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James McLaren

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 13, 2015 (RISI) -North American forest products railroad freight rose 7.9% in the week ending Feb. 7, 2015, to 19,138 carloads, the Assn of American railroads reported. Volume through five weeks of 2015 at 95,374 carloads was 5.5% above the same period of 2014.

US forest products freight in the week was up 7.3%, Canada rose 9.5% and Mexico dropped 52.1%.

AAR showed total North America railroad carloads were up 5% in the week and 6% year-to-date.

Regional rail carrier Genesee & Wyoming reported its January pulp and paper carloads were up 3.1% from a year ago at 15,228 carloads. Lumber and forest products freight at 10,951 carloads was down 0.2%.

North American forest products rail volume up 7.9% in latest week

Posted in: Logistics 02/18/2015 - 18:30

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 13, 2015 (RISI) -North American forest products railroad freight rose 7.9% in the week ending Feb. 7, 2015, to 19,138 carloads, the Assn of American railroads reported. Volume through five weeks of 2015 at 95,374 carloads was 5.5% above the same period of 2014.

US forest products freight in the week was up 7.3%, Canada rose 9.5% and Mexico dropped 52.1%.

AAR showed total North America railroad carloads were up 5% in the week and 6% year-to-date.

Regional rail carrier Genesee & Wyoming reported its January pulp and paper carloads were up 3.1% from a year ago at 15,228 carloads. Lumber and forest products freight at 10,951 carloads was down 0.2%.

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 10, 2015 (RISI) -Georgia-Pacific is turning shipping duties at its Green Bay, WI, operations to RGL Logistics,which eliminates 89 jobs at the company, according to a local press report.

GP operates two Green Bay mills, and late last yeartook shipment of a massive natural-gas boilerto replace a coal-fired boiler at the Broadway mill.

The new boiler will cut GP's coal use by 150-200,000 tons from 400-450,000 tons, theGreen Bay Press-Gazettereported. After the strongest year since the recession,the Port of Green Bay expects to see its 2015 total volume to be lowerdue to the new boiler.

Georgia-Pacific outsources shipping duties in Green Bay

Posted in: Logistics 02/18/2015 - 17:00

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 10, 2015 (RISI) -Georgia-Pacific is turning shipping duties at its Green Bay, WI, operations to RGL Logistics,which eliminates 89 jobs at the company, according to a local press report.

GP operates two Green Bay mills, and late last yeartook shipment of a massive natural-gas boilerto replace a coal-fired boiler at the Broadway mill.

The new boiler will cut GP's coal use by 150-200,000 tons from 400-450,000 tons, theGreen Bay Press-Gazettereported. After the strongest year since the recession,the Port of Green Bay expects to see its 2015 total volume to be lowerdue to the new boiler.

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 18, 2015 (RISI) -Caraustar's acquisition of The Newark Group has cleared a Justice Department antitrust review, according to several knowledgeable US boxboard and recovered paper market sources. An official announcement is expected this week.

Caraustar, owned by H.I.G. Capital, announced the merger in July. It would combine the second and third largest producers of uncoated recycled paperboard used in tube and core and other products with total capacity of about 847,000 tons/yr. The new company will also produce coated recycled board, gypsum wallboard, and recycled containerboard at 13 US mills.

H.I.G. Capital did not respond for comment late on Feb. 18.

Market sources have said DOJ was investigating the merger up until early January. It was not known if the approval would require divestment of any assets. Newark Group is owned by DDJ Capital.

Caraustar acquisition of Newark Group reported to have cleared Justice Dept review

Posted in: Packaging Technology 02/18/2015 - 08:37

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 18, 2015 (RISI) -Caraustar's acquisition of The Newark Group has cleared a Justice Department antitrust review, according to several knowledgeable US boxboard and recovered paper market sources. An official announcement is expected this week.

Caraustar, owned by H.I.G. Capital, announced the merger in July. It would combine the second and third largest producers of uncoated recycled paperboard used in tube and core and other products with total capacity of about 847,000 tons/yr. The new company will also produce coated recycled board, gypsum wallboard, and recycled containerboard at 13 US mills.

H.I.G. Capital did not respond for comment late on Feb. 18.

Market sources have said DOJ was investigating the merger up until early January. It was not known if the approval would require divestment of any assets. Newark Group is owned by DDJ Capital.

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 10, 2015 (RISI) -Georgia-Pacific is turning shipping duties at its Green Bay, WI, operations to RGL Logistics,which eliminates 89 jobs at the company, according to a local press report.

