Reduced pulpwood prices in Sweden, Russia, Brazil and Australia in the 3Q/14 resulted in the lowest Hardwood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) since 2009, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly. With mixed price trends for softwood fiber, the Softwood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) has been fairly stable the past two years.

The costs of hardwood fiber for the manufacturing of pulp have trended downward for over three years. The global Hardwood Fiber Price Index (HFPI), which tracks prices for pulplogs and wood chips in 14 regions around the world, reached its lowest level since 2009 in the 3Q/14 when it fell to $96.76 per oven-dry metric ton (odmt). The biggest declines in prices from the 2Q/14 occurred in Sweden, Russia, Brazil and Australia mainly as the result of a stronger US dollar.

The HFPI index has trended downward for over three years when the all-time high of $117.90/odmt was reached. The largest consumption of hardwood fiber in the world is in Brazil where the pulp production has been on an upward trend for over two decades.

Despite the continued increase in pulp production and the accompanying rise in wood fiber consumption, prices for Eucalyptus logs have not changed much in Brazilian Real terms, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). In US dollar terms the picture is somewhat different, with prices having fallen as the Brazilian Real has depreciated.

The Softwood Fiber Price Index (SFPI), which tracks global prices of softwood chips and pulplogs, has been fairly steady over the past two years, fluctuating between $98-100/odmt. The major changes in softwood prices in 2014 occurred in sawmill residuals in Western US and Western Canada where prices increased, and in Germany and Brazil where prices have fallen this year.

In Western Canada, chip prices have gone up mainly because of higher prices for softwood market pulp (NBSK), to which they often are linked, while recent price increases in Western US have been driven by a rise in the volume of exported chips to Japan.

Although wood raw-material costs for the Russian forest industry have not changed much in Ruble terms, the costs in US dollars for pulplogs have fallen dramatically from the 2Q to the 3Q this year because of the weakening Russian currency. Pulpwood prices have come down to levels not seen in more than six years. Currently, both softwood and hardwood pulplog prices are lower in Russia than in any of the 17 other regions covered by the WRQ (www.woodprices.com).

Global pulpwood and timber market reporting is included in the 52-page quarterly publication Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). The report, which was established in 1988 and has subscribers in over 30 countries, tracks sawlog, pulpwood, lumber and pellet prices, trade and market developments in most key regions around the world. To subscribe to the WRQ, please go to www.woodprices.com

Wood Resources International LLC (WRI), an internationally recognized forest industry-consulting firm established in 1987, publishes two quarterly timber price reports and have subscribers in over 30 countries. The Wood Resource Quarterly, established in 1988, is a 52-page market report and includes sawlog prices, pulpwood and wood chip price and market commentary to developments in global timber, biomass and forest industry. The other report, the North Americam Wood Fiber Review, tracks prices of sawlogs, pulpwood, wood chips and biomass in most regions of Canada and the US.

KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE: KS) ("KapStone" or "the Company") has announced that its Board of Directors has approved the initiation of a regular quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share. Roger Stone, chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer, commented, "After the successful Longview Fibre acquisition and subsequent debt reduction, management and the board of directors believe that it is financially prudent to return capital to our shareholders in the form of a regular dividend."

Stone added, "Our dividend is sized to keep KapStone well-positioned to fund future acquisitions and internal investment projects." The dividend record date is December 30, 2014, and the dividend payment date is January 12, 2015. Future declaration of quarterly dividends, however, will remain subject to the final determination of KapStone's Board.

About the Company

Headquartered in Northbrook, IL, KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation is the fifth largest producer of containerboard and corrugated packaging products and is the largest kraft paper producer in the United States. The Company is the parent company of KapStone Kraft Paper Corporation and KapStone Container Corporation which includes four paper mills and 21 converting plants, respectively, across the US. The business employs approximately 4,600 people.

