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INDUSTRY
NEWS
ECM
CONVERTING CO. (ECM),
Mendon, Michigan, USA, is purchasing BlueQue System's Web-Centric
Enterprise System. ECM made the announcement saying this business
management solution will enhance aspects of ECM's business
operations, and further enhance customer integration and service.
BlueQue's Web-based system gives complete real-time visibility
to ECM and its customers, integrating the many facets of ECM's
operation. In other ECM news, the company announced it has
purchased a Marquip SheetProä dual rotary precision sheeter,
which runs at 1500 feet per minute and will expand ECM's capacity
to 50,000 tons per year while giving ECM capability of sheeting
fine paper.
FRANTSCHACH
PULP & PAPER, Vienna, Austria, has purchased
from Severoslovenské Celulózky a Papierne Ruzomberok
(Neusiedler SCP), Ruzomberok, Slovakia, 60% of the Slovak
paper company Supraba. The remaining 40% belongs to Eco-Invest,
Eesti, Slovakia, a privately held company and co-owner of
Neusiedler SCP with Neusiedler AG. The deal was effective
January 27, 2003.
The
Suprabal paper mill is located within the Neusiedler SCP
mill and most raw materials will continue to be supplied
by Neusiedler SCP. Suprabal is currently operating one paper
machine producing unbleached and bleached kraft papers with
a capacity of 50,000 metric tons. The machine was recently
refitted with a Voith soft calender and will focus on producing
bleached sack papers, calendered kraft papers (S/F) and
bleached liners with a gram range of 45-150 gsm.
The sale of the company by Neusiedler SCP is part of its
program focusing on its core business, which is in the UCWF
sector.
GRAPHIC
PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL CORP. (GPI), Golden, Colorado,
USA, said it has reached an agreement with the members of
Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers (PACE)
Local 6-1010. The union represents approximately 420 workers
at GPI's Kalamazoo, Michigan paperboard mill and folding carton
converting plant. PACE members recently voted to ratify the
contract and, while terms and conditions of the contract were
not disclosed, employees will return to work as soon as practical.
PACE
union members had been locked out of GPI's Kalamazoo facilities
since July 27, 2002 when an extension to the original contract
expired without a mutually acceptable agreement. Since that
time, Graphic Packaging has been operating both facilities
with a combination of GPC management and other non-union
employees and temporary replacement workers. The company
estimated that the pre-tax cost impact due to the labor
dispute was approximately US$ 4.5 million during the third
quarter, with no net direct cost impact during the fourth
quarter of 2002.
JEFFERSON
SMURFIT GROUP (JSG), Dublin, Ireland, has signed
a letter of intent with Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC),
Chicago, Illinois. Under the terms of this letter, JSG will
exchange its 50% ownership in Smurfit MBI and consideration
of approximately Euro 185 million (US$ 198 million) for SSCC's
European packaging interests. The transaction is expected
to close in the first quarter of 2003 and is subject to several
conditions including European and Canadian regulatory approval.
It will immediately be accretive to JSG's earnings.
SSCC's
European interests include Europa Carton (EC), one of Europe's
largest corrugated producers. Its operations comprise two
paperboard mills, eleven corrugated and five recycling facilities.
Other European operations include one containerboard mill
and three corrugated facilities in Spain, four in Belgium,
one in France and one in the Netherlands. Total mill production
in 2002 was approximately 450,000 metric tons of containerboard
and boxboard.
Smurfit MBI is the leading Canadian corrugated producer
with 15 facilities. Total corrugated production in 2002
was approximately 450,000 metric tons.
ROCK-TENN
CO., Norcross, Georgia, USA, plans to close its
Hunt Valley, Maryland assembly plant, according to a report
by the Baltimore Business Journal. The 130,000-square-foot
plant, which assembles point-of-sale product displays for
large manufacturing firms, is slated to shut down by late
spring or early summer and affect 50 workers, according to
Rock-Tenn.
PULP
AND PAPER PRODUCTS COUNCIL (PPPC) Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, announced that Canadian pulp and paper industry's
2002 shipments increased 2.3% over 2001, to reach 30.5 million
metric tons. Although volumes were up, the industry's financial
performance weakened because of weaker pricing. Based on preliminary
data, the PPPC estimates that the industry earned C$ 475 million
(US$ 310 million) on its pulp and paper operations, excluding
unusual items. This compares to net earnings of C$1.4 billion
(US$ 920 million) in 2001. According to PPPC, sales in Canada
rose 3% reflecting the relatively strong performance of the
Canadian economy. Shipments to the U.S. increased 2.5% while
shipments offshore advanced 1.7% due almost entirely to increased
delivers of market pulp to China and other Asian markets.
