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NEWS The United Steelworkers of America and the Paper, Allied Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International unions plan to merge to form the largest industrial union in North America with 850,000 members and 8,000 bargaining units in the US, Canada and the Caribbean. The new union will be called the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied-Industrial and Service Workers International Union. PACE and USWA members will vote on the proposal at conventions in April. FiberMark, Inc, filed a Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement with the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Vermont to help it to emerge from Chapter 11. Alex Kwader, chairman of the board and CEO said the Plan “will allow FiberMark to emerge in the first quarter of 2005 as a stronger company.” Sales and operating income both improved in 3Q04 compared with 3Q03. www.fibermark.com. Bowater Inc. joined the Forest Products Assn. of Canada (FPAC) in January. Bowater Canada Inc. has six paper mills and 10 sawmills in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Its HQ is in Montreal, QC. FPAC, based in Ottawa, ON, is the successor to CPPA and represents the forest products industry in government, trade and environmental affairs. www.fpac.ca. Tembec, Inc. and its Indian partner Aditya Birla Group are said to be looking at the recently shut St. Anne-Nackawic mill in New Brunswick (see Paper Industry, October 2004, p. 5) with a view to converting it from NBSK to dissolving pulp. The companies already have a 50:50 joint venture in AV Cell Inc., a dissolving pulp mill in Atholville, NB. www.tembec.com. The ill-fated Gaspesia mill in Quebec was to be divided into 14 lots to be put up for sale by January 14, 2005. Fraser Papers Inc. is said to be planning to unload 304,000 hectares of private woodlands in New Brunswick. Kimberly-Clark Corp.’s 4Q04 profit fell 3.1%, although on a continuing operations basis, with financial results presented to reflect the spin-off of Neenah Paper November 30, 2004, earnings per share for the quarter rose from 88 cents in 4Q03 to 92 cents. K-C now focuses exclusively on health and hygiene products. In its 4Q094 report, Abitibi- Consolidated Inc. recorded a $32-million charge where $12 million represented additional costs resulting from the 2003 idling of the Lufkin, TX, and Port Alfred, QC, paper mills, and $28 million results from the permanent closure of the Sheldon, TX, and Port Alfred paper mills announced January 26, 2005. A gain of $8 million resulted from the sale of air emission credits in 3Q04. www.abicon.com. Solvay Chemicals, Inc. will use new high productivity technology at its hydrogen peroxide production unit in Deer Park, TX. Production will increase by 60% to 260 million pounds (118 kt) a year in a single line. As well, Solvay will increase off-list prices for all grades of hydrogen peroxide effective March 1, 2005, or as contracts permit. Prices will increase $US0.05/lb in the US and $C133.00/tonne in Canada for 100% basis hydrogen peroxide. www.solvay.com. Papertech Inc., North Vancouver BC, reported record orders in 2004 for its WebVision® Plus camera break recording and web inspection systems with 55 orders from around the world, up 72% from 2003. The company said many were repeat orders. www.papertech.ca. |
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