Massimo Reynaudo, President and CEO, comments on the results: “In Q1, recovering demand and continued successful margin management resulted in improved earnings compared to previous quarters. The destocking that characterised last year was over for all our businesses and most of them improved their performance from Q4. In addition, our transformative growth investments, UPM Paso de los Toros and OL3, delivered good contribution to earnings. Our sales were EUR 2,640 million and our comparable EBIT was EUR 333 million, broadly at similar levels as in the comparison quarters. Our operating cash flow was solid at EUR 335 million and our net debt decreased to EUR 2,312 million during the quarter.

International technology group ANDRITZ received an order from Norske Skog Skogn to supply a thermomechanical pulping (TMP) line for its newsprint mill in Levanger, Norway. The ANDRITZ solution combines secondhand and new equipment to provide a customized package that precisely fits the local conditions. The new line will allow Norske Skog Skogn to change its raw material mix and thus reduce variable costs and the environmental impact of its operations, in particular NOx emissions, fossil CO2 emissions, and landfilled waste.

“ The pulp demand is strong on all markets”, says Henning Ellström, VP Sales and Marketing Pulp. “The price development in Europe has been lagging compared to that in North America and Asia. We want to reduce the gap between Europe and other markets.” The new price on bleached softwood kraft pulp is valid from January 1, 2021.