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• 6 months after the start-up of PM3 at Norske Skog Bruck – a short review

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“Between 60 and 70 per cent of our timber now comes by rail. This removes 15,000 trucks a year from the roads,” says Carsten Dybevig, Vice President Communication and Public Affairs at Norske Skog.

For now, the Eastern Line will only be used as an alternative when the main line is closed for repairs. But Norske Skog will continue pushing for a permanent solution, which will be good for business and the climate 🌿 

The Norwegian national broadcaster NRK covered the event (in Norwegian) https://lnkd.in/dmSxE72F.  

💬 "After extensive negotiations and securing all necessary regulatory approvals, we're delighted to have concluded this sales agreement with Oji. This sale signifies the culmination of Norske Skog's longstanding business journey in New Zealand," says CEO of Norske Skog, Geir Drangsland.
 
The Tasman factory closed its newsprint productions in 2021, and the transaction is part of Norske Skogs focused long-term strategy. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated employees and the supportive local community 🏡

The presentation will be held by CFO Rune Sollie. 

Presentation

About Norske Skog
Norske Skog is a world leading producer of publication paper with strong market positions and customer relations in Europe and Australasia. The Norske Skog Group operates four mills in Europe, which produce publication paper, recycled packaging paper, energy and bioproducts. In addition, the Group operates one paper mill in Australia. Norske Skog aims to further diversify its operations and continue its transformation into a growing and high-margin business through a range of promising energy and bio product development projects. The Group has approximately 2 100 employees, is headquartered in Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker NSKOG.


Norske Skog
Communications and Public Affairs

For further information:
Norske Skog media:
Vice President Communication and Public Affairs

Carsten Dybevig
Email: carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 917 63 117

Norske Skog financial markets:

Investor Relation Manager
Even Lund
Email: even.lund@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 906 12 919

What are the benefits of the new line? 
The new TMP line replaces recycled fibres. The availability of recycled fibres has declined in recent years while procurement and transportation costs have increased. This is due to a reduced consumption of printing paper and an increased demand for recycled fibres in the growing packaging market.

By building the new TMP line at Skogn, we ensure that we can produce on all machines without recycled fibres. Additionally, transitioning away from recycled fibres will result in less ash from the boilers, lower fossil CO2 emissions, and reduced NOx emissions into the air.

Why is this important for the Skogn mill? 
The project is important for the Skogn mill for several reasons. It positively impacts various environmental parameters, reduces our production costs, and is a significant strategic investment, providing both capacity and quality to explore potential future products. The profitability is also solid, and the project has a relatively short payback period.

Some may wonder why environmental and climate benefits are highlighted in transitioning from recycled paper to fresh fibre. Can you explain? 
This is mainly because the availability and quality of recycled paper have significantly declined in recent years. Instead of being able to source plenty of high-quality recycled fibre in Norway, we now have to import it, which involves long transportation distances. When we also find that the yield of what we import is low, it no longer makes sense economically or environmentally. In this project, we are also reusing equipment from closed or renovated factories, which means we don’t have to produce entirely new equipment, reducing unnecessary emissions. And as I mentioned, it reduces the amount of ash, ash composition, CO2 emissions, and NOx emissions.

Also, let’s look at the big picture: When much of the industry is transitioning to packaging production based on recycled fibres, it’s essential to remember that recycled fibres originally come from fresh wood fibre from the forest. Someone needs to contribute to bringing fresh fibre back into the cycle, and Skogn plays a central role, making us even more important with this project. TMP also maximizes the utilization of timber compared to the alternative, which could be chemical pulp production, contributing to the best possible use of forest resources.

How far along is the project now, and are you comfortable with the planned start in the first half of 2024? 
We are well underway with the assembly work, and work related to electrical and automation systems has begun. The schedule is on track, and we look forward to starting the new line and fine-tuning it during the first half of 2024.

⚙️ The extensive testing has further demonstrated the robustness of carbon capture technology on an industrial scale and under industrial conditions. The pilot has displayed consistent performance and industrial durability, even when operating autonomously for extended periods.

