Seattle, USA. Continued increase in US housing constructions, growing demand for wood, high lumber prices, imposed import tariffs on Canadian lumber, and a strong US dollar are recent market developments that will impact forest products market dynamics in 2017, not only in North America, but on other continents as well.

MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 27, 2017 -- International Paper (NYSE: IP) reported first quarter 2017 net earnings attributable to International Paper of $209 million ($0.50 per share) compared with net earnings of $218 million ($0.53 per share) for the fourth quarter of 2016 and net earnings of $334 million ($0.81 per share) in the first quarter of 2016. Net earnings in all periods include the impact of special items, if any, non-operating pension expense and discontinued operations.

April 18, 2017, Northbrook, IL, USA -- ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, and the Canadian Sanitation Supply Association (CSSA) are pleased to announce they have joined forces effective April 1, 2017, forming ISSA Canada to better serve the Canadian cleaning and janitorial community.

Helsinki, April 11, 2017 -- UPM Paper ENA has a strong foothold all over Europe. Local presence and supply reliability of its improved newsprint offering will now be further strengthened by expanding regular production of the UPM Brite family to the UPM Steyrermühl mill in Austria.

In SCA’s interim report for the first quarter of 2017 to be published on April 27, 2017, the hygiene business will be recognized as profit for the period from discontinued operations held for distribution to owners. SCA will also publish an interim report for the first quarter of 2017 for its hygiene business SCA Hygiene AB. After the approved split SCA Hygiene AB will change its name to Essity. In addition, financial information will be published for the combined forest products and hygiene business.

At the Annual General Meeting of SCA, the company’s shareholders voted in favor of the Board of Director’s proposal to split the Group into two listed companies. One of these will continue to operate as SCA, an efficient and well-invested forest products company that will include the forest products operations and all forest land currently owned by the Group. SCA’s hygiene business, including the current business areas of Personal Care (including the recently acquired BSN medical) and Tissue will become a leading global hygiene and health company operating under the name Essity.

Helsinki, Finland, April 3, 2017 -- The completion of the merger of Ahlstrom Corporation into Munksjö Oyj was registered with the Finnish Trade Register on 1 April 2017. Following the completion of the merger, the name of the combined company has changed to Ahlstrom-Munksjö Oyj (“Ahlstrom-Munksjö”). Trading in the new Ahlstrom-Munksjö shares issued to Ahlstrom’s shareholders as merger consideration will commence today on the Nasdaq Helsinki (trading code: AM1) and Nasdaq Stockholm (trading code: AM1S) stock exchanges.

PENSACOLA, Fla., April 3, 2017 -- International Paper's Pensacola Mill in Cantonment, Fla., has successfully resumed full operations following a digester incident that occurred on January 22, 2017. The company, with the assistance of independent third-party experts, has implemented enhanced procedures and protections across the enterprise to prevent the recurrence of such an incident.

Continuing increases in recovered paper prices, combined with increasing difficulties in availability, exceed our ability to lower costs through savings initiatives and productivity increases.

Global Lumber Trade: Global softwood lumber trade increased 12 percent year-over-year to reach a new record high of 121 million m3 in 2016, per estimates by WRI. Since the global financial recession in 2009, there has been a steady climb in international trade of lumber, with shipments the past seven years having increased as much as 66 percent. While it is no surprise that China is a major driver for the dramatic rise in lumber shipments worldwide the past seven years, it is interesting to note that the US has actually increased softwood lumber imports more than China.