating to energy, further pulp integration and the product range, which was announced end of April 2023. Instead, MM Kwidzyn will focus its investments on increasing its already high share of renewable energy of currently 69 % even further.

Canfor Corporation will curtail operations at its Polar Sawmill located in Bear Lake British Columbia, north of Prince George, following an orderly wind-down. The curtailment is the result of a shortage of economically available fibre in the region and is expected to be in place for a period of approximately six months.

The company cited "the difficult business environment in the newsprint sector" as the reason.