🙌 “We take immense pride in reaching this 3000-hour milestone for safe operation of our carbon capture pilot at Norske Skog Skogn. An autonomous carbon capture facility with no harmful chemicals or need for residual heat is highly valued by our industry partners," states Odd-Geir Lademo, CEO of Ocean GeoLoop.

Håvard Busklein, Managing director, Norske Skog Skogn

"I am pleased to announce Geir Drangsland as the new CEO of Norske Skog. Geir has an extensive background from the forest industry, and has worked closely with the management since his entrance in Norske Skog. At the same time, I will use the opportunity to thank Tore Hansesætre for his valuable contribution in Norske Skog’s transformation journey both as CEO and responsible for the mill conversion projects," says Arvid Grundekjøn, chair of Norske Skog ASA.

"Norske Skog has many exciting business opportunities ahead, and I am firm to realize these together with the Norske Skog team," says Geir Drangsland.

Tore Hansesætre has decided to leave Norske Skog to pursue career opportunities outside the company. "Norske Skog is a fantastic company with highly skilled and dedicated employees. However, after more than 14 years in Norske Skog, with more than five years in the corporate management and the last phase as CEO, I have decided to seek opportunities outside the company. I wish Norske Skog all the best for the future," says Tore Hansesætre.

About Geir Drangsland 
Geir Drangsland has close to 25% ownership in Norske Skog ASA through the Byggma ASA, Drangsland Kapital AS, and privately. Drangsland has acquired more than 30 years of experience and industrial competence from the wood processing industry and other businesses as chairman, general manager and financial manager in numerous companies.

About Norske Skog 
Norske Skog is a world leading producer of publication paper with strong market positions and customer relations in Europe and Australasia. The Norske Skog Group operates four mills in Europe, which produce publication paper, recycled packaging paper, energy and bioproducts. In addition, the Group operates one paper mill in Australia. Norske Skog aims to further diversify its operations and continue its transformation into a growing and high-margin business through a range of promising energy and bio product development projects. The Group has approximately 2 100 employees, is headquartered in Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker NSKOG.

Norske Skog
Communications and Public Affairs

For further information: 
Norske Skog media:
Vice President Communication and Public Affairs 
Carsten Dybevig
Email: carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com  
Mob: +47 917 63 117

Norske Skog financial markets:  
Investor Relation Manager
Even Lund
Email: even.lund@norskeskog.com

One of these bright minds, Anna Nicoline Holan, was just named apprentice of the year in Trøndelag for 2022, the county where Norske Skog Skogn is located. 

I am completely speechless. This is very unexpected. I have now been offered a permanent position at Norske Skog as a process operator. That means I will be operating the rolling machine and the paper machine. I really enjoy working at the paper mill.

– Anna Nicoline Holan (24) from Skogn.

There has been a rumor in the village that it's a pleasant workplace. It has an incredibly good working environment and a workplace where you can accomplish a lot. There are many opportunities for further development and education.

– Anna Nicoline Holan (24) from Skogn.

Everyone at Norske Skog knows who you are, and it's with pride that we congratulate you as the apprentice of the year 2022.

Your professional dedication, your progress and the effort you have put into creating a good work environment has been truly fantastic. You have also been involved in recruiting people into permanent positions even before you became a permanent employee yourself. 

– Svein Erik Veie, Development Manager in the production department at Norske Skog Skogn (third from the right)

Thank you to Anna and all our apprentices for their fantastic effort!

A lot of people showed up to celebrate this special day with us, including national and regional politicians, representatives from the local community, and friends and families of Norske Skog Bruck 🇦🇹. 

– The Bruck PM3 plays a vital role in our plans to introduce 760,000 tonnes of containerboard capacity to meet the growing demand for renewable packaging, and supporting Europe in its need to replace fossil-based packaging material. It was great to be in Bruck today and to share this milestone with everyone here, says Norske Skog CEO Tore Hansesætre. 

