To further improve efficiency and strengthen the competitiveness for the Professional Hygiene business in North America, SCA has decided to close the tissue production plant in Flagstaff, Arizona, in the US.

The closure of the Flagstaff tissue production plant is part of SCA’s Tissue Roadmap and is aligned with the company’s strategy to optimize the geographic production footprint to drive cost and capital efficiency and further increase value creation in the Professional Hygiene business area.

The Flagstaff tissue production plant has an annual capacity of 55,000 tons for the Professional Hygiene business. Production will be discontinued in June 2017.

The restructuring costs for the closure are expected to amount to approximately SEK 250m and will be recognized as an item affecting comparability, mainly taken in the second quarter of 2017. Approximately SEK 40m of these costs are expected to impact cash flow.

SCA, with the leading global brand Tork, is the second largest player in the US professional hygiene market. The US is the Group’s largest market, based on net sales in 2016, and is highly prioritized by SCA.

SCA is a leading global hygiene and forest products company that sustainably develops, produces and sells personal care, tissue and forest products. Through the recently acquired company BSN medical, the Group offers products within wound care, compression therapy and orthopedics. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under many strong brands, including the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other brands, such as Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, Vinda and Zewa. As Europe’s largest private forest owner, SCA places considerable emphasis on sustainable forest management. In 2016, the Group had approximately 46,000 employees and sales amounted to approximately SEK 117bn (EUR 12.4bn). SCA was founded in 1929, has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. SCA is dedicated to improving well-being through leading hygiene and health solutions. More information at www.sca.com

Futura enters its next stage of development with a new Board of Directors and the promotion of Piero Ceccon to Chief Executive Officer.

“Together with Faper Group President Fabio Boschi we have worked hard over the last few years to provide Futura with a strong and capable leadership, and we are now extremely happy to announce this important step in the company’s growth”, said Fabio Perini, founder of Futura, who has taken the position of Honorary President, with Boschi Chairman.

From the left: Piero Ceccon, Fabio Boschi, Giovacchino Giurlani, Giulio Simonelli

The Futura board is completed by two other key managers: Giovacchino Giurlani, who oversees innovation and product development, working closely with Mr Perini and the rest of the team at FuturaLab; and Giulio Simonelli, who has been instrumental in implementing the highest operational standards at Futura over the years.

Ceccon joined Futura three years ago to head up the company’s international operations, overseeing sales of technology and the ProCare service division. During this time the Lucca, Italy-based business has seen particularly strong growth worldwide, including numerous Andromeda line deliveries through which Futura has asserted its technical leadership in the field.

Sonoco (NYSE:SON) have just announced it has restated and is implementing a previously announced price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) products in the United States and Canada, effective July 10, 2017. 

The low yield on the previously announced April URB price increase, along with the impact of rising raw material and other costs, makes it necessary to go back to the market to recover those costs, explained Palace Stepps, division vice president of sales and marketing for Sonoco’s U.S. and Canada paper and adhesives.

“This renewed price increase reflects the recent sharp rebound of recovered paper and other costs which we must recover so we can continue providing high-quality, value-adding products to our customers,” said Stepps. “After spiking in March, recovered paper prices temporarily declined. However, June recovered paper prices significantly increased, and we expect further cost increases in July as demand by domestic and export users remains strong.” 

Sonoco is one of the largest producers of uncoated recycled paperboard in the United States and Canada, producing more than one million tons annually from 11 mills. For more information about Sonoco’s complete line of URB paper products, or to learn more about current pricing, please visit the Company’s website (www.sonoco.com) or contact the Company at 1-800-377-2692.

About Sonoco
Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a global provider of a variety of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging and packaging supply chain services. With annualized net sales of approximately $4.8 billion, the Company has 20,000 employees working in more than 300 facilities in 33 countries, serving many of the world’s best known brands in some 85 nations. For more information on the Company, visit our website at www.sonoco.com.

