Displaying items by tag: billerud

From the start of next year, the companies behind ScandFibre Logistics AB will be transporting 2.4 million tonnes of forest products by rail from Sweden to terminals that are convenient for European customers.

Deregulation of freight traffic is increasingly allowing solutions to be created together with pan-European players instead of only with national operators, as used to be the case.

The transport and logistics services will be provided by the company ScandFibre Logistics, which is owned jointly by Billerud, Holmen, Korsnäs, Mondi Dynäs and Smurfit Kappa. The trains will depart from the Swedish mills every working day. At special hubs, the wagons will then be coupled to a block train for their onward journey down into continental Europe. Thanks to the unique volumes provided by this industry collaboration and the new pan-European players, the block train can drive down to customer terminals across Europe in just a few days.

"In addition to the clear benefits such as increased control over the goods and thus more reliable accuracy of delivery to the customer, there is also a green aspect to this," explains Per Lindberg, President and CEO of Billerud. "This agreement strengthens our focus on rail as the leading transport option for our products for a relatively long time to come. We will also be offering companies that currently send goods to Sweden by lorry a more environmentally aware transport alternative."

 ScandFibre Logistics is one of Sweden's biggest rail freight customers.

The company has signed agreements with four suppliers over six years to operate the rail-based logistics system named Rail 11.

 "In the northbound direction, we offer a cost-effective freight service from much of Europe to recipients in Sweden. The short lead times and environmentally aware mode of transport should be of great interest to companies that have Sweden as a market," says Mats Berlin, Managing Director of ScandFibre Logistics AB.

For more information, please contact:

Mats Berlin, MD ScandFibre Logistics AB, +46 (0)8-470 33 11, +46 (0)70-242 91 13

Per Lindberg, President and CEO, +46 (0)8-553 335 01, +46 (0)70-248 15 17

During Finforum 2010, a seminar about communication between listed companies and the market, Billerud received the award for "Best 2009 Report" in the MidCap Company class.
 
This competition has been held since 1966 with the purpose of developing and improving the quality of external information provided by listed companies. Billerud's annual report won the prize for its logical organisation and good balance of text, photo and graphics, as well as some interesting and unique approaches. The jury also considered the description of sustainability initiatives that provides a common theme for the entire annual report to be a positive feature.
 
Moreover, the jury feels that Billerud is highly deserving of its award in the "Mid cap" class and that the annual report, with its high ambitions and exemplary clarity, could even hold its own among the "large cap" companies on the stock exchange.
Finforum is an event arranged jointly by FAR (the industry organisation for auditors and advisers), the Swedish Society of Financial Analysts (SFF), NASDAQ OMX, the Swedish Public Relations Association and Far Academy.
 
Billerud's annual report also won second place in the Swedish Shareholders' Association annual assessment of annual reports from all listed companies.
 
For more information, please contact:
Elisabet Olin, Head of Corporate Communication Billerud AB, +46 (0)8-553 335 18
Sophie Arnius, IR-manager Billerud AB +46 (0)8-553 335 24

At Europe's biggest packaging fair, Salon Emballage in Paris, with its 1,300 exhibitors from 95 countries, FibreForm was voted one of the most sustainable and innovative packaging materials launched this year.

Billerud received the `Coup de Coeur' award at the fair.

The jury comprised leading experts from major global companies in sectors such as food, hygiene, beauty, retail and heavy duty. Of the 109 entries, FibreForm was considered one of the most outstanding innovations. Praise was given not only for the innovative aspects, but also the environmental benefits and the scope to design unique packaging solutions.

 "It is so great to find a true innovation that really stands out in the paper industry," says Chantal Sandoz, Packaging Group Director Carrefour and jury member.

 The award is the third in a row for FibreForm since early October last year. The previous accolades were the Packaging Innovation Award at the Scanpack fair in Sweden and the equivalent award at the Propak fair in China.

 "The interest in and enthusiasm for our FibreForm product around the world is fantastic and is leading to many exciting new business relations and partnerships," explains Johan Nellbeck, Business Area Director, Packaging & Speciality Paper.

For more information, please contact:

Johan Nellbeck, Business Area Director, Packaging & Speciality Paper, Phone +46 (0)80-553 336 04 www.billerud.com/fibreform (http://www.billerud.com/fibreform)

For further information about the fair:

http://en.emballageweb.com (http://en.emballageweb.com)

Billerud FibreForm® - the formable paper The secret behind FibreForm is its high degree of elasticity, which opens the door to a wide range of applications. Unique packaging solutions with exciting, natural forms and deep embossing can be developed using the paper. FibreForm can compete with plastic in areas where this has previously not been possible. The paper also has considerable environmental value. FibreForm is made of 100 percent primary fibre and is approved for direct contact with food. FibreForm is FSC certified.