SMURFIT-STONE
CONTAINER CORP., Chicago, Illinois, USA, announced
its decision to discontinue operations at its St. Paul, Minneapolis
folding carton plant, which produces folding cartons for a
variety of consumer goods companies. Operations will be consolidated
with other Smurfit-Stone folding carton facilities within
the division. The plant's final day of production is tentatively
scheduled for March 15, 2003. A total of 82 hourly and 20
salaried employees are affected.
VPK
PACKAGING GROUP, Belgium, acquired all shares of
Maasbach Verpakkingen B.V., Krimpen aan den Ijssel, Belgium,
on January 1, 2003. Maasbach is the market leader in trading
in meat industry packaging, complementing the two other trading
companies in the VPK Packaging Group in the Netherlands. Handelsmaatschappij
Ons Belang, Noordwijkerhout, is the largest supplier to the
flowers and bulbs market, and Twinpack, Barneveld, focuses
mainly on packaging for chickens and eggs. Maasbach, which
employs nine people, had sales for 2002 of EUR 3.6 million
(US$ 3.9 million). Consolidated sales of the group for 2003,
including the newly acquired Maasbach, are projected to be
more that EUR 50 million (US$ 54 million). VPK Packaging Group
has more than 2,400 employees in five countries.
NEWS
FROM TAPPI
WINTER
2003 EDITION OF CORRUGATING INTERNATIONAL NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Corrugating International is a TAPPI publication for Corrugated
Packaging Professionals. This issue contains:
- A state of the industry address by Roger D. Blackwell,
Professor of Marketing, Ohio State University
- Ensuring your flexopress "heart" is healthy
- Obtaining the best from your printing inks
- Answers to your pressing questions in the Production
Roundtable
- The latest information on the Corrugated Containers
Division of TAPPI recently renamed the Corrugated Packaging
Division.
Download
now!
Please Note: Please make sure that you have the latest version
of Acrobat Reader. http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html,
it's FREE. To print a hardcopy of a PDF file correctly you
must have a "postscript printer." If you are not
sure if your printer is "postscript," refer to your
owners manual.
The Winter issue of Corrugating International
is offered as a click through to the Internet versus an email
attachment. The email attachment was frequently rejected by
email servers. Please let us know if you have difficulty downloading
Corrugating International, mcornell@tappi.org
NEW
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH INNOVATION
2003
TAPPI International Corrugated Containers Conference and CorrExpo
October 12-15, 2003 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dallas,
Texas
HELP
SHAPE THE FUTURE OF TAPPI CONFERENCE PROGRAMS
Professionals in the converting areas of the corrugated
industry are well aware of the changes affecting this global
industry. TAPPI's Corrugated Packaging Division is constantly
looking for new ways to help members meet businesses challenges
in a timely manner. To do so, TAPPI is seeking input from
our converters on the topics for discussion and presentation
of future results-oriented events, and on other member services.
SEEKING
INPUT FROM CORRUGATORS
The Corrugated Packaging Division is, as always, looking
for volunteers willing to share expertise and real-life
experiences in forum roundtable and panel discussions, tutorials,
case studies, future trends and traditional technical paper
presentations. Those interested in helping to shape TAPPI's
corrugated products and services by offering ideas on topics,
or by contributing to the technical program, please contact
technical program chairman Thomas Fullove at (513) 489-8700
or by e-mail: tfullove@gbp.com
INVITATION
TO PRESENT:
INTERESTED IN PRESENTING?
Authors interested in presenting at the 2003 International
Corrugated Packaging Conference should complete an abstract
form online at the following link: http://www.tappi.org/tappi/abstracts/.
Questions should be directed to Corrugated Packaging Manager
Kathy Betts, 1-770-209-7418, or kbetts@tappi.org.
Title and abstract submittals are due February 21, 2003,
and presentation/manuscripts are due July 15, 2003.
TAPPI 2003 Spring Corrugated Packaging
Division Meeting in Rosemont
(Chicago) Illinois
April 6-8, 2003
Air
Transportation:
TAPPI is pleased to offer meeting attendees a special discount
through Delta Airlines. For details, you or your travel
agent may call Delta at 1-800-241-6760 and ask about special
fares for this meeting. Refer to file number DMN189456A.
Hotel
Information:
www.ramadaplazaohare.com
Ramada Plaza/Inn Hotel O'Hare
6600 North Mannheim Road
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
Telephone: 1-847-827-5131
Fax: 1-847-827-5220
Complimentary
Round Trip Transportation to and from O'Hare International
Airport on a 24-hour basis every 15 minutes is offered to
attendees.
TAPPI
Corrugated Packaging Division Room Rate is $105.00 plus
12.5% sales tax. Please make sure that you make your reservations
by March 22, 2003, in order to get the TAPPI rate.
For
more information about this meeting, contact Margie Head
at TAPPI: Phone: 770-209-7273. E-mail: mhead@tappi.org
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