Mitsubishi HiTec Paper, the Bielefeld based manufacturer of coated speciality papers, is increasing prices for THERMOSCRIPT thermal paper and GIROFORM carbonless paper by 6 - 7%. The price increase will be applied worldwide, for deliveries from 1 September 2017.

Further increases in costs for pulp, chemicals and logistics make this adjustment necessary. Customers will be contacted directly by the Mitsubishi sales team.

Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe GmbH is a German subsidiary of Mitsubishi Paper Mills Ltd., Japan, one of the world's leading manufacturers of specialty paper. The roughly 700 employees at Mitsubishi HiTec Paper produce high-quality direct thermal, inkjet, carbonless, label and barrier papers at two tradition-rich locations in Bielefeld and Flensburg.

Each factory stands out for own base paper production, state-of-the-art production machinery and innovative coating technologies. Through its dense global sales network, Mitsubishi HiTec Paper supplies a full range of specialty papers featuring a modular system for every application and printing technology – and is a highly capable partner whenever customized coated paper solutions are required.

Sonoco (NYSE:SON) have just announced it is renewing its previously announced April price increase for all paperboard tubes and cores in the United States and Canada.  

“The yield on our previously announced April price increase has not been sufficient to cover rising costs, in particular rising prices for uncoated recycled paperboard (URB), our primary raw material,” said James Harrell, corporate vice president for Sonoco’s U.S. and Canada Tubes and Cores division. “As a result, it is necessary for us to go back to the market to recover those costs.”  

Sonoco is the largest producer of paper-based tubes and cores in North America, which are used to serve the paper, textile, plastic film, and tape and specialty industries.  For more information about Sonoco’s complete line of paperboard tubes and cores or to learn more about current pricing, please visit the Company’s website or contact the Company at +800-377-2692.

About Sonoco
Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a global provider of a variety of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging and display and packaging supply chain services. With annualized net sales of approximately $4.8 billion, the Company has 20,000 employees working in more than 300 facilities in 33 countries, serving many of the world’s best known brands in some 85 nations. For more information on the Company, visit our website at www.sonoco.com.

WestRock Company (NYSE:WRK) has just announced that it has entered into agreements to acquire substantially all of the assets of Island Container Corp. and Combined Container Industries LLC, which together are independent producers of corrugated boxes, sheets and point-of-purchase displays.

The assets to be acquired include a corrugator and the corrugated converting operations located in Wheatley Heights, New York, and certain related fulfillment assets located in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.

“Island Container and Combined Container have longstanding relationships with customers in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food markets in the Northeastern United States, and we look forward to continuing these relationships,” said Steve Voorhees, chief executive officer of WestRock. “This acquisition will enable us to integrate more than 80,000 tons of containerboard into our corrugated packaging business.”

WestRock will pay total consideration representing an EBITDA multiple of less than 4.5 times on a post-synergy basis. The consideration will be made in cash. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

About WestRock

WestRock (NYSE:WRK) partners with our customers to provide differentiated paper and packaging solutions that help them win in the marketplace. WestRock’s 45,000 team members support customers around the world from more than 300 operating and business locations spanning North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Learn more at www.westrock.com

In February 2017, Stora Enso announced that it planned to permanently shut down paper machine 8 (PM8) at Kvarnsveden Mill in Sweden due to structural weakening of magazine paper demand in Europe. Co-determination negotiations with employees at the mill are still ongoing, but PM8 was permanently shut down yesterday. The number of people affected by the reorganization of the mill and shutdown will be determined during Q3 2017.

PM8 had an annual capacity of 100 000 tonnes of super-calendered uncoated magazine paper (SC). The closure of PM8 at Kvarnsveden Mill will not impact Stora Enso’s SC paper offering. In Europe, Stora Enso continues to produce SC paper at Kvarnsveden Mill PM12 as well at Maxau Mill in Germany and Langerbrugge Mill in Belgium. The group also serves its SC customers from Dawang Mill in China.

