Displaying items by tag: Mercer International Inc

Mercer announces the launch of its programme Growing forests – Growing a future to support forest owners in Germany. Mercer Holz, the wood purchasing organisation of Mercer, is committed to partner with forest owners in Germany to sustain the longevity of their forests.

Over the next few years, in a concrete step of solidarity, Mercer will provide participating forest owners across Germany with a careful selection of seedlings to help replenish their forests. Forests all over the world are facing threats like the bark beetle, climate change, natural disasters like floods, wildfires, soil degradation and more. These threats pose a serious risk to the future of forestry, the livelihood of forest owners and their families, as well as the planet.

Mercer is one of the first companies within the German wood industry with such a large-scale tree-planting endeavour. The programme is a step towards replacing and regenerating that which has been lost from the bark beetle and other natural disasters that have affected our forests. This programme is a collaborative one, as Mercer acknowledges the expertise of foresters and the place that other stakeholders within the supply chain. Growing forests – Growing a future also looks to address perceptions of forestry at a larger scale: for example, to re-educate the public that when areas within the forests are clear-cut, it is not necessarily for profit, but a recognised way to mitigate the threat of the bark beetle.

Mercer’s foot firmly in the ground in initiating a long-term collaborative effort for our forests

“This is not a recent issue: already, for a few decades, foresters and forest owners in Germany have been working to replace the predominantly single variety forests with mixed variety, but climate change is catching us at our heels. We are now at tipping point of being too late to preserve the longevity and health of our forests for future generations. The time for action is now. It is a joint responsibility and a shared joy for all who benefit: so we need to work together to shape our forests for our tomorrows. Future generations will determine how forests will ultimately be used, but we must provide them with forests that offers them sustainable, comprehensive and diverse benefits, protection and recreation.” says Martin Stöhr, Managing Director of Mercer Holz.

Philipp Freiherr von Oldershausen, one of the participating forest owners, says: “As a forester myself, I’ve seen the damage first-hand. Our forests and the forests of our clients have suffered, particularly in the last couple of years. We welcome Mercer’s initiative because it shows a clear, long-term commitment from Mercer to continue partnering with forest owners, and to support us with regrowing our forests. I hope this initiative will increase awareness of the challenges the German forests face.”

It all starts at the launch!
Our first tree-planting event in a series throughout the programme will be held in late spring. Along with Martin Stöhr, Managing Director of Mercer Holz and some of his team, Mercer has invited partnering forest owners, local dignitaries, and selected media to attend the launch in Ost-Harz, Saxony-Anhalt. A recap, photos and progress will be available on our Growing forests – Growing a future website.- Visit our growingourforests.com 

About Growing Forests – Growing a Future

The Growing Forests - Growing a Future (GFGF) programme is a Mercer initiative, supporting - and in alliance with - German forest owners in sustaining their forests to keep forestry alive. Mercer is one of the first companies within the German wood industry with such a large-scale tree-planting endeavour.

The GFGF programme is a step towards replacing and regenerating that which has been lost from the bark beetle and other natural disasters that have affected our forests. Uniting expertise and commitment of participants, the GFGF programme aims to nurture and create the forests of the future with foresters and policy makers. in the face of concerns such as the bark beetle, climate change, natural disasters like floods, wildfires and soil degradation. It is indeed a collaborative effort to sustain—and improve—the health of German forests for our tomorrows.

Mercer International Inc. (Nasdaq: MERC) announces that the European Union has opened a cartel investigation into the wood pulp sector and conducted inspections of major European pulp producers including the Company's German operations. The Company is cooperating with the investigation.

At Mercer International Inc., we are exceptional people creating bioproducts for a more sustainable world. We are a diversified global producer of forest products, bioproducts, and green electricity with operations in Germany, Canada, the United States, and Australia with a consolidated annual production capacity of approximately 2.2 million tonnes of kraft pulp and 550 million board feet of softwood lumber. For further information, please visit www.mercerint.com.

Valmet and Mercer Group have signed an agreement for on-line performance monitoring for nine Valmet TwinRoll wash presses at the Mercer Stendal mill in Germany. The agreement is valid for one year, with the option of being extended. During this period, Valmet and Mercer will co-operate to further develop fleet management with respect to predictive maintenance and reliability.

The order is included in Valmet's fourth quarter 2018 orders received and constitutes an important step in promoting Valmet's Industrial Internet offering for the chemical pulping business.

The on-line system monitors individual functions of the wash presses by performing advanced data analysis, which generates status reports displayed on dashboards. If any of the monitored functions goes outside the operating limits, an event is triggered and recorded, which enables issues to be predicted and corrected rapidly.

