Displaying items by tag: södra

Södra has entered into an agreement on timber transportation with transport company VSV Frakt AB. This will make VSV a significant supplier of transportation services within Södra's Region East.

This agreement takes the form of a strategic partnership, which means - among other things - that the scope of transportation will be given the opportunity to grow over time. Operations will commence within Södra's Linköping Business Area in August 2010.

Södra expects to have a turnover of around SEK 650 million this year from transportation of round timber. This transportation will be carried out both by the company's own haulage firm, as well as in coop with external suppliers, which will be providing the lion's share of the transportation.

VSV specialises in the shipping of forest raw materials. The company's head office is in Karlstad, and last year it had a turnover of SEK 795 million.

For further information, please contact:
Olle Ankarling, Purchasing Manager for Transport, +46 (0) 470 89 312
Per Braconier, Director of Communications, +46 (0) 70 534 51 66

w101 - the DuraPulp biodegradable lamp, developed by Swedish lighting company Wästberg in close collaboration with Swedish forestry industy company Södra and Swedish architects and designers Claesson Koivisto Rune, has been awarded Design S 2010: the Swedish Design Prize.

The lamp was successfully launched in April 2010 at Superstudio Più during the Milan Design Week and generated massive interest. The public showing made it clear that the lamp was not only functional, but delivered perfect light from only five watts.

Now the lamp has won Sweden's biggest and most prestigious design prize, Design S. The bi-annual award is granted by the Swedish Design Association. A total of ten awards were given this year across all categories.

The jury's view:
"The lamp means a step towards a more sustainable future. It bears witness to the creativity that environmental challenges can inspire."

Magnus Wästberg, founder and CEO of Wästberg:

"Combining old wisdom with ground-breaking technology is elementary to Wästberg's philosophy. Paper has been used throughout history for making lamp shades. Now we are using paper for the actual structure of the fixture and adding advanced LED technology."

Karin Emilsson, director of technology at Södra and head of Södra Innovation:

"One principal mission for Södra is to, together with innovative partners, develop and supply tomorrow's raw materials based on renewable forest resources. The DuraPulp lamp by Wästberg meets high customer standards of functionality and design although it's made out of a new, totally renewable, material."

Södra Cell has now completed the investments which make its Värö mill the world's first fossil-fuel-free pulp mill.

Södra has made extensive energy investments at Södra Cell Värö over the past few years. These investments mean that the pulp mill will now be free from fossil fuels.

Of late, we have spent SEK 600 million building:
. New evaporation plant - for a more energy-efficient mill
. Feed water preheating - to produce more electricity
. Flue gas cooling - for more district heating
. Bark drying - for optimum fuel for district heating supplies

These investments have just been completed this spring and form part of an investment programme which has been ongoing since 2002, worth SEK 1.7 billion to date.

For further information, please contact:
Gunilla Saltin, CEO Södra Cell, +46 (0) 470 894 26
Jonas Eriksson, Site Manager, Södra Cell Värö, +46 (0) 340 62 81 02
Per Braconier, Director of Information Södra, +46 (0) 70 534 51 66

Södra today announces an increase of USD 20 per tonne for softwood pulps in Europe. New price valid from June 1st is thus USD 980 per tonne.

"Pulp market remains solid. With strong demand and low stocks", says Ulf Edman, president of Södra Cell International.

For further information, please contact:
Ulf Edman, President of Södra Cell International, +46 70 677 8769
Per Braconier, Director of Corporate Communications, Södra, +46 70 534 5166

Södra's interim report for the January-March 2010 period

- The group reported an operating profit of SEK 371 (-52) million for the first three months of the year.

- Profit after net financial items amounted to SEK 382 (-59) million .

- Net sales increased to SEK 4,575 (3,773) million.

- Return on capital employed was 15 percent (neg).

- Profits in all business areas increased compared with the same period last year.

- Increases in the price of pulp and sawn timber products boosted figures.

- The drastic increase in sales of interior products stemmed from the effects of last year's acquisitions.

- Growth in the biofuel business boosted the profits of the forestry business.

- Real productivity grew by 2.1 percent.

The Group Chief Executive's comments

"2010 began with a continued recovery after a year suffering the adverse effects of the recession. Profits were boosted by increased deliveries and higher prices in the pulp and sawn timber products areas."

"In the course of a single year we have gone from the shadow of the recession and the dramatic events it entailed to a position where all our business areas comply with or almost comply with return requirements."

"Although we are not exactly in a boom, we have moved from recession to prosperity."

"Thus together we have navigated from extreme market conditions, which were at their most critical stage this time last year, to the situation today, one of recovery. Inhouse, we continue to focus on those things we can influence: customer care and productivity. It is a matter of some satisfaction to see that real productivity during the period increased by 2.1 percent year on year."

