The global pulp, paper, packaging and tissue industries continued to undergo significant strategic change during the latest week of September 2026. Companies announced new production investments, advanced major mill projects, reassessed underperforming assets, completed acquisitions, introduced new technologies and products, and made important leadership changes.

At the same time, market pressures remain visible. Paper producers in China announced another round of price increases, while rising construction, energy and logistics costs pushed up the projected cost of major projects. Sustainability and circularity also remained central, with new recycling infrastructure, lower-carbon pulp production and recycled packaging solutions gaining momentum.

The week's developments can be grouped into 11 major industry categories, covering investments, shutdowns, modernization, M&A, pricing, financial performance, sustainability, innovation, leadership, recognition and industry events. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

1. Investments, Expansions & New Projects

Investment activity remained one of the strongest themes of the week, with projects spanning renewable energy, corrugated packaging, tissue, labels and new paper production capacity.

RYAM advances 70 MW biomass energy project in Georgia

Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM) announced that construction is underway on the Altamaha Green Energy (AGE) project at its Jesup, Georgia, manufacturing facility.

The 70 MW biomass cogeneration project is being developed with Albioma and the Beasley Group. It will generate renewable electricity under a long-term power purchase agreement with Georgia Power while supplying process steam to RYAM's Jesup facility.

Commercial operations are expected to begin in 2029. RYAM expects to retain an initial 14% equity interest, with an option to increase its ownership to as much as 16%. The company expects annual distributions of approximately $8 million to $10 million once the facility is operational.

The project demonstrates how pulp and cellulose producers are increasingly combining manufacturing operations with renewable-energy infrastructure while limiting direct capital exposure. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Akarton invests in new corrugated packaging facility in Germany

Akarton GmbH is investing in a new production site in Schüttorf, Germany, aimed at expanding corrugated board packaging capacity.

The project includes a modern production facility together with measures to improve energy efficiency and renewable-energy generation. The development is also expected to create permanent jobs and apprenticeships.

The project has €10.57 million in eligible expenditure, with up to €1.84 million in approved funding through the European Regional Development Fund and the Niedersachsen Invest programme. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Autajon Packaging Simply Cartons prepares Nottinghamshire expansion

In the UK, Autajon Packaging Simply Cartons plans to open a newly refurbished manufacturing site and head office in Nottinghamshire next year.

The company said the facility will provide a modern manufacturing and office environment to support further growth. However, details concerning the exact location, investment value, production capacity and employment impact have not yet been disclosed. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

MEPCO delays major containerboard and tissue projects

Not every capacity project is moving according to its original schedule. Middle East Paper Co. (MEPCO) has delayed the expected startup of its PM5 containerboard mill and sixth tissue production line.

Pilot and commercial production for PM5 is now expected in Q1 2028, compared with the previous Q4 2027 target.

The estimated cost of the containerboard project has also risen from SAR 1.78 billion to SAR 1.88 billion, an increase of 5.7%. MEPCO attributed the higher cost to civil construction, energy and steam solutions, and global shipping and logistics costs.

The delay illustrates how supply-chain and geopolitical pressures continue to affect major pulp and paper investments. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Eminent Paper Industries progresses PM2 construction

Eminent Paper Industries LLP reported continued progress on its PM2 project, with foundations and structural work taking shape.

The company described the project as steadily progressing, although it did not disclose capacity, investment value, equipment specifications or a commissioning schedule. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Iconex expands label manufacturing in Las Vegas

Iconex, part of M2S Group, is relocating the Heartland Label Printers facility from Rancho Cucamonga, California, to Las Vegas.

Following Iconex's acquisition of Heartland Label Printers in August 2026, the company plans to establish a new labels operation at an existing M2S Group site shared with Nekoosa.

The facility is expected to be operational by year-end and will produce direct thermal, thermal transfer, linerless and specialty variable-information labels. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Lucart orders new Toscotec tissue machine

Toscotec will supply Lucart with a new PM15 tissue line at its Laval-sur-Vologne mill in France.

The new AHEAD 1.8 tissue machine will operate at speeds of up to 1,800 m/min and produce toilet and towel paper. Once operational, the investment is expected to raise the mill's annual capacity to 75,000 tonnes of premium tissue paper.

The line incorporates an electrified drying process designed to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, including TT NextPress technology, a TT SYD Steel Yankee Dryer and TT e-Powered Hoods. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

2. Shutdowns, Closures & Curtailments

Stora Enso considers closing CLT production at Gruvön

Stora Enso plans to begin change negotiations with unions regarding the future of its Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) production at the Gruvön sawmill in Sweden.

The company plans to focus the site on sawn-goods operations and, if the proposal proceeds, permanently close the CLT production unit by the end of 2026.

Approximately 220 employees are covered by the negotiations, with a maximum of 80 positions potentially affected.

Stora Enso cited slower-than-expected CLT market growth, rising wood costs and relatively high fixed production costs. Importantly, the company noted that no final decision on the closure or employee impact will be made until the local negotiations are completed. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

The development highlights the continued pressure on companies to optimize portfolios and concentrate capital on businesses with stronger profitability prospects.

