Genera, a US manufacturer of domestically sourced and produced ag-based pulp and molded fiber products, has named Timothy Watkins and Tyler Winston to two top engineering positions at the company's East Tennessee facility. The announcement marks continued progress toward full production of Genera's innovative Earthable® line of sustainable, ag-based fiber products later in 2020. Genera will manufacture molded fiber food service products like plates, bowls, and takeout containers. These products will be fully biodegradable and compostable.

Sylvamo is making significant progress on $145 million in high-return projects at its South Carolina facilities.  The investments will improve long-term efficiency, lower costs and increase capacity at the company’s Eastover, South Carolina mill, only strengthening its position as one of the most competitive paper mills in the world.  These projects are part of an overall strategy to invest in low-risk, high-return projects that strengthen business and create long-term value. The $100 million project to optimize and speed up the No. 2 Paper Machine remains on schedule, with most work planned during the extended fourth-quarter maintenance outage. Once complete, this project is expected to improve flexibility, reduce costs and enhance product mix across both paper machines, resulting in approximately 60,000 additional short tons of uncoated freesheet annually.

UK paper making has been dealt a further blow after Arjowiggins Group’s UK operations – including the historic mills at Stoneywood and Chartham – were placed into administration after the business became unsustainable in the face of spiralling costs for energy and raw materials. Administrators Blair Nimmo and Alistair McAlinden from Interpath Advisory were appointed joint administrators at ten Arjowiggins Group UK subsidiary companies on the afternoon of 22 September 2022. An MBO team acquired the business and assets of the Arjowiggins Fine Papers and Arjowiggins Chartham businesses in September 2019, just a few months before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. The deal came about after a complex saga involving the insolvency of its former French parent group and was supported by Scottish Enterprise, which provided £7m of funding. The Stoneywood mill has been making paper since 1770 and specialises in fine papers, while Chartham has been in operation since 1738 and makes translucent papers. Stoneywood’s brands for graphics and packaging include Conqueror, Curious Collection, Keaykolour and Delos. It had also diversified into making casting papers, security papers and smart papers for printed electronics.