Taylor Swift and American Greetings Agree … 'You Belong With Me'CLEVELAND, November 17 - American Greetings today announced it's bringing one of entertainment's Greif Adds to Portfolio in ScandinaviaDELAWARE, Ohio, November 13 - Greif, Inc., (NYSE: GEF, GEF.B) has acquired privately held Hannells PTT Chemical and SMC to Join Together for Developing Thailand's Plastic Industry Through a Strategic NetworkBANGKOK, November 13 - Mr. Veerasak Kositpaisal, President & CEO of PTT Chemical Plc., and Mr. RISI Identifies 17 Containerboard Machines in Europe with a High Risk of ClosureBRUSSELS - RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, today announces the official publication of a new study titled: “The Western European Recycled Containerboard Risk of Closure Study.” This report analyses the risk of closure for 85 mills and 120+ machines, each ranked by major criteria such as cost position, market prospects for the grade, future regional wood supply, corporate significance of the mill, machine age and machine size. GLV Reduces From 90% to 75% the Minimum Acceptance Threshold for Shares to be Tendered Into its Voluntary Takeover Bid for the Shares of Christ Water TechnologyMONTREAL - GLV Inc. (”GLV”; ticker symbols GLV.A, GLV.B / TSX) announces an amendment to the conditions of its voluntary takeover bid (the “Offer”), launched on October 13, 2009, to acquire up to 100% of the shares of Christ Water Technology AG (”CWT”). Pursuant to this amendment, the minimum acceptance threshold for shares to be tendered into the Offer has been reduced from 90% to 75% of CWT’s outstanding shares. The amendment to the required minimum threshold condition has been approved by the Austrian Takeover Commission. Global trade of wood chips down 26% in 2009 as pulpmills reduce production worldwide, reports Wood Resources InternationalThe international financial crisis has put a damper on global trade of wood chips used for pulp manufacturing in 2009, reports Wood Resources International. The biggest decline has been in shipments from Australia, South Africa and Uruguay to Japan. RISI Announces Winners of the PPI Awards 2009BRUSSELS - RISI is proud to announce the winners of the 2009 Pulp & Paper International (PPI) Awards program. The winners received the good news and their trophies at the PPI Awards ceremony on Wednesday, October 28, in Munich, Germany. Exports of wood chips from Australia have declined 28% in 2009 but the country is still the largest chip exporter in the world, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly.Australia, the world’s largest chip exporter, has reduced Eucalyptus and pine chip exports substantially in 2009 due to weak pulp markets in Japan. In the domestic market, pulpwood prices have increased over 13% in US dollars this year as the Australian currency has strengthened, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. RISI Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of Wood Biomass Market Report LaunchBOSTON - RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, today celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Wood Biomass Market Report. This monthly newsletter remains the only comprehensive source of market information and wood biomass feedstock pricing for the North American biomass market. The Report features monthly updates on North American wood biomass business development & capital investment, government incentives, regulations and policies, and other factors affecting markets. In addition, the Wood Biomass Market Report provides detailed monthly market reviews for several North American regions, regional feedstock price charts showing five-quarter trends for wood biomass, North American wood biomass pricing indices and a listing of new wood biomass projects — each listing includes specifics on wood consumption, expected output, start dates, and development cost. Gautam Thapar, Chairman and CEO of Avantha Group and Parent Company of Ballarpur Industries (BILT), to Deliver Keynote Speech at RISI Indian SeminarNEW DELHI - RISI today announced that Gautam Thapar, Chairman & CEO of Avantha Group, will head up the program as the keynote speaker at RISI’s inaugural Indian Seminar. The Avantha Group is the parent company of Ballarpur Industries Limited (BILT), one of the major paper producers in the Indian and South East Asian markets. The event, which will focus on the challenges and opportunities in the Indian pulp and paper markets, is scheduled to take place on December 3, 2009 at Le Meridien in New Delhi, India. Christ Water Technology’s Management and Supervisory Boards Support GLV’s Voluntary Takeover BidMONTREAL - Management of GLV Inc. (”GLV”; ticker symbols GLV.A, GLV.B / TSX) is pleased to announce that the Management and Supervisory Boards of Christ Water Technology AG (”CWT”; ticker symbol CWT / Vienna Stock Exchange) have issued a statement recommending that CWT’s shareholders accept GLV’s voluntary takeover bid (the “Offer”), effective since October 13, to purchase up to 100% of CWT shares for a cash consideration of EUR3.35 per share. As indicated in their statement, the Management and Supervisory Boards of CWT are of the opinion that the offered price