Industry News

Early on Monday morning, January 26, two packaging giants announced that they will meld into one and create the second-largest packaging company in the world. Rock-Tenn Co. will acquire MeadWestvaco Corp. in a cash and stock deal valued at US $9.2 billion. When the dust has settled, MeadWestvaco shareholders will hold 50.1% of the new company and Rock-Tenn shareholders will own the remaining 49.9%. This transaction will be the largest in the paper industry since Koch Industries bought Georgia-Pacific in 2005 for about $12.6 billion. The new company, which will be named later, with be second in size only to International Paper, world packaging leader.

A worker was trapped in the cab of a logging machine and seriously injured when the piece of equipment fell over Monday.

Weyerhaeuser will reportedly pay a $37,500 civil fine after its pulp mill in Columbus, Mississippi exceeded emissions limits during a 2013 test.

Metso announced on Thursday it has agreed to sell its process automation business to Valmet in a deal valuing the division at 340 million euros

The new stand-alone company was launched as an independent supplier of industrial maintenance services under the name "Quant" as of 1 January 2015

Weyerhaeuser Co. will cut production and jobs at its Longview pulp and paper mill because the West Coast labor dispute is making it difficult to ship its products, the company confirmed Wednesday

Glatfelter has appointed Christopher W. Astley as Senior Vice President & Business Unit President, Advanced Airlaid Materials, effective immediately. In this new role, he will have overall P&L responsibility, and will lead the development as well as implementation of strategic and tactical plans for the business.

With the completion of the NewPage acquisition, Verso will have approximately $3.5 billion in annual sales and approximately 5,800 employees in eight mills across six states

Verso Paper Corp. announced that it has reached a settlement with the United States Department of Justice that will permit Verso to proceed with its acquisition of NewPage Holdings Inc.

"Carbon neutral" is a phrase being heard often around the pulp and paper industry these days, as mills everywhere try to keep up with the latest emissions standards

Executive offices will relocate to its Chestnut Run Plaza campus from downtown Wilmington, Delaware, effective 1 July the company said today in a statement

The Kauttua plant manufactures base paper for masking tape

Solenis LLC announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Clearwater Specialties LLC, a privately-held specialty chemical company dedicated to the tissue and towel market

BASF and Omya announced this week that are working jointly on coater-ready barrier solutions for paper and cardboard packaging

Cascades Inc. has announced that it has reached an agreement for the sale of its North American boxboard manufacturing and converting assets to Graphic Packaging Holding Company for $44.9 million

Metsä Board Corporation, part of Metsä Group, announced that it is introducing the final steps of transformation to a paperboard company and will invest approximately EUR 170 million in a new folding boxboard machine at its Husum mill in Sweden

McHugh succeeds H. Edwin Kiker, who is transitioning to the newly created position of Chief Accounting Officer, responsible for financial reporting, accounting operations, and implementing and ensuring proper financial controls and systems

Norbord Inc. and Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd. announced that they have signed a definitive agreement under which they will merge to create a leading global wood products company focused on oriented strand board across North America, Europe and Asia

Tembec and Unifor Local 233 confirmed that they have signed a Memorandum of Agreement and a Return to Work Protocol towards the settlement of the Collective Agreement at its Temiscaming Site in Quebec

Iroquois Falls (Ontario) mill and pair of paper machines in Quebec to be permanently idled

Bemis Company, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has elected Michael B. Clauer to the position of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Schweitzer-Mauduit announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire certain assets from Smith & Nephew's Advanced Wound Management division

Stora Enso has completed the divestment of its Corenso business operations to the Finnish packaging materials company Powerflute Oyj

As previously disclosed, the total consideration received by GLV for the sale of the Division is $67 million and remains subject to certain post-closing adjustments

Bertel Karlstedt has been appointed President of Pulp and Energy business line at Valmet as of 1 Feb 2015