Leading Stories

Chemical manufacturer 3M Co. will pay at least $10.3 billion to settle lawsuits over contamination of many U.S. public drinking water systems with potentially harmful compounds used in firefighting foam and a host of consumer products, the company said on Jun. 22.

At capacity, the 1.1 million square foot plant - one of the largest and most modern of the company's 71 factories spread across 25 US states - will provide 375 full-time, high-paying, green-collar manufacturing jobs. That brings Pratt's total workforce to 11,500.

Funds will support City's infrastructure recovery, help community rebuild .

A dissenting judge called the bankruptcy an illegitimate "shell game".

To continuously improve resource efficiency, Mercer International installed new debarking system to reduce wood losses. This system was installed during the mill's annual maintenance shutdown in September 2022 by a Finnish supplier. The new system controls the debarking process so that as little bark as necessary is removed from the log.

Suzano is building a nursery with the capacity to produce 35 million eucalyptus seedlings per year that will meet the demand of the massive forest of its new factory in Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil.

Lecta announced a project to cease the activity on PM4 at its​ Condat mill in France which produces coated woodfree paper (CWF) due to the strong decline in the graphic paper market. A reorganisation project was announced to the employee representatives on which they will be consulted.

The 200 members of Unifor Locals 222Q and 216 at Kruger Wayagamack, a paper mill in Trois-Rivières, Que. ratified a new agreement by 92.3% (222Q) and 93.4% (216) on June 19, ending a three-week strike.

New Indy attorneys went before a federal judge on Tuesday to push to have one of the many lawsuits against them dismissed.

Klabin starts up paper machine 28 (PM28) of Puma II Project in Ortigueira, Paraná, Brazil. Equipped with advanced technology, the machine was designed to produce more resistant and higher quality paperboards, especially for the food and beverage segments.

With a joint investment of approximately Euro 29 million by Stora Enso and Tetra Pak, a new recycling line for post-consumer beverage cartons is starting operations in Poland.

Stora Enso intends to divest its wood products DIY (Do It Yourself) unit in Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Megahout, backed by the private equity company Quadrum Capital. Closing is expected in Q3 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and consultation with employee representatives.

UPM Plywood has completed the change negotiations, which started in May, concerning salaried employees in the staff and global functions, and in its Finnish mills.

Stora Enso opens a new corrugated packaging production factory at De Lier, the Netherlands. The site is part of the recently acquired De Jong Packaging Group, now Business Unit Western Europe in the Packaging Solutions division.

Officials with Domtar say the fire started on a conveyor line, and is now out.

Another forest products company has entered into an agreement to purchase the plant in a transaction that is expected to close later this year, RFP said Friday in a news release.

It was just over a year ago on May 20, 2022 when a fire devastated the interior of the Tolko Industries mill 8 km west of High Prairie.

The acquisition will expand plant operations, manufacturing capabilities, and increase market share for Mercer Mass Timber and parent company, Mercer International.

The plant's construction commenced in January 2023.

Stora Enso has announced further restructuring plans that will result in layoffs of a total of 1,150 its employees.

An agreement in principle was reached between the management and the union of Kruger Wayagamack, in Trois-Rivières, late Monday evening. About 250 employees have been on an indefinite general strike since June 1.

Previously, a motion by the company to dismiss a class-action suit in August 2022 was dismissed.

Klabin starts up paper machine 28 (PM28) of Puma II Project in Ortigueira, Paraná, Brazil. Equipped with advanced technology, the machine was designed to produce more resistant and higher quality paperboards, especially for the food and beverage segments.

Western Forest Products Inc. announced plans to temporarily reduce its lumber production over the next month by approximately 19 million board feet due to weak market conditions.

The mill's annual production capacity is approximately 160,000 cubic metres, which represents a 50 per cent increase in the company's total Kerto LVL capacity.