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The PM40 closed Friday, 11 July 2025, at 5412.

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 11 July 2025 down 2.9% from the 12 July 2024 level.

In this issue of Disconnected Comparisons, we evaluate Avery Dennison and PCA.

The Trump Administration's executive orders cut across dozens of industries. This searchable tool breaks down the orders and their impact.

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 Christian Schiel who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024.

Do we need more containerboard capacity in the United States?

Yueyang Forest and Paper Company Ltd. has commissioned ABB paper machine drives and laboratory testing systems for a comprehensive paper mill upgrade in China.

Shandong Sun Paper will install cooking, fiberline and recovery boiler systems at its new Yandian pulp mill in Shandong province.

Toscotec announces the acquisition of the brand and intellectual property of the company formerly known as Recard, a long-established company in the sector specializing in the production of Tissue paper machinery. This includes the acquisition of know-how, technical drawings, and any other intangible assets.

Valmet launches Pulp Filtrate Extractor for more precision in pH measurement. It provides the highest availability and most accurate process temperature and measurement conditions on the market, ensuring pH and residual chemical accuracy.

Start-up will be by the end of 2025.

Ahlström Collective Impact (ACI), a joint responsibility initiative by a group of companies and foundations, will continue supporting UNICEF's global education efforts in 2025 and remains committed to advancing children's rights in business.

Essity has, for the sixth consecutive year, been acknowledged for its leadership in sustainability by the global non-profit environmental organization CDP. Essity has been recognized on CDP's 2024 Supplier Engagement Leaderboard list for its efforts in involving suppliers in climate change initiatives./span>

Smurfit Westrock has been included on the 2025 Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's largest and most successful public companies.

Georgia-Pacific's commitment to the safety of their employees is on full display at four of their corrugated facilities after earning recognition from the Fibre Box Association (FBA) for their innovative, bottom-up safety solutions.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company, a global leader in sustainable consumer packaging, announced the release of its 2024 Impact Report. The report highlights the company's progress toward its Better by 2030 commitments announced last year, as part of a multi-year Better, Every Day sustainability initiative.

Since the launch of Domtar Connects, dozens of projects have come to life across North America, from funding school libraries and technical training programs to sponsoring local environmental cleanups and supporting Indigenous community partnerships. At the heart of each initiative is a shared belief: Strong communities create stronger companies.

Innovative board solutions to meet the growing demand for more sustainable packaging in food and beverage applications.

An advanced, PFAS-free self-adhesive solution.

LP wins prestigious industry safety honor for third consecutive year, Jasper mill recognized for safety innovation.

Saica Group has once again been recognized for its excellence in flexographic printing, securing seven awards at the FIA Print Awards 2025 through its operations at Saica Pack Livingston & Saica Flex Buxton. This year´s accolades include two gold awards, two silver awards and three bronze awards, reflecting the group's ongoing commitment to print excellence, technical innovation, and sustainable packaging.

SunCure EcoPlast is a revolutionary new UV ink technology for plastic cup decoration that delivers high adhesion, fast cure speed, low migration properties and the ability to be washed off printed cups in post-consumer recycling processes, thereby improving recycled plastic quality. The inks are designed to be used with automated MX12 dispensing equipment to support on-site blending of spot colors.

The negative comparable operating result was caused particularly by the weak demand for market pulp in Europe and China. The uncertainty caused by US import duties has had a negative impact on the purchasing behaviour of paperboard customers in particular.

Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, announced it has designed and produced a bespoke three-compartment ready meal tray for a new range of single-serve ambient microwaveable ready meals from specialist French manufacturer Cofigeo.

The tribal council signed a memorandum of understanding with Tolko Industries to establish a Lumber for Nations program.

Stora Enso is excited to team up with Novapor in a pilot project featuring our cellulose foam packaging material Papira®.

Asia Pulp & Paper did not respond to a request for comment.

Mother detained at the scene.

The federal agency fined a Washington-based contractor, that employed the worker who was seriously injured, about $13,000, records show.

The man accused of shooting an officer and a Smurfit Westrock manufacturing facility employee in Lower Valley last month was released from the hospital and booked into jail.

Kruger Products Inc. announced that its subsidiary, K.T.G. (USA) Inc. will be investing approximately $35 million in a new converting line for bathroom tissue and paper towels at its site in Memphis, TN. The installation is expected to be completed in Q2/2026 and will create about 20 jobs.

