Major Announcements

The owner, Pixelle Specialty Solutions, announced last year that it planned to close the mill, which employs 230 people. It cited business and financial challenges compounded by the explosion of a pulp digester in 2020. Last month, the company announced the mill would close weeks earlier than initially anticipated.

Södra's new cross-laminated timber (CLT) facility was inaugurated on the west coast of Sweden.

Weitzel to succeed Andrew Wamser as company continues to pursue its strategic growth objectives.

Södra has decided to investigate the conditions for a new large-scale sawmill in Kinda in Östergötland. A preliminary project will be undertaken and serve as a basis for a future investment decision.

The mill employs about 230 people and is the town's biggest private employer. The owners, Pixelle Specialty Solutions of Pennsylvania, had announced in September 2022 that the mill would close, citing economic forces that made operations unsustainable. In November, the date of the closure was set at April 30.

Mercer has promoted its Vice President, Controller, Richard Short to succeed Mr. Ure as Chief Financial Officer and Secretary.

Mercer International Inc. reported that it has signed its first major mass timber project contract with a large consumer products retailer. The project, which is comprised of cross-laminated timber panels, glue-laminated beams and connector elements, is expected to utilize four months of capacity at Mercer's Spokane facility on a one-shift basis over the course of 2023.

The mill, which produced bleached chemi-thermo mechanical pulp, has been through a wave of curtailments since December 2021, first in response to shipping interruptions brought on by severe flooding in the Lower Mainland.

Magnus Örnberg has been recruited as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Södra. He has extensive experience in all areas of finance and most recently served as CFO of SAS.

UFP Industries, Inc. announced that CEO Matthew J. Missad also has been named chairman of the board. The move, approved by the board of directors at their February 2, 2023, meeting and effective immediately, is part of a comprehensive succession plan that calls for both change and continuity: Board Chairman William G. Currie will remain as a director through the end of his term. He then will step down after 54 years with the company. Missad will remain with the Company at least through 2027, as other elements of the succession plan are put in place.

MM Board & Paper will rebuild the board machines in Frohnleiten, Austria; Neuss, Germany; and Kolicevo, Slovenia, during February-September 2023.

Nippon Paper aims to start operating the new plant in December 2024. This investment is expected to increase sales revenue approx. Euro 50 million and provide approx. 60 jobs at full operation.

Menasha Corporation announced that James M. Kotek will retire from his position as President and Chief Executive Officer in March. The Menasha Corporation Board of Directors has appointed Christopher D. Drees to succeed Kotek effective March 13, 2023. Drees will also join the Menasha Corporation Board on that date.

Late last month, the company stated it would conduct a holiday shutdown through the month of January, but the work stoppage will now carry over through the entire month of February.

3M, maker of Post-it notes, industrial coatings and ceramics, is cutting about 2,500 manufacturing jobs worldwide as it looks to align itself with adjusted production volumes.

More than 100 workers in Port Alberni are the latest forest industry employees to face layoffs as Western Forest Products confirms it will not restart its sawmill in that Vancouver Island city.

Holmen plans to invest in increased production and processing of wood products for sustainable construction.

CellMark is introducing a new division: CellMark Packaging & Paper. The division is the result of a merger of its two existing divisions, CellMark Packaging and CellMark Paper.

International Paper announced changes to its senior leadership team today including the retirement of a long-serving executive and organizational shifts to enhance agility in serving customers and driving profitable growth.

The indefinite curtailment of Perry Sawmill will impact approximately 126 employees and will reduce West Fraser's US lumber production by 100 million board feet.

The pulp line is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2023 and is anticipated to impact approximately 300 positions across the organization by the end of the year.

Enviva Inc. announced the signing of a new 10-year take-or-pay off-take fuel supply contract with an existing European customer, extendable for up to five years. Enviva expects to supply 800,000 metric tons of industrial-grade wood pellets per year, with deliveries expected to commence during 2027, subject to certain conditions precedent.

UPM is finalizing the construction works of the new pulp mill in Uruguay and enters the final phases of the project. The start-up of the UPM Paso de los Toros pulp mill is expected by the end of the Q1 2023.

Appvion, a Wynnchurch Capital, L.P. portfolio company, announced today that Paul Charapata, former President and CEO of recently acquired Nekoosa Coated Products, LLC, has been named CEO of the Appvion platform. The current CEO, Laurie Andriate, will transition to the Board of Directors.

Veritiv Corporation announced that Stephen J. "Steve" Smith, the company's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), has informed the Veritiv Board of Directors that he intends to retire from the company in September 2023. Eric J. Guerin, a seasoned finance leader, will succeed Mr. Smith as Senior Vice President and CFO on March 1, 2023.