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The PM40 closed Friday, 31 December 2021, at 4565.

Get the latest PM40 updates by listening to the weekly Nips show and the PM40 Daily Show on Pulp & Paper Radio International.

The PM40 closed 31 December 2021 up 27.6% from the 1 January 2021 level.

In this issue of Disconnected Comparisons, we evaluate Louisiana Pacific and Rayonier.

Reported insider trading since the last issue of PaperMoney.

For many, the last couple of years have seemed like a never-ending march in some not so pleasant conditions. However, I do think it will make us all stronger, like most tough situations do. Remarkably, here at Paperitalo Publications, these have been excellent years for us. We don't know what next year holds, but for me at least, it would stifle the fun of it if we did. For a moment, however, let's see what 2021 did to us as an industry.

ANDRITZ has received an order from the Mondi Group for an upgrade of the evaporation plant at its Mondi Frantschach mill, Austria.

Valmet will supply an extensive paper machine grade conversion rebuild with an automation package to Model Paper Eilenburg in Germany. In the project, the paper machine, which currently produces newsprint grades, will be rebuilt to produce lightweight, recycled containerboard grades. The start-up is scheduled for the beginning of 2024.The value of the order will not be disclosed. The total value of an order of this type and delivery scope is typically around Euro 90-100 million.

International technology group Andritz has received a repeat order from Nine Dragons Paper Industries to supply a complete OCC line to China. Start-up is scheduled for the 3Q 2023.

Valmet will supply IQ Quality Control System to Oy Essity Finland Ab. The new system will replace the old third-party system and will be installed on production line 9 at the company's tissue mill in Nokia, Finland. The target is to optimize production and improve the quality of end-product. The delivery will take place in the first half of 2022.

Valmet will supply eleven Valmet Microwave Consistency Measurements (Valmet MCA) to SCA's Ortviken mill in Sweden.

Andritz has received an order from the Brazilian pulp and paper company Suzano to deliver an energy-efficient Ash ReCrystallization (ARC) plant for the recovery boilers at its eucalyptus kraft pulp mill in Barra do Riacho, Brazil. The estimated start-up date for the ARC plant is the first half of 2022.

The start-up is scheduled for the beginning of 2024.

Valmet will deliver an oxygen delignification system, including additional Valmet TwinRoll presses to Arkhangelsk's Pulp and Paper Mill in Novodvinsk, Russia. The order includes both technology and automation deliveries. The start-up of the new systems is scheduled for the second half of 2022.

Graphic Packaging International ('Graphic Packaging') is celebrating its accomplishments after scooping up five awards at the WorldStar Global Packaging Awards 2022.

DS Smith announced its strong progress in five major corporate ESG ratings in 2021, strengthening its credentials as a sustainable packaging champion and demonstrating its commitment to lead the packaging industry in the transition to a circular economy model.

The Company was also recognized on Forbes' inaugural list of the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies. The list was based on sentiment compiled from a women-only survey with 85,000 participants, focusing on several aspects of the female employees' experience.

Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc., the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United States, has released its 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

The latest market research on eCommerce shopping and packaging trends in Germany and Poland, commissioned by Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, shows that consumers of all ages continue to buy online and are in favour of eCommerce packaging that is 'green'.

The federal government is launching a challenge under the new NAFTA agreement against U.S. softwood lumber duties, International trade Minister Mary Ng has announced.

SCA will increase the price on NBSK pulp (Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft) in Europe by 40 USD per tonne from January 2022. The new price will be 1,300 USD.

Columbia Pulp I, LLC and GMCO Corporation announced plans to partner in the processing and sale of an innovative chloride-free soil stabilization and dust control product under GMCO's IntegriBlend brand. The IntegriBlend-CF product developed by GMCO is built upon Columbia Pulp's novel biopolymer chemistry platform, introducing a high-performance non-chloride alternative to dust suppression and soil stabilization applications.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to fine New Indy Containerboard $1.1 million over the odor dilemma in South Carolina that sparked thousands of complaints against the paper mill.

LP Building Solutions (LP) will build a new LP SmartSide ExpertFinish prefinishing facility on 75 acres in the Town of Bath, New York. With a targeted opening date in the third quarter of 2023, the facility is projected to add more than 60 new jobs to the Steuben County community.

Stora Enso invests EUR 23 million for increasing flexibility and capacity at the Varkaus containerboard mill, resulting also in expanded capacity of using recycled fiber. Preparatory work on the investment will commence immediately. Investment will be completed in the end of 2022.

Arauco has closed the acquisition of majority ownership in Odd Industries, the ethically-driven industrial artificial intelligence (IAI) pioneer. Together they will accelerate the use of artificial intelligence with the mission to slow and reverse climate change.

