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The PM40 closed Friday, 11 August 2023, at 5163.

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

In this issue of Disconnected Comparisons, we evaluate 3M and Quad.

The PM40 closed 11 August 2023 down 7.7% from the 12 August 2022 level.

CENIBRA is a 50-year-old pulp and paper company in Minas Gerias, Brazil, that maintains exceptionally high standards, and goes beyond what most other pulp and paper companies do. Ronaldo Ribiero, Head of the Department of Information and Technology, shares with us his insider's experience today.

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 150 papermaking innovators and legends have been enshrined. This month, we profile the late Alf de Ruvo, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Government is not helping

Andritz has received an order from Andhra Paper Limited in Rajahmundry, India for a recovery boiler upgrade and sustainable technologies to increase capacity and reach environmental goals at the mill.

International technology group Andritz has received an order from Stora Enso to optimize the fiberline at the Enocell pulp mill in Uimaharju, Finland.

CenturyPly successfully produced first fibers with its recently installed Andritz pressurized refining system at its medium-density fiberboard (MDF) production plant in Punjab, India.

HKB-Hoa Lu Paper Co., Ltd. has successfully started up an OCC (old corrugated containers) line and a reject treatment system delivered by Andritz at its mill in Nho Quan District, Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam.

A few years ago, Sappi launched a multi-year modernisation plan to improve both production and paper quality of its Tugela mill, based in Mandeni in KwaZulu-Natal.

The upgrade will take place during the mill's annual shutdown in October 2023.

The Lenzing Group has again been awarded platinum status in the EcoVadis CSR rating. Covering the most important areas of corporate social responsibility--environment, fair working conditions, human rights, as well as ethics and sustainable procurement--it is the third time it has won the distinction from among 100,000 companies. This puts Lenzing among the top 1 percent of companies being reviewed.

Designation ranks LP among America's top companies, highlighting its efforts to foster a safe, inclusive work environment where every team member can grow, thrive and belong.

The hard work by all of our employees at SNA not only exceeded our expectations for safety and prosperity, but also resulted in one of our company's most successful years.

EcoVadis has recognised UPM with a platinum score based on the company's sustainability performance in the following four categories: Environment, Labour and human rights, Ethics and Sustainable procurement.

Essity has appointed Sandra Åberg as Vice President and Head of Investor Relations, effective September 1, 2023. Sandra is currently Director Investor Relations at Essity. The current Head of Investor Relations, Johan Karlsson, will assume the role of Vice President Business Control at Essity.

Suzano, the world's largest producer of hardwood pulp, and Sofidel, a leading European tissue paper producer, announce "Together we plant the future", a landmark three-year pilot project which will advance ecological conservation and restoration, alongside supporting socio-economic development in the Amazon region in Brazil.

Under the agreement, LP to continue to manufacture and sell LP WeatherLogic® Air & Water Barrier.

The investment will be financed by bank loans and equity and is expected to be completed during the first half of 2025.

The Cerrado Project will produce 2.55 million tons of pulp a year, increasing Suzano's market pulp installed production capacity to 13.5 million tons a year.

Shareholders to Receive $170 Per Share in Cash

DS Smith, a leading sustainable packaging provider, announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Bosis doo, a high-quality packaging company in Serbia.

First Quality Enterprises, LLC announced the successful closing of its previously announced acquisition of Domtar Corporations' pulp mill located in Dryden, Ontario, Canada. The Dryden Mill produces high quality Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft pulp for customers in North America.

The proposed acquisition is expected to add approximately $200 million in sales, $30 million in Adjusted EBITDA and will support strategic priorities of increasing integration rates and expanding customers and categories.

Hood Container Corporation has acquired the corrugated packaging business of Dalton, Georgia based Sustainable Printing LLC. The transaction includes all printing, converting, and ancillary equipment located in Dalton. Hood will continue operating these assets in the current facility.

Company intends to use net sale proceeds of approximately $575 million to reduce debt.

Resolute Forest Products Inc., a subsidiary of Domtar Corporation and a part of the Paper Excellence Group, today announced that, on August 1, 2023, it completed the previously disclosed sale of the Thunder Bay (Ontario) pulp and paper mill to an affiliate of Atlas Holdings, pursuant to the terms of the asset purchase agreement dated May 26, 2023.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Hanna processes 300,000 tons of paper annually through its eight recovery facilities across North America. The company employs approximately 200 employees and services over 1,000 customers.

UPM Biochemicals has acquired SunCoal Industries GmbH, a German-based company that developed a unique technology portfolio to produce performance products from renewable raw materials.

Nebel has extensive experience in the pulp and paper sector, having previously served as President and CEO of Verso Corporation.

After more than 12 years as the head of Cascades Specialty Products Group (SPG), President and COO Luc Langevin announced that he passed the torch on July 1st.

Ms. Baker joins Clearwater Paper with extensive finance and executive leadership experience. In her last two roles she served as CFO, first at PGT Innovations and then at Hyliion Holdings.

Alexey Chernyaev began his career with the Company in 2016.

Mark W. Johnson named new Chief Legal Officer and Rajeev Kapur appointed Chief Information Officer.

Timothy Hess has decided to step down from his position as President and Chief Executive Officer for health reasons, effective August 7, 2023. In addition, the Company's Board of Directors announced that following a comprehensive search process, it has selected Ross Bushnell to succeed Hess as Pixelle's President and Chief Executive Officer.

Vida's CEO Måns Johansson has been appointed President of Canfor Europe. Måns has been Vida's CEO since 2019 and before that sales manager for the group. Now he will assume the role of President of Canfor Europe while remaining as CEO of Vida.

Hank Ketcham, Chairman of West Fraser's Board of Directors, announced that Ray Ferris, President and Chief Executive Officer, plans to retire on December 31, 2023.

The Tacoma mill employs approximately 400 people.

Weyerhaeuser Company announced the appointment of James "Joc" C. O'Rourke, President and CEO and a Director of The Mosaic Company, to the company's Board of Directors.

Sappi North America's forest management programs in both Maine and the Upper Midwest offer a wide range of services to landowners to help them manage their forests sustainably.

Sonoco has added two new cold seal structures to the growing family of EnviroFlex® Paper products receiving How2Recycle® Widely recyclable pre-qualification.

Paper recycling rate was nearly 68%. Cardboard recycling rate was more than 93%.

Cascades inc., a leader in the recovery and manufacturing of green packaging and hygiene products, announces that the second paper machine at its St. Helens, Oregon Tissue plant will be closed, resulting in the complete shutdown of the facility. The end of operations will be effective at the beginning of October.

One employee was transported to the hospital to be treated for heat-related injuries.

LP Building Solutions (LP), a leading manufacturer of high-performance building products, announced that Gabriel Farias has been named Vice President of OSB Manufacturing and Landon Stephens as Director of OSB Sales and Marketing Planning.

No injuries were reported. The fire was extinguished shortly after firefighters arrival.

After this accident, people created ruckus by keeping the dead body of the deceased laborer on the road and demanded permanent job and compensation to the affected family.

The company announced in mid-July that it would be shutting down the facility and all other upstate facilities, leaving about 350 employees without work in South Glens Falls. Facilities affected include a warehouse and distribution center in Saratoga Springs and a converting facility in Greenwich.

The curtailment at the Crofton site will be extended to the end of August. This includes pulp, paper and shipping operations. Global pulp and paper prices have continued to decline through July, mainly driven by high inventories and weak demand.