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Reported insider trading since the last issue of PaperMoney.

In 2023, Georgia-Pacific, a major manufacturer of toilet paper and other paper-based products, reinvested some $2 billion into its operations. According to the company, the capital improvement projects include finishing new facilities and enhancing existing operations.

Overall, Primestone believes the Westrock transaction "risks deteriorating SKG's business profile" by creating a higher-cost, less integrated company whilst "increasing leverage for modest financial benefits for SKG's shareholders."

Following the announcement of the Napi mill closure in June this year, Stora Enso has systematically ceased all ongoing operations at the site.

One Georgia-Pacific employee had to be treated at the scene, but that was the only injury according to officials.

Kronospan announced the closing of its purchase of Roseburg's Simsboro, Louisiana, particleboard facility following the expiration of the required regulatory review period. Ownership of the plant has been transferred from Roseburg Forest Products to Kronospan.

Chilean industrial conglomerate Empresas Copec announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to sell some of its forestry businesses to Brazilian pulp and paper company Klabin in a deal worth some $1.16 billion.

Rayonier Inc. announced the completion of its previously announced disposition of 55,000 acres of timberland in Oregon to Manulife Investment Management on behalf of clients for $242 million (~$4,400 per acre), subject to customary prorations and closing costs.

Salinas Fire crews are cleaning up after a fire destroyed the Georgia Pacific Packaging building in South Salinas Dec. 15.

Mark Holbrook began his career 25 years ago with Scott Paper and continued to progress to more senior positions within Kruger Products.

Metsä Group is exploring possibilities to construct a carbon capture facility at one of its pulp or bioproduct mills. The investigation is a continuation of the work initiated in the spring, in which Metsä Group and Fortum jointly studied the capture of wood-based carbon dioxide and its use in the chemical industry and hydrogen economy, for example.

OK, students, it is time to learn the name "Primestone Capital."

The PM40 closed Friday, 29 December 2023, at 5453.

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 29 December 2023 up 6.6% from the 30 December 2022 level.

In this issue of Disconnected Comparisons, we evaluate WestRock and Louisiana Pacific.

Suzano, the global leader in eucalyptus pulp production, has announced price increases for its pulp effective from January across various markets. For China, the price increase will be $10 per ton, while for North America and Europe, the increment will be $80 per ton. The price in North America will reach $1,330 per ton, and in Europe, $1,140.

Andritz has received an order from Papel Prensa S.A. to supply a complete old corrugated containers (OCC) line including a reject handling system to its mill in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Start-up is scheduled for the Q1 2024.

Toscotec will supply an entire dryer section rebuild to Hamburger Turkey, part of the Hamburger Containerboard Group, at their paper mill in Çorlu in Northern Turkey. The project focuses on their containerboard machine (PM3) and is planned for the end of 2024.

Valmet has entered into an agreement to acquire Demuth, a Brazilian company specializing in wood handling solutions for the pulp industry. This acquisition will strengthen Valmet's wood handling technology offering and services presence in South America.

Shandong Huatai Paper has successfully started up a mechanical pulping line rebuilt by Andritz at the mill in Dongying, Shandong Province, China.

BTG Group plans to acquire FITNIR Analyzers Inc. FITNIR specializes in pulp liquor property measurement (on-line and bench top units), which complements BTG's offerings in Cooking, Bleaching and Chemical Recovery.

Antti Salminen has been appointed President and CEO of Kemira as of February 12, 2024. Petri Castrén will continue as the Interim President and CEO until February 12, 2024, after which he will continue as the CFO of Kemira.

Nordic Paper has selected AFRY as its engineering and project management partner for the strategic investment projects at its Bäckhammar mill in Sweden. The projects include a new wood room and a new electrostatic filter.

The companies will collaborate to offer effective solutions combining Saipem's technologies for CO2 management with the heat recovery and flue gas treatment units engineered and produced by Valmet for the pulp, paper and energy segments, thus bringing integrated and flexible options to their customers in both existing and new facilities.