Production at Kvarnsveden Mill will continue on two lines, PM10 for improved newsprint paper and PM12 for SC papers.

Stora Enso will make every effort in co-operation with the local community to help the affected personnel find new employment opportunities, and mitigate the impact of the reorganisation and PM8 closure through individual solutions. All job openings in other Stora Enso units will be available to those affecte.

Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper on global markets. Our aim is to replace fossil-based materials by innovating and developing new products and services based on wood and other renewable materials. We employ some 25 000 people in more than 35 countries, and our sales in 2016 were EUR 9.8 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY). storaenso.com

With the new EcoCal Plus calender, Voith is ensuring that papermakers can produce high-grade board products with high stability and lower basis weight. The special thermal smoothing of the EcoCal Plus allows raw material savings of up to 3.5 percent. In addition, the process results in an improved surface structure of the paper.

The demand for board grades with maximum possible bulk has been growing steadily over the last few years. With lightweight and stable board products, significant cost savings can be achieved for example in the mail-order business. At the same time, board packaging products are increasingly important for advertising of consumer goods by focusing attention on the package contents which indirectly support its sales. Good printability and surface quality are just as important as stability and low weight. Both properties are positively influenced by the EcoCal Plus calender.

For the production of these board grades, the manufacturers usually use high fresh fiber content. Secondary fibers are only added in some cases. Lower basis weights and maintaining or improving board properties are therefore crucial for lowering resource consumption and production costs on the manufacturer side.

The new Voith EcoCal Plus calender is ensuring that papermakers can produce high-grade board products with high stability but with low raw material use. It can be integrated into existing plants as part of an upgrade.

Thermal smoothing key to paper quality
The hard nip calender plays a decisive role in the manufacturing of high-quality, stable board with low basis weight. It smoothes the paper surface and gives the board a uniform surface. This is where Voith’s EcoCal Plus comes in. The machine calender used for pre-calendering makes use of the fact that surfaces can be smoothed more easily when moisturized and warm. Voith thus equipped the EcoCal Plus with an external induction-heated system that additionally heats the thermo roll to a temperature of up to 260°C. This is considerably higher than the temperatures of conventional systems with 200°C. The EcoCal Plus also has an additional nozzle moisturizer for intensifying the bulk-preserving smoothing effect by regulating the paper web temperature.

More bulk and better surface structure
With thermal smoothing, less mechanical force must be applied to the paper web. As a result, the bulk loss is much lower than with conventional calendering. Paper smoothed with the EcoCal Plus thus has a higher specific volume. The process has another advantage: through the optimum interplay between temperature, moisture, and line load, the board surface structure is optimized. This is especially important for the packaging of high-grade foodstuffs, cosmetics, electronics, and medical products. The uniform surface and the higher stiffness greatly ease the tasks of board finishing and printing.

Cost savings through lower fiber consumption
The moisture and temperature gradients used in calendering with the EcoCal Plus require only a negligible amount of additional energy. However, this is more than balanced by the economic advantages offered by the EcoCal Plus. The EcoCal Plus technology allows papermakers to reduce their fiber consumption. This saving greatly improves the cost efficiency of the plant: an annual production of 500,000 tonnes with a one-percent saving in raw materials use translates into savings of around 250,000 euros per month for the manufacturer. In practice, the savings potential is much higher: EcoCal Plus calenders have been in operation since 2011 and have achieved bulk savings of up to 3.5% due to the uniqueness of the technology. Thus, the break-even point for investment in the technology can be reached after half a year, depending on the machine size. Alternatively, with the EcoCal Plus, lower-cost raw materials can be used to achieve the same board quality, which also drastically lowers production costs.

The EcoCal Plus calender can be integrated into existing plants as an upgrade. Especially practical is the ability of the calender to be installed in a short period of time during a planned shutdown. In new plants the technology provides great efficiency right from the start.

