SCA to increase kraftliner prices by €50 per tonne

The Mayr-Melnhof Group has successfully completed the acquisition of Essentra Packaging, which was agreed in June 2022, following the approval of all relevant competition authorities. The transaction includes 100% interest in ESNT Packaging & Securing Solutions Limited (UK) and 100% interest in Essentra Packaging US Inc (US) and its affiliated companies. With this acquisition, MM Packaging is expanding its range of folding boxes, package inserts and labels for the resilient and profitable healthcare & pharmaceutical market, creating an attractive platform for further growth. Essentra Packaging comprises 21 manufacturing sites in 10 countries across Europe, the US mainland and Puerto Rico, ideally complementing MM Packaging's current position in pharmaceutical packaging in Scandinavia and France. Essentra Packaging employs around 3,500 people and reported sales of around £370m (currently around EUR 410m) for 2021.

On April 20 PCA’s sheet plant in Roanoke, Virginia, hosted 35 students from Virginia Tech’s packaging program for their annual Plant Tour and Social Day. Students toured the box plant, watched a presentation about PCA and enjoyed lunch with employees. In addition to the Plant Tour and Social Day, PCA Roanoke is proud to partner with Virginia Tech in a number of other ways. The plant has hired a number of interns from the Packaging School, some of which have gone on to become PCA employees after graduation.

Metsä Board’s CEO Esa Kaikkonen: “I started as Metsä Board’s CEO on 7 April. The forest industry and Metsä Group are very familiar to me, as I’ve held various duties at Metsä Group over the last 27 years. I wish to thank my predecessor Mika Joukio, who served as Metsä Board’s CEO since 2014. Mika’s profound knowledge of the paperboard market and his ability to build long-lasting customer relationships have played a key role in Metsä Board’s development and transition from a paper company to one of the world’s leading paperboard producers. Uncertainty in global trade policy is at a record high due to the decisions made by the US President, and the operating environment is expected to remain unstable in the near future. In addition, the difficult market situation has weighed on Metsä Board’s profitability for quite a while, and we are far from our long-term targets. However, I recognise several strengths at Metsä Board. Our leading position in premium fresh fibre paperboards, our know-how in the paperboard business, our long-term customer relationships, and our solid financial position offer us a good foundation for business development and shareholder value growth.