A huge thank you and congratulations to everyone at Norske Skog for the work that has been put in, and especially to all our colleagues at Norske Skog Bruck. You have once again proven that you manage to deliver huge projects with high quality 👏 

From top left: Vice Chancellor of Austria Werner Kogler and Chair of the Board Geir Drangsland, CEO Tore Hansesætre, Geir Drangsland
From bottom left: MD Enzo Zadra, Communication Manager Bruck Gert Pfleger, Operators Franz Christandl (left) and Michael Kilian
(Photos: Carsten Dybevig, Norske Skog)

See the HiWay TV video from the opening.

• Welcome back - and did you know #6  
• Norske Skog Bruck is producing Strato Testliner and Strato Fluting!
• May 2023: works at Norske Skog Golbey are progressing 

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The annual event promotes France’s economic attractiveness and encourages international investment.

Norske Skog has made a substantial investment in the production of #recycled #containerboard at its Golbey mill and the accompanying Green Valley Energie renewable energy plant, in which Norske Skog holds a 10 percent stake. Among the topics discussed with government representatives were transportation, the energy situation and access to raw materials. 
 
The willingness to listen to business concerns and constructive cooperation with regional, local and central authorities have been a big part of Norske Skog’s decision to make these investments in France. 

Norske Skog are converting operations towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions and creating new, green solutions.
 
Norske Skog has partnered with Miljøstiftelsen ZERO for a cooperation agreement establishing a financial model for biogenic carbon capture and storage (BECCS) from Norske Skogs Norwegian bioenergy plants.
 
Saugbrugs has supplemented its traditional paper production with environmentally friendly bioproducts CEBICO and CEBINA as well as biogas production.
 
You can read more about Norske Skog's climate ambitions here.

Check out Fragment Design Studio here. 

Read more about CEBICO, and what it can be used for, here. 

As Norske Skog enters the growing packaging market, we have also launched a new brand, Strato. Do you want to know more about our Strato-sphere? 🌌 Click here to sign up for our Strato newsletter 👉 https://lnkd.in/dzHQrEeM

• Welcome back - and did you know #5
• The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today
• Time for change has begun at Golbey

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• reduced variable costs
• significantly reduced NOx, calculated to around 40%
• significantly reduced fossil CO2 emissions, calculated to around 80%
• ash reduction at around 60%

"With this investment decision, we have taken the first step in the long-term competitiveness of Norske Skog Skogn. We want to secure our position in the newsprint market while at the same time providing opportunities to establish ourselves in new markets. This will strengthen our already good environmental position through major reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases," says Håvard Busklein, Managing Director at Norske Skog Skogn AS.

Start-up is expected during the first half of 2024. 

Three of the paper workers responsible for the result record; Kjell Sundet, Andreas Reitan and Thea Mogren. Photo: Norske Skog Skogn

All 375 employees, including apprentices, at Norske Skog Skogn will receive a substantial bonus for their excellent performance. 

Last week, everyone at Norske Skog Skogn was invited to celebrate their joint success. 

“We’ve been running at full steam for the entire 2022. Our competent and highly valued employees and their strong dedication made this achievable,” says production manager Knut Erik Norøy.

For 2022, Skogn set a production goal of 450,000 tonnes of newsprint.

“It was an ambitious target to increase the production by 50,000 tonnes in just one year, but thanks to flexible and capable employees, we managed to reach our production goal. We are optimistic about the future, and we have ambition to further increase our production in 2023, and,” says Norøy.

Production manager Knut Erik Norøy cuts into the almost two square meter cake to celebrate the 500 000 tonnes record. Photo: Norske Skog Skogn

The disclosure to CDP is Norske Skog’s first since 2011.

CDP is recognized as the global gold standard for environmental reporting. Data is used by capital markets and purchasing organizations to guide investment and sourcing decisions.

“Being recognized as a global leader in transparency and action on climate change is a great achievement that underlines our mission statement of creating green value,” says Mari Mogen, Head of Sustainability at Norske Skog, adding that “I want to congratulate the Norske Skog team who work hard to innovate, collaborate and reduce environmental impact every day. We are more committed than ever to work with business partners across our value chain and deliver continued climate integrity.”

