Significant capacity expansion plans in South America are set to add between 20 to 30 million metric tons of chemical pulp to the global forest, paper, and packaging (FP&P) market by 2020. This is according to the2013 Global forest, paper, and packaging trend watch: A changing landscape: South America's influence on global markets report released today by the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTTL) Global Manufacturing Industry group.

The report highlights the growing influence of South America on the global FP&P industry as an emerging consumer base as the region's reliance on paper imports to satisfy growing demand is expected to continue.  It also forecasts that South America, with its current investments into state-of-the-art production facilities, could also stake a competitive position in global markets.

"The planned expansions of chemical pulp will likely have a profound impact on the global market and will likely influence strategic investments by producers over the coming years," said John Dixon, Global Forest, Paper, & Packaging Sector Leader, DTTL. "For example, certain European FP&P companies have already made significant investments in South America. The new technology and more efficient processes in the state-of-the-art mills serve as a competitive advantage to companies in the region."

According to the report, seven to eight million metric tons from five South American producers are expected to be available in 2014 targeted mainly for the export market. "With overall global demand light, South America's export competitiveness might be tied to their most significant trading partner, China, in the years to come as China remains the largest global consumer of chemical pulp," said Dixon.

The report concludes that open markets, renewed European and North American consumption, and meeting forecasted Chinese demand are needed to support longer-term growth for the global FP&P industry. Additionally, it discusses South America's potential to emerge as a significant force in the industry, driving other regions to take notice and adapt accordingly.

"The global FP&P companies that have made strategic investments in emerging markets such as those in South America will likely have a competitive advantage as the industry continues to evolve in the future," adds Dixon.

To download the 2013 Global forest, paper, and packaging trend watch: A changing landscape: South America's influence on global markets report, please visit www.deloitte.com/fpp.  

SOURCE Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited

Sappi Fine Paper North America today announced the release of eQ Journal 005:Rethinking Recycling, distinguishing between the facts and general misconceptions surrounding recycling and the paper life cycle. In this fifth edition of the company's eQ series, theJournal sheds light on the benefits of recycling while challenging the common assumption that paper produced with a high percentage of recycled fiber is always better for the environment.

"The use of recycled fiber is not a one size fits all solution. We should examine not just what's in our paper, but take into consideration the sourcing of materials, the environmental impact of manufacturing, and understand what happens to paper as it moves through the life cycle," said Laura Thompson, Ph.D., director of sustainable development and technical marketing, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "With this latest eQ Journal, we invite our community to look at the bigger picture of recycling – the way we do at Sappi – to ensure our industry is putting recycled fiber to its best use, finding the most appropriate options that produce lower emissions and higher yield."

In fact, a study of our Somerset Mill included in the Journal revealed that adding 10 percent recycled content increases the product's carbon footprint by 16 percent, compared to the same product made with 100 percent virgin fiber. More details on the study findings, as well as other industry statistics comparing the carbon footprints of different pulp sources using a comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) can be found in the Journal.

In addition to revealing the trade-offs associated with recycled fiber, this fact-based publication also promotes best practices of recycling, raising awareness of practical ways consumers can reduce their environmental impact of using printed materials. As part of this edition, Sappi provides a series of custom-designed recycling logos available for download on our eQ microsite, inviting everyone–especially corporate marketers and graphic designers–to get creative about promoting the initiative to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

To download a PDF version of Sappi's latest eQ Journal 005: Rethinking Recycling, or access Sappi's new library of recycling logos, please visit Sappi's eQ microsite, home to the latest and most trusted information regarding sustainability in our industry. To request a printed copy of eQ Journal 005, visit 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 +1-800-882-4332.

SOURCE Sappi Fine Paper North America

Hima-Sella’s engineered solution provides Portuguese paper mill with precision safety control and improved reliability.

Stockport, United Kingdom - Systems integration specialist Hima-Sella has, under a contract awarded by Worcestershire-based Cepha Controls, completed the design and configuration of a complex Burner Management System (BMS) for a paper mill in Portugal.

The contract included the provision of two HIMA HIQuad Programmable Electronic System (PES) units; at the heart of a BMS that provides the paper mill with precise burner safety control, improved reliability and greater flexibility.

The two HIQuad units are incorporated into a control panel, designed and manufactured by Cepha Controls, which was supplied to the main contractor Kiln Flame Systems Ltd. of High Wycombe; responsible for the design and supply of an OptiMix GL-X multi-fuel burner, gas and oil valve trains and BMS package for installation on the two lime kilns at the paper mill.

Eddy Turnock, Hima-Sella’s Sales & Marketing Director, comments: “Hima-Sella has considerable Burner Management System experience, having designed solutions for use in oil refineries, gas processing plants and chemical works. We are also seeing increased interest in our programmable platforms, as they afford great flexibility.”

