Canfor Pulp Announces Production Curtailment at Taylor Pulp

WestRock announced that it has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America) and Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for 2020, in recognition of its commitment to sustainable business practices. The Index is a widely recognized standard for measuring and advancing corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices across all industries. DJSI North America recognizes the top 20 percent of sustainability performers among the 600 largest U.S. and Canadian companies. DJSI World tracks the performance of the top 10 percent of the 2,500 largest companies in the S&P Global Broad Market IndexSM that lead the field in terms of sustainability.

UPM and the Paperworkers’ Union have not been able to come to new collective labour agreements. Today, the union turned down four settlement proposals submitted by the conciliator. The exceptionally long strike at UPM Pulp, UPM Communication Papers, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Raflatac and UPM Biofuels units in Finland continues. “We are deeply disappointed in the decision of the union and in the continuation of the strike that has already lasted 3,5 months. UPM has been negotiating with an earnest mind and made several compromises. We also accepted the conciliation proposals. Modernising the agreement stemming from 1940’s would be important both for the employees and the company,” says Jyrki Hollmén, Vice President, Labour Markets at UPM. “It is very disappointing that after intensive negotiations, no business was able to reach a conclusion. Petri Vanhala, chairman of the Paperworkers’ Union, confirmed in the mediation of all businesses that each business can be agreed separately. The mediation found settlement proposals for four businesses that took the needs and wishes of both parties into account. We were confident that both parties undertook to accept these settlement proposals and industrial peace would resume. Now that the union has turned down the once drafted proposals, our businesses will make a fresh start," Hollmén continues.

According to the January 2018 Printing-Writing monthly report from the American Forest & Paper Association, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased five percent in January compared to January 2017. A small increase in shipments of uncoated free sheet was not enough to offset the year-over-year declines in January for the other three grades. Total printing-writing paper inventory levels decreased one percent from December 2017. Imports of printing-writing papers finished 2017 five percent lower than 2016 imports while exports finished the year five percent higher than 2016. Click Read More below for additional information.