GLG News by Fine Paper Experts (NA)

Standard grade newsprint annual tonnage has been declining since 2000 as circulation goes down, advertizing pages drop and classified ads decrease.   Could anyone have predicted that the Internet would have such a profound effect on newspaper circulation?   Supposedly no one...

With a worldwide recession looming, the market pulp industry continues to be operating at peak capacity with quarterly price increases becoming the norm.   China has been the engine driving the world's  business but can it continue on and on?  Will China's domestic demand ever...

Abitibi-Bowaters has recently shut down four newsprint mills: one in New Brunswick, two in Ontario and one in British Columbia.  Catalyst has shut down one machine as have several other major producers.  Will this be enough to bring supply in balance with demand? 85% of newsprint production...

Three important industry segments, newsprint (and its related grades of SC and mechanical specialites), Uncoated FreeSheet (UFS) and Coated FreeSheet have all experienced significant declines in overall North American demand.  Something has to be done if prices are going to keep up with rising...

The global fluff pulp market now measures 4.5 million mt with the US enjoying a dominant position.  Can we maintain that position or even expand it?  Industry observers believe our position is very secure and that we are in the best position to expand.  What's behind this optimism? Fluff...

The Uncoated FreeSheet market in North America is declining with the Internet and electronic devices being blamed for much of it. Is this really the case?  In spite of this decline selling prices have increased with few objections from  major buyers.  Is there any...

Harvesting tropical hardwoods which have been submerged for 40 years may be environmentally beneficial but is this overshadowing the commercial considerations? Three Main Points: 1. Was nothing learned from the abandoned Camaroons pulp mill project that cost investors $250 million dollars? 2. To be...

Jouko Karvinen became CEO in 2006 and obviously has a different vision than his predecessor Jukka Harmala did 7 years ago when they purchased Consolidated Papers.  Last year the N.A. division generated 2 billion Euros and produced a profit of $295 million.   Does he see little growth...

Domtar wants to be totally focused on (a) paper - Uncoated FreeSheet and (b) market pulp - hardwood, softwood and fluff.  They feel it's necessary to free themselves of 12 sawmills and 5 joint venture mills.  A newly formed company, Conifex, was prepared to take over all these mills and to...

There is no doubt of the immense activity and interest for the major energy companies, not already in Brazil through their co-operations with Petrobras and as distributors of gasoline and alcohol for cars, to invest into the sugar cane industry in Brazil. The Brazilians smile and wonder why they are...