Page 15 - PWM2025_February Ebook

CONSUMABLES AND PAPER NEWS

UPM Raflatac acquires ANDRITZ’s new
supply deal

UK-based Graphics Solutions order from Sun Paper
ANDRITZ has received an
Nanning Paper Co., Ltd to
supply two stock preparation
UPM Raflatac announced color printing, laminates and systems and a complete P-RC
that it has acquired wrapping films for various APMP (Pre-Conditioning
Metamark, a manufacturer end-uses. The company Refiner Chemical Alkaline
and distributor of graphics employs approximately 185 Peroxide Mechanical Pulp)
solutions based in the UK. people and has a manufactur- line for the mill in Nanning,
The enterprise value of the ing site in Lancaster, UK.
transaction is GBP 146 mil- Metamark’s sales are approx- China.
lion (approx. EUR 175 mil- imately GBP 65 million and The new equipment will
lion). According to UPM it has an EBITDA margin enable Nanning Sun Paper to
Raflatac, the acquisition of accretive to UPM Raflatac. increase production of their
Metamark will strengthen UPM Graphics is a new paper production lines and to
UPM Raflatac’s overall com- self-adhesive business unit reduce energy consumption.
petitiveness, bring major within UPM Raflatac. The ANDRITZ’s scope of sup-
synergies and further UPM UPM Raflatac has acquired Metamark for GBP 146 Million business was established fol- ply includes two state-of-the-
Raflatac as significant lowing the acquisition of art stock preparation, paper
player in the fast-growing, Executive Vice President, combination of Metamark’s AMC AG and its graphics machine approach, UTM
broad product portfolio with
UPM Raflatac. “This acqui-
high value-added Graphics sition marks an important our existing sales and distri- business in 2022. In 2024, (under machine pulper), and
segment. milestone in our transfor- bution network allows us to the company further
“We’ve made a strategic mation journey accelerating grow also outside of Europe. expanded its graphics portfo- broke systems to provide
decision to pursue global our growth, enabling us to Established in 1992, lio through the acquisition of superior pulp for the two
growth in Graphics both grow our scale and become a Metamark’s product portfo- Grafityp. Typical graphics paper machines. PM11 pro-
organically and through complete product and ser- lio consists of high-quality applications include indoor duces high-quality testliner
mergers and acquisitions,” vice provider in this attrac- self-adhesive color films, and outdoor advertising, sig- with a maximum capacity of
explained Tim Kirchen, t ive bu si ness. T he print films for large format nage and vehicle wrapping. 1,438 admt/d.
International Paper to build Greif to close URB Mill

$260 mn Greenfield Box Plant in Fitchburg, MA

International Paper (IP)
has acquired land in Greif announced that it
Waterloo, Iowa, for the con- will permanently close the
struction of a state-of-the-art cont a inerb oa rd a nd
corrugated box plant. uncoated recycled paper-
According to the Iowa board (URB) mill in
Economic Development Fitchburg, Massachusetts,
Authority (IEDA), IP plans to and permanently cease pro-
“ c o n s t r u c t a duction on the Number 1
900,000-square-foot corru- Paperboard Machine (A1) in Closure of production on A1
gated products manufactur- Austell, Georgia. fits and outplacement assis-
ing facility. “Decisions like these are t a n c e .” In total,
“The project represents a extremely difficult because approximately 140 positions
$260 million capital invest- of the impact it has on our will be impacted. Ceasing
ment and is expected to cre- colleagues and their fami- production at A1 — a non-
ate 90 jobs incented at a International Paper (IP) has acquired land in Waterloo, Iowa lies, as well as the larger integrated URB asset for the
qualifying wage of at least community,” said President company — is a result of
$23.01 per hour,” the IEDA and CEO, Andy Silvernail, returns. This world-class box and CEO Ole Rosgaard. “We increased cost and declining
said in a written statement. mentioned the future box plant is designed to deliver are grateful to our col- demand in its major end use
on our strategy, 20% lower
In addition, the IEDA plant. “This is a great exam- cost, designed in product leagues in Austell and markets of furniture, books,
board awarded IP tax bene- ple of the investments we’re quality and just-in-time ser- Fitchburg for their contribu- and binders. The company
fits through the High Quality making as we continue with vice. All of this is aligned to a tions to the company and expects to cease production
Jobs program. On a fourth our ambitious plans to opti- geography and end markets are committed to helping on the A1 asset by the end of
quarter 2024 earnings call mize our mill-to-box system where we are positioned to them navigate next steps by March 2025 and Fitchburg
with analysts, IP’s Chairman and generate attractive win.” providing severance bene- by May 2025.
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