3. Restarts, Rebuilds & Modernization

Domtar reverses course and prepares to restart Howe Sound mill

One of the week's most notable developments came from Canada, where Domtar is set to restart the Howe Sound pulp mill in Port Mellon, British Columbia.

The decision comes only six weeks after Domtar announced plans to close the mill and its chipping facility, putting approximately 400 jobs at risk.

Domtar said collaboration with the provincial government contributed to the restart decision. Scheduled maintenance will proceed before the mill returns to operation.

The development demonstrates the role that government-industry collaboration can play in supporting strategically important industrial assets during difficult market conditions. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

4. M&A, Partnerships & Joint Ventures

Kemira completes SIDRA Wasserchemie acquisition

Kemira has completed its acquisition of SIDRA Wasserchemie following approval from the German Federal Cartel Office.

SIDRA produces coagulants for municipal and industrial water treatment and operates two production facilities in Germany, serving customers in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The company generated approximately €40 million in revenue and €12 million in EBITDA in 2025, while approximately 60 SIDRA employees have joined Kemira.

The acquisition strengthens Kemira's Water Solutions business across Western and Central Europe. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

5. Price Changes & Market Pricing

Chinese paper producers enter a second wave of price increases

China's paper market is seeing a second wave of price increases around the National Day holiday.

Several producers have announced increases of approximately RMB 50 per tonne.

Nine Dragons Paper will increase prices by RMB 50/tonne at its Dongguan, Tianjin, Shenyang and Beihai production bases effective October 13, covering kraft and premium kraft paper.

Other regional producers, including Shanxi Qiangwei Paper, Hengli Environmental Protection Technology and Gansu Hengda, have also announced price increases covering recycled, corrugated, tube, raw-paper and other product categories.

The coordinated increases across multiple regions and product segments suggest broader strengthening in Chinese paper prices as the industry enters the final quarter of 2026. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

6. Financial Results & Market Performance

Metsä Board simplifies credit-rating structure

Metsä Board has terminated its credit-rating agreement with S&P Global Ratings and requested that its rating be withdrawn.

The company said a rating from a single agency is sufficient to support financing and capital-market access. The decision also aligns with its ongoing transformation programme, cost-reduction efforts and operational simplification.

At the time of the request, S&P rated Metsä Board BBB- with a negative outlook. The company will continue to be rated by Moody's Ratings, which assigns a Baa3 rating with a negative outlook.

The move reflects Metsä Board's broader effort to simplify operations and reduce costs. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

7. Sustainability & Circular Economy

Sustainability developments continued to move beyond commitments toward infrastructure, measurable emissions reductions and commercial products.

Hong Kong moves toward domestic processing of recovered paper

From October 1, 2026, Hong Kong will begin processing all locally recovered waste paper domestically at the modernized EcoPark paper-pulping facility in Tuen Mun.

The facility began operating on July 27 and is gradually increasing capacity from more than 500,000 tonnes annually to 720,000 tonnes.

The expanded system can process cardboard, newspapers and office paper as well as mixed paper such as paper bags, packaging boxes and wrapping paper.

The initiative represents a shift from a waste system focused largely on collection and export toward local waste-to-resources processing. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Bracell reports major carbon-intensity reduction

Bracell reported a 47% reduction in carbon emissions intensity per tonne of pulp between 2020 and 2025, reaching 0.257 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per tonne of product across operations in Bahia, São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul.

The company's Bracell 2030 sustainability strategy targets a 75% reduction by 2030, reaching 0.122 tCO₂e/adt.

At its Camaçari industrial unit in Bahia, a modernized pulp cooking line that began operating in October 2025 has also reduced steam requirements.

Bracell's approach combines climate action, biodiversity, sustainable growth and social initiatives with ongoing process modernization and greenhouse-gas monitoring across its pulp and paper value chain. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

8. Products & Innovation

Technology suppliers and packaging companies are increasingly targeting machine availability, resource efficiency, recyclability and digital automation.

Valmet renews sizer roll cover portfolio

Valmet has introduced three new products within its renewed sizer roll cover portfolio.

The new CF-M and CF-EC polyurethane covers are designed for high wear resistance and longer regrinding intervals, while the SH-EC rubber cover is designed for reliable film transfer, particularly in containerboard applications.

Valmet reported that testing at a glassine-producing mill showed the CF-M cover increased roll-change intervals by up to three times, while also improving coating quality. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Cascades launches 100% recycled lithographic paperboard

Cascades has launched lithoURB, a 100% recycled and recyclable brown paperboard designed for high-end lithographic printing applications in corrugated and folding-carton packaging.

The product is positioned to combine visual quality with recycled content, mechanical performance and processing efficiency.

