Market News of Note

Brazilian pulp and paper company Suzano SA is likely to conclude talks on a pulp price hike in China in the second half of April, its chief executive told journalists in a call on Tuesday.

Smurfit Kappa Group PLC said that it is no longer recommending a final dividend for 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Greif, Inc. announced that it is implementing a $50 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB), effective with shipments beginning May 18, 2020.

The new price on bleached softwood kraft pulp, $880 per tonne, is valid from May 1, 2020.

Sonoco announced it is increasing prices for all paperboard tubes and cores sold in the United States and Canada by a minimum of 8 percent, effective with shipments on and after Wednesday, May 13, 2020.

The company is planning reductions in plywood production of 25-35% and in EWP volumes of 20-40% depending on location, in comparison to 1Q levels. The reductions in production are expected to be implemented through a combination of periodic curtailments and reductions in operating schedules at specific facilities.

IT Tech Packaging, Inc. announced that its tissue paper production lines are now running at full production capacity to fulfill orders. The average selling price of tissue paper increased 8% from USD $836 per tonne to USD $903 per tonne in the first quarter, resulting from growing demand because of Covid-19.

Mondi will not pay a final dividend for 2019, it said on Thursday, as it cuts costs and capital spending after seeing a deterioration in its order book in Europe and South Africa from the end of March.

Canfor Corporation is undertaking additional temporary reductions in production capacity due to the impact of COVID-19 on the price of lumber and demand.

Norske Skog ASA closely monitors the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and continuously implements adequate measures to reduce the risk for employees and ensure continuity of operations. Norske Skog adheres to the individual recommendations and measures taken by the national authorities.

Interfor has announced it will implement a number of initiatives in order to adjust its business to operating conditions being impacted by COVID-19.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak West Fraser is taking steps to protect its employees and respond to changing market conditions.

Nova Scotia's last major mill will curtail buying wood in April and scale back planned deliveries in May as it deals with ongoing market decline, compounded by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The move is the latest blow to a forestry industry struggling to maintain a toehold following the loss of its major player.

Norbord Inc. announced that effective March 30, it will commence reducing production across its portfolio of North American oriented strand board (OSB) mills in response to the demand impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is creating disturbance in Huhtamaki's global trading conditions and the demand for food-on-the-go packaging is being significantly impacted.

This is expected to reduce paper production by approximately 70,000 tons, and the mill is expected to restart on July 6, 2020.

Södra Wood is implementing temporary partial furloughs at its production facilities in Mönsterås and Orrefors due to a reduction in demand in the UK and the Republic of Ireland during the ongoing pandemic. Södra Wood Ltd in the UK and the production facility in Hamina, Finland, may also be affected by the decision.

Panicked Japanese consumers are stripping shelves bare of toilet paper, as unsubstantiated rumors of shortages stemming from the new coronavirus epidemic circulate on social media, sending prices soaring.

It has been one of the enduring images of the COVID-19 pandemic: empty toilet paper shelves in stores around the world as fearful citizens stockpile staples for long home stays. But the head of Canada's largest producer of toilet tissue says that despite a jump in demand, there's no shortage of product in Canada.

As consumers have been panic buying toilet paper, shelves at some local supermarkets and drugstores are bare. But how does a manufacturer respond to coronavirus-sparked shortages of this inexpensive commodity?

The European paper and board production has decreased by 3% in 2019 (European Paper Industry countries covered by the data: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom), compared to the previous year, according to the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI).

Paper Excellence Canada of Richmond says it will curtail pulp and paper production for 30 days at its Crofton operation, south of Nanaimo.

The increase will be around 8 to 10% in thermal papers depending on country.

Metsä Fibre has completed preparatory work of the Kemi bioproduct mill at the mill site as planned by the end of January 2020.

Stora Enso, one of Finland's biggest paper producers, has said the strike cost it 11 million euros ($12 million) for each week of industrial action.