CDP is a non-profit charity that holds the largest environmental database in the world. The charity supports companies, cities, states, and regions to measure and manage their risks and opportunities on climate change, water security, and deforestation. In 2022 more than 15,000 companies reported on CDP’s global environmental disclosure system. 

Read Norske Skog’s full disclosure here.

Norske Skog Saugbrugs has a proud history of using wood from Norwegian forests as a high-quality raw material. Today Saugbrugs is a hub for innovation and the home of several circular economy projects, like CEBICO and CEBINA - two fibre-based products introduced at the mill in 2020.

Norske Skog has agreed to transfer the assets of its existing agent in Italy, Norske Skog Italia, to CellMark Italy on January 1, 2023. Through this strategic partnership with CellMark, Norske Skog will preserve the continuity of the sales and customer service functions in Italy on behalf of the Norske Skog European Business units. All existing Norske Skog Italia staff will be transferred to CellMark Italy.

For many years, Norske Skog and CellMark have successfully partnered together through exclusive marketing agreements in North America, South-East Asia, Spain, and Portugal. This new agreement will further strengthen the working relationship between the two companies.

“Norske Skog has enjoyed a long presence as a supplier of publication paper grades in Italy for many years. The imminent introduction of the Strato recycled containerboard products will add to our product portfolio, and with CellMark, we see the ideal partner to achieve further growth in our Italian market“, states Robert Wood, SVP Commercial of Norske Skog.

”When our key industrial partners transition from paper into packaging, CellMark is committed to remaining a strong and long-term partner. The Norske Skog partnership in Italy is a perfect example of that, giving CellMark an additional platform to further grow our packaging and paper sales in Italy”, says Johan Vallin, Executive Vice President of CellMark Packaging & Paper.

"This energy project is one more milestone in the on-going transition of Norske Skog towards new growth markets and sustainable energy. The biomass boiler will ensure a stable, long-term supply of cost-competitive and 100 percent renewable steam as an alternative to fossil energy sources like natural gas, shielding us from increasingly volatile energy markets," says Sven Ombudstvedt, CEO of Norske Skog.

The energy plant will be commissioned in September 2024 and will produce +200 GWh of electricity and +700 GWh of renewable heat, thus generating CO2 savings of 210,000 tonnes per year and providing electricity equivalent to the consumption of more than 13,000 homes.

The agreement was signed by the CEO Sven Ombudstvedt and EVP Markets in Statkraft Hallvard Granheim in a ceremony at Statkraft Headquarter in Lysaker, Oslo.

Previously, Norske Skog Skogn had an energy contract with Statkraft corresponding to annual deliveries of around 0.9 TWh, which expires at the end of 2026. With the new energy contract, Norske Skog Skogn will secure almost the entire energy demand up to 31 December  2028, as well as parts of the demand until 2030. The new agreement with Statkraft will ensure the delivery of a total of 2.9 TWh over the contract period, and will enter into effect on 1 January 2024. To reduce currency exposure, the agreement has been entered into in euros. With this, the Norske Skog group is well covered with energy agreements in Norway.

- We are pleased to conclude another contract with the industry, which confirms that Statkraft offers competitive terms and is still a preferred supplier of energy to Norwegian industry, says Hallvard Granheim, Executive Vice President for Markets at Statkraft.

In addition to him, eight other outstanding personalities from Bruck were honored.

Norske Skog Bruck and the company Innofreight were granted the right to use the coat of arms of Bruck by the mayor.

A special moment was an unexpected performance by our mill music team, who serenaded during the handing over of the city coat of arms to our company.

You will find a recording showing the ceremony in the Brucker Stadtsaal on MEMA TV here.

In collaboration with Gjøco and BMO Entreprenør AS, Norske Skog has supplied CEBINA, a product made from tiny wood fibres, for the epoxy spray used for the coating of Salmon Evolution's first production facility in Indre Harøy! 🐟
 
Due to the properties of our nanocellulose, CEBINA the epoxy can be sprayed directly onto the wall without dripping as it hardens, reducing the application time from 2 weeks to approximately 4 days 🕠
 
CEBINA is produced and developed at Norske Skog Saugbrugs AS, a paper mill with more than 160 years of experience with fibers and cellulose. 
 