"This will allow the Stendal mill to monitor performance, which will hopefully result in more uptime as well as savings on chemicals," says Dr. Gerhard Wulf, Technical Manager at Mercer Stendal.

"The pilot project has been running at the Stendal mill with a core team of experts from both the customers' side and Valmet. The sharing of knowledge and innovative ideas have been the driving forces for implementation. The wash presses will be connected to the Valmet Performance Center, allowing Valmet to provide Mercer Stendal with the services of experts from different fields, who can provide support to ensure rapid response times and appropriate solutions," says Tomas Edström, Industrial Internet Manager in the Pulp and Energy business line at Valmet.

About Mercer Stendal

Mercer Stendal is located in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The plant has an annual production capacity of 660,000 tonnes of northern bleached softwood kraft pulp and an electricity generation capacity of 148 MW. In addition, it produces turpentine and tall oil.

Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.

Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy. 

Valmet's net sales in 2017 were approximately EUR 3.1 billion. Our more than 12,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. 

The shareholders of Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd. (“DMI”), Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. and Marubeni Corporation, has just announced that they have entered into a share purchase agreement to sell all DMI shares to Mercer International Inc. (“Mercer”). DMI’s assets include the Peace River Pulp Mill in Peace River, Alberta, a 50% ownership of Cariboo Pulp and Paper Mill in Quesnel, British Columbia, and a 50% interest in the Peace River Logging Corporation and associated Limited Partnership, a joint venture with the Woodland Cree First Nation.

Mr. Tomoyuki (Steve) Iida, DMI President, stated: “I believe all of DMI’s assets have bright futures. The mills have reliable access to fibre and are well-situated to serve multiple markets. Most importantly, our workforce operating these mills, logging operations, and providing corporate administrative services are well experienced and highly skilled.”

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018, subject to customary closing conditions.  Operations will continue as scheduled under DMI’s management until the transaction is closed.

About

Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd. is a forest products company first established in Western Canada in 1969 and co-owns and operates two modern kraft pulp mills in British Columbia and Alberta with a total annual production capacity of approximately 648,500 ADMT of premium grade NBSK and NBHK market pulp.

Mercer International Inc. announces that it has received the decision of the tribunal in respect of its previously announced claim against the Government of Canada under the North American Free Trade Agreement ("NAFTA").

In a split decision, a majority of the tribunal ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to decide certain of the Company's claims under NAFTA and, with respect to the Company's other NAFTA claims, that they were highly complex and technical and that it would be inappropriate for the tribunal to re-determine matters calling for specialist judgment and, as a result, there was no violation of NAFTA. As is customary in these matters, the tribunal awarded costs to Canada of approximately $6.9 million.

Mercer had initiated its NAFTA claim against the Government of Canada in January 2012. The claim related to the Company's investment in the Celgar mill and arose from the treatment of the mill's energy generation assets and operations by the Province of British Columbia, primarily through the actions of B.C. Hydro and Power Authority, a provincially owned and controlled enterprise, and the British Columbia Utilities Commission, a provincial government regulatory agency. The basis of the claim was that the Celgar mill had received unfair and discriminatory treatment regarding its ability to purchase and sell energy compared to other pulp mills and entities that generate and sell electricity within the Province of British Columbia.

David Gandossi, President and CEO of Mercer, commented: "While we are disappointed in the outcome, we believe that it was important for the Company to bring this claim in order to seek the fair treatment of its investments in Canada. We thank the members of the tribunal for their time and effort in adjudicating this matter."

Mercer International Inc. is a global forest products company with operations in Germany and Canada with consolidated annual production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes of NBSK pulp and 550 million board feet of lumber. To obtain further information on the company, please visit its web site at http://www.mercerint.com

Mercer International Inc., or "Mercer", (Nasdaq:MERC) (TSX:MERC.U) today announced that it has completed, through its wholly owned subsidiary Mercer Timber Products GmbH ("MTP"), its previously announced agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of one of Germany's largest sawmills and a bio-mass power plant, near Friesau, Germany (the "Friesau Facility"), for approximately $55.1 million plus defined working capital of approximately $6.5 million (the "Acquisition").  

In connection with the Acquisition, Mercer announced that it has also successfully replaced the existing €25 million revolving working capital facility of its subsidiary, Zellstoff-und Papierfabrik Rosenthal GmbH ("ZPR"), with a new €70 million joint revolving credit facility (the "New Facility") for ZPR and MTP. The New Facility is available to both ZPR and MTP, with MTP's borrowings not to exceed €45 million thereunder, has a five-year term, is secured by a first ranking security interest on the inventories, receivables and accounts of the borrowers and accrues interest at a rate of Euribor plus 2.95% per annum.

