Metso will supply a complete tissue production line to Fujian HengLi Paper Co., Ltd. in Nanan City, Fujian Province, China. The line will be started up in the third quarter of 2011. The value of the order will not be disclosed. The market value of a tissue production line of this type is in the range of EUR 15-20 million depending on the scope of the delivery and the production output. The most part of the order is included in Paper and Fiber Technology’s Q3 orders received and the automation package in Energy and Environmental Technology’s Q3 orders received.

Metso’s delivery will comprise a complete production line with stock preparation equipment and a tissue machine including a multi-layer headbox, a Yankee cylinder, a hood, a dust management system and a reel. The delivery also features Metso’s patented pressing technology. The production line will be optimized to enhance final product quality and save energy.

The delivery will also comprise an extensive automation package including machine, process and integrated drive controls, as well as a quality control system.

The order follows the successful start-up of a Metso tissue machine at the company’s Nanan mill in July 2006.

Fujian HengLi Paper Co., Ltd. is part of the HengLi Group. The HengLi Group is a leading Chinese producer of hygiene products with a nationwide sales and distribution network. The Group, which has grown steadily for several years, has nine branch companies in different provinces in China and twelve provincial agencies.

Metso is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining, construction, power generation, automation, recycling and the pulp and paper industries. We have about 27,000 employees in more than 50 countries. www.metso.com

Metso will provide a new fiberline to the Yun Nan Yun-Jing mill of Yun Nan Yun-Jing Forestry and Pulp Mill CO., Ltd in the province of Yunnan in China. Start-up is scheduled for the first quarter of 2012. The value of the order is less than EUR 10 million. The order is included in Paper and Fiber Technology’s Q3 orders received.

Metso’s delivery will include a cooking plant and fiberline equipment for screening, brown stock washing, oxygen delignification, post oxygen washing and bleaching as well as basic engineering, supervision and spare parts. The brown stock washing in the line will be performed on wash presses and washing after each bleaching stage on vacuum filters.

The new fiberline is an important investment for the Yun Nan Yun-Jing mill for ensuring high-quality and environmentally beneficial operation. Processes and equipment delivered by Metso provide sustainable production with a low use of chemicals, water and electricity.

Yun Nan Yun-Jing Forestry and Pulp Mill CO., Ltd’s first production line was built in 1995.

Metso is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining, construction, power generation, automation, recycling and the pulp and paper industries. We have about 27,000 employees in more than 50 countries. www.metso.com

Metso will provide a new fiberline for dissolving pulp to Fujian Qingshan Paper Industry Co., Ltd. in Qingzhou city, Fujian province, China. Start-up is scheduled for the first half of 2012. The value of the order is over EUR 10 million. The order is included in Paper and Fiber Technology’s Q3 orders received.

Metso´s delivery will include design and supply of the main equipment of the fiberline from cooking to bleaching. The batch cooking plant is designed according to the prehydrolysis process and wash presses will be used in all washing positions.

The equipment to be supplied, together with Metso´s experience and know-how of dissolving pulp, will enable Fujian Qingshan Paper to produce high quality dissolving pulp for the growing market.

Fujian Qingshan Paper Industry Co., Ltd. is a China-based company primarily engaged in manufacture and sale of paper products. In 2009, the company had 12 subsidiaries and close to 2,500 employees with a net sales of about EUR 140 million.

Metso is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining, construction, power generation, automation, recycling and the pulp and paper industries. We have about 27,000 employees in more than 50 countries. www.metso.com

On 14 October, Pöyry announced an operational excellence programme that aims at improving the efficiency and quality of operations. The Group-wide programme will be implemented during 2010-2012. Pöyry also announced that the programme will be started in Finland where the need for structural changes and streamlining of the organisation is most imminent. In this conjunction Pöyry also announced it will initiate statutory employee negotiation in all its Finnish operations.