Certified for use in applications up to SIL 3, the HIQuad delivers high reliability, supports the hot-swapping of modules and online programme changes, and is ideal for safety-critical applications requiring high levels of process availability. The unit comprises a 19 inch rack fitted with analogue and digital input modules and line-monitored digital outputs.

During the bidding phase, the customer expressed its preference of the HIMA HIQuad over competitive solutions.

Hima-Sella’s contract with Cepha Controls also included the provision of engineering support, to Kiln Flame Systems, during the commissioning of the system.

It is a blast from the recent past, but NewPage Holdings Inc.’s annual report may hold some interest for Nova Scotians.

NewPage Holdings, the new name of the former owner of the NewPage Port Hawkesbury paper plant at the Strait of Canso, booked an US$18 million gain after the “deconsolidation” of the Nova Scotia plant from its American operations.

In the 2012 annual report of its predecessor company filed over the weekend, NewPage Holdings management said it separated NewPage Port Hawkesbury from its operations in the United States effective Sept. 6, 2011, because it “lost control” of the Nova Scotia plant as part of a settlement agreement under the federal Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.

The Ohio-based company reported a 2012 profit of about US$1.3 billion (US$12.58 per share) on sales of US$3.1 billion. NewPage also reported a loss of US$498 million on sales of US$3.5 billion in 2011 and a loss of US$656 million on about US$3.6 billion in sales in 2010.

Most Nova Scotia taxpayers know the sad story of NewPage Port Hawkesbury and would be happy never to see the name NewPage again.

After NewPage sought protection from creditors in September 2011, it threw the Strait of Canso and northern Nova Scotia into an economic crisis. The NDP government stepped in with $36.8 million to keep the plant on “hot idle” to allow a quick restart of the operation once a new buyer was found.

Eventually, Stern Partners Inc. of Vancouver acquired the paper mill after the provincial government agreed to put up $124.5 million over 10 years. Before that, the workforce and pensioners also agreed to accept major concessions, including a major downgrade of pension benefits.

In its annual report, NewPage Holdings, which emerged from creditor protection in the U.S. on Dec. 21, indicated that as a result of the deconsolidation of NewPage Port Hawkesbury, the company adopted the cost method of accounting for its Nova Scotia investment.

“Upon adoption of the cost method, we evaluated our investment in (NewPage Port Hawkesbury) for impairment and determined that our entire investment had experienced an other-than-temporary decline in value and was fully impaired,” management said.

“As a result of the de-recognition of the assets and liabilities, combined with the settlement payment and fair value of the remaining equity interest, the deconsolidation of the … (Port Hawkesbury) subsidiary resulted in an US$18 (million) gain recorded in reorganization items, net.”

NewPage also says the biomass project it planned to build at the Nova Scotia plant, in conjunction with Nova Scotia Power Inc., was part of the settlement under the arrangement with creditors, and some of the rights were given to Nova Scotia Power.

The power utility and the new owner of the paper mill have now adopted the operating agreement Nova Scotia Power had with NewPage, said the U.S. paper company.

In general, NewPage now says demand for its printing and writing paper products could be adversely affected by the economy and growth in the Internet. In fact, it says economic conditions and shifting consumer preferences have had an adverse effect on NewPage since 2008.

“Although advertising and print media usage began to increase during the second half of 2010 and initial months of 2011, demand began to decline later in 2011 and continued into 2012 due to lower advertising (spending) in an uncertain economy, coupled with a shift to electronic media (both content and advertising),” management said in the report.

source:  http://thechronicleherald.ca  By ROGER TAYLOR | Business Columnist (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.)

“We believe the extraordinary, communicative power of letterpress printing and the community of people who make it happen deserve a special place—The Beauty of Letterpress celebrates and honors the modernity of this 500-year old craft.”

Sawlog prices in North and Central Europe have trended downward the past two years, while prices in Eastern Europe have increased slightly, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly

Sawlog prices in Europe were generally lower in 2012 than in 2011 because of lower log demand from the sawmilling sector, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. Many sawmills on the continent have been forced to reduce production as a result of the weak lumber market. Log prices fell the most in the Nordic countries, while prices in Eastern Europe were steady or even slightly higher toward the end of 2012.

Sawlog prices have trended downward in most major markets in Western Europe the past two years in US dollar terms, but this trend was broken in the 4Q/12 when prices increased slightly mainly as a result of a weakening US dollar. In the local currencies, log prices were practically unchanged in the 4Q/12.

The biggest price declines have been seen in Sweden where pine sawlog prices fell over 15 percent from the 4Q/10 to the 4Q/12 in both the local currency and in US dollar terms.