Read more about it in the magazine LandbasedAQ.no (in Norwegian)

CEBINA – Cellulose Nano Fibrils (CNF)

With a lift you can do the work of several weeks in a few days, covering a whole tank. Photo: Norske Skog Saugbrugs

Click here to find the: 

Investor presentation 🔗 https://youtube.com/watch?v=JK8QLpDPEc0&feature=share&si=EMSIkaIECMiOmarE6JChQQ

Q&A 🔗 https://youtube.com/watch?v=UZTvLpfq5Ro&feature=share&si=EMSIkaIECMiOmarE6JChQQ

(Presentation and Q&A in Norwegian)

Watch the video below to learn more! 

Busklein has personal qualities that makes him particularly suitable as Managing Director. He has well developed cooperation skills and strong professional knowledge of wood processing processes. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Sør-Trøndelag University College in 2008. 

- We are very pleased to welcome Håvard Busklein as our new permanent Managing Director at Norske Skog Skogn. Together, we share the ambition to create as competitive Norske Skog Skogn as possible in this demanding industry. Skogn is a well-run mill with great potential for further development based on fibre as raw material. Busklein will contribute with operational wood processing experience, high ambitions and good cooperation skills to further develop and adapt the business to the future competitive environment, says Sven Ombudstvedt, CEO of Norske Skog ASA and chairman of Norske Skog Skogn AS.

Busklein demonstrates solid results and good relationships during his time at Norske Skog Skogn.

- I am highly motivated and ready for this new challenge. My career so far at Skogn has given me great expertise about Skogn and the paper industry. In collaboration with many skilled employees here at Skogn, I am sure that we will succeed in improving ourselves for the future, global competition, says Håvard Busklein, Managing Director of Norske Skog Skogn.

Håvard Busklein has served as Mill Director since Bjørn Einar Ugedal left the position on 1 October 2022.

At the same time, this energy plant is a prerequisite for the parallel progress of the containerboard project. At the beginning of 2023, the paper machine will be restarted producing our new recycled STRATO containerboard brand!"
 
🌲 Going forward, Zadra is clear on the mill's priorities:
 
“We will put lots of effort into attracting young talents to work in our team. A zero-harm working environment and a sound working atmosphere are cornerstones in our activities 👷 The last two years have shown that it is essential to combine global thinking and local acting and sourcing to safeguard our business.”

 
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 Follow Norske Skog on LinkedIn here!

As one of the main events in Europe for companies that produce and use packaging, FachPack was a great place to talk about the conversions of our paper mills In Bruck, Austria and Golbey, France. Moreover, it was an arena to connect with industry colleagues and partners as well as to discuss trends and innovations in the packaging industry.

Our VP Containerboard Marleen van den Berg says: “We are excited about the response so far from the market, and our organisation is eager to deliver our new containerboard products in the first quarter of 2023.”

Read more about our new containerboard, The Strato brand, here. 

We start with a "witness" video, made at the beginning of the summer. The Nuit Blanche team has also installed several cameras to allow us to take "Timelaps" at regular intervals.

See the video below.

Meet our Vice president Containerboard Sales, ms Marleen van den Berg at FACHPACK 2022, where we will be introducing our new portfolio of recycled containerboard!

• Welcome - and did you know? #4 
• EMMA 4.0 - make new from old 
• Green transition at Norske Skog Golbey   

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To build on our commitment, Norske Skog has joined UN Global Compact to support its mission of mobilizing a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to create a better world.

“At Norske Skog, we create green value through innovation and leadership. To make truly meaningful impact, we need to work together with stakeholders to improve sustainability across our entire value chain. Working in partnerships with others leads to greater impact, which is why we are very excited to join the world’s largest knowledge network on corporate sustainability and continue to make progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” says Mari Mogen, Head of Sustainability at Norske Skog.