CEO Per Lindberg comments on the development during Q3 2010:
 
"We are very pleased with the results for the third quarter as well as the underlying earnings for all our business areas. The strong development for Billerud's main area, packaging paper, led to an improvement in operating profit to SEK 276 million for the third quarter. This result corresponded to an operating margin of 12% compared with the 11% average over the last three quarters. This improvement is due to good demand and continued efforts to improve margins and value creating packaging paper solutions.
 
We have just launched our first product where we combine two renewable materials; paper and bioplastic. The result is an effective and climate-smart sack solution with a moisture barrier. We can see a number of opportunities ahead of us where our close dialogue with end customers, combined with our expertise within packaging paper and bioplastics, will lead to new packaging solutions with increased value creation for our customers. This applies in particular to customers who set a high value on packaging their products in climate-smart packaging made from renewable materials.
 
Following our receipt of the "Technology Innovation Award 2010" in China for our FibreForm® product in the previous quarter, the number of customer enquiries and development cooperations relating to FibreForm® has further increased. We feel strengthened by the fact that our long-term focus on development work close to the customer, and innovative product development, will give us future opportunities for a continued positive margin development within packaging paper."
 
Solna, 29 October 2010
Billerud AB (publ)
Per Lindberg
President and CEO
 
For further information please contact:
Per Lindberg, President and CEO, +46 8 553 335 01 or +46 70 248 15 17
Bertil Carlsén, CFO, +46 8 553 335 07 or +46 73 021 10 92

Billerud is now launching a complete new series of sack concepts focused on the brand owner's demand for high productivity combined with moisture protection, long shelf-life, attractive design and compostability through the use of bioplastic in combination with paper.
 
Moisture barriers often force customers to compromise on the productivity of the filling process, but with these new concepts all that has changed.

"The end customer focus has been the driving force behind the development of Billerud's new sack solutions for products such as construction materials and industrial minerals in powder form," explains Johan Nellbeck, Business Area Director, Packaging & Speciality Paper.

QuickFill® BioTex for lower environmental impact
QuickFill® BioTex is one of the paper sack concepts with a moisture protection made from bioplastic from our subsidiary Billerud Tenova Bioplastics. The moisture protection is manufactured from a renewable raw material derived from cornstarch. All the components of QuickFill® BioTex are both biodegradable and compostable in accordance with EN-13432.
 
Testing at customer sites and Billerud Sack Lab - key development tools
Billerud's QuickFill® sack paper, which combines high strength and high porosity, is a vital component of the new sack concepts. The company's Sack Lab and the extensive experience of our staff in the value chain for industrial sacks are essential components of our research and development work.

"We are very pleased with the tests at the Sack Lab in Karlsborg and the trial runs and functionality tests at customer sites, which showed that all five of the sack designs offer added value and work extremely well," says Nellbeck.
 
For more information, please contact:

Johan Nellbeck, Business Area Director, Packaging & Speciality Paper
Tel: +46 (0)8-55 333 604 or +46 (0)702-110073
Mikael Strömbäck, Sales and Marketing Director, Sack Solutions
Tel: +46 (0)8 55 333 534 or +46 (0)706-997467

More information on the sack concepts can be found at www.billerud.com/sackconcepts

New products:
QuickFill® FlowTex – patented new sack concept for powder products that require good air release when filling
QuickFill® BioTex – sack concept with bioplastic moisture protection for customers with an environmental focus
QuickFill® PrintTex – a sack solution for customers who require attractive printing and look in order to boost the brand and encourage sales
QuickFill® UltraTex – is a strong sack concept with the best moisture protection on the market combined with good printability
QuickFill® SingleTex – 1-sheet sack concept for extra high cost-efficiency

On September 14, 2010 the Environmental Court of Appeal decided that Billerud, in accordance with the decision from the Environmental Court and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, is to pay a sanction of approximately SEK 19.5 million.

On 10 December 2007 the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency decided to impose a sanction on Billerud of approximately SEK 19.5 million for inaccurate reporting of emission rights for 2006. According to existing rules, Billerud performed an audit and a report of the correct number of emission rights for 2006. As the result of an administrative error, Billerud's emission rights for the facilities in Skärblacka and Karlsborg were assigned to the wrong account in the Swedish Emission Trading Registry (SUS). Billerud lodged an appeal against the decision to the Environmental Court, which ruled in September 2009 that Billerud should pay the fine in accordance with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's decision. Billerud then chose to appeal against the decision to the Environmental Court of Appeal which has now decided that Billerud should pay the sanction.