"Staff continue to be deeply involved in the development of new ideas. During the period, we implemented 743 improvement suggestions from Södra employees, which overall corresponded to a SEK 31.1 million improvement in annual profit."

Business areas

Pulp -Södra Cell
Net sales improved by 19 percent compared with the same period last year to SEK 2,615 (2,199) million. Operating profit amounted to SEK 322 (-24) million. Return on operating capital was 18 percent (neg).

The period was characterised by relatively low stock levels and high deliveries. Production increased compared with the same period last year, which was influenced by market-related stoppages at the Norwegian pulp mills. The market also strengthened as a result of the earthquakes in Chile, which reduced pulp supplies.



Sawn timber products - Södra Timber
Net sales improved by 40 percent compared with the same period last year to SEK 956 (684) million. Operating profit amounted to SEK 61 (3) million. Return on operating capital was 10 percent (1).

The long cold winter restrained demand for and also the production of sawn timber products. Price levels have recovered compared with the rock bottom levels prevailing during the recession at this stage last year. There is good demand in Sweden, North Africa and the Middle East. The US market has now stabilised at a low level. Price levels in China have almost doubled in a single year, and are starting to attract the interest of European producers.

Interior products - Södra Interiör
Net sales improved by 46 percent compared with the same period last year to SEK 301 (206) million. Operating profit amounted to SEK 3 (2) million. Return on operating capital was 3 percent (2).

The impact of acquisitions boosted sales and strengthened the position of all Södra Interiör's markets. The Swedish building and construction trade has been thriving despite a long and cold winter. The repairs and extension tax allowance (ROT-avdrag) has had a positive impact on sales. While sales in Sweden and Norway have thrived, sales in Denmark, where the building sector and the building trade are in a period of stagnation, have been considerably poorer.

Södra Skog
Net sales improved by 1 percent compared with the same period last year to SEK 2,325 (2,302) million. Operating profit amounted to SEK 19 (5) million. Return on operating capital was 7 percent (1).

The pulp wood market in Södra's district has been relatively calm, but with a decrease in the availability of deciduous pulp wood. The supply of standing forest timber and timber for delivery has decreased at the beginning of 2010, and there is still intense competition for clear cutting sites. Improved price levels and volumes are boosting Södra Skogsenergi profits.

For further information please do not hesitate to get in touch with:
Leif Brodén, CEO and Group Chief Executive
+46 470 894 35

Mikael Staffas, CFO
+46 470 892 20

Per Braconier, Director of Communications
+46 70 534 5166

Södra confirmed today its decision to invest in a new sawmill in Värö. This project will be expedited through the acquisition of machinery and equipment from the German sawmill company Klausner Group's plant in Adelebsen, Germany. The expansion means that production will almost triple from today's 275 000 m3 to 750 000 m3 per year.

Klausner's plant in Adelebsen has only been in operation for a year and is one of Europe's most modern sawmills. The entire facility will be moved to Värö.

Södra has good faith in its timber supply in Värö and at the same time sees a need and an opportunity to seriously compete with the larger and more productive production units in Central Europe, when compared to those currently existing in Sweden.

- With the investment in Värö, we get a cost effective and flexible mill. This strengthens our competitiveness which is very important both in the timber market and in the raw materials market, said Södra's CEO, Leif Brodén.

- Important reasons for Södra investing in Värö are its proximity to the pulp mill and to a seaport, and the combined advantage in the form of energy, logistics and chips. Besides that, we have common recourses in many areas, said Peter Nilsson, CEO at Södra Timber.

Klausner Group has its roots in Austria and was founded in the early 1900s. Today it is owned by Fritz Klausner. A recent reorganization headed up by Klausner has the business back on track after the global economic recession the business faced in 2008 and 2009. Current operating rates indicate annual production of more than 2 million m3 from the remaining Klausner plants in Germany.

Klausner will be responsible for the relocation and start-up of the plant in Värö.

- We are very pleased with the deal and the cooperation with Klausner will give us unique knowledge about production and logistics for the large mill we are going to build in Värö, said Nilsson.

Klausner and Södra Timber are also announcing their future marketing cooperation in various major markets.

- We are looking forward to the cooperation. Klausner and Södra Timber complement each other and a joint approach to sales and logistics in our main markets will provide value to all stakeholders, including our customers, commented Leopold Stephan, CEO at Klausner Group.

Construction will start in Värö during summer 2010 with production forecast to begin at the new mill during the spring of 2011. Production at the existing sawmill in Värö will not be interrupted during the construction period. By using an existing plant, both construction time and start-up time will be limited.

Södra Timber produces about 1.7 million m3 per year and is one of the leading manufacturers of construction wood in Europe. The company operates 10 sawmills in the south of Sweden and its products are sold primarily to Scandinavia, the Netherlands, U.K. and the U.S.


