paper, cardboard, packaging, paper machines, tissue, printing
In an economic context that continues to be exceptionally difficult and marked in 2023 by low consumption linked to massive destocking, many pulp and paper companies have seen a turnover decrease in the past year. A record high annual recycling rate indicates the industry’s autonomy and circularity.
Mondi will be showcasing its latest sustainable packaging and paper solutions based on its PERGRAPHICA®, IQ GRASS+ Packaging and IQ Board brands at the touchpoint packaging (tpp) forum at drupa 2024 (Hall 3, Stand B31). These premium papers are uniquely suited to luxurious packaging applications and various types of personalisation, such as laser engraving. At two of the tpp’s five focus areas, Mondi will be addressing a number of sustainability issues, including deinkability, recyclability, cradle-to-cradle certification and consumer trends.
Suffering from an adverse macro-economic context, production of pulp and paper in Europe has experienced a decline in 2023. It was due to several compounding external factors: a poor economic environment, destocking and still high energy costs, as shown by the Cepi preliminary statistics report published today.
Due to uncompetitive wood prices from the Polish State Forests’ monopoly and low market demand across paper and board products, the company decided to significantly reduce the planned multiannual strategic investment project at MM Kwidzyn relating to energy, further pulp integration and the product range, which was announced end of April 2023. Instead, MM Kwidzyn will focus its investments on increasing its already high share of renewable energy of currently 69 % even further.
Arctic Paper S.A. announces that from September 1, 2023, the company's shares will be traded on Warsaw Stock Exchange mWIG40 index. mWIG40 index is successor of MIDWIG index and has been calculated since December 31, 1997 and comprises 40 medium size companies listed at WSE Main List. mWIG40 is a price index and thus when it is calculated it accounts only for prices of underlying shares whereas dividend income is excluded.
Highly dependent on the economic context, the European pulp and paper sector has experienced a slowdown in 2022, particularly in the last quarters of the year. A declining trade balance may point to a decrease in global competitiveness, amid a period of regulatory uncertainty for Europe’s industry overall, and paper and board packaging producers especially.
Stora Enso is planning restructuring actions to strengthen the Group’s long-term competitiveness, improve profitability and focus capital allocation in strategic growth markets. Stora Enso is also taking the next step in driving a decentralised operating model targeting increased customer centricity, business focus and cost reductions. The planned restructuring actions, combined with previously initiated negotiations in the Packaging Materials division, would result in total reductions of approximately 1,150 employees.
Stora Enso has completed the negotiations concerning the consolidation of its book paper production and the permanent closure of one of the two paper machines at the Anjalankoski site in Finland. The closure will take place during the fourth quarter of 2023.
In April 2023, Stora Enso announced a plan to permanently close one of the two paper machines and concentrate all book paper production to one line at the integrated Anjalankoski site due to the prevailing weak paper demand and high input costs.
