Sappi Sell Three of Their European Graphic Paper Mills
South African pulp and paper manufacturers Sappi Limited have recently announced their decision to sell three of their European graphical paper mills. The mills that have been acquired by asset management group Aurelius are Sappi’s Maastricht Mill in the Netherlands, their Germany-based Stockstadt Mill and Kirkniemi Mill in Finland. Sappi Limited made the decision to sell the detailed mills after a rigorous strategic review, concluding that they seek to reduce their involvement within the graphical paper segment and look towards building portfolios elsewhere in areas such as packaging and biomaterials.
Read the full story on the recent agreement here
German Paper Market to Face Hard Times
Germany’s papermaking sector is set to be struck with major paper shortages towards the end of this year. Experts have concluded these shortages are due to the continuous rising energy prices and the ongoing threat of bankruptcies of various leading pulp and paper organisations. German media outlets claim the toilet paper segment will be one of the worst affected areas, as production volume has quickly depleted in previous weeks.
Many German toilet paper manufacturers have had no choice but to succumb to unpopular methods of survival, such as price increases and reduced production.
Read the full article for a better insight into the current German paper market here.
Sonoco Increases Scope of European Manufacturing by Acquiring Danish Company
American-based packaging company, Sonoco, announced last month that they have decided to increase their European manufacturing output with the acquisition of sustainably focused paper manufacturer, Skjern Paper. The company, which is situated in Denmark, was established in 1965 and produces paper and board products from 100% recycled fiber. Sonoco’s president & CEO, Howard Coker, stated that the move is aimed at investing in the core businesses as well as exploiting the ever-growing demand for sustainable paper products.
India’s Single-Use Plastic ban Increases Paper Prices
From 1st July this year, India banned the use of various single-use plastic items, such as plastic straws, to help reduce land and marine plastic pollution across the country. As a result of this new legislation, the paper industry has flourished, with the industry witnessing margin increases projected to reach approximately 30%, an 8% rise YoY. The increase in demand for paper products within the Indian market has launched paper stocks to anywhere between 100-200%, with many experts questioning if the industry will be able to sustain this demand.
For more insight from various industry experts, read the full article here
Oman Based Paper Company Announce Investment into Kraft Mill
One of the most successful producers of paperboard in Oman, Keryas Paper Industry, has committed to investment plans for projects in the UAE worth USD 40 million. Keryas are planning on implementing a kraft paper plant in the UAE which forecasts to produce 200,000 Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA). The press release published by Keryas details the project aims to fill the gap in the market for lower GSM ranges. The project has plans to produce various kraft products, which include low-GSM kraft paper used for packaging. Keryas Paper Industry is hopeful that operations will begin within the next 18-20 months.
Learn more about Keryas Paper Industry’s exciting new project in this article from Paper Mart.