For further information, please contact:
Peter Nilsson, President Södra Timber,
+46 70 315 09 27

Leif Brodén, CEO Södra Group,
+46 70 558 94 26

Fritz Klausner, Klausner Group,
+43 535 260 21 10

Per Braconier, Director of Communications,
Södra, +46 70 534 51 66

Södra is hit by a strike that broke out this morning at 6.00 a.m. Because of the strike we had to stop the pulp mill Södra Cell Värö. The strike hits a number of different mills in Swedish forest industry sector and Södra Cell Värö is one of those.

We are going to have a dialogue with every singular customer on how to deal with this situation. For now it's impossible to know the direct effects caused by the strike.

For further information, please contact:
Ulf Edman, President of Södra Cell International, +46 70 677 8769
Per Braconier, Director of Corporate Communications, Södra, +46 70 534 5166

At Milan Design Week 2010, April 14-19 at Superstudio Piú, Swedish lighting company Wästberg will launch a lighting fixture made in DuraPulp and developed in close collaboration with Swedish forestry industry company Södra and Swedish architects and designers Claesson Koivisto Rune.

Last year Claesson Koivisto Rune and Södra developed the Parupu children's chair out of DuraPulp, thus proving it possible to make a real chair of paper. Now Claesson Koivisto Rune and Södra team up with Wästberg to challenge themselves even further: merging electricity, paper and light, using paper, not only as a component or for casing, but really fully integrated.

"Combining old wisdom with ground-breaking technology is elementary to Wästbergs philosophy" says Magnus Wästberg, founder and CEO of Wästberg. "Paper has been used throughout history for making lamp shades. Now we are using paper for the actual structure of the fixture adding advanced LED technology."

"One principal mission for Södra, together with innovative partners, is to develop and supply tomorrow's raw materials based on renewable forest resources", says Karin Emilsson, director of technology at Södra and head of Södra Innovation. "The DuraPulp lamp by Wästberg meets high customer standards of functionality and design although it's made out of a new totally renewable material."

Notes to editors:

DuraPulp

DuraPulp is made from selected pulp from Södra combined with PLA (Polylactic acid, a renewable biopolymer produced from starch). The two components in combination provide special properties that can be reinforced through hot pressing. DuraPulp is a material with high wet strength, high water resistance, high dimensional stability as well as high tensile strength and bending stiffness. DuraPulp is made from 100 per cent renewable fibres and is fully biodegradable.

Claesson Koivisto Rune w101

Material: DuraPulp, cast iron (base)
Light source: 5 W LED
Colour temperature: 3.000 K
CRI > 90

Wästberg

Launched in 2008, Wästberg lamps are now sold globally and have been honoured with more than 20 awards for design excellence, including 6 Good Design Awards, 4 red dot awards, Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany and an Elle Interior Design Prize. Wästberg is based in Helsingborg, Skåne, the southernmost part of Sweden.

Södra

Södra is a Swedish group with broad forestry operations and is a leading producer of pulp, wood products and bioenergy. The company, which is owned by 52,000 forest owners in southern Sweden, has 4,000 employees and sales of SEK 17 billion.

Claesson Koivisto Rune

Internationally renowned architectural office founded in 1995 by Mårten Claesson, Eero Koivisto and Ola Rune. The office has also established itself as a successful design studio. Today, they work with more than 50 companies worldwide.

For further information, please contact:
Lotta Wästberg, Wästberg, +46 72 232 4010
Thérèse Thelin, Södra, + 46 730 345 125

Södra is raising the price of its softwood pulps by USD 30 per tonne to USD 960 per tonne. The price increase is effective from 1 May 2010.

"Södra's deliveries of pulp are at a high level and stocks are very low. Our outlook for the second quarter is a strong market", said Ulf Edman, president of Södra Cell International.

For further information, please contact:
Ulf Edman, President of Södra Cell International, +46 70 677 8769
Per Braconier, Director of Corporate Communications, Södra, +46 70 534 5166

Södra’s PulpLabs website, which presents selected research projects in a public and creative manner, received the prestigious Site of the Day award on 14 March.

The award was made by inspirational internet portal FWA – Favourite Website Awards – which highlights an unusually creative and innovative website on a daily basis, and has done so since the site was founded in 2000.

Södra’s website www.sodrapulplabs.com was developed in conjunction with the Garbergs advertising agency in Sweden. Since its launch in April 2009 more than 10,000 visitors from 100 different countries have visited the website. Visitors can follow three challenges from the research stage via tests and collaboration through to finished product.

>> Click here to go to PulpLabs.

Read more about FWA www.thefwa.com

For further information, please contact:
Södra, Thérèse Thelin, +46 470 85725
Garbergs, Carl Bock, +46 8 651 5151