The MarketWatch Blog is Transitioning to ResourceWise Forest Products
Forest2Market: July 14, 2023
The global pulp & paper industry has undergone some significant changes in 2022 – some expected, some unexpected – but the industry as a whole has emerged from another tumultuous year in a relatively strong position. In light of these changes, we wanted to take an opportunity to look back and see which topics resonated the most with visitors to Fisher International’s Paper Industry Commentary blog in 2022.
It’s also a great opportunity to offer our sincere gratitude to the contributors and regular readers of our blog and newsletters. We are delighted that you find continued value in our content. We wish you a safe, warm, and joyous holiday season and we look forward to providing you with fresh industry insights and meaningful content in 2023.
The Top 7 Most Popular Blog Posts of 2022
- Why Have Market Pulp Prices Continued to Remain So High?
The global weighted average prices for kraft softwood and kraft hardwood pulps increased significantly in 2021, with skyrocketing spot prices in the second quarter. And while prices have since decreased from those levels, they have still remained substantially higher; in 4Q2021, kraft softwood prices climbed 25% and kraft hardwood prices jumped 35% compared to 4Q2020. This has left buyers wondering what is driving high prices and when they will subside.
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- 10 Interesting Facts about the Current State of the Pulp and Paper Industry
A heightened sense of uncertainty continues to plague various aspects of our lives as global geopolitical trade flows and economic structures remain stressed. As we continue to wonder what the market will look like in 2023, it’s first important to have a solid understanding of where the current global Pulp and Paper industry is now before aiming to predict where it will be in 6 months, a year, or longer.
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- A Deep(ish)-Dive into the World of Pulp and Paper Fiber
Market pulp is a critical global commodity within the pulp and paper industry as it plays a primary role in manufacturing numerous paper grades. But what exactly is this product we refer to as “pulp” that we have heard so much about in the last two years? Let’s take a very simplified look at everything “pulp” and the key features that major players in the industry seek out.
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- Russia-Ukraine War and the Implications to Russia’s Pulp & Paper Industry Supply Chain
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that began in late February, Europe (the second largest trading partner of Russia) has followed NATO and imposed significant sanctions on Russian products. As the sanctions have expanded, the trade of forest products between Russia and the western world has virtually ceased.
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- 10 Interesting Facts About the Current Global Tissue Market
One segment of the pulp & paper industry that continues to rapidly evolve is tissue and towel. There has been some reshuffling and settling since the onset of the pandemic two years ago, and society seems determined to return to normalcy – whatever that may look like. The global tissue
sector also looks drastically different than it did in 2019.
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- How a Starch Shortage Might Impact the P&P Industry
All in all, the starch shortage appears to be supply/demand driven as opposed to some of the global food shortages that are arising. However, this is a serious situation that may cause cascading impacts considering there is about 300 MM lbs. of additional starch demand coming online from the P&P industry over the next 12 months.
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- After Making a Considerable Investment, What Is BillerudKorsnäs Going to Do with Its Verso Mills?
In December 2021, Swedish pulp and paper manufacturer BillerudKorsnäs AB announced its acquisition of North American coated papers producer Verso Corporation. The $825 million acquisition of Verso’s outstanding shares is fully in line with BillerudKorsnäs’s strategy to drive profitable growth in paperboard, along with its ambition to expand into North America. However, what exactly is BillerudKorsnäs going to do with their newly acquired Verso mills?
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