The lifecycle of our products provides unique opportunities to curb climate change. Our main raw material, wood, is a renewable resource. Sustainably managed forests act as carbon sinks as they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store its carbon in the wood. This carbon is further stored in our products that can be recycled multiple times and used to generate bioenergy by the end of their lifecycles.

Global movement of responsible and sustainable companies

When the late UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched the UN Global Compact in 2000, the aim was to create a global movement of responsible and sustainable companies that would shape the corporate future. The number of member companies partaking in the initiative is rapidly growing, currently counting more than 12,300 companies in 160 countries.

This is UN Global Compact Norway

Read more about Norske Skog’s approach to sustainability

• Welcome - and did you know?  
• After the game is before the game! 
• Norske Skog Golbey celebrates its 30th Anniversary   

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Due to the properties of our nanocelluloce CEBINA the epoxy can be sprayed directly onto the wall without dripping as it hardens, reducing the application time from 2 weeks to approximately 4 days.
 
CEBINA is produced and developed at Norske Skog Saugbrugs, a paper mill with more than 160 years of experience with fibers and cellulose. In 2016, Saugbrugs developed microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) with the intention of enhancing the surface and tensile strength of paper produced at the mill. The increase in paper quality attracted interest from other industries, leading to the launch of CEBINA as a multi-purpose product.
 
Through the governmental green industry program Grønn Plattform, Norske Skog has been granted funds for the installation of new equipment at Saugbrugs that will enable us to further increase the CEBINA production capacity.

• Welcome again! And did you know?    
• Preparations full speed ahead at Golbey   
• This is a milestone for Norske Skog and for the Bruck team!   

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Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestre said during the opening ceremony: "Norway has fantastic opportunities in the forest and wood processing industry. It is inspiring to see how Norske Skog invests and rigs itself for the future. We fully welcome this new biocomposite plant, which demonstrates the way into the green shift. "

Managing Director, Per Ivar Berg, at Norske Skog Saugbrugs says: «- Norske Skog Saugbrugs has a proud history when it comes to using Norwegian forest as a high-quality raw material. CEBICO is just one of several circular economy projects at Saugbrugs, and with a highly competent research and competence environment, we have the right tools to create an even more sustainable wood industry ».

Norske Skog's biocomposite product CEBICO is a more sustainable alternative to plastic, which can be included in furniture, packaging and car interiors, among other things. CEBICO is produced from mechanical wood fibre pulp (TMP) and recycled plastic. By replacing 1 kg of plastic with wood fibre pulp, CO2-emissions are reduced by the equivalent of 6 kg.

«- We are very glad to finally be able to open our pilot plant for biocomposite at Norske Skog Saugbrugs. Through a lot of development and testing, we have created a new product from both recycled and renewable raw materials, which can help solve the world's plastic problem. Now we will use our many years of fibre expertise to create robust and commercial value chains for further investment, says Hugo Harstad, general manager of CEBICO.

Norske Skog Saugbrugs, together with its research and industry partners, has been awarded NOK 60 million in research funding from the Research Council and Innovation Norway under the Green Platform, a joint initiative that provides support for research and innovation-driven green transformation in the industry sector. The portfolio of products to be developed aims to remove or greatly reduce the use of petroleum-based raw materials and harmful materials, as well as to contribute to increased recycling of plastics, as well as further develop Norske Skog's nanocellulose product CEBINA and commercialize the use of nanocellulose. Nanocellulose is used as a replacement for fossil-based products, including paints and epoxy coatings.

In order to build up the demonstration plant with a production capacity of 300 tonnes, Norske Skog Saugbrugs has previously also received support of NOK 15 million from Innovation Norway. Norske Skog is currently working on several green growth initiatives, in addition to the traditional production of newsprint and magazine paper.

