Port Hawkesbury Paper Announces Price Increase

Effective with all new and existing orders with confirmed delivery dates of July 1, 2018 or later, Verso Corporation is increasing the transaction price of all Coated Freesheet Web and Coated Groundwood Web grades by 4% to 6%. This includes, but, is not limited to: ArborWeb Plus® web; Sterling® Ultra web; Sterling® Ultra caliper web; Productolith® Pts. web; Publishers Matte®; Publishers ThinBulk®; ArborWeb® web; Influence® web; Focus® web; Liberty® web; Balance® web; New Era® Matte; New Era® ThinBulk. The increase applies to all basis weights, bulks, finishes and related private label grades.

For the first quarter ended 31 March 2021 Lecta had revenue of €270.8 million versus €316.6 million in the first quarter ended 31 March 2020, a decrease of €45.8 million or -15%. This decrease was essentially attributable to COVID-19 pandemic: • Lower sales of CWF, Specialties and Purchased Products of €46.9 million or -16%, from €299.3 million in 1Q2020 to €252.4 million in 1Q2021, resulting from lower sales volumes of 35,100 metric tonnes or -12%, with 264,900 metric tonnes in 1Q2021 vs 300,000 metric tonnes in 1Q2020, and a decrease in average net sales price of 45€/t or -4.5%, with 953€/t in 1Q2021 vs 998€/t in 1Q2020; and • Higher sales of energy of €1.1 million or +6.5%, from €17.3 million in 1Q2020 to €18.4 million in 1Q2021, resulting from lower sales volumes of 19,400 MWh or -6%, with 290,300 MWh in 1Q2021 vs 309,700 MWh in 1Q2020, and an increase in average net sales price of 8€/MWh or +14%, with 63€/MWh in 1Q2021 vs 56€/ MWh in 1Q2020. EBITDA decreased by €14.7 million, or -61%, from €24.2 million in 1Q2020 to €9.5 million in 1Q2021. This decrease was essentially due to lower sales of paper in volume. It was also due to lower sales prices, lower margin on unit variable costs, and nearly stable fixed costs.

Sappi North America, a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper and packaging products, today announced a $5.94 million capital investment in its Cloquet, Minn. mill to replace the headbox on Paper Machine 12 (PM12). This investment enabled Sappi to maintain its capacity by adding a state-of-the-art, dilution profiled headbox that produces excellent basis weight profiles. A headbox is an integral part of the paper machine responsible for spreading the pulp fibers evenly to form the sheet. "This investment shows Sappi's unwavering commitment to its graphic papers and packaging customers," said Mark Gardner, President and CEO, Sappi North America. "The new headbox will ensure that we're fulfilling orders to the highest quality standards that Sappi's customers have come to expect. This project will not only improve upon our longstanding history with the graphic papers market, but also support our growing paper-based packaging business." Click Read More below for additional information.