Mr. David Gandossi, Mercer's Chief Executive Officer, stated: "We are excited with the acquisition of the Friesau Facility and welcome its employees to the Mercer Group and look forward to working together to enhance value for all of our stakeholders."

Mercer International Inc. is a global pulp manufacturing company. To obtain further information on the company, please visit its web site at http://www.mercerint.com.

Mercer International Inc  is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has implemented a leadership transition plan that capitalizes on the strength and depth of management.

Mr. Jimmy S.H. Lee, currently Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), President, and Chairman of the Company, will transition to Executive Chairman of the Board, effective July 20, 2015. At that time, Mr. David M. Gandossi, Mercer's current Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") will assume the role of President and CEO and become a Director. Mercer is also pleased to announce that Mr. David K. Ure, the Senior Vice-President, Finance will concurrently become the CFO and Secretary of the Company.

Mr. Jimmy S.H. Lee stated: "It has been an honor and privilege to serve as Mercer's CEO and one of its founders. In my new role, I will be responsible for focusing upon developing Mercer's overall corporate strategy, capital market activities and corporate development initiatives.  I look forward to continuing to work with the Board and the senior management team as Mercer enters its next chapter of growth and success. I have had the opportunity to work closely with David Gandossi over the past decade, during which time David has demonstrated his dedication and operational aptitude, and I believe that David will excel as Mercer's next CEO. 

Mr. David Gandossi said, "I am very excited and humbled by this opportunity and am pleased to be taking on this exciting new role. On behalf of everyone at Mercer, I would like to thank Jimmy for his leadership and vision over the past 23 years which has been instrumental in building the Company. As Executive Chairman, Jimmy will continue to be actively involved with the Company by lending his expertise to the development of Mercer's strategic goals and initiatives. I look forward to being able to continue working with Jimmy in the execution of the Company's strategic affairs."  

Mr. Gandossi further stated, "I also want to congratulate David Ure. Since returning to Mercer in 2013, David has become an important member of the management team and is well respected for his extensive forest products industry experience." He concluded, "I look forward to working with the Mercer team as we continue to execute our strategy to realize the full operational and financial potential at Mercer on behalf of all our stakeholders."

About Jimmy S. H. Lee

Jimmy S.H. Lee has served as Director of the Company since May 1985 and President and Chief Executive Officer since 1992. During his tenure at Mercer, the company acquired the Rosenthal mill and converted it to the production of kraft pulp, constructed and commenced operations at the Stendal mill and acquired the Celgar mill. 

Mr. Lee possesses particular knowledge and experience in finance and banking, credit markets, derivative risk management, and international pulp markets. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia, Canada.

About David M. Gandossi

David M. Gandossi has served as Executive Vice-President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary since August 2003. Mr. Gandossi's previous roles included Chief Financial Officer and other senior executive positions with Formation Forest Products and Pacifica Papers Inc.

Since 2007, Mr. Gandossi has chaired the British Columbia Pulp and Paper Task Force, a joint government industry and labor effort mandated to identify measures to improve the competitiveness of the British Columbia pulp and paper industry. He also participated in the Pulp and Paper Advisory Committee to the BC Competition Council and was a member of BC's Working Roundtable on Forestry. He is currently a Director of FPInnovations and Chair of the FPI National Research Advisory Committee. He also co-chairs the BC Bio-economy Transformation Council, a collaborative effort between government and industry. Mr. Gandossi holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of British Columbia and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia (ICABC).

About David K. Ure

David K. Ure returned to Mercer in September 2013, assuming the role of Senior Vice President, Finance. Prior to serving as Vice President, Finance of Sierra Wireless Inc., Mr. Ure was Vice President, Controller at Mercer from 2006 to 2010. He has also served as Controller at various companies including Catalyst Paper Corporation, Pacifica Papers Inc., and TrojanLitho, as well as Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Finlay Forest Industries Inc.

Mr. Ure has more than fifteen years of experience in the forest products industry. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from the University of British Columbia, Canada and is a member of the Certified General Accountants' Association of Canada.

About Mercer

Mercer International Inc. is a global pulp manufacturing company. To obtain further information on the company, please visit its web site at http://www.mercerint.com.

Resolute Forest Products Inc. has announced the launch of a new research and development joint venture, Performance BioFilaments Inc. Jointly owned with Mercer International Inc., Performance BioFilaments will work to develop commercial applications for cellulose filaments, a new source of sustainable biomaterial made from wood fiber that can improve the strength and durability of many commercial and consumer products found on the market today.

"Today's launch highlights our ongoing effort to drive innovation in the forest products industry," said Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Resolute will provide funding and expertise to Performance BioFilaments, supporting the venture's research and development capabilities that aim to bring sustainable products to a broad spectrum of industries."