Since Billerud made a provision for this amount in 2009, today's judgement will have no impact on the company's earnings for 2010.

"We accept the decision of the Environmental Court of Appeal, but in our opinion a sanction of SEK 19.5 is not proportionate," says Billerud's President and CEO, Per Lindberg.

For further information, please contact: Per Lindberg, President & CEO Billerud AB, +46 8 553 335 01 or +46 702 48 15 17.

January-June 2010 compared with the same period in 2009

· Net sales amounted to SEK 4 298 million (3 807), an increase of 13%.

· Profit for the period amounted to SEK 290 million (-31).

· Earnings per share amounted to SEK 2,82 (-0,42).

· Operating profit amounted to SEK 435 million (5), corresponding to a margin of 10% (0).

· The 2010 Annual General Meeting resolved in accordance with the Board's proposal to issue a dividend of SEK 0,50 (0) per share for 2009.

April-June 2010 compared with January-March 2010

· Net sales amounted to SEK 2 108 million (2 190).

· Profit for the period amounted to SEK 134 million (156).

· Operating profit amounted to SEK 201 million (234), a decrease of SEK 33 million.

· The second quarter of 2010 was charged with costs of approximately SEK 110 million for a periodic maintenance shutdown at Gruvön mill. The maintenance shutdown, which takes place at 18-month intervals, was more expensive and more complicated than anticipated due, among other things, to strike action.

· Strike action during the second quarter led to a loss of production of approximately 26 000 tonnes as well as extraordinary costs. Together these amounted to SEK 77 million. The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise has for strike-related costs offered full compensation. The expected compensation has been recognised as income during the second quarter.

· The strong order bookings continued in the second quarter. The packaging paper segment increased prices in local currency by an average of approximately 6% compared with the first quarter.

· A new 7-year credit facility for SEK 800 million was raised after the end of the quarter.

Outlook for the full-year 2010

· The third quarter of 2010 started with continued good demand within all segments.

· Price increases have been implemented for all products and additional increases have been announced in order to gradually restore prices to levels prevailing end of 2008.

· Strike action in the second quarter will result in lower total deliveries for the full year.

Comments by Billerud's CEO Per Lindberg:

Continued very strong demand and increasing prices, but extraordinary costs affect margins "With an operating profit of SEK 201 million for the second quarter of 2010 we now have three consecutive quarters behind us with an operating margin of 10%. We have continued our efforts to restore prices in local currency and prices for our packaging paper during the quarter were on average approximately 6% higher than in the previous quarter in each sales currency. This work is being given priority since part of these increases is needed to counteract a strengthened Swedish krona.

During the second quarter a planned maintenance shutdown at our largest mill was carried out and this shutdown had a substantial effect on profitability. The shutdown takes place every 18 months and latest occurred during the fourth quarter of 2008. The shutdown was complicated by strike action and was more expensive than anticipated. The cost of the shutdown was approximately SEK 110 million and was reflected in lower production volumes as well as higher variable and fixed costs.

This means that at first glance the comparison between the first and second quarter of this year may appear negative for our packaging segments, in particular for Packaging Boards which had to bear most of the shutdown costs. This does not apply to the Market Pulp business area which as a result of price increases for pulp and despite the shutdown costs can deliver historically very good margins. Market Pulp business area has to a lesser extent been affected by shutdown costs.

We view this quarter, however, as a step forward for Billerud. We have very strong demand for all products and we continue to raise prices. We are also particularly pleased about the recognition our new product FibreForm® received in China where we received the "Technology Innovation Award 2010."

Billerud's CEO Per Lindberg and CFO Bertil Carlsén will present the interim report at a press and analysts conference on Thursday, 22 July at 13.00 CET.

Venue: Spårvagnshallarna, Birger Jarlsgatan 57 A, Stockholm.

For further information in connection with this report, please contact Per Lindberg, President and CEO, +46 70 248 15 17 and Bertil Carlsén, CFO, +46 730 211 092

This information is such that Billerud AB is required to disclose under the Securities Market Act. This report has been prepared in both a Swedish and an English version. In the event of variations between the two, the Swedish version shall take precedence.

Billerud is a packaging paper company. The business concept is to offer customers packaging material and solutions that promote and protect their products - packaging that is attractive, strong and made of renewable material. Billerud has a world-leading position within several product segments, both within paper for consumer packaging and for industrial applications. Production takes place at the Group's three integrated pulp and paper mills in Sweden, and at a paper mill in the UK. www.billerud.com (http://www.billerud.com)

At ProPak - China's largest packaging and processing technology exhibition - Billerud's FibreForm® packaging material scooped the Packaging Innovation Award. The award is supported by Hong Kong-based Ringier Trade Media Ltd, with the aim of boosting the profile of the company that contributes the most to the industry's development in China.

