Canfor Completes Purchase of Elliott Sawmilling Company Inc.

Appvion Operations, Inc., is launching a line of innovative packaging products under its new MISSION ZERO™ portfolio of sustainable products. MISSION ZERO™ is the umbrella brand for Appvion's newly engineered products to enhance sustainable packaging design by providing functional materials and systems that are addressing key issues of sustainability and recyclability. The MISSION ZERO™ products are designed to enable transformation, innovation, and optimization in the paper packaging value chain, and provide for a closed loop system and circular economy for consumer packaging, food service, industrial packaging and communication papers. "First in line under MISSON ZERO™ will be an innovative recyclable cup stock for hot and cold beverages that meets widely recognized industry standards for sustainable packaging in food and beverage , most notably the use of renewable, recyclable and responsibly sourced materials." said Jorg Schneewind, President of Appvion Packaging and Specialty Coatings.

•August uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments increased year-over-year for the first time since August 2016. The August shipments of UFS also hit the highest monthly total since March 2016. Imports of UFS decreased by 28% year-over-year in July – the second consecutive decrease of 20% or more. Meanwhile, exports of UFS papers increased 30% year-over-year in July, which is the third consecutive increase of 20% or more. •August shipments of coated free sheet (CFS) papers declined. And while shipments of coated two-sides #1-#2 also decreased year-over-year in August, they still reached the highest monthly total thus far in 2017. U.S. imports of CFS papers decreased 13% year-over-year in July; it is the first year-over-year decline in 2017. Exports of CFS papers increased 11% year-over-year in July, the fifth increase in the past seven months. •Coated mechanical (CM) paper shipments declined year-over-year in August, but reach third highest level in 2017. Imports of CM increased in July, up 11% compared to July 2016, while exports of CM decreased 20% in July. •While shipments of uncoated mechanical (UM) papers declined year-over-year in August, the export data registered a year-over-year increase in July. Imports of UM decreased 3% year-over-year in July while exports of UM increased 10% year-over-year in July – the fourth year-over-year increase in the first seven months of 2017. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Mondi plc (Mondi), a global leader in the production of sustainable packaging and paper, has completed the acquisition of Hinton Pulp mill in Alberta, Canada, from West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd (West Fraser) for a total consideration of USD 5 million. The mill has the capacity to produce around 250,000 tonnes of pulp per annum and will provide the Group with access to local, high-quality fibre from a well-established wood basket as part of a long-term partnership with West Fraser. Mondi intends to invest in the mill to improve productivity and sustainability performance and, subject to pre-engineering and permitting, invest in expanding the facility primarily with a new kraft paper machine which will integrate its paper bag operations in the Americas to support future growth.