Analysis of the operations in Finland and efficiency improvements needed to achieve profitability level in line with the targets set for the Group has been done. Based on this, the first indications of the possible impacts on the organisation and capacity have been estimated. The planned reduction in capacity, of the currently active workforce, is estimated to correspond to 250-350 persons. The targeted annualised cost savings are EUR 10-15 million. In addition, the future outlook for the workforce of about 200 persons temporarily laid off will be carefully considered. The related restructuring costs are estimated to be in the range of EUR 6-10 million including the possible additional costs from earlier reduction measures. Implementation of the efficiency improvement measures in Finland is expected to take about 6-9 months. The majority of the restructuring costs in Finland are expected to be recorded in the fourth quarter of 2010.

The measures to be taken focus on streamlining of operations and office network, reducing administration and non-billable activities as well as improving core processes and investing in competence development. As part of the programme, engineering services continue to be consolidated into engineering centres in cost competitive locations. Once completed, the Pöyry Group will have a more effective and cost-efficient organisation as well as a streamlined regional office network serving our Finnish clientele. Even after the estimated capacity reductions, Finland will constitute one of our core markets with strong service capabilities employing around 2000 persons.

PÖYRY PLC

Additional information by:
Heikki Malinen, President and CEO, Pöyry PLC, Finland
Camilla Grönholm, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Pöyry PLC, Finland
Contacts: Heli Uusnäkki, tel. +358 10 33 21158

Press outside the capital area:
Tapio Aalto, President, Pöyry Finland Oy
Contacts: Heli Uusnäkki, tel. +358 10 33 21158
Investors and analysts:
Sanna Päiväniemi, Director, Investor Relations, Pöyry PLC, Finland
tel. +358 10 33 23002

 

Result for January-September 2010
* Sales EUR 1,940 million (Q1-Q3/2009: 1,826)
* Operating result excluding non-recurring items EUR 136 million (-157).
Operating result including non-recurring items EUR 150 million (-215)
* Result before taxes excluding non-recurring items EUR 72 million (-215).
Result before taxes including non-recurring items EUR 70 million (-284)
* Earnings per share from continuing operations excluding non-recurring items EUR 0.16(-0.64) and including non-recurring items EUR 0.15 (-0.88)

Result for the third quarter                                                    
* Sales EUR 662 million (Q2/2010: 676)                                          
* Operating result excluding non-recurring items EUR 54 million (43). Operating result including non-recurring items EUR 66 million(35)
* Result before taxes excluding non-recurring items EUR 33 million (24). Result before taxes including non-recurring items EUR 45 million (0)
* Earnings per share from continuing operations excluding non-recurring items EUR 0.08 (0.05) and including non-recurring items EUR 0.12 (-0.03)

Events during the third quarter of 2010                                         
* The Alizay pulp mill was shut down permanently.                               
* M-real continued to increase prices of all of its main products.              
* M-real plans to continue Simpele's speciality paper production at the Gohrsmühle mill.                                                                
* Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investor Service upgraded M-real's credit rating.                                                                         

Events after the period                                                         
* M-real decided to invest in the expansion of board production and sheeting operations at the Simpele mill.                                             
* M-real signed an agreement with Metsä Tissue Corporation on partial divestment of the Reflex mill.

                                                             
“Our profitability improved further, and the quarterly result was the best we have had in years. Annual contract negotiations with the biggest cartonboard customers, concerning price increases and additional deliveries, have proceeded as targeted. The demand outlook in cartonboard is excellent, and thus we have made significant investment decisions. The profit improvement measures related to the paper businesses will continue.”                                         

Mikko Helander, CEO

To see the full report download the attachment below.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) has extended its product portfolio to include an innovative solution for label production. The new Speedmaster XL 105-DD was launched to an international audience on October 20 and 21, 2010 at the Print Media Center (PMC) Label Days in Wiesloch-Walldorf. "DD" stands for die-cutting.
More than 150 international guests used this opportunity to discover the benefits of the new press through various practical demonstrations and expert lectures. The Speedmaster XL 105-DD is ideal for use in label production, preferably for processing foil materials.

