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The PM40 closed Friday, 12 February 2021, at 4006.

Get the latest PM40 updates by listening to the weekly Nips show and the PM40 Daily Show on Pulp & Paper Radio International.

The PM40 closed 12 February 2021 up 30.4% from the 14 February 2020 level.

In this issue of Disconnected Comparisons, we evaluate Domtar and Kimberly-Clark.

Reported insider trading since the last issue of PaperMoney.

Ladies and gentlemen, the first class of inductees to the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame in Appleton, Wisconsin was inducted more than two decades ago in 1995, and today, more than 140 papermaking innovators and legends have been enshrined. This month, we profile the late Theodore Clifford Kennedy, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.

SCA has awarded AFRY a piping engineering assignment for the Chemical Thermomechanical Pulp (CTMP) production project in Ortviken, Sweden.

Andritz has received an order from Guangxi Chongzuo Lelin Forestry Development Co. Ltd. to supply a chip washing system and pressurized refining system for its production line near Chongzuo in Guangxi province, China.

If you have waste handling needs, Paperitalo recommends Sebright Products of Hopkins, Michigan.

Kadant Fiberline (China) Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Kadant Inc., was awarded an order for two 1400 ton-per-day OCC systems from Shanying Guangdong Paper. The OCC systems will startup in 2021 and produce linerboard and testliner at Shanying's Zhaoqing mill for its PM52 and PM53.

Kadant Solutions, a division of Kadant Inc., launched a doctor maintenance kit. In keeping with the quality and integrity of the Kadant Solutions Genuine Parts program, the kit includes the proper items needed to maintain a doctoring system efficiently and effectively.

Kemira announces a 5-15% price increase for most process and functional chemicals used by pulp and paper customers in the Americas region.

Prodesa successfully commissioned the 325-m2 size belt dryer for the new pellet plant in High Level, Alberta Canada, owned by Northern Pellet Limited Partnership, the joint venture between Pinnacle Renewable Energy and Tolko Industries Limited.

Mr. Petri Paukkunen has been appointed Area President, Asia Pacific Area at Valmet as of April 1, 2021. Petri Paukkunen is currently employed as Vice President, Board and Paper Mills business unit in Valmet's Paper business line. He will be a member of Valmet's Executive Team and report to President and CEO Pasi Laine.

Valmet will supply Valmet IQ Steam Profiler and Valmet DNA Machine Monitoring systems with condition monitoring analysis and diagnosis services to Zhejiang Jingxing Paper Co., Ltd. in China.

The TenderGuard™ product portfolio consists of remarkably soft, comfortable, and protective fabrics. TenderGuard™ BioBased and BioFilter fabrics are designed for civil use and source control for infectious disease.

Paper-based packaging leader, Graphic Packaging International is proud to announce the launch of ProducePack™, a sustainable paperboard packaging range of solutions for fresh produce.

Obtained from 100% recycled fiber, this new paper generates less waste, promoting a circular economy.

Mondi is launching a range of new paper-based release liners which are created using recycled and light-weight materials and provide a more sustainable solution for a range of applications.

In support of the important work underway to advocate for the advancement of diverse talent in the creative industry, Quad is contributing $25,000 to a scholarship program at the Brandcenter at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a two-year full-time master's program dedicated to developing the next generation of creative talent.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced it will expand its North American production capabilities to support the trading card and collectible card game industry.

Sonoco ThermoSafe, a unit of Sonoco and the leading global provider of temperature assurance packaging for life sciences and healthcare, and AirBridgeCargo Airlines, an all-cargo carrier within the Volga-Dnepr Group, have successfully conducted a test shipment with ThermoSafe's new Pegasus ULD®, the world's first passive bulk temperature controlled container for pharmaceutical use that is an approved unit load device.

This expanded grade includes EcoBarrier Plus, a top-of-the-line paper engineered for heavy grease applications, and EcoBarrier Choice, a fit-for-use substrate designed with lighter grease resistant properties. The line extension meets the foodservice and food processing markets' demand for fluorochemical-free (FC-free) paper options.

Sonoco announced it will raise the price for all paperboard tubes and cores by a minimum of 6 percent, effective with shipments in the United States and Canada, on or after March 1, 2021.

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) announced the election of Graphic Packaging International, LLC, President and CEO Michael Doss as the new AF&PA Board Chair and released its 2021 slate of AF&PA Board Officers. Paper and wood product industry leaders participated in the association's Winter Board of Directors Meeting, which took place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kruger Products matched the contribution to the project to bring the total investment to $30,000.

Norbord has been fined $65,000 for a 2018 workplace accident in which a worker was injured by a strapping machine.

