Kemira Oyj has today received a summons where it is stated that Cartel Damage Claims Hydrogen Peroxide SA (CDC) claims charges up to EUR 78 million and including interest and litigation expenses from Kemira Oyj for violations against competition law in hydrogen peroxide business. Kemira is processing the summons document.

The referred violations of competition law are the same as those on basis of which CDC has taken legal action in Germany in Dortmund. Kemira published a stock exchange release on the issue on August 19, 2009. Kemira defends against the claim.

Nalco (NYSE: NLC), providing essential expertise for water, energy and air, announced today it will be enacting a transportation and energy surcharge on products shipped to North American customers in select industries, effective May 1, 2011.

The surcharge is necessary due to the significant and rapidly escalating increases associated with fuel and energy costs. This surcharge will be based on total pounds shipped and the average fuel price for diesel as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy website at www.eia.doe.gov.

"The ongoing and rapid increase of our transportation and energy costs makes it necessary to impose surcharges for customers in North America, while allowing for adjustment with cost fluctuations," said David Flitman, Nalco Senior Executive Vice President and President, Water and Process Services.

A separate invoice for customers will be generated on the 15th of each month for the duration that this surcharge is in effect. The surcharge amount will be calculated based on total pounds shipped and the average U.S. on-highway diesel price for the previous month.

SOURCE Nalco

Both paper machines at Catalyst Paper's recycled newsprint mill in Arizona resumed production April 21 after a fire in the storage yard at its Snowflake mill destroyed approximately 11,000 tonnes of recovered old newspapers (ONP).

The fire on April 18 did not have any significant impact on any of the mill's production equipment. Quick and professional actions from the mill staff and workforce, coupled with the response from numerous fire companies in the Snowflake area, prevented a more serious outcome. There were no serious injuries reported, and an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

The combined impact of the inventory loss, equipment damage, and fighting the fire is expected to be less than the insurance deductible of $5 million.

With 12 hours of de-inked pulp inventory on hand, customer orders are being met with limited disruption. In-transit and on-site truck inventories of ONP are more than adequate for the next month of production.

Cascades executives were on hand in early April to inaugurate a new machine used in the manufacturing of moulded pulp products at it's the company's Forma-Pak plant in Kingsey Falls, Que. The modernization of the plant required an investment of more than $3.5 million.

Alain Lemaire, president and CEO, and Mario Plourde, chief operating officer, today

Begun in 2010, the work has led to the introduction of a new machine as well as the automation of existing equipment. A project to secure the machines was also implemented to improve employee safety. Mario Plourde, chief operating officer, explains that since the plant is located in the heart of the city of Kingsey Falls, the plant is limited in terms of space. "Rather than expand, we've completely redesigned it to accommodate more equipment and increase its efficiency."

These changes will increase the plant's production capacity by 40%.  Significant gains in product quality have also been achieved, particularly with respect to finishing and packaging. As such, automation will allow for increased packaging rigidity and, as a result, will maximize delivery including up to 20% more products on trucks.

Cascades Forma-Pak manufactures 100% recycled moulded pulp products using old newspapers and telephone directories as raw material. The plant specializes in egg filler flats as well as cup carriers used for the transport of beverages for quick service restaurants.

"It was time to modernize this plant which manufactures environmentally-friendly food packaging solutions. Since moulded pulp material is fully recycled and recyclable, we believe that it is a product with a future, especially with a packaging industry that increasingly demands more responsible solutions," said Plourde.

At a demonstration organized by retired employees of the Fraser Papers mill in Thurso, Dave Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, said the union will "take all possible legal and political actions to ensure that there is justice for Fraser Papers retirees." Coles said that the union's lawyers are examining grounds for a civil suit against the company over the administration of the pension plan.

"We believe that our retirees who lost 35% of their pensions are victims of mismanagement by this company, and we fully intend to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions," said Coles.

Fraser Papers, which is owned by Brookfield Asset Management, placed itself under the protection of the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) last year. According to CEP, it was not obliged to pay into the pension plan to return it to solvency. From the outset, the union has denounced the fact that Fraser Papers has been "casting off all its obligations."