Cascades says the packaging can be certified FSC Mix or 100% recycled, is pre-qualified as recyclable by How2Recycle, and meets BRCGS food-safety requirements. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Voith introduces predictive monitoring for suction-roll seals

Voith has launched SealView NG, a pneumatic-based full-width monitoring system for suction-roll sealing strips.

The technology calculates remaining seal-strip service life and provides real-time condition information, allowing mills to schedule maintenance based on actual wear rather than fixed intervals or operator estimates.

The objective is to reduce unexpected shutdowns, improve machine availability and avoid replacing sealing strips earlier than necessary. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Amtech embeds agentic AI into packaging quotations

Amtech Software has introduced an embedded AI agent for email intake within Amtech Quick Quote, targeting corrugated packaging manufacturers.

The system reads incoming requests and attachments, identifies information such as dimensions, board, style and quantity, and drafts specification lines for estimators.

Extracted information is presented with confidence levels, while missing information is clearly identified. Human customer-service and estimating teams retain oversight and decision-making authority.

The development represents a practical application of AI directly within the order-to-cash process rather than AI being used only as a standalone experimental technology. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

9. Leadership & Corporate Updates

Leadership changes were another major theme, with appointments and succession plans announced across paper, packaging, technology and industry organizations.

Graphic Packaging appoints Aditya Gandhi

Graphic Packaging Holding Company appointed Aditya Gandhi as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, effective September 28.

Gandhi joins from AptarGroup, where he was Chief Accounting Officer. He previously spent almost five years at Sonoco Products Company and also held senior positions at WestRock.

His background includes accounting advisory, finance and technical accounting experience at GE and Deloitte. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Francesca Stevens becomes Cepi Director General

The Confederation of European Paper Industries (Cepi) appointed Francesca Stevens as its new Director General, succeeding Jori Ringman.

Stevens joins from EUROPEN, where she served as Secretary General. She brings approximately 25 years of experience in European industry organizations and has worked extensively on sustainability, circularity, competitiveness and European policy.

Her appointment comes as Europe's pulp and paper sector navigates decarbonization, energy costs, circular-bioeconomy policy and global competitiveness. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Tero Kokko takes the helm at Voith Paper

Tero Kokko has taken office as President and CEO of Voith Paper.

Kokko brings extensive experience across customers, technologies and markets in the global pulp and paper industry. His appointment comes as the sector undergoes significant worldwide transformation. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Sappi North America announces CEO succession

Sappi appointed Kirk Ross as President and CEO of Sappi North America, effective January 1, 2027.

Ross, currently Vice President Manufacturing for Sappi North America, will succeed Mike Haws, who will retire in February 2027 after a 40-year career in the pulp and paper industry.

Haws has spent 14 years with Sappi and seven years as President and CEO of Sappi North America. His tenure included the integration of the Matane Pulp Mill, navigating the COVID-19 period, restoring profitability and overseeing the strategic conversion of PM2 at Somerset Mill. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Emmanuel Rapendy appointed BTG CEO

Emmanuel Rapendy became President and CEO of BTG on October 1, 2026.

He brings more than two decades of international leadership experience in specialty chemicals and process industries, most recently serving as Global Head of Sulzer's Polymer & Crystallization Business Unit.

BTG also recognized interim CEO Rainer Rauch for maintaining strategic and operational momentum during the transition. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

Kimberly-Clark prepares for leadership changes linked to Kenvue acquisition

Kimberly-Clark announced several leadership changes ahead of its pending acquisition of Kenvue, which is expected to close in Q4 2026 subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions.

Russ Torres, President and COO and head of Kenvue integration, will leave the company in November. Jeff Melucci will take responsibility for integration planning, while CFO Nelson Urdaneta will oversee synergy delivery.

Following the acquisition, Carlos De Jesus is expected to lead Kimberly-Clark's North American business. Additional changes are planned across North America, EMEA and Latin America beginning around the transaction and into 2027. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

10. Awards, Certifications & Recognition

Millcraft receives EcoVadis Bronze Medal

Millcraft has earned a Bronze Medal from EcoVadis for its sustainability performance.

The recognition places the company among the top 35% of companies assessed by EcoVadis during the 12 months preceding the medal issue date.

EcoVadis evaluates businesses across four areas: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

For Millcraft, the recognition highlights continued efforts to strengthen sustainability management and transparency throughout its value chain. Pulp & Paper Chronicle septembe…

11. Industry Events & Conferences

PapExpo 2026 brings the paper value chain together in Hyderabad

PapExpo 2026, the second edition of the paper-industry exhibition organized by Papyrus Expo LLP, opened at HITEX Exhibition Center in Hyderabad for a three-day event running from October 1 to 3.

The event brings together paper manufacturers, packaging companies, traders, converters, printers, machinery suppliers, technology providers and other participants across the paper value chain.

The previous 2025 edition covered 4,000 square metres and attracted more than 200 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors from India and overseas.

The 2026 exhibition provides another platform for businesses to showcase technology, develop commercial relationships and engage with paper mills, traders, packaging companies, corrugators, printers, publishers and converters.