The dispute over Eldorado began in September 2018, when billionaire brothers Joesley and Wesley Batista, owners of Eldorado and behemoth meatpacker JBS SA, canceled the sale to Paper Excellence.

In a fourth quarter earnings call on Feb. 2, 2021, Graphic Packaging International announced it would invest $100 million at its mill in Texarkana, Texas.

Paper Excellence has recently invested more than $600,000 in engineering and consulting work focused on restarting the Prince Albert pulp mill. Paper Excellence originally purchased the Prince Albert pulp mill in 2011. It now plans to restart the facility as soon as possible once the current non-compete agreement with the former owner expires in March 2021.

Avery Dennison said it has agreed to acquire JDC Solutions, Inc., a privately owned manufacturer of pressure-sensitive specialty tapes headquartered in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, for the purchase price of $24 million.

A cooperative formed after the closure of Verso's paper mill has toured the facility and filed a letter of intent to purchase the Wisconsin Rapids mill, State Rep. Scott Krug, R-Nekoosa, told the Wisconsin Rapids Together Task Force.

Interfor Corporation announced that it has reached an agreement with WestRock Company to acquire its sawmill located in Summerville, South Carolina (the "Summerville Mill") for cash consideration of US$59 million.

International Paper has entered into an agreement to sell the Kwidzyn pulp and paper mill and supporting operations to Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG for €670 million (approximately $812 million) in cash, subject to closing adjustments for net debt and net working capital.

Ox Industries has acquired Corex US, LLC. The Corex facility, located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin is a manufacturer of spiral wound tubes and cores customized for any application. This facility adds high strength paper core production technology for plastic film and paper mills to the Ox converted product line.

Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. has entered into an arrangement agreement with Drax Group plc and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Drax Canadian Holdings Inc., pursuant to which Drax will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Pinnacle in an all-cash transaction valued at C$831 million, including the assumption of net debt and Pinnacle's non-controlling interests in its joint ventures.

Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC, a leading manufacturer of specialty papers in North America, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the carbonless rolls and security papers business of Appvion Operations, Inc.

The development programme will increase the mill's annual paperboard capacity by approximately 40,000 tonnes.

As a result of this incident, shipments from some of the Company's facilities have lagged production levels. This gap is closing quickly as systems are restored.

Paperitalo Publications CEO Jim Thompson has been calling mills this morning (15 Feb 21) and found general reports of widespread abnormal conditions due to the extremely cold weather. If the mills can get natural gas, they are slowed down, just trying to keep the mills from freezing up. Spot natural gas prices are as high as $300/mmBtu and purchased electricity is on curtailment in many places.

International Paper Company announced the election of Anton V. Vincent to its Board of Directors effective March 1, 2021.

Rengo Co., Ltd. enters into a memorandum of understanding with Taiko Paper Mfg., Ltd. (TPM) to consider supporting the business reconstruction of TPM. TPM filed an application to commence corporate reorganization proceedings in the Tokyo District Court, Japan.

SCA has decided to invest SEK 1.45 billion in the production of chemically pretreated thermomechanical pulp on the Ortviken industry site.

It has been announced that Amcor has been included within the S&P SAM Sustainability Yearbook, highlighting that it is making real progress on its ambitious sustainability goals.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, has successfully developed a new recyclable functional barrier paper range.

The Packaging Corporation of America's Wallula paper mill has been fined $28,500 by the Washington Department of Ecology for air pollution released from the facility's wastewater treatment plant.

Atlantic Printing & Graphics has a legacy of meeting our customers needs and growing right alongside them. As our customers' product lines gain in popularity, we've been able to expand our capacity to stay right in step with them.

Cosmo Specialty Fibers, a specialty pulp mill in Cosmopolis, celebrated a major step last Wednesday toward returning to full operations after an eight-month shutdown caused by overseas market declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

No one was injured after a forklift hit a column, causing the roof collapse. Everyone was safely accounted for upon arrival of the Beloit Fire Department. However, the building sustained massive damage.

Installation of the boilers will be commenced next as the Company will soon participate in the bidding process for urban central heating projects.

J.D. Irving, Limited is working and cooperating fully with NB Public Health regarding five cases of COVID-19 identified at the company's sawmill at St. Leonard, NB.

Mohawk Industries, Inc. announced the appointment of James F. Brunk as CFO, effective April 1, 2021.

Port Huron's mill as well three other Domtar facilities in the US are expected to close in the first quarter of 2021, affecting 780 employees in total./span>

Before the pandemic, Resolute was considering teleworking for its head office employees, explains Yves Laflamme, CEO of the company. "We wanted to do a pilot project, but since the start of the pandemic, we have had our pilot project. We are 100% teleworking and it still works well, "he said.