SOURCE KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation

Andrea K. Tarbox, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, 847.239.8812

SCA’s Chairman of the Board Sverker Martin-Löf has informed the company's principal owners, that he is not available for re-election at the annual general meetings during the spring 2016 in the listed companies, where he currently holds board assignments.

Stockholm, December 16, 2014
SCA (publ)
For further information, please contact:
Mikael Schmidt, Group Function Legal Affairs, tel. +46-8 788 51 59

NB

This information is such that SCA must disclose in accordance with the Securities Markets Act and/or the Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication on December 16, 2014, at 18:15 CET.

For further information, please contact:
Karl Stoltz, Media Relations Manager, 46 8 788 51 55

SCA is a leading global hygiene and forest products company. The Group develops and produces sustainable personal care, tissue and forest products. Sales are conducted in about 100 countries under many strong brands, including the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and regional brands, such as Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo and Vinda. As Europe’s largest private forest owner, SCA places considerable emphasis on sustainable forest management. The Group has about 44,000 employees. Sales in 2013 amounted to approximately SEK 93bn (EUR 10.7bn). SCA was founded in 1929, has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, and is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm. For more information, visit www.sca.com.

The Board of Directors of Kemira Oyj has decided to establish a new long-term share-based incentive plan directed to a group of key employees in Kemira. The aim of the new plan is to combine the objectives of the shareholders and the persons participating in the plan in order to increase the value of Kemira, to commit the participants to Kemira, and to offer them a competitive reward plan based on earning Kemira's shares. 

The new Performance Share Plan includes three performance periods, calendar years 2015, 2016 and 2017. The Board of Directors of Kemira will decide on the Plan's performance criteria and on the required performance levels for each criterion at the beginning of each performance period. The potential reward of the Plan from the performance period 2015 will be based on the Kemira Group's revenue and on the Group's operative EBITDA margin.

The potential reward from the performance period 2015 will be paid partly in Kemira's shares and partly in cash in 2016. The cash proportion is intended to cover taxes and tax-related costs arising from the reward to the participant. As a rule, no reward will be paid, if a participant's employment or service ends before the reward payment.

The shares paid as reward may not be transferred during the restriction period, which will end two years from the end of the performance period. Should a participant's employment or service end during the restriction period, as a rule, he or she must gratuitously return the shares given as reward.

The Board of Directors recommends that a member of the Management Board will own such number of Kemira's shares that the total value of his or her shareholding corresponds to the value of his or her annual gross salary as long as the membership continues. If this recommendation is not yet fulfilled, the Board of Directors recommends that a member of the Management Board will hold 50 per cent of the net number of shares given on the basis of this plan also after the end of the restriction period, as long as his or her shareholding in total corresponds to the value of his or her annual gross salary.

The Performance Share Plan is directed to approximately 90 people. The rewards to be paid on the basis of the 2015 earning period of the Performance Share Plan correspond to the value of an approximate maximum total of 585,000 Kemira Oyj shares and additionally the cash proportion intended to cover taxes and tax-related costs.

Kemira Oyj
Board of Directors

For more information, please contact

Kemira Oyj

Jukka Hakkila, Group General Counsel

Tel. +358 10 862 1690

Tero Huovinen, VP, Investor Relations

Tel. +358 10 862 1980                                   

Kemira is a global chemicals company serving customers in water-intensive industries. We provide expertise, application know-how and chemicals that improve our customers' water, energy and raw material efficiency. Our focus is on pulp & paper, oil & gas, mining and water treatment. In 2013, Kemira had annual revenue of EUR 2.2 billion and around 4,500 employees. Kemira shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd.
www.kemira.com

Universal Converting Equipment are pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Wilkinson as Sales Executive. Mike has a wealth of experience in the converting industry having worked in senior sales and general management roles for Titan, Atlas, Comexi and Kampf.

Commenting on the appointment, Alan Jones, Managing Director said, “Mike is one of the top salespeople in the industry. His experience and knowledge are second to none. He was responsible for Titan during its rapid growth phase and most recently he has worked for Kampf who are probably the largest worldwide supplier of slitting and rewinding machines. We have ambitious growth plans over the next three years and Mike will help us reach our targets.”

