Clariant AG is planning the acquisition of a controlling majority in Süd-Chemie AG and has thereto signed a contract with the majority shareholders.

As part of the planned transaction, still subject to clearance by competent merger control authorities, Clariant has come to agreements with the majority shareholder One Equity Partners (50.4%) and the family shareholders (approximately 46%). As a result, Clariant will acquire slightly above 95% of the outstanding shares. The shares of One Equity Partners will be bought at a price of EUR 121 per Süd-Chemie share. The vast majority of the Süd-Chemie family shareholders will swap their shares into Clariant shares at a ratio of 1:8.84. The total value of the transaction is EUR 2.0 billion (CHF 2.5 billion).

With around 6,500 employees in 40 countries, Süd-Chemie operates two stable and profitably growing business units that hold a global leading position in the areas of process catalysts and adsorbents. Furthermore, Süd-Chemie has a strong Research & Development pipeline for new business areas with substantial growth potential. Those include innovative materials for lithium-ion batteries and biotechnology, e.g. technology for the production of second generation bioethanol. Süd-Chemie has demonstrated high levels of innovation coupled with success in the commercialization of its products.

With turnover of EUR 1,225 million[1] and EBITDA of EUR 191 million¹, Süd-Chemie generated an EBITDA margin in 2010 of 15.6%¹.

"We are convinced that Süd-Chemie is the right strategic fit for Clariant. It complements our portfolio with high growth businesses, less cyclicality and it provides Clariant access to new attractive market segments. Süd-Chemie will further drive our profitable growth forward in the coming years", said Clariant AG CEO Hariolf Kottmann. "The planned acquisition also offers clear advantages for both companies as our investment will strengthen our research in future markets such as new materials and biotechnology in a focused way", said Kottmann.

In line with Clariant's financing policy, the transaction will be conservatively financed. The envisaged and approximate financing structure includes CHF 700 million share exchange with Süd-Chemie family shareholders, CHF 400 million rights issue, CHF 900 million debt financing and CHF 500 million cash. The issue of new shares is subject to approval at the Clariant general meeting on March 31, 2011. Once all necessary regulatory approvals, including anti-trust, are obtained, Clariant is confident that the transaction can be completed in the first half of 2011. No later than after the Closing of the share purchase agreements, Clariant will initiate a public takeover procedure for the remaining free float.

After having successfully completed its restructuring in 2010, this transaction supports Clariant's new strategic direction towards profitable growth. In addition to continued improvement in the profitability of the existing portfolio and a focus on innovation and growth in emerging markets, the portfolio will be strengthened by further investments in future markets and technologies.

M-real is raising the prices of all Kemiart white-top kraftliner grades by € 50/t (GBP 45/t) in Europe, effective for deliveries as of 15 April 2011.  The increase is a result of the continuous rise in production input costs and logistic costs.

UPM is renewing its newsletter distribution to serve its stakeholders even better. All subscribers need to renew their order and define which release types they want to receive in the future. Please renew your order in week 7 to ensure uninterrupted release distribution.

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Kim Poulsen has been appointed Senior Vice President, UPM Plywood Business Area as of 14 March 2011. Kim Poulsen has earlier worked as CEO of Fenestra Oy and prior to that he has held various senior leadership positions in Finnforest Oy.

Arto Juvonen, SVP of UPM Plywood Business Area, has been appointed Vice President of UPM’s Russian Operations and Strategic Business Development in St. Petersburg as of 14 March 2011.

Lorentzen & Wettre now releases and proudly presents the new L&W Handbook 2011 to the pulp- and paper industry. Compared to previous editions, this year's guide, besides several new products, also includes an expanded chapter on pulp testing. It also contains new articles as well as information about how to optimize the paper manufacturing process – great knowledge for everyone within the pulp- and paper industry.

Lorentzen & Wettre has provided the industry with a wide range of measuring equipment and expertise since 1895. All measuring equipment has become more sophisticated throughout the years, in step with the increasing demands placed on paper products by end consumers. There is a continuous increase in competition within the industry, meaning that manufacturers must constantly optimize their expenditures for fibres, energy and chemicals. That can only be managed by knowing the process. This knowledge is gained with exact and frequent measurements which you can learn more about in L&W Handbook 2011.

L&W Handbook is both the most comprehensive and most used guide in the pulp and paper industry. It is highly appreciated as it presents solutions to problems within the field. It contains five chapters; Pulp testing, Paper machine optimization, Automated paper testing, Laboratory paper testing and Service & Support. L&W Handbook 2011 presents new products, new articles and interesting solutions. Well known experts generously share their knowledge in this new edition.

This latest edition of L&W Handbook has increased in size to 216 pages and is available in seven languages, with more than 30 000 copies printed and widely spread in 76 countries all over the world.