GP operates two Green Bay mills, and late last yeartook shipment of a massive natural-gas boilerto replace a coal-fired boiler at the Broadway mill.

The new boiler will cut GP's coal use by 150-200,000 tons from 400-450,000 tons, theGreen Bay Press-Gazettereported. After the strongest year since the recession,the Port of Green Bay expects to see its 2015 total volume to be lowerdue to the new boiler.

Georgia-Pacific outsources shipping duties in Green Bay; new gas boiler to cut coal volumes at mill and port

Posted in: Tissue 02/10/2015 - 09:49

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 10, 2015 (RISI) -Georgia-Pacific is turning shipping duties at its Green Bay, WI, operations to RGL Logistics,which eliminates 89 jobs at the company, according to a local press report.

GP operates two Green Bay mills, and late last yeartook shipment of a massive natural-gas boilerto replace a coal-fired boiler at the Broadway mill.

The new boiler will cut GP's coal use by 150-200,000 tons from 400-450,000 tons, theGreen Bay Press-Gazettereported. After the strongest year since the recession,the Port of Green Bay expects to see its 2015 total volume to be lowerdue to the new boiler.

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 6, 2015 (RISI) -North American forest products railroad freight in the week ending Jan. 31, 2015, was up 10.7% from a year ago to 20,325 carloads, theAssn of American Railroadsreported. Volume through four weeks of 2015 at 76,231 carloads was 4.9% higher.

US forest products freight in the week rose 8.5% and year-to-date was 3.6% higher to 45,086 carloads.

Canada forest products volume in the week was up 14% and year-to-date was 7% higher to 30,907 carloads.

Mexico rose 9.5% in the week and through four weeks was down 13.5% at 238 carloads.

Year-to-date North American chemicals rail volume was 4.6% higher, coal was up 4.1% and petroleum was 8.4% higher. Total North American carloads were up 10.4% in the week and 6.1% year-to-date.

"January was a good start to the year for U.S. railroads, helped by the fact that the winter so far this year hasn't been nearly as bad as it was last year," commented AAR.

North American forest products rail freight up 10.7% in final week of January

Posted in: Logistics 02/06/2015 - 07:29

OAKLAND, CA, Feb. 6, 2015 (RISI) -North American forest products railroad freight in the week ending Jan. 31, 2015, was up 10.7% from a year ago to 20,325 carloads, theAssn of American Railroadsreported. Volume through four weeks of 2015 at 76,231 carloads was 4.9% higher.

US forest products freight in the week rose 8.5% and year-to-date was 3.6% higher to 45,086 carloads.

Canada forest products volume in the week was up 14% and year-to-date was 7% higher to 30,907 carloads.

Mexico rose 9.5% in the week and through four weeks was down 13.5% at 238 carloads.

Year-to-date North American chemicals rail volume was 4.6% higher, coal was up 4.1% and petroleum was 8.4% higher. Total North American carloads were up 10.4% in the week and 6.1% year-to-date.

"January was a good start to the year for U.S. railroads, helped by the fact that the winter so far this year hasn't been nearly as bad as it was last year," commented AAR.

OAKLAND, CA, Jan. 1, 2015 (RISI) -North American forest products railroad freight in 2014 was down 0.2% from a year ago at 967,073 carloads, the only commodity group to show a decline, the Assn of American Railroads reported.

Volume for the final week of the year ending Dec. 27 was up 2.5% at 15,486 carloads.

US forest products rail carloads in 2014 were up 2.7% to 582,894 carloads. Canada was down 4.2% to 381,721 carloads, and Mexico was 6.8% lower to 2,458 carloads, AAR showed.

Total North American rail carloads were up 3.6% in 2014 to 20.19 million units. Intermodal volume rose 5.4% and total traffic was up 4.4%.

North American forest products rail volume down 0.2% in 2014

Posted in: Logistics 01/21/2015 - 18:55

OAKLAND, CA, Jan. 1, 2015 (RISI) -North American forest products railroad freight in 2014 was down 0.2% from a year ago at 967,073 carloads, the only commodity group to show a decline, the Assn of American Railroads reported.

Volume for the final week of the year ending Dec. 27 was up 2.5% at 15,486 carloads.

US forest products rail carloads in 2014 were up 2.7% to 582,894 carloads. Canada was down 4.2% to 381,721 carloads, and Mexico was 6.8% lower to 2,458 carloads, AAR showed.