Mike Wilkinson added “When I first visited Universal, I was excited by the potential of their machine range and in particular, their X6 slitter rewinder. I could see the investment that has taken place particularly in the machine and control system design. It was good to see features being incorporated to simplify the operation and maintenance of the machines which others have talked about but Universal Converting Equipment has actually done. Although Universal has always had a reputation for high quality machines its sales effort has been limited. I intend to help Universal grow to be a major worldwide supplier of slitter rewinders.”

Universal Converting Equipment are a fast growing manufacturer of slitter rewinders, rewinding machines, hot melt coating equipment, core cutters and other ancillary systems used in the converting industry. These machines are sold globally. The Universal X6 slitter rewinder is a machine with a compact footprint that has proved particularly successful as a high performance yet cost effective slitting machine for slitting flexible materials. It incorporates automatic knife setting, core alignment, closed loop tension control, additional tension zone through slitting and constant geometry contact rollers to allow high speed operation, minimising changeover time, with consistent high quality output.

related product page here....

For further information contact Alan Jones, (Managing Director) on +44 (0) 1473 403333, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or online at www.universalconvertingequipment.com 

Cascades Inc. (TSX: CAS), a leader in the recovery of recyclable materials and the manufacturing of green packaging and tissue paper products, announces 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.
 
The Cascades boxboard units affected by the transaction are:

• East Angus, Québec, a mill that manufactures recycled coated boxboard for the production of folding cartons. Founded in 1910, it was purchased by Cascades in 1983.

• Jonquière, Québec, a mill that manufactures three-ply coated boxboard from virgin or recycled fibre. Founded in 1963, it was acquired by Cascades in 1984.

• Winnipeg, Manitoba, a plant that manufactures folding cartons. Founded in 1905, it was acquired by Cascades in 2001.

• Mississauga, Ontario, a plant that manufactures high-quality graphic packaging. Founded in 1986, it was purchased by Cascades in 1992.

• Cobourg, Ontario, a plant that manufactures high-quality flexographic boxboard containers. It was built by Cascades in 1993.

 
The five plants affected by the transaction employ in all approximately 670 workers.
 
“Today, Cascades is announcing an important decision that once again signals its commitment to refocusing its activities in the strategic sectors in which it excels. This transaction follows in the wake of a number of other actions taken during the course of the year, with a view to reducing our debt load and focusing our investments in certain core packaging sectors, as well as in the tissue paper and recovery sectors. It is important to take note that today’s announcement does not affect our European boxboard operations,” stated Mario Plourde, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cascades.
 
“The investments made in past years in these boxboard manufacturing and converting units have led to an opportunity to create synergies with a player such as Graphic Packaging. By exiting this sector of activity in North America, Cascades and Norampac are turning a page in their history. We sincerely thank our employees for their loyal services, and we wish them all the best in the future,” added Marc-André Dépin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norampac.
 
The acquisition is subject to standard closing conditions and regulatory review and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015.

Founded in 1964, Cascades produces, converts and markets packaging and tissue products that are composed mainly of recycled fibres. Cascades employs close to 12 000 men and women, who work in a hundred production units in North America and Europe. With its management philosophy, half a century of experience in recycling, and continuous efforts in research and development as driving forces, Cascades continues to deliver the innovative products that customers have come to rely on. Cascades’ shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CAS.

Hugo D’Amours
Vice-President, Communications
and Public Affairs
Cascades Inc.
819 363-5164
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Investors:
Riko Gaudreault
Director, Investor Relations
Cascades Inc.
514 282-2697
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Accrol Papers (Accrol), a leading manufacturer of soft tissue products, has announced the appointment of Peter Cheung as Non-Executive Chairman.