Spruce log prices have declined over 25 percent during the same time period. In Finland, Germany and Norway, prices have dropped a more modest 5-10 percent over the past two years, as reported by the Wood Resource Quarterly. Sawlog prices fell during 2012 because sawmills were cutting back production in response to the weaker demand for lumber throughout Europe.

While log prices have fallen in both US dollar terms and local currencies the past two years in Northern and Central Europe, prices for sawlogs in the 4Q/12 in Eastern European countries, including Estonia, Latvia and the Czech Republic, were generally higher than in 2011. This development has mainly come as a result of the relatively strong lumber export market which kept the log markets healthy.

The only major market in Eastern Europe where log prices have fallen has been Poland. From the 2Q/11 to 4Q/12, average prices have fallen over 20 percent and the country has now some of the lowest conifer sawlog prices in Europe, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly.

As a consequence of slowing lumber production, log trade declined in Europe during 2012, which also had a dampening impact on log prices on the continent. Net log imports to Western Europe fell from over 14 million m3 in 2011 to an estimated 10.8 million m3 in 2012. Much of the decline in imports was those from Russia and the Baltic States.

Sawlog prices might be close to the bottom in the 1Q/13, and they are likely to remain at these levels as long as the European demand for lumber continues to be weak. Despite the recent price declines, current price levels are higher than the ten-year average in all major markets throughout Europe.

Mondi presents expanded range of digital papers at North Print and Pack trade fair in Harrogate, UK from 14^th-16^th May 2013

The international paper and packaging manufacturer will showcase a broad range of digital printing papers such as the high-white, smooth DNS^® color print, Color Copy, Color Copy for HP Indigo, DNS^® for HP Indigo, recycled NAUTILUS^® grades and off-white BIO TOP 3^® next.

The newly expanded digital printing portfolio from Mondi will be presented at the North Print and Pack exhibition in Harrogate from 14^th-16^th May 2013 on stand A308.

“North Print and Pack is a good opportunity for Mondi to speak directly with printers about their digital printing needs and most frequent applications. We also look forward to introducing to the UK printing market some of our more recent product developments such as DNS^® color print,” commented Johannes Klumpp, Marketing and Sales Director for Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper, Europe & International.

Mondi launched DNS^® color print in autumn of 2012, offering customers an extra smooth paper with a high whiteness level (170 CIE). The paper’s smooth finish combined with its high opacity is ideal for full colour reproduction with duplex printing. With a range of grammages from 80-300 g/m² in A4, A3 (LG/SG) and SRA3 formats, versatility is a prime benefit for printers handling diverse applications from marketing collateral to invitations to business cards. DNS® color print is also suitable for preprint applications such as letterhead and office stationery.

Amongst Mondi’s digital printing papers on display at Northprint, Color Copy and 100% recycled NAUTILUS^® SuperWhite will feature prominently. Color Copy has earned its high-quality reputation in part due to a smooth surface and whiteness level, which are ideal for full colour image reproduction and natural looking contrasts. Moreover, Color Copy is fully CO₂ neutral, from cradle to Mondi factory gate. Mondi also offers customers a CO₂ neutral option for 100% recycled NAUTILUS® SuperWhite and its high-speed inkjet papers. All Mondi-branded papers are sustainably produced and belong to the Green Range of papers that are FSC® or PEFC™ certified, 100% recycled or totally chlorine free bleached (TCF).

Overall the company’s digital printing portfolio has expanded to accommodate new developments in machine technology and printing trends, making it a versatile portfolio for applications that range from photo books, marketing flyers and brochures, catalogues, digital publishing, Transpromo and personalised direct mail.

For more information about Mondi’s digital paper portfolio, please visit: www.mondigroup.com/printing

The organizers of the legendary exhibition PAP-FOR invite you to participate in a new project: Forum PAP-FOR: Sustainability and Efficiency of Pulp and Paper business of Russia.

The forum will take place on 26th of September, 2013, Moscow school of management SKOLKOVO, Moscow. Save the date!

PAP-FOR Forum is the first Russian conference that speaks about sustainability and the effectiveness of PPI Russia.

The mission of the Forum is to gather the largest manufacturers, suppliers of equipment, chemicals, certification organizations, associations to jointly find solutions how to improve business effectiveness and to protect our planet in one place.

Do you want to improve the efficiency of your company? Are you interested in the experience of foreign companies in improving efficiency and sustainability? PAP-FOR traditionally invites the leaders of foreign companies who are willing to share experiences and innovative solutions.

Do you want to hear about the certification of products, forests, supply chains, and how it will affect the profitability of your business? Major corporations, PPI consumers, are willing to tell you why they are ready to pay more for certified products.

Present your innovations! Does your company care about the environment and offer new products and technologies which improve sustainability?

You will be heard by the industry: PAP-FOR events gather leaders and owners of PPI businesses, chiefs of Russian and international trade associations and government officials.