Total North American rail carloads were up 3.6% in 2014 to 20.19 million units. Intermodal volume rose 5.4% and total traffic was up 4.4%.

OAKLAND, CA, Jan. 21, 2015 (RISI) -Alsip Acquisition will sell the idle FutureMark 100% recycled coated mechanical paper mill in Alsip, IL, out of auction to an affiliate of Corrugated Supplies for $8.2 million,Bloomberg reported Jan. 12.

Corrugated Supplies is a manufacturer and distributor of corrugated cardboard sheets based in Bedford Park, IL.

The Alsip bankruptcy process began in late November and was structured to sell the mill to Resolute Forest Products for $5 million, subject to competitive bidding, Bloomberg reported.

FutureMark closed the 165,000 tons/yr Alsip millin September citing "insurmountable market conditions in the North American coated paper market including historic low pricing and unprecedented energy costs."

Alsip Acquisition said collective-bargaining agreements with unionsmust be scrappedto permit the sale.The closure affected 170 workers.

Idle FutureMark recycled coated paper mill in Illinois sold in auction to Corrugated Supplies affiliate for $8.2 million

Posted in: Packaging Technology 01/21/2015 - 09:35

OAKLAND, CA, Jan. 21, 2015 (RISI) -Alsip Acquisition will sell the idle FutureMark 100% recycled coated mechanical paper mill in Alsip, IL, out of auction to an affiliate of Corrugated Supplies for $8.2 million,Bloomberg reported Jan. 12.

Corrugated Supplies is a manufacturer and distributor of corrugated cardboard sheets based in Bedford Park, IL.

The Alsip bankruptcy process began in late November and was structured to sell the mill to Resolute Forest Products for $5 million, subject to competitive bidding, Bloomberg reported.

FutureMark closed the 165,000 tons/yr Alsip millin September citing "insurmountable market conditions in the North American coated paper market including historic low pricing and unprecedented energy costs."

Alsip Acquisition said collective-bargaining agreements with unionsmust be scrappedto permit the sale.The closure affected 170 workers.

OAKLAND, CA, Jan. 16, 2015 (RISI) -New York City on Jan. 8 became the largest municipality toban expanded polystyrene(EPS) foam foodservice containers, including cups and trays, effective on July 1. The city said it concluded that styrofoam cannot be recycled and there is no market for post-consumer EPS. Solo Cup parent firm Dart Container, who the city said it consulted with when studying the ban, called it an "economic and environmental defeat" since food service represents a small percentage of EPS and the remaining material would go to landfills.

"For a city that's known to be a leader, we just don't understand why NYC officials rejected such an environmentally progressive recycling option,"said a Dart official. "We've been recycling foam in numerous states for years."

The law allows businesses a six-month grace period from when it goes into effect - Jan. 1, 2016 -- before fines can be imposed.

"These products cause real environmental harm and have no place in New York City,"said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "We have better options, better alternatives, and if more cities across the country follow our lead and institute similar bans, those alternatives will soon become more plentiful and will cost less."

"By removing nearly 30,000 tons of expanded polystyrene waste from our landfills, streets and waterways, today's announcement is a major step towards our goal of a greener, greater New York City," he added.

Dart said it conducted tests that "unequivocally proved" the feasibility of recycling EPS.

Coffee giant Dunkin' Donuts said it would replace its iconic styrofoam cup with an alternative at all its 536 stores in New York City, possibly including a double-walled paper cup, a company spokesperson told theNew York Daily News.

Dunkin Donuts has told analysts it was aggressivelyexploring alternatives to styrofoam, but has not made a broad commitment to switch materials such as what McDonald's did in 2013.

Based on paper industry estimates, the 3 to 4 billion hot cups that the retailers represent could amount to 80,000 tons of annual paper cupstock demand.

Dunkin' Donuts has also looked at usingBerry Plastics' polypropylene #5 plastic Versalitehot and cold cup that the company calls "fully recyclable." Reports said Dunkin Brands chairman Nigel Travis appeared this week on CNBC holding a Versalite cup but without making a verbal endorsement. The company is testing the PE cup in several states.

In a 2012 presentation,IP showed US cup demandas 38 billion units of paper cold cups, 33 billion units of foam, 20 billion units of plastic, and 17 billion units of paper hot cups.

New York City bans styrofoam foodservice containers; Dunkin’ Donuts seeks hot cup alternatives

Posted in: Packaging Technology 01/19/2015 - 07:34