The Blackburn-based business is one of Europe’s largest independent converters of soft tissue products, with annual turnover exceeding  £100m and manufacturing capacity in excess of 80,000 tonnes per annum.  It produces a wide range of household and away from home tissue products for leading retailers and service providers from its purpose-built production facilities.

As a chartered management accountant, Peter has a strong commercial and operational background and brings 20 years’ Board level experience to his new role at Accrol. He has previously held senior executive roles at Fort James Paper Corporation, AM Paper, TMD and Jemella Group branded as “ghd”.  

Peter Cheung said: “Accrol is an excellent business in a very exciting stage of growth. I have significant experience in this sector, and I am looking forward to working alongside the management team and NorthEdge to grow and develop the business further.”

Majid Hussain MBE, CEO of Accrol Papers, said: “We’re very pleased to have Peter on board with the company – he is an incredibly experienced individual who understands the sector we are operating in and who will no doubt bring enormous benefit to the business.”

In July this year Accrol received backing from NorthEdge Capital, the private equity firm focused on investing in businesses in the North of England. The investment has allowed the business to accelerate its expansion programme to increase capacity and support further growth, job creation and product development.

Since July, the business has extended the site to install new machinery, introducing an additional production line that has further increased its manufacturing capacity. 2015 will see the introduction of two more production lines, with further job creation.

About NorthEdge Capital LLP

NorthEdge Capital, which operates from Manchester and Leeds, closed its maiden fund at £225m in March 2013, raising funds from 15 global institutional investors and 16 HNWIs.  NorthEdge Capital LLP focuses exclusively on Northern-based companies seeking equity investments to support MBOs, development capital and equity release and has to date made 10 investments in Accrol Papers, Fine Industries, FPE Global, Help-Link, Jigsaw24, Ramsdens, Roberts Jackson, Solidor, Sumo Digital and Utiligroup.

NorthEdge targets the lower mid-market with investment in businesses with an enterprise value of £10m to £100m, although typical transactions will range from £20m to £75m in value with equity investments from £5m to £35m in any one deal.

The senior team at NorthEdge has over 100 years’ experience in structuring and financing private equity transactions. The firm takes a management-orientated approach with a culture of delivery where smart, opportunistic thinking supported by meaningful due diligence and sound perspectives are valued. It focuses on value creation and capital return to the benefit of all stakeholders.

Stora Enso has signed an agreement to divest its Uetersen specialty and coated fine paper mill in Germany to a company mainly owned by the private equity fund Perusa Partners Fund 2. The cash consideration for the divestment of the shares is approximately EUR 7 million subject to customary closing day adjustments. The loss on disposal amounts to approximately EUR 30 million and will be recorded as a non-recurring item in Stora Enso’s fourth quarter 2014 results. The transaction is in line with Stora Enso’s strategic transformation to a customer focused renewable materials company. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2015 and is subject to regulatory approvals.

The transaction will enhance Stora Enso’s operational EBIT and cash flow from the second quarter of 2015. Based on 2013 annual figures, the divestment is expected to reduce Stora Enso’s annual sales by EUR 155 million. It will also reduce Stora Enso’s annual paper production capacity by around 240 000 tonnes. Uetersen Mill employs approximately 400 people.

Stora Enso will continue to produce specialty papers at Imatra Mill and coated fine paper at Oulu Mill in Finland.

Stora Enso’s previous attempt to divest the mill to Brigl & Bergmeister, an Austrian specialty paper producer, was unsuccessful due to the German Federal Cartel Office’s (FCO) indicated intentions to prohibit the proposed transaction.

About Perusa
The private equity fund Perusa Partners Fund 2, advised by Munich based Perusa GmbH, targets at companies in special situations. Perusa GmbH was set up in 2007. The teaminvests in medium-sized companies or business units of larger corporations, mostly in theGerman speaking region and the Nordics, with the goal of actively accompanying themthrough a phase of transition towards their full entrepreneurial potential. www.perusa.de

For further information, please contact:
Ulrika Lilja, EVP Global Communications, tel. +46 72 221 9228
Ulla Paajanen-Sainio, SVP Investor Relations, tel. +358 40 763 8767

www.storaenso.com
www.storaenso.com/investors

Stora Enso is the global rethinker of the paper, biomaterials, wood products and packaging industry. We always rethink the old and expand to the new to offer our customers innovative solutions based on renewable materials. Stora Enso employs some 29 000 people worldwide, and our sales in 2013 amounted to EUR 10.6 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY) in the International OTCQX over-the-counter market.

