Nippon Paper Industries will suspend operations at its wholly owned Hungarian subsidiary Nippon Paper Chemicals Europe (NPCE) from 31 December 2026, citing a slower-than-expected EV market and intensifying competition. Production of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) for lithium-ion battery applications will be consolidated at the group's Gotsu plant in Japan. The group expects to book an extraordinary loss of about JPY 5 billion for the year ending 31 March 2027, and has not given a date for resuming Hungarian operations.
Why this mattersSlower EV battery demand growth in Europe is prompting Japanese materials producers to retreat from local capacity built for that market.
- NPCE will suspend operations on 31 December 2026.
- Nippon Paper expects an extraordinary loss of about JPY 5 billion for the year ending 31 March 2027.
- NPCE, based in Vacratot, Hungary, had 24 employees as of 31 August 2026.
- NPCE reported revenue of EUR 74,000 and an operating loss of about EUR 5.98 million for the year ended 31 December 2025.
- NPCE was established in September 2022 to produce SUNROSE MAC CMC for lithium-ion batteries; local production began in 2025.
- CMC production will be consolidated at Nippon Paper's Gotsu plant in Japan.
Plastic Energy has transferred its stake in the TotalEnergies Plastic Energy Advanced Recycling (TEPEAR) facility in Grandpuits, France, giving TotalEnergies full ownership. The plant will keep operating at industrial scale using Plastic Energy's proprietary TAC pyrolysis technology, with the divestment forming part of Plastic Energy's restructuring under returning CEO Carlos Monreal to focus on its Spanish plants and partnerships.
Why this mattersConsolidation of chemical recycling assets under oil majors signals technology licensors retreating from capital-heavy plant ownership toward asset-light licensing models.
- Plastic Energy transferred its stake in the TEPEAR facility in Grandpuits, France, to TotalEnergies.
- TotalEnergies now holds full ownership of TEPEAR.
- The plant continues to use Plastic Energy's proprietary TAC chemical recycling technology.
- Carlos Monreal, Plastic Energy founder, has returned as CEO and is leading a restructuring around core operations.
- Plastic Energy will continue operating chemical recycling plants in Almeria and Seville, Spain.
- Plastic Energy produced its first batch of pyrolysis oil, Tacoil, last year at a joint venture facility with Sabic.
Avantium has signed a capacity reservation agreement with Klöckner Pentaplast covering future volumes of Avantium's plant-based PEF polymer, branded releaf, for thermoformed food packaging such as trays and lidding films. The agreement gives kp access to volumes from planned industrial-scale PEF plants to be built by licensees of Avantium's technology, subject to the material meeting technical, regulatory and commercial requirements. No production volumes, prices or binding delivery commitments were disclosed.
Why this mattersReserved volumes from a converter with 27 plants give PEF a demand anchor, though supply depends on licensee plants that have yet to be built.
- Avantium and Klöckner Pentaplast announced the capacity reservation agreement on 14 September 2026
- The agreement covers future releaf (PEF) volumes from prospective industrial-scale plants to be built and operated by licensees of Avantium's technology
- Access to volumes is subject to the material meeting technical, regulatory and commercial requirements
- Target applications are thermoformed food trays, lidding films and flow-wrap structures across Europe
- releaf is made from FDCA, Avantium's flagship molecule, and is positioned on oxygen and carbon dioxide barrier performance
- kp was founded in 1965 and has 27 plants in 16 countries with about 5,000 employees
Mayr-Melnhof will rejoin the Austrian ATX blue-chip index on 21 September after a one-year absence, the Vienna Stock Exchange said. The group also raised the cumulative target for its 'Fit for Future' efficiency programme to more than EUR 330m by 2027 versus a 2024 base year, up from a prior goal of over EUR 250m, with more than EUR 100m expected in the second half of 2026 alone. H1 2026 revenue (excluding TANN) fell 4.7% to EUR 1,849.3m and adjusted EBITDA was EUR 200.2m, while management flagged a further difficult market environment in H2, including about EUR 35m of Q3 operating-profit impact from scheduled maintenance shutdowns.
Why this mattersA target lifted by EUR 80m implies management expects cartonboard demand and pricing to stay weak into 2027, after a 4.7% first-half revenue decline.
- Mayr-Melnhof rejoins the Austrian ATX index on 21 September 2026 after a one-year absence.