Positioning for the Speedmaster XL 105-DD
Heidelberg already offers two solutions for die-cutting - Varimatrix and Dymatrix. Both solutions are designed for packaging production and are based on the principle of flatbed die-cutting, whereas the Speedmaster XL 105-DD uses the principle of rotary die-cutting and has been specifically designed to meet customer requirements for processing inmold labels. These labels today are usually processed on flatbed die cutters or "push-through" die cutters (in which the punching stamp pushes the material stack through the cutting die to give the stack its intended shape), but both are hampered by limitations, because flatbed die-cutters can only process single sheets and push-through die-cutters are only suitable for labels measuring up to 400 mm. The Speedmaster XL 105-DD press also offers advantages in terms of tool costs, because its delivers savings of more than 50 percent compared to flatbed die-cutters. The makeready times of the XL 105-DD are even more impressive: It only takes around 15 minutes to prepare the Speedmaster XL 105-DD. Thanks to the high accuracy of the cylinders and cutting dies, separate adjustment is not required. With a flatbed die-cutter, on the other hand, initial makeready for the IML takes up to five hours. The production speeds of the new machine are also much faster than the methods commonly used today. While flatbed die cutters reach production speeds of between 4,000 and 6,000 sheets per hour, the Speedmaster XL 105-DD reaches speeds of up to 10,000 sheets per hour.

Technical concept of the Speedmaster XL 105-DD
The new press is based on tried-and-tested XL 105 technology. It is equipped with two printing units, a Preset Plus Feeder, and a foil package for the feeder, die cutting unit, and delivery to ensure that critical plastics can be processed with ease. The impression cylinder in the die-cutting unit is fitted with hard-wearing cylinder jackets. The die-cutting cylinder is fitted with a clamping system that is identical to that of the coating blanket cylinder. The process of changing the die-cutting plate is semi-automated - the clamping process is performed manually, while the press positioning and pressing roller functions are automated.

Suction segment disks, sheet guide plates, and the dynamic sheet brake used in the XL 105 perfecting technology are employed to ensure that the die-cut sheets are transported safely to the delivery. The suction segment disks secure the sheet transfer from the impression cylinder to the sheet guide plates, and these then guide the sheets smoothly to the delivery. From here, the dynamic sheet brake takes on responsibility for sheet transfer, slowing the sheets from the press speed to the ideal delivery speed without any tension. These components, familiar from perfecting technology, ensure precisely-aligned piles without a single blank detaching from the sheet.

“Another strong earnings performance - time to build our future”

“The third quarter was yet another proof point of Stora Enso in action, determined to build a business that creates value for our shareholders. A very significant part of our earnings improvement again came through early cost reductions and active management of both pricing and customer mix. Only this year we are permanently removing about 700 000 tonnes of paper capacity or four machines in Europe, a demonstration of our commitment to do what it takes to improve our cost position and productivity. The recent quarters should also prove that our actions are starting to pay off.

“We are also continuing to build the future of Stora Enso in line with our strategy of fibre-based packaging and plantation-based pulp in growth markets, as well as a focussed competitive paper portfolio. We have been tested in unforeseen ways during the past few years, and now we are coming out stronger through our own actions. That is a good starting point for the next part of our journey.

“As a concrete sign of the next part of our journey, we have today announced the acquisition of the majority shareholding in Chinese packaging company Inpac International, which is strategically a perfect fit for our portfolio. The acquisition offers us an excellent opportunity to increase our presence in China and India, the two fastest-growing consumer packaging markets in the world.

“Looking into the fourth quarter, the market outlook remains generally favourable, but pressure on variable costs, seasonal demand weakness in some products and maintenance stoppages are expected to decrease our fourth quarter earnings quarter-on-quarter. As before, these challenges will only make us strive harder to improve the things we can influence ourselves.”

For further information, please contact:
Jouko Karvinen, CEO, tel. +358 2046 21410
Lauri Peltola, Head of Communications and Global Responsibility, tel. +358 2046 21380
Ulla Paajanen-Sainio, Head of Investor Relations, tel. +358 2046 21242

DS Smith Plc, the international packaging supplier and office products wholesaler, today issues its pre-close statement for the half-year to 31 October 2010.

DS Smith Group
The encouraging overall trading reported for our first quarter has continued into the second quarter, with volumes continuing to be good. There has been no significant change to the financial position of the Group since our IMS of 7 September 2010.

