Moorim USA Announces Price Increase

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has released its October 2022 Printing-Writing Monthly report. According to the report, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 4% in October compared to October 2021. U.S. purchases of total printing-writing papers increased 6% in October compared to the same month last year. Total printing-writing paper inventory levels increased 1% when compared to September 2022. U.S. purchases of uncoated free sheet (UFS) papers in October increased 7% compared to last October, while the inventory level increased 1% compared to September 2022. UFS imports increased 41% while exports decreased 12% in September 2022. Coated free sheet (CFS) paper shipments increased 1% compared to October 2021 while the inventory level decreased 4% compared to September 2022. CFS imports and exports both increased compared to September 2021, up 62% and 16% respectively. U.S. purchases of coated mechanical (CM) papers in October remained essentially flat (0.1%) compared to last October while the inventory level increased 3% compared to September 2022. CM imports increased 31% while exports decreased 12% in September 2022. Uncoated mechanical (UM) paper shipments decreased 22% compared to October 2021 while the inventory level increased 33% compared to September 2022. UM imports and exports both decreased compared to September 2021, down 11% and 38% respectively.

The Paperworkers’ Union announced that the strike at most UPM’s Finnish mills will continue until 30 April 2022, unless new collective labour agreements are reached before that. Yet another extension of two weeks to the strike comes at a moment when negotiations between the union and UPM businesses continue intensively, and the conciliator has submitted a settlement proposal in the negotiations between UPM Pulp and the union. The parties must state their position on the proposal by 14 April. "Drafting of business specific collective agreements, led by the conciliator, has continued intensively during the past weeks. There is already a settlement proposal for UPM Pulp. Now it is important to focus on solving the open questions in the remaining UPM businesses", says Jyrki Hollmén, Vice President, Labour markets, UPM.

Antti Jääskeläinen, Executive Vice President, UPM Raflatac, will be leaving UPM to assume the role of President and CEO in the Finnish logistics and distribution company Posti Group Oyj. He will continue with his duties in UPM until the end of July 2024. Antti joined UPM in 2014 and was appointed to UPM’s Group Executive Team in 2016 with responsibility for UPM Raflatac Business Area. During recent months Antti has also held the interim responsibility for UPM Communication Papers Business Area. “I want to thank all my colleagues in UPM for the great journey together in creating a future beyond fossils and building the global profitable growth of UPM Raflatac. UPM is a great company with great people, and I am convinced that UPM will continue to build a strong future. I wish everybody the best of success,” says Antti Jääskeläinen.