Fortress Paper purchased the Thurso mill while Fraser Papers was under creditor protection, and Fraser's Edmundston, N.B. mill was sold to Twin Rivers Paper Co.

In total, over 800 retired employees were affected when ownership of the kraft pulp mill in Thurso passed from MacLaren, to Noranda Forest and then to Fraser Papers.

Xerium Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:XRM), a leading global manufacturer of industrial textiles and rolls used primarily in the paper production process, today announced that it has appointed David A. Bloss as an independent member of its Board of Directors. Mr. Bloss is the former chairman and CEO of CIRCOR International, Inc. (NYSE:CIR), a Burlington, Mass. supplier of valves and accessories to OEMs, processors, manufacturers and the military. Mr. Bloss has also been appointed to serve on the Company's Audit Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee.

"We welcome David, who adds significant additional strength to our board," said Stephen R. Light, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. "David brings deep experience in global operations and we look forward to his insights and contributions as we continue to grow around the world."

Mr. Bloss retired as CIRCOR's CEO in 2008, a position he held since 1999 when CIRCOR was spun off of Watts Industries, Inc. Prior to joining Watts, Mr. Bloss served as President of the superabrasives division of Norton Company and as Director of Corporate Planning and Development for Cooper Industries. He also held positions at Clark Equipment Company and Price Waterhouse & Co. Mr. Bloss' career and experience as a CEO and President of manufacturing companies combined with extensive corporate planning, mergers and acquisitions and business integration allow him to provide the Board with extensive insights into a variety of corporate issues and challenges. He is currently a member of the Indiana University South Bend Chancellor's Advisory Board.

SOURCE: Xerium Technologies, Inc.

NewPage Corporation today announced the appointment of Ronald J. Arling to the position of controller and chief accounting officer, effective April 25, 2011.

Mr. Arling will report to the senior vice president and chief financial officer. Mr. Arling has managed key areas of the finance function including general accounting, internal audit, credit and collections and financial analysis. He joined NewPage in November 2006 as internal audit director, in April 2009 advanced to assistant controller and in November 2010 was promoted to controller. Prior to joining NewPage, Mr. Arling held finance positions of increasing responsibility with large companies in diverse industries including CareSource Management Group, Co. Inc., Reynolds & Reynolds, NCR Corporation and Deloitte & Touche LLP.

Mr. Arling will be responsible for managing the corporate accounting and reporting process and ensuring that all financial statements and filings are accurate, complete and timely.  In addition, he will make certain that corporate-wide accounting policies and appropriate controls are in place in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and work with operations and other finance functions to improve accounting and reporting capabilities.

Burgo Group is sponsoring Pier Luigi Nervi, Architettura come sfida (Pier Luigi Nervi, Architecture as a challenge), an itinerant exhibition which is coming to Torino Esposizioni from 29 April to 17 July.

The Turin edition, Torino, la committenza industriale, le culture architettoniche e politecniche italiane, includes in the exhibition and catalogue Nervi's design project for the Burgo plant in Mantua: the bridge-factory standing out for its suspension bridge outline and for the modernity with which it merges architecture and engineering, still now 50 years after start of the work (on February 1961).

The bridge paper mill, specialized in newsprint manufacturing, stands out, besides its architectural beauty, for its sustainability process; this is also attested officially by the EMAS registration issued in 2010 by the Ecolabel and Ecoaudit committee of the Ministry for the Environment and by the very recent FSC^® recycled certification.

Particularly green is also the Burgo paper on which the Silvana Editoriale catalogue is printed: Respecta 100, the new environmentally-friendly fine coated paper with FSC^® 100% recycled certification.

By this sponsorship Burgo is celebrating the beauty of Nervi's genius and, why not, the beauty of paper itself as a bridge to transmit ideas in the most natural way.

Södra has today signed a Sales and Marketing Agreement with the Russian company Angara Paper, taking on the role of distributor for the pulp production from the planned mill Angara Paper. This establishes Södra as both the industrial and the sales partner for the project. The final investment decision for the project is expected early next year.

For further information, please contact:
Leif Brodén, CEO, +46 70 558 94 26
Gunilla Saltin, President Södra Cell, +46 70 261 41 40
Per Braconier, Director Corporate Communication, +46 70 534 51 66