Sappi Europe initiates a consultation process for partial restructure at its Alfeld Mill Germany in response to market conditions

Catalyst applauds the government’s commitment to eliminate the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on electricity for commercial and industrial users in its 2017 budget update, which will assist in protecting jobs in British Columbia’s pulp and paper sector, says Len Posyniak, Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Corporate Services. Effective this fall, the PST on electricity for commercial and industrial users will be reduced from 7% to 3.5%. On April 1, 2019, electricity for commercial and industrial users will be fully exempt from the PST. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Verso Corporation announced it has received necessary approvals from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to complete its previously announced merger with BillerudKorsnäs AB ("BillerudKorsnäs"). Verso has now received all regulatory approvals necessary to complete the merger. The transaction is expected to close on March 31, 2022.

Canfor Pulp Products Inc. is announcing the immediate curtailment of its Intercontinental Pulp Mill, which is expected to be in place for four weeks. The curtailment is due to the lack of available economic fibre as a result of sawmill curtailments. The downtime will remove approximately 24,000 tonnes of market kraft pulp. “The sawmill curtailments occurring in BC are materially reducing the residual fibre available for pulp mills. Based on the near-term fibre outlook, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily curtail Intercontinental Pulp Mill,” said Kevin Edgson, President & CEO, Canfor Pulp. “We regret the impact the downtime will have on our employees, their families, our suppliers and the community. We are working to support them through this time.”