«- CEBICO does not just represent something new. CEBICO is the core of the green shift. The work with CEBICO is just one of Norske Skog's contributions to the green transition. The group works continuously to create new and innovative products that have significantly lower carbon footprints than their traditional counterparts. In this way, we can create green jobs and accelerate the industrialization of new, bio-based products, both in Norway and at our factories abroad", says Sven Ombudstvedt, CEO of Norske Skog ASA

Commercial agreement: 
CEBICO has recently entered into a long-term commercial agreement with the companies BEWI and BEForm, which will help to further develop and market CEBICO. BEWI is an international supplier of packaging, components and insulation solutions, with products from both polymers and fiber, while BEForm specializes in injection molded plastic products.

«BEWI and BEForm see Norske Skog's CEBICO investment as an exciting solution, based on a combination of Norwegian industrial knowledge within fibre and polymers, which will be a good contributor to the world's common goal of reducing CO2-emissions. Such a solution coincides with our sustainability goals, and it is natural that we want to be part of the project, when it now enters a phase of industrialization ", says the leader of BEWI Norway, Stein Inge Liasjø.

CEO of Norske Skog Saugbrugs Per Ivar Berg says: «- The collaboration with BEWi will be a cornerstone for success in establishing biocomposite as a replacement product for fossil-based products. In terms of quality, this is now an equivalent product to many fossil alternatives. This is an important step for Norske Skog Saugbrugs in synergy with the existing wood processes in the company. "

Due to the decline in the Australasian market, the Boyer mill is now the last publication paper mill operating in Australasia. Recent world events have highlighted why sovereign manufacturing capacity is so important for our industry and for manufacturers of other key commodities, which is why we have been working closely with the government over the past year to ensure publication paper is manufactured in Australia.

The funding will assist in three key areas at Boyer mill: 

🌳 Accelerating a range of projects designed to improve long-term financial sustainability

🌳 Progress the development of new business opportunities for the site

🌳 Bring forward work to examine the opportunity to reduce greenhouse emissions by about 160.000 tons of CO2 per year

Work on each of these activities will commence immediately, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Tasmanian and federal governments, further developing the Boyer mill, which in 1941 was Australia's first newsprint mill and remains one of the state's major employers today. 

CEO of Norske Skog, Sven Ombudstvedt, says: «Norske Skog will connect strong professional R&D environments to develop unique and sustainable nanocellulose and biocomposite products that the world will demand more of in the future. Our unique fibre expertise will be a valuable contribution in creating sustainable commercial value chains by utilising recycled and renewable raw materials».

Through the Green Platform Programme, the Norwegian Government wants research and technology development to create green and sustainable solutions and products, and stimulate to more investment from Norwegian companies. The government prioritises collaborative relationships that utilise synergies from several R&D environments and business value chains. The purpose is to create green jobs and a more sustainable future. The Government's investment programme is managed through the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway, Siva and ENOVA.

«It is very positive that Norwegian forestry can be utilised as a high-quality raw material to create new materials that the world demands. We create value in Norway by selling a processed product, but we also contribute to more sustainable recycling of plastics and reduce the use of fossil raw materials», says Minister of Agriculture and Food, Sandra Borch (Centre Party).

Through established companies and product brands CEBINA (nanocellulose) and CEBICO (biocomposite), Norske Skog Saugbrugs has conducted a number of successful research and test studies that have already resulted in new product applications with a number of customers.

«I am very proud of the new, sustainable products we have managed to develop at Norske Skog so far. The support from the Research Council and Innovation Norway will strengthen and accelerate this activity considerably going forward», says Hugo Harstad, Director of Business Development at Norske Skog Saugbrugs.

The nanocellulose product CEBINA has been developed during the past ten years at Norske Skog Saugbrugs. CEBINA is a natural product of fibrillated cellulose that provides improved flow properties for liquids and reinforcement in solid materials. The use of CEBINA ranges from strength gains in paper and glue to anti-drip effect in paints and fillers. After extensive marketing work, CEBINA products are now sold to several external customers in Norway and internationally.

Norske Skog Saugbrugs is also working to find solutions to the world's plastics problem, through the development and testing of biocomposites under the product name CEBICO. Norske Skog Saugbrugs has previously received support of NOK 15 million from Innovation Norway to build a demonstration plant with a production capacity of 300 tonnes. The plant was completed during December last year.