The jury whose task it is to select the winner of this prestigious, well-recognised award for innovation comprises Chinese professors from various universities and research institutions, a number of trade associations, and experts in China's packaging technology market. The award was presented at Shanghai's new International Expo centre on 14 July. Those present at the award ceremony from Billerud were President & CEO Per Lindberg, Business Area Director Johan Nellbeck and Billerud's local sales representative Allen Lu.

"The interest in our FibreForm product and the reception it received in China is tremendous and we're looking forward to building many new relationships in the country in the future. This is just the beginning,"

says Johan Nellbeck, Business Area Director, Packaging & Speciality Papers.

Billerud has been selling paper and pulp in China since the 1980s and has had sales offices in Shanghai since 2004.

For further information about the exhibition:

www.propakchina.com (http://www.propakchina.com/)

Billerud FibreForm® - the formable paper

The secret behind FibreForm is its high degree of elasticity, which opens the door to a wide range of applications. Unique packaging solutions with exciting, natural forms and deep embossing can be developed using the paper. FibreForm can compete with plastic in areas where this has previously not been possible.  The paper also has considerable environmental value. FibreForm is made of 100 percent primary fibre and is approved for direct contact with food. FibreForm is FSC certified.

For further information about the exhibition:

www.propakchina.com (http://www.propakchina.com/)

Billerud FibreForm® - the formable paper

The secret behind FibreForm is its high degree of elasticity, which opens the door to a wide range of applications. Unique packaging solutions with exciting, natural forms and deep embossing can be developed using the paper. FibreForm can compete with plastic in areas where this has previously not been possible.  The paper also has considerable environmental value. FibreForm is made of 100 percent primary fibre and is approved for direct contact with food. FibreForm is FSC certified.

For further information, please contact:

Per Lindberg, President & CEO, +46 (0)8-553 335 01

Johan Nellbeck, Business Area Director, Packaging & Speciality Paper,+46

(0)8-553-336 04

www.billerud.com/fibreform (http://www.billerud.com/fibreform)

Billerud's Interim Report for January-June 2010 will be published on Thursday July 22 at approximately 10.30 CET.

At 13.00 CET on the same day, Per Lindberg, President and CEO, and Bertil Carlsén, CFO, will present the Interim Report at a press and analyst conference. The presentation will be held in English and will be followed by a Q&A session. The presentation material will be available at Billerud's website.

Venue: Spårvagnshallarna, Birger Jarlsgatan 57 A, Stockholm.

To participate, please e-mail Mikael Nilimaa at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or call +46 (0)7026 99 322.

The press and analyst conference can also be viewed live on Billerud's website www.billerud.com (http://www.billerud.com/). You may also participate by telephone. Dial-in-number:

Swedish number:  +46 (0)8 50 520 270

UK number:  +44 (0) 207 509 5139

US number:  + 1 718 354 1226

Welcome!

Solna, 1 July 2010

Billerud AB (publ)

Per Lindberg

President and CEO

For further information, please contact:

Sophie Arnius, Investor Relations Manager, +46 8 553 335 24, +46 70 590 80 72

CCT10 is a new test method developed by Billerud in order to measure true paper performance of corrugated board. This is a further step towards the company's vision of setting the global packaging standard.

Billerud has taken the standardised method used by the industry, CCT, and developed it so that it more accurately simulates demanding transportation in real life. Our method, CCT10, subjects the paper to an even, constant load over a period of 10 days and in conditions of high humidity. The specification indicates the weight a paper can withstand in these demanding conditions. The test reveals significant differences between the strength and endurance of different qualities - differences that the traditional test does not show as clearly.

Billerud Box Lab has the capacity to tests boxes and papers using CCT10.
Box Lab has several compression testers and a climate chamber, which can be adjusted for humidity and temperature. It also has the technical competence needed to analyse the results and, when necessary, propose improvements. Billerud welcomes paper and packaging manufacturers and users of packaging solutions to test their materials in Box Lab.

"We know that packaging-related losses can be reduced substantially by taking the actual demands in the delivery chain into account. We want to help industry develop better solutions. Billerud's goal is to introduce a new standard that specifies how well a quality performs in the real-life conditions of demanding transportation", says Lennart Eberleh, Business Area Director, Billerud Packaging Boards.   

The traditional test for paper used in corrugated board, CCT, which is used by paper manufacturers all over the world, involves crushing the material using a compression tester. The material's specification is determined by the peak load it can withstand before collapsing, without taking into account the relevant climates and transport times.

For further information, please contact:

Lennart Eberleh, Business Area Director, Billerud Packaging Boards, phone +46 555 41037