is appropriate and fair and that the Offer fairly takes into consideration the interests of the shareholders, employees, and creditors, as well as the public interest. Canadian Forestry Leader Urges Ambitious Global Action to end DeforestationBUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Avrim Lazar, President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and Chair of the United Nations Advisory Committee on Paper and Wood Products (ACPWP), came out yesterday in strong support of the WWF’s call-to-action to stop global deforestation saying the challenge could go even further by including a call to end illegal logging - one of the key contributors to global deforestation. Imports of logs, lumber and pulp to China increased substantially in the 2Q/09 as the country’s economy grow by almost 8%, reports the Wood Resource QuarterlyChina became the major import destination for many globally traded forest products in 2009. The country is the world’s largest importer of wood pulp and logs, and was the 2nd largest importer of softwood lumber in the world in the 2Q/09, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. Sweden consumes more than 20% of the world’s wood pellets and demand is growing, reports the Wood Resource QuarterlyThe decision by EU to use a minimum of 20% renewable energy by 2020 has driven a rapid increase in wood pellet production in Europe. Sweden, Germany, Denmark and the UK are expected to have the fastest growth in consumption the coming 10 years, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. Antonio Maciel Neto of Suzano Wins Nomination for RISI’s 2009 Latin American CEO of the YearSAO PAULO - RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, today announced that Suzano’s Chief Executive Officer, Antonio Maciel Neto, has been selected as Latin American CEO of the Year for 2009. Wood costs were 53% of the total production costs for pulp mills worldwide in the 1Q/09, reports the Wood Resource QuarterlyThe largest cost component when manufacturing wood pulp is the cost of wood fiber. In the 1Q/09, this cost was 53% of the total production cost worldwide. Both the relative and nominal cost of wood have declined the past year; wood fiber costs in the 2Q/09 were at their lowest levels in over two years, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly. Pulpmills in the US South had some of the lowest wood fiber costs in the world in the 2Q/2009, reports the Wood Resource QuarterlyThe US South has the largest pulp industry in the world and this industry has enjoyed low wood raw-material costs for a very long time. This trend continued in 2009, with wood chip and pulpwood costs that were substantially lower than global average costs, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly. Wood costs for pulpmills in Sweden and Finland have fallen over 30 percent the past 12 months, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly.Wood prices in Sweden and Finland fell faster than the global average price the past year as a result of reduced operating rates for pulp mills in those two countries. Despite this precipitous drop in wood cost (more than 30%), the Nordic region still has one of the highest wood fiber costs in the world, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. The black liquor tax credit in the US has limited the fall of wood chip and pulpwood prices in the 2Q/09, reports the North American Wood Fiber ReviewIn 2008, US pulp companies started to take advantage of a loophole in the US tax law, which will result in an influx of billions of dollars to a struggling industry. As a consequence, prices for wood chips and pulpwood in the US have not fallen as much as they would have without the subsidy, reports the North American Wood Fiber Review. Global sawlog prices close to five-year low because of weak lumber markets in the 2Q/09, reports Wood Resource QuarterlyPrices for softwood lumber have fallen in most markets worldwide the past year, including in Europe, North America and Japan, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. The weak lumber markets have pushed sawlog prices close to a five-year low. The Brazilian pulp industry increase production and pulpwood costs are going up in 2009, reports Wood Resource QuarterlyBrazil increased pulp production in 2008 by about eight percent. Wood fiber costs have remained unchanged in the local currency in the 2Q/09 but were eight percent higher in US dollar terms as compared to the previous quarter, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly. New RISI Report Provides New Statistics for Recovered Paper, Pulp, Paper and Board for Over 170 CountriesBOSTON - RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, today announced the publication of the New Annual Review of Global Pulp and Paper Statistics. This new release includes two years of historical data for fiber, paper and board production, imports, exports and apparent consumption by region and country. The NEW Annual Review has been crosschecked and standardized by RISI economists, ensuring more balanced, and harmonized data than in previous editions. The 2009 Edition is consistent, easily comparable and more reliable than ever