Iggesund Paperboard’s 2014 Christmas card takes its recipients on a journey from a forest setting to the city of Stockholm profiled against a sky gleaming with the northern lights. Iggesund has a tradition of using its Christmas card as an ambassador for paperboard as a material and to display various printing techniques. This year’s edition was designed by Papersmyths of Bristol, England, who also managed the production as a whole.

Iggesund continues its tradition of sophisticated Christmas cards featuring an exciting design. This year’s card combines a forest theme with typical Stockholm buildings silhouetted against a shimmering Scandinavian winter’s night, and was designed by Papersmyths in Bristol, England.

The card is in the form of an altarpiece whose laser-cut doors form the outline of a forest. They open to reveal a city skyline in several layers, whose relationship to each other depends on how wide the doors are opened.

“In their turn, the building facades are profiled against a night sky with northern lights,” explained Iain Smyth of Papersmyths. “The shimmering effect is created with a clear holographic twinkling foil, with the moon and stars reversed out. The forest and city silhouettes are finely laser cut and decorated with spot UV ink stars, with Christmas greetings in silver foil blocking to create a really exciting scene.

“I wanted to convey the feeling of both the forest, which is the starting point for Iggesund’s products, and the Scandinavian winter night.”

The card consists of five parts, which were assembled into one unit. The complex assembly was done with the help of a team of undergraduate students in Bristol but the task placed high demands on the participants.

“They needed a combination of deft fingers and good humour to succeed,” Smyth added.

To give the card even more of a Christmas touch, a special envelope was created to underline the idea that this is almost a Christmas present. The envelope has an elegant closure which makes the most of Iggesund paperboard's tensile strength.

The card was printed by Taylor Brothers in Bristol and the laser cutting done by Lasercraft of Huntington, England.

Celupaper S.A., part of Grupo Vual, South American leading regional player producing pulp and tissue, has signed a contract with Toscotec for a new PM3 tissue machine and a rebuilding of the existing PM2 at Papelera Nicaragua in Argentina.

Vual is an Argentinian group, owned by the Speranza family, specialized in the manufacturing and trading of tissue paper products, including napkins, towels and toilet paper, as well as the production of virgin pulp.

Today the group has three manufacturing plants (Jose Juan Yapur, Celupaper and Papelera Nicaragua), one pulp manufacturing plant (Celulosa Alto Vale) and distribution centers located in Santa Fe, Córdoba, Bahia Blanca and Buenos Aires employing more than 700 people.

With these new projects Grupo Vual will reach an annual total tissue production of 75,000 tons.

Based on an intensive energy-saving concept, PM3’s delivery includes the approach flow system featuring ultimate Toscotec technology TT SAF®, a MODULO tissue machine with single-layer headbox, single press configuration and Toscotec steel Yankee dryer TT SYD-2500MM. The supply will also comprise an electrification and controls package, Milltech gas heated hood and steam & condensate system.

Erection supervision, start-up assistance and training services complete Toscotec’s scope of supply.

The new line will enable the optimization of the production cycle, both in terms of flexibility and energy costs, and a production of 50 tons a day of different grades of high-quality tissue. Start-up is foreseen for 2^nd half of 2015.

The PM2 rebuild has been designed to reconfigure the existing Fourdrinier machine. The new TT SuctionPressRoll-SPR820 and the steel yankee dryer TT SYD-2500MM, will be installed within the 1^st Q 2015. The installation will allow to increase the production speed as well as to guarantee a considerable energy savings and improve paper quality.