Voith Paper is a group division of Voith and is one of the leading partners and pioneers in the paper industry. Through constant innovations, Voith Paper is optimizing the paper manufacturing process, focusing on developing resource-saving products to reduce the use of energy, water and fibers. Furthermore, Voith Paper offers a broad service portfolio for all sections of the paper manufacturing process.

For 150 years, Voith’s technologies have been inspiring customers, business partners and employees around the world. Founded in 1867, Voith today has around 19,000 employees, sales of €4.3 billion and locations in more than 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe. Being a technology leader, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive.

Rottneros has appointed Michael Berggren as mill manager of Vallvik Mill. Michael most recently comes from Ahlstrom-Munksjö, where he has been chief of production at Aspa Bruk. He will take office no later than 21 September 2017 and will be part of Rottneros Group Management. 

It is very pleasing that Michael has accepted the position as mill manager of Vallvik Mill. He is a solid leader with many years of experience from the pulp and paper industry in different positions, mainly within production. Michael is an excellent addition in the continued work of our long-term development plan, Agenda 500. Although we have achieved a great deal so far, we can develop the organization's competence and increase capacity utilization even further. As a result, we will be able to maximize the output from our investments in the future, said Lennart Eberleh, President and CEO of Rottneros.

For further information, please contact:
Lennart Eberleh, President and CEO Rottneros AB, +46 270 622 65

This information is information that Rottneros AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 09.45 CET on 21 June 2017. 

Rottneros is an independent producer of market pulp. The Group comprises the parent company Rottneros AB, listed on NASDAQ Stockholm, and its subsidiaries Rottneros Bruk AB and Vallviks Bruk AB with operations involving the production and sale of market pulp. The Group also includes Rottneros Packaging AB, which manufactures fibre trays, and the wood procurement company Rottneros Baltic SIA in Latvia. The Group has just over 280 employees and had a turnover of approximately SEK 1.7 billion in the 2016 financial year.

Santi primarily will focus on serving independent tissue converters

Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC)—a division of Barry-Wehmiller and a leading supplier of high-performance converting machinery for the global tissue, nonwovens and package-printing industries—is pleased to announce that Gino Santi has joined the company’s North American-based team from PCMC Italia, its operations in Lucca, Italy.

In his new role as Global Sales Executive, Santi will serve PCMC’s tissue customers throughout North America, primarily focusing on independent tissue converters. As these customers continue to battle the ever-growing complexities of competing globally, Santi’s years of international experience will offer them an all-inclusive view of the industry and provide them with the unique solutions necessary to stand out in the market today.

Santi joined PCMC Italia in 2010, and as a sales executive, he focused on the business development of the Middle and Far East tissue market.

“Gino’s enthusiasm and passion for PCMC, customer service and the tissue industry as a whole will bring a new dimension to how we serve our customers,” said Jason Hilsberg, Sales Director of Tissue Converting for PCMC. “With his significant international experience, Gino will further connect our Italian- and North American-based teams, allowing us to provide truly unique global solutions.”

ABOUT PAPER CONVERTING MACHINE COMPANY (PCMC)

Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC) specializes in the design and manufacture of high-performance converting machinery for the tissue, nonwovens and package-printing industries worldwide. Our comprehensive product offerings include rewinding, laminating, printing, embossing, perforating and packaging equipment for tissue and towels; folding and converting machines; and a complete range of flexographic printing presses, serving the flexible-packaging, prime-label and carton-converting industries. For more about PCMC, which is part of Barry-Wehmiller, go to pcmc.com.

ABOUT BARRY-WEHMILLER

Barry-Wehmiller is a diversified global supplier of engineering consulting and manufacturing technology for the packaging, corrugating, sheeting and paper-converting industries. By blending people-centric leadership with disciplined operational strategies and purpose-driven growth, Barry-Wehmiller has become a $2.5 billion organization with more than 11,000 team members united by a common belief: to use the power of business to build a better world. CEO Bob Chapman shares the story of the company’s transformation in his new book, Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family. To learn more, go to barrywehmiller.com.