Mergers & Acquisitions

UFP Industries, Inc. announced that Handprint, the growing home and décor business unit of UFP Retail Solutions, has signed an agreement to purchase the operating assets of Walnut Hollow Farm, Inc. Pending customary closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to close by the end of April 2021.

Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC announced it has completed two strategic investments that will further strengthen its portfolio and enhance service to new and existing customers. On March 31st, Pixelle acquired the specialty paper business Rollsource from Veritiv Corporation. On April 5th, Pixelle acquired the carbonless rolls and security papers business from Appvion Operations Inc.

Essity is acquiring the distribution rights to the wound care technology Sorbact® in Australia and New Zealand from the Australian company Bayport Brands. In 2020, sales of Sorbact® in the region amounted to AUD 1.7m (approximately SEK 11m).

The Ponderay Newsprint mill, which had been one of the largest employers in Pend Oreille County before it shut down, could be sold at auction in April, according to court records. A federal bankruptcy judge on March 18 will consider a motion by Trustee John Munding to sell the sprawling property near Usk during an auction April 23.

Scapa Group PLC said Monday that AMS HoldCo 2 Ltd, a subsidiary of paper materials manufacturer Schweitzer-Mauduit International Inc, has upped its offer for the Manchester-based maker of medical devices and industrial adhesives.

Mittera, a national leader in print and digital communication strategies, has announced its acquisition of select business assets of Creel Printing currently operating in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Fort Dearborn Company announced that it has acquired Hammer Packaging Corporation. The combined organization takes advantage of Hammer's state-of-the-art technology to enhance Fort Dearborn's leadership position in the decorative label and packaging marketplace by further expanding the company's geographic footprint, capacity and capabilities.

UFP Industries, Inc. announced that one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, The UBEECO Group, has acquired the assets of J.C. Gilmore Pty Ltd.

Neenah, Inc. announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Global Release Liners, S.L., the parent company of Industrias de Transformacion de Andoain, S.A. ("ITASA"), from Magnum Capital and other minority shareholders for €205 million in cash. Closing is expected to occur in early April and is subject to customary conditions.

Interfor announced that it has completed the previously announced transaction to acquire WestRock Company's sawmill located in Summerville, South Carolina.

Domtar Corporation announced that it completed the previously disclosed sale of its Personal Care business to affiliates of American Industrial Partners for $920 million. This divestiture is a significant milestone in the Company's strategic transformation to become a leading paper, pulp and packaging company.

Mondi Plc, the packaging and paper group, is exploring a potential takeover of British rival DS Smith Plc, according to people familiar with the matter.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Paul Quinn has suggested that B.C.'s Big 3 could become the Big 2, with Canfor buying Interfor.

International Paper has acquired Berkley International's Molded Fiber (pulp) manufacturing division, Berkley MF LLC, for an undisclosed purchase price. Calabasas Capital served as exclusive financial advisor to Berkley.

Weyerhaeuser Company announced an agreement to purchase 69,200 acres of high-quality Alabama timberlands from Soterra, a subsidiary of Greif, Inc., for approximately $149 million. The acquisition is comprised of highly productive timberlands situated in southwest Alabama, approximately 100 miles north of Mobile.

UFP Industries, Inc. announced that one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, Sunbelt Forest Products Corporation, signed an agreement to purchase the net operating assets of Spartanburg Forest Products, Inc. and its affiliates. The purchase price for Spartanburg's property, plants and equipment is approximately $17 million.

A key investor in Greater Manchester industrial tapes and wound care group Scapa has called on its directors to strike a better deal with its US suitor.

Mill Rock Capital, a growth and operations oriented private investment firm, announced today that its portfolio company Mill Rock Packaging Partners LLC ("Mill Rock Packaging") has acquired All Packaging Company ("All Packaging"), a leading specialty paper packaging company focused on various consumer end markets.

Commercial Development Company, Inc. (CDC) announced the acquisition of a 162-acre retired lumber mill property in Coos Bay, Oregon. The site was acquired by CDC affiliate Coos Bay LLC and purchased from Georgia-Pacific West, LLC. The transaction includes the acquisition of real estate, machinery & equipment, and assumption of environmental liabilities. CDC affiliate Environmental Liability Transfer, Inc. facilitated the transfer of environmental liabilities.

The speculation comes as the company is set to close the sale of its personal care business this quarter and after the company announced last month that CEO John Williams would be taking temporary leave after contracting Covid.

Further to the announcement on December 10, 2020, hygiene and health company Essity has now entered an agreement with hygiene company Asaleo Care to acquire the remaining 63.8% of the shares in the company for AUD 1.40 cash per share. Asaleo Care is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and Essity is the largest shareholder, currently holding 36.2% of the shares.

International Paper has entered into an agreement to sell the Kwidzyn pulp and paper mill and supporting operations to Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG for €670 million (approximately $812 million) in cash, subject to closing adjustments for net debt and net working capital.

Interfor Corporation announced that it has reached an agreement with WestRock Company to acquire its sawmill located in Summerville, South Carolina (the "Summerville Mill") for cash consideration of US$59 million.

Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. has entered into an arrangement agreement with Drax Group plc and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Drax Canadian Holdings Inc., pursuant to which Drax will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Pinnacle in an all-cash transaction valued at C$831 million, including the assumption of net debt and Pinnacle's non-controlling interests in its joint ventures.

A cooperative formed after the closure of Verso's paper mill has toured the facility and filed a letter of intent to purchase the Wisconsin Rapids mill, State Rep. Scott Krug, R-Nekoosa, told the Wisconsin Rapids Together Task Force.