- H1 2026 revenue excluding TANN was EUR 1,849.3m, down 4.7% year on year.
- Adjusted EBITDA in H1 2026 was EUR 200.2m.
- Fit for Future cumulative earnings target raised to more than EUR 330m by 2027 against a 2024 base, from more than EUR 250m previously.
- Scheduled maintenance shutdowns are expected to reduce Q3 2026 operating profit by about EUR 35m.
- MM Board & Paper signed an agreement in August 2026 to acquire the business of German recycled cartonboard mill R.D.M. Arnsberg, capacity about 230,000 t/yr, closing targeted for Q4 2026 subject to antitrust clearance.
Ball Corporation and Crown Holdings are investing a combined INR 50bn (USD 523m) in two separate aluminium beverage can projects at Uttar Pradesh's Integrated Manufacturing and Logistics Cluster. Crown has started construction of a two-line plant at Unnao costing INR 21bn, first announced in April 2026 and due on stream in the second half of 2027. Ball Beverage Packaging India has selected a site at Meerut for a plant with a proposed investment of INR 29bn, which has been granted incentives under Uttar Pradesh's 2023 policy for FDI and Fortune-listed investors.
Why this mattersTwo major can makers building capacity in the same Indian cluster signals a bet on rapid growth in aluminium can demand across alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Combined investment of INR 50 billion (USD 523 million) across two projects
- Ball Beverage Packaging India selected a site in Meerut, IMLC, investing INR 29 billion (USD 303 million)
- Crown Holdings is investing INR 21 billion (USD 220 million) in a greenfield plant on nearly 40 acres in Unnao
- Crown's plant was first announced in April 2026 and is scheduled to start operations in second half of 2027
- Crown's facility is expected to produce around 2.2 billion cans annually and create over 200 direct jobs and 1,500 indirect jobs
- Crown has lined up long-term customers including United Breweries, part of Heineken
Sappi and UPM have nominated Gunnar Eberhardt as CEO and Stephen Blyth as CFO of their planned graphic papers joint venture, subject to regulatory clearance. The move comes after the European Commission issued a statement of objections roughly three weeks earlier, citing concerns that the merger could raise prices and reduce quality in communication papers. Sappi shareholders had already approved the deal with a 98.5% majority, and management aims to complete the transaction by the end of 2026.
Why this mattersRegulatory pushback on the Sappi-UPM graphic papers combination signals scrutiny that could delay or reshape a deal meant to consolidate a shrinking market.
- Gunnar Eberhardt nominated CEO and Stephen Blyth CFO of the planned Sappi-UPM graphic papers joint venture on 9 September 2026, subject to regulatory approval
- European Commission issued a statement of objections about three weeks earlier, citing risks of higher prices and lower quality in communication papers
- Sappi shareholders approved the joint venture with a 98.5% majority
- Sappi management targets completion of the transaction by the end of 2026
- Sappi reported Q3 adjusted EBITDA of USD 53m, down 34% year on year, within its July guidance
- Sappi has removed USD 120m of costs, half of it fixed-cost reductions mainly at European sites
Domtar's Howe Sound pulp mill on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast faces indefinite closure after an August 20, 2026 announcement citing deteriorating markets and a decline in affordable domestic fibre. The provincial government appointed negotiators Don Wright and Don Kayne on September 4, 2026 to work with Domtar, as an industry consultant warns the shutdown could trigger a wider collapse of the region's coastal forest sector. Talks continue amid a broader wave of BC pulp mill curtailments, with Domtar's Crofton mill already closed permanently and Canfor's Northwood mill set to shut before year end.
Why this mattersA permanent Howe Sound closure would remove pulp-log demand for coastal sawmills, accelerating structural decline across British Columbia's integrated forest-products supply chain.
- Domtar announced indefinite closure of its Howe Sound pulp mill on August 20, 2026, citing deteriorating markets and a decline in affordable domestic fibre.
- The mill and associated Bayview Fibre facility employ more than 400 people.
- British Columbia's provincial government appointed negotiators Don Wright and Don Kayne on September 4, 2026 to work with Domtar.
- Domtar's Crofton pulp and paper mill closed permanently, taking hold in early 2026.
- Canfor said in July 2026 it would shut its Northwood pulp mill in Prince George before the end of the year.
- A coalition of 15 forest industry groups and unions called BC's industry "at a breaking point" in a letter to the province.
