UPM plans to end paper production in Kaukas, Lappeenranta and plans to shift coated mechanical paper production in Finland to its Rauma mill

European institutions have come to an initial agreement on the revised Renewable Energy Directive. UPM Biofuels welcomes the agreement as it creates an obligatory advanced biofuel blending mandate in all EU Member States starting at 0.2% in 2022, double counted, and rising to 3.5% in 2030. "The UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery, the world's first to produce wood-based renewable diesel on a commercial scale, has proven the potential as a significant producer of truly sustainable advanced biofuels. UPM BioVerno, which reduces GHG emissions up to 80% compared with fossil fuels, has found a solid market place. The agreement will further boost interest in the most sustainable biofuels and strengthens the position of advanced low-ILUC fuels, such as UPM BioVerno, that have minimal risk of causing indirect emissions or land use change," says Sari Mannonen, Vice President, UPM Biofuels. Click Read More below for additional information.

Consistent with our June 1, 2017 letter, prices for Supercalendered Web grades listed in that letter are increasing by $2.00/cwt USD/$2.70/cwt CAD. To the extent not already implemented, the pricing will apply to all new and existing orders with confirmed delivery dates of October 1, 2017 or later. Additionally, in reference to our July 27, 2017 letter for #4 Web grades, we are changing the implementation dates and amount of increase to read as follows: Effective with all new and existing orders with confirmed delivery dates of October 1, 2017 or later, Verso Corporation is increasing the transaction price of all #4 Web Grades by $1.00/cwt USD/$1.26/cwt CAD, including but not limited to: Liberty® web; Balance® web; New Era® Matte; New Era® ThinBulk. The increase applies to all basis weights, bulks, finishes and related private label grades.

Metsä Group will launch a pre-study for the first commercial mill producing the Kuura textile fibre. Kuura is one of the spearhead projects of Metsä Group’s innovation company Metsä Spring. The goal is to increase the refinement of pulp sustainably and efficiently. Produced from softwood pulp, the Kuura textile fibre is a new material developed by Metsä Group, in which Finnish wood is converted into a sustainable product with high added value – without fossil fuels. The textile fibre has been researched and developed at the Äänekoski demo plant, among other places. The new pre-study is the first planning stage of a potential commercial mill project. During the pre-study, the size of the mill investment – and the profitability of the business idea – will be determined. According to plans, the pre-study will last for roughly a year, after which the mill planning can proceed to a more detailed pre-engineering stage.