before. DuPont Titanium Technologies Announces a Price Increase for Ti-Pure(R) Titanium Dioxide Products in Europe, Middle East and AfricaWILMINGTON, Delaware - DuPont Titanium Technologies (DTT) announced a price increase for all DuPont(TM) Ti-Pure(R) titanium dioxide (TiO2) grades sold in Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions. RISI Appoints Two to Senior Economic Analysis RolesBOSTON - Release Highlights: –Rod Young, former founder, CEO, and RISI Chairman takes on role of Chief Economic Advisor –Lynn Michaelis, 35 year industry veteran and Weyerhaeuser Chief Economist to drive RISI’s housing and macroeconomic forecasts and provide consultative services with clients Important Notice: Not For Distribution In Or Into, Or To Any Person Located Or Resident In Or At Any Address In, The Republic Of ItalyPHILADELPHIA - - Crown Holdings, Inc. Announces Final Results of Tender Offer for Any and All First Priority Senior Secured Notes Due 2011 New RISI Global 15-Year Packaging Outlooks Show Containerboard Demand Growth to Average 1.4% in North America, 5.6% in Asia and 6.6% in China Through 2024BOSTON - Forecast Highlights: North America - Bans on plastic bags not expected to lead to revival in paper bag markets, as reusable bags are quickly gaining a foothold in many markets. - Competition from alternative packaging products will continue to restrain domestic boxboard demand growth for the next 15 years - no more than 3% demand growth by 2024. Asia - Asian boxboard consumption ratio to favor virgin grades as the booming middle class in the region will buy more high-quality packaged products. - Major producers in the region will enjoy better profit margin on virgin containerboard grades. New capacity from China will also concentrate on the virgin grades. Europe - Despite 4% annual growth over the next 15 years, limited investment on the Eastern Europe cartonboard capacity base should result in net imports increasing by 60% relative to 2008 level. - Construction of two new recycled containerboard mills in eastern Europe is not expected to significantly threaten the western European suppliers as the region is expected to continue to run substantial trade deficit. RISI Confirms Speakers For Free Afternoon Seminar At 2009 Pulp & Paper International (PPI) AwardsBRUSSELS - RISI today announced that a number of top industry experts will be speaking at the free RISI Seminar on October 28, 2009 in Munich, Germany. The seminar will take place in the afternoon, before the 2009 Pulp & Paper International (PPI) Awards Gala Dinner. Securit | Shred-it Names Vincent R. De Palma to Serve as President and Chief Executive OfficerOAKVILLE, Ontario - Securit | Shred-it, a world-leading information security company, announced today that its board of directors has named Vincent R. De Palma to serve as the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Securit | Shred-it has been operating under interim leadership since the death of the company’s founder, Greg Brophy, in September 2007. RISI Announces New Leadership for Lumber, Wood Panels and Timber Forecasting ServicesBOSTON - Release Highlights: - Bob Berg returns to head up Lumber Practice - Bernard Fuller to assume lead of Wood Panels Practice - Peter Barynin rejoins to run Timber Practice RISI’s Latin American Conference Assesses the Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Region’s Pulp and Paper SectorSAO PAULO - - High-level industry players join the list of speakers for the Sao Paulo event VMT Ecopack Group Awarded by Frost & Sullivan for Outstanding Growth Strategy LeadershipLONDON - The 2009 Frost & Sullivan Growth Strategy Leadership of the Year Award is presented to VMT Ecopack Group in the European automotive packaging market. New RISI Global 15-Year Paper Outlooks Shows Demand in North America and Western Europe to Shrink 23% and 20%, while Eastern Europe and Asia Grows 49% and 39% RespectivelyBOSTON - Forecast Highlights: - Countries such as the United States, England and Japan show the largest contractions while China and India show the largest gains. Doyle R. Simons of Temple-Inland Wins RISI’s North American CEO of the Year AwardBOSTON - RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, today announced that Temple-Inland Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Doyle R. Simons has been selected as this year’s RISI North American CEO of the Year for the forest products industry. RISI Power List 2009 Reveals Top 50 Influential People in the Pulp & Paper IndustryBOSTON - RISI announced today that two-time RISI Latin American CEO of the Year, Jose Luciano Penido of Votorantim Celulose e Papel (VCP) tops the list of the most influential people in the pulp & paper industry. RISI published the industry’s second annual Power List in the July issue of Pulp & Paper International (PPI) Magazine. RISI Announces Finalists for the 2009 Pulp & Paper International (PPI) AwardsBRUSSELS - RISI today announced the finalists for the 2009 Pulp & Paper International (PPI) Awards program. The PPI Awards will honor leadership, vision, innovation and strategic accomplishments of companies, mills and individuals within the global pulp and paper industry. |