Ahlstrom, a leader in sustainable fiber-based specialty materials, today announces that it has received a binding offer for its Abrasives business unit from Munksjö, a leading international manufacturer of decor paper solutions.

Domtar and Cranberry Business Park Ltd. come to terms over Catalyst Paper Tis'kwat mill site.

International Paper, a global leader in sustainable packaging, today announced the completion of the divestiture of five European plants to PALM Group to satisfy regulatory commitments from its acquisition of DS Smith Plc.

Packaging Corporation of America on July 1 announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the containerboard business of Greif, Inc. for $1.8 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to close by the end of PCA's third quarter, subject to certain customary conditions and regulatory approvals.

Rayonier Inc. announced the completion of the previously announced sale of entities holding its 77% interest in the New Zealand joint venture to a special purpose vehicle owned by an investment fund managed by The Rohatyn Group ("TRG"), a global asset manager specializing in emerging markets and real assets, for a purchase price of $710 million.<

American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Heidi Brock issued a statement in response to H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, being signed into law.

Cascades Inc. announces that its corrugated medium manufacturing facility in Niagara Falls, NY will be permanently closed as part of the optimization of the Company's packaging production platform. Production will end no later than September 3, 2025.

As previously announced, Metsä Group's new President and CEO Jussi Vanhanen assumes his role today, 1 July 2025. He brings to the role extensive international leadership experience, particularly in the forest industry.

Novolex ®, a leading manufacturer in the food and beverage packaging industry, announced that Tamer Abuaita has been appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective immediately. In this new role, Abuaita will oversee all Novolex global operating functions. He will be based in Charlotte, NC and will report to Novolex Chairman and CEO, Stan Bikulege. Abuaita succeeds Doug Owenby, who has served as Interim COO during the company's initial integration with Pactiv Evergreen. Owenby will continue in an advisory capacity.

A unique opportunity to acquire high-capacity paper manufacturing equipment and mill support assets is set to unfold as three leading industrial asset management firms--PPL Group, CRG, and Rabin Worldwide--join forces to conduct a public auction of the former Ponderay Newsprint Mill located in Usk, Washington. The auction will be held online and the two-day sale will be on July 22nd and July 23rd. Pre-Auction offers are encouraged.

To ensure long-term viability, the proposed restructure includes the potential closure of Paper Machine 1, Paper Machine 4, Offline Coater 2, and Sheet Finishing.

Huhtamaki has received the prestigious Gold Medal from EcoVadis for the fifth consecutive year, placing us in the top 5% of more than 130,000 rated companies worldwide.

Mercer International Inc., a global forest products company with operations in Germany, the U.S., and Canada, announces that it has received an updated ESG Risk Rating of 16.8 from Sustainalytics. This updated score reflects continued improvement from its 2024 rating of 17.4, underscoring Mercer's ongoing progress and commitment to ESG risk management.

The ISFC was formed as a new global not-for-profit Association in January 2024.

The Government of Ontario is protecting workers and jobs in the forest sector by investing over $9.1 million in five research, innovation and modernization projects in Eastern Ontario. The investments from the Forest Biomass Program will help boost Ontario's forest sector's competitive advantage by creating new jobs, increasing productivity and opening up opportunities for revenue streams in new markets.

Sonoco joined PSC in 2024 to align its packaging innovations with PSC's mission of advancing sustainable business practices across the pet industry. PSC accreditation is awarded to companies demonstrating tangible progress in environmental stewardship, social responsibility and transparent reporting.

International Paper stated the facility will close on Sept. 1, 2025. As a result, 107 employees -- both salaried and hourly -- will lose their jobs.

As a result of the negotiations, the total reduction of employees is 93 out of original estimation of 123 and made without compulsory redundancies.

The new state-of-the-art mill includes world-leading process technology and production equipment.

Thanks to the swift intervention of the Kreuzau fire department, it was ensured that no fire broke out in the boiler house.

Firefighters were able to get the fire under control in 50 minutes.

Western Forest Products Inc. announced that the sawmill at its Columbia Vista Division, located in Vancouver, Washington, sustained extensive damage in a fire, rendering the mill inoperable.