Essity has acquired the company Hydrofera. The company offers technology and products within advanced wound care. The purchase price amounts to USD 116m (approximately SEK 1.1bn) with a potential additional earnout amount of USD 15m (approximately SEK 137m) on a cash and debt free basis. The acquisition supports Essity's strategic priority to grow through acquisitions in Medical Solutions.

Essity has acquired the orthopedic specialist company AquaCast Liner, a provider of waterproof cast liners on the US market.

The Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding Group, based in Leoben, Austria, has signed an agreement to acquire the Swedish sawmill group Bergkvist Siljan from ESSVP IV, advised by Orlando Nordics AB. This continues the consistent expansion and growth strategy of the Austrian wood processing group.

PotlatchDeltic Corporation announced a merger with Loutre Land and Timber Company ("Loutre"). PotlatchDeltic issued 1.96 million shares of common stock and assumed debt of $6.6 million in exchange for Loutre's 51,340 acres of high-quality, well-stocked timberlands in southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana.

Quad/Graphics, Inc. announced it has completed the sale of its former Oklahoma City, OK, and Fernley, NV, manufacturing facilities to affiliates of Industrial Realty Group, LLC, one of the country's largest owners of commercial and industrial properties, for combined net proceeds of $58.6 million.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., the printing and information services company, said it received a higher non-binding offer from a strategic party just days after it agreed to be bought by Chatham Asset Management LLC.

Clearwater Paper may become a takeover target for BillerudKorsnäs if the Swedish company looks to expand its North American platform, according to RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)

UFP Industries announced that its affiliate, UFP Packaging, LLC, has acquired Advantage Label & Packaging, Inc. (Advantage Label), a provider of labels and related equipment used in industrial packaging, for approximately $16 million. The transaction also includes $2.9 million for related real estate as well as incentive payments of up to $4.5 million over five years if certain performance goals are met.

UFP Industries announced that its subsidiary, Deckorators, Inc., has acquired Ultra Aluminum Manufacturing Inc. (Ultra), a leading manufacturer of aluminum fencing, gates and railing, for $25 million. The transaction includes $2 million to be paid if certain future performance goals are met.

Verso Corporation announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement under which BillerudKorsnäs AB ("BillerudKorsnäs") will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Verso for a purchase price of $27 per share in cash, or approximately $825 million. Verso's Board of Directors, acting upon the recommendation of a special committee of Verso's Board, has unanimously approved and resolved to recommend approval of the merger by Verso's shareholders. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022.

Canfor Pulp Products Inc. announced an extended outage on one production line at its Northwood Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft ("NBSK") Pulp mill located in Prince George, British Columbia ("BC"). The outage is to enable the rebuild of the lower furnace of its number one recovery boiler ("RB1"), in order to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the boiler.

Dunn Paper, a leading manufacturer and supplier of high performance, advanced paper and tissue for use in food, medical, and specialty markets announced the appointments of Founder Brent Earnshaw as Chief Executive Officer and promotion of Wade Kemnitz to President of the Company.

Huhtamäki Oyj's President and CEO Charles Héaulmé has been diagnosed with a cancer which has a very good recovery prognosis but requires a treatment period. He will therefore be taking a leave of absence from early January, to undergo treatment. He is expected back in Q2 2022.

UPM has completed its company-wide pay equity review and now eliminates unexplained gender pay gaps - that is, differences not justified by, for example, work performance, experience, job level or location.

The pulp and paper industry is being bashed once again.

Sustainability lies at the center of Huhtamaki's 2030 Strategy and the Company is making a leap forward towards delivering on its ambitions by closing two 10-year virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs) with BayWa r.e., a global renewable energy developer. The 200 GWh agreements cover approximately 80% of Huhtamaki's current electricity usage in Europe, where the key global provider of sustainable packaging solutions has 18 manufacturing sites in 10 countries.

Nova Scotia's Environment Department has outlined the information it wants from Northern Pulp before the environment minister will decide whether to approve the shuttered mill's plan to restart.

Weyerhaeuser Company announced that the Science Based Targets initiative has approved the company's greenhouse gas reduction target as consistent with levels required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and to keep warming to 1.5°C globally. This designation is the highest available through the SBTi process and formally recognizes Weyerhaeuser's role in helping address the impacts of climate change.

Emergency crews responded to a small electrical fire inside the Georgia Pacific Dixie facility in Fort Smith Tuesday, Dec. 28, evening.

In 2022, the International Paper mill in Cantonment will switch natural gas suppliers to Pensacola Energy, significantly increasing revenue for the municipal utility while saving money for IP.

Timi Hyppänen is appointed Senior Vice President, Supply Chain of Metsä Fibre, and a member of the company's Management Team as of 1 January 2022. In his new role, Hyppänen will report to Metsä Fibre's CEO Ismo Nousiainen.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company said Monday it is not aware of any compromise of client data after recently finding a systems intrusion in its technical environment.