Cellulose filaments are made from wood fiber, one of nature's most abundant materials, and are used to add strength, stability, flexibility and longevity to a variety of materials, including cement, composites and coatings.

Related Story : Mercer International Inc. Announces Joint Venture With Resolute Forest Products Inc.

"The strength of cellulose filaments can be compared to that of synthetic reinforcement fibers made from non-renewable petroleum inputs," said Gurminder Minhas, Managing Director of Performance BioFilaments. "The difference is that cellulose filaments are entirely renewable, with a very low carbon footprint. We're thrilled to debut this company with the launch of this kind of revolutionary product."

Cellulose filaments are adaptable for use in the aviation, marine, aerospace, electronics, manufacturing and construction sectors, as well as in paint and consumer products. Their unique, ribbon-like composition has the potential to improve the quality of various materials, and the product is considered to have significant cost advantages compared to alternatives.

FPInnovations Inc., one of Canada's leading scientific organizations working in forest products research and development, will produce the material. Performance BioFilaments will have access to all current and future cellulose filament research being advanced at a third-party mill in Trois-Rivières, Quebec - the world's first five-metric-ton-per-day cellulose filament demonstration plant that started up earlier this year.

For more information, please visit www.performancebiofilaments.com.

Mercer International Inc. ("Mercer" or "the Company") has announced the launch of a new joint venture company called Performance BioFilaments Inc. ("Performance BioFilaments") established to commercialize an innovative biomaterial derived from wood fiber called cellulose filaments. The joint venture will be equally owned with Resolute Forest Products Inc. ("Resolute"), a leader in the forest products business.

Cellulose filaments are derived from wood pulp which has been processed using innovative technology licensed from FPInnovations Inc. ("FPInnovations"), one of the world's leading forest products research organizations. The cellulose filaments' exceptional strength and high aspect ratio make it a unique cellulose-based biomaterial. We believe it has the potential to make a wide array of consumer and industrial products stronger, lighter, more flexible and more durable, while leveraging a sustainable and renewable resource with a low carbon footprint.

"Commercializing cellulose filaments represents a compelling business opportunity developed through our focus on collaborative innovation and takes one of our initiatives to the next level," says Jimmy S.H. Lee, President and Chairman of Mercer. "We are excited to be working jointly with Resolute, which allows us to leverage our respective global research knowledge and resources to implement the commercialization process for this high potential material."

Performance BioFilaments will seek joint development partners from a range of industries – from automotive and manufacturing, to construction and high-end consumer products – to develop new commercial product applications for cellulose filaments. While we are optimistic about the potential for commercialization of this product, we recognize that, as with the development of all novel product applications, the process can be lengthy and without assurances.

Performance BioFilaments will build upon the significant investment made by FPInnovations in technology development and production through its current C$43.1 million cellulose filaments project. All of the know-how gained from their project, as well as commercial development quantities of cellulose filaments, will be available to Performance BioFilaments for its commercialization efforts.

About Performance BioFilaments Inc.

Performance BioFilaments Inc., a joint venture between Mercer International Inc. and Resolute Forest Products Inc., is focused on the development of commercial applications for cellulose filaments, one of the world's most exciting new biomaterials. Cellulose filaments can be used to enhance the performance characteristics of a wide variety of products. Derived from wood fiber – a renewable and natural resource – cellulose filaments optimize the strength, stability, flexibility and longevity of a variety of materials including composites, coatings and consumer products. For more information, please visit www.performancebiofilaments.com.

About Mercer International Inc.

Mercer International Inc. is the world's largest producer of Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft ("NBSK") market pulp and has become a leader among forest products companies in embracing the bio-economy and maximizing value derived from residual forest resources. Mercer has three modern, large-scale pulp mills located in Germany (Rosenthal and Stendal), as well as BC, Canada (Celgar). The Company's total NBSK pulp production capacity is 1.54 million tonnes per year.

The mills utilize all parts of the wood they process to create not only pulp, but also valuable by-products. These by-products often provide renewable alternatives to traditionally petrochemical-based materials. For example, Mercer's mills have a combined green energy generation capacity of 305 MW. All of the mills are net exporters of energy, meaning they produce more energy than they consume. Biochemicals have become an increasingly important by-product of Mercer's pulping process, as well.

The Company's shares are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market (MERC) and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MRI.U). For more information, please visit www.mercerint.com.

About Resolute Forest Products Inc.

Resolute Forest Products Inc. is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including newsprint, specialty papers, market pulp and wood products. Resolute owns or operates nearly 40 pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and power generation assets in Canada. The shares of Resolute trade under the stock symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit www.resolutefp.com.