Norpac Announces Price Increase for Natural Choice Cut-size Papers

Companies and organizations continue to promote the switch from print to digital forms of communication but is this cost-cutting in the best interests of the customer? Based on a June 2017 U.S. survey¹, 90% of respondents felt they should have the right to choose how they receive communications (printed or electronic) from financial organizations and service providers, and 83% thought consumers should not be charged more for choosing a paper bill or statement. However, corporations are increasingly charging their customers for paper statements.

Containerboard capacity continued to increase, rising 1.9 percent in 2017 to a record 38.9 million tons. Containerboard accounted for 46.2 percent of U.S. paper and paperboard capacity in 2017. Tissue paper capacity is on a long-term expansionary trajectory, approximately in line with U.S. population growth, and rose 0.2 percent in 2017. Four tissue paper machines started production in 2017. Those capacity additions were partly offset by two mill closures that same year. Reflecting displacement from digital media, capacity for newsprint and printing-writing papers continued to decline in 2017. Three mills and six machines producing these grades were permanently closed that year. Click Read More below for additional information.

Wisconsin has lost about one-third of its paper mills in the last two decades. More companies are nearly bankrupt or are exploring the possibility of selling their mills. This fall, Industrial Assets Corp., a Los Angeles-based used machinery dealer, bought the Appleton Coated paper mill in Combined Locks, Wisconsin. In addition, Verso Corp. formed a committee to explore the potential sale of some of its mills. The company operates mills in both Duluth and Stevens Point. Jeff Landin, president of the Wisconsin Paper Council, said Wisconsin’s paper industry is doing well overall, but some mills are struggling. "You’ve seen some of that in the Appleton Coated issue where they’ve gone through receivership, but it’s really a byproduct of what they produce. It’s the coated paper market that’s challenged," he said. But, Landin said tissue, packaging and specialty papers make up more than 90 percent of products in Wisconsin’s paper industry. Click Read More below for additional information.