Page 11 - PWM2023_March

CONSUMABLES AND PAPER NEWS

Corex to acquire Arteche Södra ‘s 2022
reports

Paper in Portugal and Spain result for 2022. The associa-
Södra posted a record
tion’s operating profit totaled
SEK 7,805 million and
Södra’s Board proposes a
Corex, part of VPK Group, of coreboard, cores and edge profit distribution of SEK
has entered into a binding protectors across Europe 3,243 million to members.
agreement to acquire and China. The result is attributable to
Arteche Paper, a leading The agreement to acquire high industrial production
producer of coreboard, cores Arteche Paper remains sub- combined with favorable
and edge protectors in the market conditions during the
Iberian market. Terms of ject to customary conditions year.
the deal were not disclosed. and is expected to be com- In 2022, the Södra Group’s
The acquisition includes a pleted in the second quarter net sales rose 23 percent to
coreboard mill in Porto, of 2023. SEK 33,367 million
Portugal, with the capacity Corex has signed a binding agreement to acquire Arteche Paper Corex is the cores, tubes (27,060). Södra’s operating
to produce 70,000 tons per Pierre Macharis, CEO of from Corex’s coreboard mill and edge protectors division profit totaled SEK 7,805 mil-
year, and five converting VPK Group. in Finland via Belgium to of VPK Group. Their strate- lion (5,316), the highest
units in Porto, Tolosa, “Joining forces with southern France and gic network of 29 production annual figure ever posted by
Valencia and Barcelona with Arteche will allow us to Portugal.” sites, in 15 countries, from the company, and a year-on-
a combined production offer wider geographical The acquisition of Europe to Asia produce core- year increase of 47 percent.
capacity of 60,000 tons per coverage while making the Arteche Paper follows the At year-end, return on capital
year. Together, the busi- best use of VPK’s network acquisitions of Corenso and board for various applica- employed was 35 percent
nesses generate EUR 65 mil- and expertise. The integra- tions, and a range of (25) and the equity ratio was
lion in revenue. tion of an additional board Topcore in 2019 and 2021, converted products: spiral 65 percent (63). Södra’s
“Corex and Arteche have mill creates a strategic, geo- respectively, and is in line and parallel wound cores and Board proposes a profit dis-
made an impressive track graphical axis for the supply with Corex’s strategy to tubes, edge protectors and tribution of SEK 3,243 mil-
record in recent years,” said of renewable raw materials build an integrated network consumer packaging. lion to members.
Stora Enso, Valmet collaborate Nippon Paper, Opal to

on next-generation lignin stop production

Stora Enso and Valmet Nippon Paper Industries
have started collaborating on Co., Ltd. announced its deci-
next-generation lignin prod- sion to discontinue produc-
uct and process development tion of graphic paper at its
to drive Stora Enso’s lignin- Australian consolidated sub-
based businesses and further sidiary, Paper Australia Pty
improve the performance of Ltd. (“Opal”). Opal manu-
the Valmet LignoBoost tech- factures and sells paper-
nology. The objective of the board, kraft paper, graphic Opal’s Maryvale Mill in Victoria Australia
partnership is to further paper, corrugated board, paper — from VicForests, a
develop the quality and cus- and folding cartons in
tomer value of lignin, Australia and New Zealand. Victorian state-owned for-
estry business. VicForests
increase the supply by opti- Opal’s Maryvale Mill in
mized process machinery Stora Enso has been the largest kraft lignin producer since 2015 Victoria, Australia — one of had been contesting a com-
and asset design, and to Opal’s manufacturing sites bined court case involving
accelerate the speed of meet- next-generation lignin, we Sunila site in Finland, Stora — manufactures and sells the Environment East
ing the growing lignin can, for instance, enable the Enso uses Valmet’s graphic paper, paperboard, Gippsland and Kinglake
demand of the future. development of sustainable LignoBoost technology for and kraft paper. The Friends of the Forest envi-
“We are developing our battery technologies,” says lignin extraction. Valmet is a Maryvale Mill had sourced ronmental groups since 2021
Kimmo Ruohoniemi, Head
lignin offering to be able to of Lignin Operations at Stora leading global developer and eucalyptus wood produced regarding its timber harvest-
meet the growing need for Enso. supplier of process technolo- in Victoria’s state-owned ing activities. On November
lignin and tailor it for our Stora Enso has been the gies, automation and services forests as the raw material 11, 2022, the SC of Victoria,
customers working with var- largest kraft lignin producer for the pulp, paper and for bleached pulp — the Australia, issued orders
ious end-applications. With in the world since 2015. At its energy industries. main ingredient of graphic against VicForests.

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