Fastmarkets, the leading price reporting agency for commodities market pricing, news, and analysis, has named Cristián Infante of Arauco as Latin America CEO of the Year 2026. The award will be presented during the annual Fastmarkets Forest Products Latin America Conference, taking place in Brazil from August 10–12.
The WEPA Group and the start-up Epyr have inaugurated France’s first thermal energy storage unit dedicated to the electrification of industrial heat at the WEPA site in Troyes. The inauguration was also attended by François Baroin, Mayor of Troyes and President of Troyes Champagne Métropole.
The prestigious “A” rating in the 2025 Supplier Engagement Assessment (SEA) recognizes the effectiveness of the Group’s supply chain decarbonization strategies
ABTCP (Brazilian Pulp and Paper Technical Association) in partnership with IPEF (Institute for ForestResearch and Studies), and TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry), will host ABTCP 2026 – 58th Pulp and Paper International Congress and Exhibition, from October 6 to 8 in São Paulo, at the Transamerica Expo Center.
Valmet’s long-time customer Lenzing AG, an Austrian global leader in dissolving wood pulp and regenerated cellulose fibers, is upgrading their Lenzing production site by incorporating a complete Valmet DNAe Distributed Control System (DCS) to the 1K6 gas boiler. The new system will replace an obsolete third-party system, enabling state-of-the-art DNAe technology with long-term availability, highest cybersecurity standards, improved reliability, and future-ready platform capabilities. As a mission-critical solution, it ensures continued safe, secure, and high-performance plant operations.
Valmet introduces the Valmet DNAe Optimization Suite, a scalable software suite of optimization applications designed to improve plant performance and operational efficiency. It can be delivered to process plants using control systems supplied by Valmet as well as those from other providers.
The IBS Paper Performance Group, technology leader in paper machine optimization, has successfully started up a traversing FabriCare ultra-high-pressure cleaning system on a packaging paper machine. Following a comprehensive audit of the vacuum systems, the existing standard wire suction system was replaced with FabriCare. This measure eliminated the need for a 180 kW vacuum pump entirely, including the associated maintenance and spare part costs. The result: enormous energy savings of 1.44 GWh per year - while maintaining or even improving product quality and a return on investment in just a few months.
The management of the Fibre Excellence (FE) group submitted a takeover bid to the Toulouse Commercial Court on June 1. The company has been under court-ordered receivership since April 27. "Having received no external offers to date, the company has decided to commit itself both to its employees and to the long-term viability of the wood and paper industry, as well as to ensuring France's sovereignty over a product as essential as pulp. This offer aims to build a sustainable solution for the operations of all its industrial and forestry entities. Convinced of the future of combined pulp and power production in France, management aims to ensure the profitability necessary to preserve the group, which contributes to the local economy, employs nearly 700 people, and generates some 10,000 indirect jobs in the forestry-wood-paper sector,” explains the press release received this afternoon.
Suzano, the world’s largest pulp producer, will invest R$25 million to enhance operations at its second mill in Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, by installing a new oxidized white liquor (OWL) plant. Expected to begin operating in May, the new plant will boost production efficiency and reduce raw material consumption.
Informa has confirmed that Tissue World Istanbul will return for 2026, taking place on 18–19 November at the Istanbul Congress Center, following a well-received edition in 2024.
Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, has once again been awarded the highest Platinum rating by EcoVadis. The company ranks among the top one percent of companies assessed globally in the pulp, paper and board industry – a position it has held since 2019.
Metsä Group marked the inauguration of its expanded and modernised tissue paper mill in Mariestad, Sweden, on 26 May. The opening ceremony was conducted by external representatives together with Metsä Group and Metsä Tissue leadership.
Valmet has been selected by Sappi Southern Africa to deliver a full EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) package for the replacement of recovery boiler components at the Saiccor Mill in South Africa. This upgrade of critical boiler parts will improve operational safety, reduce the risk of unplanned downtime and improve overall reliability of the mill.
Valmet will deliver a new stationary lime cooler for Heinzel Pöls pulp mill in Austria. The new cooler significantly improves the lime kiln’s energy efficiency compared to the existing rotary cooler, reduces maintenance needs, and enables the capacity increase of the existing lime kiln.
Valmet is launching a research and development program Industrial NEXUS to drive industrial renewal in Finland through digital technologies and further strengthen the appeal of industrial careers together with the program’s ecosystem partners. Business Finland has granted EUR 15 million in funding for the Industrial NEXUS program and is also preparing to fund Valmet’s ecosystem projects with EUR 40 million. Valmet will invest EUR 55 million in the program over the next five years. Through this investment, the company advances its technology vision and drives growth. The estimated global export potential of the program is EUR 6.5 billion by 2035.
On the occasion of the 109th edition of the Giro d’Italia, for which Sofidel is an official sponsor through its Regina brand, the Porcari-based paper group presents 7 episodes featuring a journey through memory, historic rivalries, and the evolution of the cycling world.
To better meet growing customer and consumer demand for premium bath tissue and paper towels, Georgia-Pacific today announced that it has begun final engineering and planning for additional structured paper machines and associated converting equipment. The company expects to shorten project schedules and optimize capital deployment by leveraging existing site infrastructure and is evaluating its facilities in the central and western portions of the U.S. Site selections will be announced at a later date.
Sterimed, a global leader in medical packaging, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Simagec
Once again, this year emtec Electronic will participate in the Paper Bioeconomy Conference & Tradeshow in Graz, Austria, presenting its innovative measurement solutions. Visitors willhave the opportunity to meet emtec’s sales representative Stefan Ruebesam at a tabletop and learn more about the company’s latest technologies for process optimization and quality control in the pulp, paper and tissue industries.
In the year of the company’s 60th anniversary, the 11th stage of the Corsa Rosa—officially sponsored by Regina, the Group’s flagship brand—will see its "KM 0" start at the headquarters on Via Giuseppe Lazzareschi in Porcari (Lucca).
The hygiene and health company Essity initiates a strategic review of the Consumer Tissue business area’s global operations. The review will evaluate strategic alternatives with the aim of creating the best possible conditions for the Consumer Tissue business and the Group to develop to their full potential and maximize value creation.
In response to customer demand, we’re delighted to announce that all three of our pulp mills are now talc free.
SCA has appointed Klas Nilsson as its new SVP Sustainability and Communications. Klas will assume the position in the autumn of 2026 and will be a member of SCA’s Management Team.
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.