Packaging
Our Paper and Corrugated Packaging businesses have maintained robust volume growth. Throughout the first half we have seen increases in input costs. Our phased recovery of those costs has continued fully in line with our plans, backed up by the service, innovation and quality of our product offering. Trading at Otor has been as expected, and integration work is progressing well.

Plastics have also continued to develop positively, with good volume growth and cost control.

Office Products Wholesaling
The trading performance at Spicers has continued satisfactorily.

Outlook
The year is progressing in line with expectations. The half-year results are expected to show a strong improvement on the comparable period for last year. We look forward to the remainder of the year with confidence due to our continued focus on FMCG, and greater presence in Europe, with service, quality and innovation at the centre of our product offering.

Forthcoming Dates
Results for the half-year to 31 October 2010, including 9 December 2010 conclusions from the review of business strategy.

Enquiries

DS Smith Plc
+44 (0)1628 583 400
Miles Roberts, Group Chief Executive
Steve Dryden, Group Finance Director
Rachel Stevens, Head of Investor Relations

Tulchan
+44 (0)20 7353 4200
John Sunnucks
David Allchurch
Matthieu Roussellier

M-real Corporation announced 16.6.2010 that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding a partial divestment of the Reflex mill to Metsä Tissue Corporation for approximately EUR 10 million. M-real and Metsä Tissue are both part of Metsäliitto Group.

M-real has today signed an agreement regarding the partial divestment. Closing of the transaction is to occur in the beginning of November. The transaction includes the paper machine 5 and related real estate as well as certain infrastructure assets. Metsä Tissue will start producing baking and cooking paper products in the paper machine. As part of the transaction, 74 employees will transfer to the service of Metsä Tissue.

M-real will book a positive EUR 15 million non-recurring item in Speciality Papers business area's operating result related to the transaction proceeds and the partial reversal of earlier announced  personnel cost provisions and earlier booked impairment, of which EUR 8 million will be booked in the 3Q 2010 and the rest in the 4Q 2010. Cash impact is in total approximately EUR 10 million positive taking into account certain investments needed in the Premium Papers production at the site.

M-real will continue to further develop the Paper park concept at the Reflex site.

For further information, please contact:
Matti Mörsky, CFO, tel. +358 10 465 4913
Juha Laine, Vice President, Investor Relations and Communications, tel. +358 10 465 4335

Stora Enso has signed an agreement to acquire 51% of the Chinese packaging company Inpac International. Inpac is a packaging company with production operations in China and India, and service operations in Korea. Inpac specialises in manufacturing consumer packaging, especially for global manufacturers of mobile phones and other consumer goods. The enterprise value of the company is EUR 82 million. In 2009 Inpac's sales were EUR 82 million and EBITDA EUR 16 million.

“This joint venture is an important step on the path to our future offering strong synergies with our existing Stora Enso consumer packaging businesses in Europe. This step supports our effort to become a market and consumer need driven renewable materials company - with access to the two fastest-growing consumer packaging markets globally,” says Stora Enso CEO Jouko Karvinen.

“We believe that this acquisition provides an excellent opportunity to enhance our presence in China and India, and strengthen our existing relationships with customers and brand owners by supplying packaging directly to them in these markets, as well as Europe,” says Mats Nordlander, Stora Enso Executive Vice President, Packaging and Asia Pacific.

“We are very pleased to be joining forces with Stora Enso. By combining our skills and knowledge through this partnership, we can continue to develop this packaging company further and serve global brand owners with innovative packaging solutions,” says Inpac Chairman Guo Cai.

Inpac's main production plants are at Qian'an in northern China, Dongguan in southern China and Chennai in India. The company has approximately 3 100 employees.

Stora Enso's annual operating profit is expected to be enhanced by EUR 11million. The all-cash acquisition is expected to be closed within six months, subject to approval by regulatory and competition authorities, and other customary closing conditions.

For further information, please contact:
Jouko Karvinen, CEO, tel. +358 2046 21410
Mats Nordlander, EVP, Packaging and Asia Pacific, tel. +46 1046 72703
Lauri Peltola, Head of Communications and Global Responsibility, tel. +358 2046 21380
Ulla Paajanen-Sainio, Head of Investor Relations, tel. +358 2046 21242