News articles

South Africa: Sappi to buy four M-Real mills for 750 million Euros

Sappi Ltd., the world's largest producer of glossy paper, agreed to buy four paper mills from Finland's M-real Oyj for 750 million euros ($1.1 billion) in the biggest European deal in a year.

Bloomberg.com

Russian log export taxes will raise unemployment in Russia

The Russian Government is trying to assist development of its forest industry by adding export taxes on logs, thereby limiting competition by foreign companies for the Russian timber. But, will the Russian forest industry be able to expand the production capacity and process this wood domestically? Unfortunately, the short answer to this question is: No.

NEWSDESK

India: It is time for the paper industry to go global

India has the potential to emerge as a manufacturing hub for paper much as it is one for automobiles, auto-parts, and pharmaceuticals. Yet global MNCs and investors have overlooked Indian paper sector for long and have preferred other BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) nations. The time is ripe now for them to explore opportunities in India.

The Hindu Business Line

Vietnam: Paper production rolls out as pressing issue

Vietnam is practising an exercise in loss, importing expensive pulp and paper products while exporting wood at low prices. The paradox has been prolonged because most projects to process pulp and paper in the country have been postponed, while local demand continued to rise. Although many investors have poured money into paper mills, they have not invested in producing the raw materials necessary for production. Delayed profits, low productivity and forest fire risks hinder investors from looking into this field.

Viet Nam News

India: Ballarpur to Invest USD 1 billion to raise paper output

Ballarpur Industries Ltd., India's biggest paper maker, plans to invest about USD 1 billion in overseas acquisitions and expanding plants at home to quadruple capacity in five years. The paper maker will double capacity to 1 million tons next year and increase to 2 million tons by 2013.

Bloomberg.com

Thailand: Phoenix eyes 50% growth after capacity boost

Phoenix Pulp and Paper has targeted revenue growth of 50 per cent this year, from Bt4 billion to Bt6 billion, following an increase in its capacity to produce uncoated paper. The company makes wood pulp from eucalyptus trees, and paper produced from the pulp is used mainly to supply the domestic market. However, about 20 per cent of its uncoated paper is exported.

The Nation

India: JK Paper to focus on packaging board

Riding on demand from sectors like media, manufacturing, retail and FMCG, JK Paper is upbeat on the growth of the paper industry. The company said it is consolidating its presence in the packaging board segment, one of the fastest growing categories.

Business Line

Swedish Trade Minister urges Russia to stop raising tariffs on wood exports

Russia increased its tariffs on wood exports in June 2007 and April this year, and has planned a third increase on Jan. 1, 2009. The tariffs have upset Sweden and Finland, home to several of the largest paper and pulp producers in Europe.

iht.com

Russia: UPM and Sveza to invest EUR 1.0 billion in pulp venture

UPM-Kymmene, Europe's second-largest papermaker, and Sveza Group, Russia's largest plywood producer, plan to invest 1 billion euros ($1.56 billion) in a joint venture to produce pulp, lumber and wood panels in Russia.

TheMoscowTimes.com

Wood fiber shortage reduces pulp production in Indonesia

The pulpmills in Indonesia are struggling to supply their mills with wood fiber because the Indonesian police have been clamping down on illegal logging during 2007.

NEWSDESK

EU executive says regrets Russian wood duty hike

The European Commission said on Tuesday it regretted Russia's decision to raise export duties for wood and that the move may harm the European Union's timber industry.

Reuters.com

Russian pulp hurts Stora, rewards International Paper

In the new world order for pulp, Finland's Stora Enso is on the wrong side of Russia. That's making winners out of Memphis, Tennessee-based International Paper and Mondi of Johannesburg.

Bloomberg.com

India: Printing paper to cost less

Prices of writing and printing paper are likely to come down by Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per tonne after Chidambaram announced a 4 per cent excise duty cut on mills using non-conventional inputs.

The Telegraph

Taiwan: Local paper manufacturers to expand in Vietnam

Yuen Foong Yu Paper Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and Cheng Loong Corp., two of Taiwan's leading paper manufacturers, are poised to become the dominant producers of paper containers in Vietnam. Both companies are going all-out to increase production capacity in the Southeast Asian country.

Taiwan Journal

Contributions

Journalists and industry experts are invited to submit articles and reports for publication in this section. Please send us an e-mail.