"This is the most comprehensive edition of L&W Handbook ever made and we have expanded the chapter about Pulp testing, to follow up the L&W Process Optimization catalogue that we launched in 2009. ", says Fredrik Boström, Vice president Sales & Marketing at Lorentzen & Wettre.

Patrik Stolpe, President of Lorentzen & Wettre says: "Our goal has always been to exceed our customers' expectations. We believe L&W Handbook will bring added value for our colleagues within the pulp- and paper industry and bring up ideas for new improvements. Read L&W Handbook 2011 and find out how our products can optimize your production and subsequently increase your profitability."

International technology Group ANDRITZ and Montes del Plata, a joint venture company of Stora Enso and Arauco, are in advanced negotiations towards concluding a contract for supply of production technologies and equipment for the new pulp mill of Montes del Plata in Punta Pereira, Uruguay (capacity: 1.3 million t/a eucalyptus market pulp). It was agreed not disclose the order value; however typical order values of comparable reference projects are between 750-800 million Euros.

The scope of supply of the ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER business area covers the EPC delivery of the complete fiberline as well as the recovery island, including all relevant process steps. Start-up of production is scheduled for the first half of 2013.

On December 30, 2010 Montes del Plata received the environmental permit for its pulp project from the Uruguayan government. The new pulp mill will be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, using eucalyptus essentially from Montes del Plata’s own plantations.

The construction and operation of the pulp mill will provide a significant positive economic stimulus to the country. An average of 3,200 – and at peak of 6,000 – workers will be employed during construction. Once the mill is operational, it will permanently employ about 500 highly qualified people.

M-real Corporation’s, part of Metsäliitto Group, business is based on sustainability. The company has in recent years actively developed e.g. lightweight board and paper products which are produced with less fibre, water and energy.

As a natural step in its work to decrease water as well as energy usage M-real has now signed UN Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate that encourages companies to pay systematically attention to sustainable water usage.

“Our production plants are geographically located in areas with a good availability of water. Therefore water used in our production does not compete with other water needs such as local agricultural or household water usage. Despite that, we want to be among the forerunners using water resources responsibly. We recycle our production process waters and finally clean them carefully in order to minimize the environmental impact,” says Mikko Helander, CEO of M-real.

M-real has systematically made water usage more effective in its production processes. Work to close water systems in the mills even further is being continued. In future, M-real also commits itself to reporting regularly on its water usage according to the reporting requirements of the CEO Water Mandate.

The CEO Water Mandate was launched in 2007. It supports companies in the development, implementation and disclosure of water sustainability policies and practices. The CEO Water Mandate initiative was originally started by both public communities and private companies.

NewPage Wisconsin System Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of NewPage Corporation, and Niagara Development LLC jointly announced today Niagara Development LLC's acquisition of the NewPage Niagara, Wisconsin mill property and assets.

The NewPage Niagara facility permanently closed in July, 2008 due to a significant decrease in demand for coated paper. The paper machines at the Niagara mill produced approximately 250,000 tons of lightweight coated groundwood papers used in magazines and catalogs. In March, 2009, NewPage sold the NewPage hydroelectric facility in Niagara, Wisconsin to Northbrook Wisconsin, LLC.

"Since the closure of the mill in 2008, NewPage has worked with the City of Niagara to locate a viable purchaser for the mill with a positive outcome for the community," said George Bousley, mayor, City of Niagara. "We are pleased that Niagara Development LLC is purchasing the NewPage Niagara property and assets and believe this is the best possible option for the facility, the City of Niagara and its residents."

Niagara Development LLC is exploring options with the City of Niagara and others for possible uses of the property and assets going forward.
"We see this deal as a great opportunity for the towns of Niagara, Iron Mountain, Kingsford, Quinnesec and Norway, as well as the surrounding region," says Eric J. Spirtas, president of Niagara Development LLC.

Sanabe & Associates, LLC, acted as financial advisor to NewPage in the transaction.

SOURCE NewPage Corporation

Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l. will increase prices for all uncoated recycled paperboard grades in all European markets by 50 Euro, or £45,per metric ton on all shipments effective February 28, 2011.

"We continue to operate in inflationary conditions," said Adam Wood, vice president, Sonoco-Alcore Europe. "Recovered paper prices are still increasing, driven by global supply and demand, and this coupled with starch and other key materials is forcing us to pass increases through to our customers. We have still not fully recovered raw material rises in 2010 even with the cost reduction programs we had in place. We can no longer absorb the magnitude of these increases.

"Our tube and core business has also been negatively affected by these events, and we will again need to pass these coreboard increases through to our customers. Our customers recognize that we have tried to minimize this impact but such unprecedented conditions provide us with few alternatives," added Wood.