AFT (Aikawa Fiber Technologies) is pleased to announce a successful tissue optimization project at Partex Tissue Limited, part of the Partex Star Group, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Manufactured and marketed by The Navigator Company under license from Procter & Gamble (P&G), the new Mr Propre paper towel product line marks a strategic milestone in the group’s tissue business evolution within the French market. The partnership with P&G—a global leader in consumer goods—confirms Navigator’s industrial, operational, and qualitative capacity to develop and manage leading brands in highly competitive categories.
M. Sc. (Tech), Executive MBA Laura Lundell has been appointed as SVP, Strategy of Metsä Fibre and a member of the Metsä Fibre Management Team as of 1 June 2026. In her role, she will report to CEO Ismo Nousiainen. Lundell has several years of experience in strategy and business development roles within the pulp industry.
The Board of Directors of Södra is submitting a revised proposal for profit distribution for consideration by the General Meeting to be held on 2 June in Jönköping.
The 33rd edition of the China International Disposable Paper Expo (CIDPEX) was held from April 13 to 17, 2026, at the Nanjing International Expo Center, reaffirming its position as a leading global platform for the tissue and hygiene products industry.
Valmet will start change negotiations in Finland in accordance with the Finnish Co-operation Act on May 4, 2026. The plan under negotiations may include temporary layoffs of less than 90 days.
On 27 April, the Toulouse Commercial Court ruled on the future of the French market pulp producer Fibre Excellence. The company has been placed in administration with a six-month observation period, “during which an economic and social assessment will be carried out and proposals put forward regarding the continuation or sale of the business.” Fibre Excellence’s management must appear in court on 3 June, with the court due to rule on the company’s situation on 17 June.
Following the commissioning of a new biomass boiler in France in March, the Group – celebrating its 60th anniversary this year – has brought a new photovoltaic system into operation at its Rothley Lodge converting facility in Leicester, UK
Södra delivered a positive result for the first quarter of 2026. The result was strongly impacted by the divestment of Södra’s forest holdings in the Baltics. A challenging market environment distinguished the quarter with weak demand and a continued imbalance between the raw material market and the markets for Södra’s products.
The management and employee representatives of Fibre Excellence appeared before the Toulouse Commercial Court on Tuesday 21 April. An application for administration with business continuity has been made. According to the company, “this step is part of a clear commitment to finding a solution that will preserve the combined production of market pulp and renewable electricity in France, as well as the jobs and partners who have supported the group during this difficult period. This procedure should enable us to examine the most appropriate solutions to ensure the company’s long-term viability under the best possible conditions. Management would like to thank the Minister for Industry, the President of the Occitanie Region, the President of the Sud Region, the trade unions and all employees committed to finding a sustainable solution.” The court’s ruling will be handed down on 27 April.
Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. today announced that the Company is engaged in a formal process to explore strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value. In connection with the strategic alternatives review, the Company has engaged Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC as its financial advisor and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz as its legal counsel.
On April 17, Fibre (FE) issued the following press release: “Following the latest discussions between the shareholder and the State, no solution has been found to prevent the group from being placed under the protection of the Commercial Court. Following the filing of the declaration of cessation of payments on April 15, the court will hear from management and employee representatives on April 21, before issuing its ruling on April 27 regarding the continuation of operations. To date, industrial activity continues. Management thanks the Occitanie and Sud Regions, as well as the State, for their sustained involvement in the effort to avoid insolvency proceedings.”
Automation is no longer a nice-to-have but optional efficiency tool. It is now a strategic necessity that belongs on the board agenda, to be discussed alongside AI. In a world of geopolitical uncertainties, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, cost pressures, energy insecurity and high expectations for uptime, companies that deploy automation will be far better placed to remain resilient, competitive and – ultimately – relevant.
Kimberly‑Clark Corporation today announced the organizational structure and key leadership that will become effective upon completion of its pending acquisition of Kenvue Inc. (NYSE: KVUE). The organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities reflect the fast-and-lean, balanced matrix approach that has built strong operating momentum at Kimberly-Clark since implementing its Powering Care strategy two years ago.
Pulp & Beyond, the leading forum bringing together the latest forest-based bioeconomy innovations, products, services and technologies, is currently taking place at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre. The international event runs from 14 to 17 April 2026, comprising a high-level conference on 14 April, a professional exhibition on 15–16 April, and industry excursions on 17 April.
On April 8, 2026, the Miribel family holding company transferred majority control of MPH1865 to the German family-owned WEPA Group. On this occasion, MPH1865 officially becomes WEPA Professional France.
Faderco participated in the National Export Campaign, held under the supervision of the Minister of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion, Professor Kamel Rezig.
The Navigator Company announced today an increase of between 5% and 7% in the prices of its tissue papers (toilet paper, napkins, kitchen rolls, hand towels, among others) in all markets where it operates, applicable to shipments from 1st May 2026. The measure aims to respond to inflationary pressure resulting from the significant and widespread increase in costs recorded in recent months.
The WEPA Group, one of the three largest manufacturers of hygiene paper in Europe, has announced the successful closing of the acquisition of a majority stake in MPH1865, a leading French manufacturer of hygiene paper and soap in the Away-from-Home sector. The newly acquired entity will operate under the name “WEPA Professional France”.
Yesterday, a fire occurred at a distribution center in Ontario, California operated by a third-party logistics partner, NFI Industries. Kimberly-Clark (NASDAQ: KMB) can confirm there were no reported injuries, and that all employees of the facility operator were safely evacuated. Kimberly-Clark extends its gratitude to local authorities and firefighters who responded to the incident.
Together with its partner company, emtec Electronic North Amercia, the German company emtec Electronic GmbH will present its technical innovations for process optimization to all interested visitors at TappiCon 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. In addition, emtec will participate in the panel discussion “Tissue Softness Workshop” on the final day of the event.
With uncertainty once again at its highest regarding energy price fluctuations following the outbreak of the war in Iran, the Technical Day organized on March 26 by the French Technical Association of the Paper Industry (Atip) at the Paper Technical Center (Centre technique du papier, CTP) in Grenoble was perfectly timed. More than 80 participants attended this day of discussions dedicated to optimizing energy consumption and preserving resources. A dozen paper companies were represented: Ahlstrom, Canson, Fibre Excellence, Fregata Hygiène, Gascogne, Kimberly Clark, Papeteries Léon Martin, Papeterie le Bourray, Papeteries du Léman (PDL), Sterimed, SWM (Papeteries de Saint-Girons), VPK Paper, and Wepa.
The Spanish pulp and energy producer held Ence its Annual General Meeting, at which all proposed resolutions on the agenda were approved. During his address, the Chairman, Ignacio Colmenares, highlighted that the company is a driver of energy independence, particularly in an international context marked by increasing geopolitical tensions.
On 27 March, the French market pulp producer Fibre Excellence issued a press release providing an update on the status of negotiations with the government. This amounts to a kind of ultimatum aimed at securing a response from the government, particularly regarding energy issues. Fibre Excellence is seeking a formal position, pointing out that the company’s future will be decided between now and mid-April. Furthermore, according to France Info, on March 27, the unions learned during a new meeting with the CIRI (the Interministerial Committee for Industrial Restructuring) that the shareholder had put the two factories in Saint-Gaudens and Tarascon up for sale.