The partners under the Green Platform Programme are broadly composed of participants from raw material producers and suppliers, such as Brenntag, Quantafuel, Replast and Norske Skog Saugbrugs, as well as conversion companies that process thermosetting and thermoplastics in a wide range of applications and industries, such as Gjøco, PipeLife, NCP, Katoplast, Hallingplast and Arkeoplan. The research institutions SINTEF, RISE PFI and IFE will contribute with high competence in fibre technology, nanocellulose, composites, polymers and plastics knowledge.

«Norske Skog Saugbrugs has significant R&D competence that has the potential to make a large contribution to the green shift by materially reducing CO2 emissions as a result of this project. The use of nanocellulose, the use of recycled plastics and the development of recyclable biocomposites will be important measures in the green shift and to reach a more circular economy ", says Per Ivar Berg, CEO of Norske Skog Saugbrugs.

For further information:
Norske Skog media:
Vice President Communication and Public Affairs    
Carsten Dybevig
Email: carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com 
Mob: +47 917 63 117

Norske Skog financial markets:    
Investor Relation Manager
Even Lund
Email: even.lund@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 906 12 919

About Norske Skog Saugbrugs 
Norske Skog Saugbrugs has 400 employees and a turnover of NOK 2.0 billion as well as a production capacity of 360,000 tonnes of magazine paper with main markets in Europe and North-America. Saugbrugs produces annually 2.0 million cubic metres of biogas. Norske Skog Saugbrugs has established the companies CEBINA and CEBICO to facilitate the new commercial areas within nanocellulose and biocomposites, respectively.

About Norske Skog
Norske Skog is a world leading producer of publication paper with strong market positions and customer relations in Europe and Australasia. The Norske Skog Group operates four mills in Europe, two of which will produce recycled containerboard following ongoing conversion projects. In addition, the Group operates one paper mill in Australia. Norske Skog aims to further diversify its operations and continue its transformation into a growing and high-margin business through a range of promising energy and fibre development projects. The Group has approximately 2 150 employees , is headquartered in Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker NSKOG.

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- The opening of this terminal is an excellent example of collaboration across the value chain. We need more such low-cost projects in the future, said Mr.Nygård.

The Minister attended the official opening of the timber terminal, which was established in collaboration between Norske Skog at Saugbrugs, Nortømmer and Viken Skog through the company Tømmerterminal Hauerseter AS. The first timber transporters delivered timber to Hauerseter on 23 December, and the first timber train is scheduled to run during January.

From left: Olav Breivik (Viken Skog), Arne Røra (Nortømmer) and Sven Ombudstvedt (Norske Skog)

- The green transition requires that our inbound and outbound transport from the mills takes place with emission-free transport solutions. While we achieve lower carbon emissions and costs, there will now also be fewer heavy trucks transporting timber on our roads, says Sven Ombudstvedt, CEO of Norske Skog.

Between 100 000 and 150 000 cubic meters of timber will be transported annually via the timber terminal, mainly spruce pulpwood to Norske Skog Saugbrugs in Halden. This amounts to somewhere between 2 500 and 3 750 timber truckloads a year. 

"Norske Skog Golbey can be proud of being a model of green transition", stated Ms. Abba, Secretary of State in charge of the biodiversity issues.

After the official welcome ceremony in front of Norske Skog Golbey's offices, organised in the presence of local politicians, ms. Abba got a quick tour of the mill. She was very interested in Norske Skog Golbey's circular economy model and the BOX project, and was impressed by the mill's ability to recycle more than two thirds of the paper sorted in France.

 
Ms Bérangère Abba with ms Yves Bailly. (Photo: Préfet des Vosges)

After the mill tour, the Secretary of State joined the local politicians and the journalists for a presentation of Norske Skog Golbey and of the Ecopark project, supported by the Épinal urban community and its President, Michel Heinrich.

During her speech, Ms. Bérangère Abba congratulated Norske Skog Golbey for being "a perfect example of how local anchoring of a project makes it robust". She also described Norske Skog Golbey's diversification project as a "mature and well thought-out project with concrete and measurable results".

She concluded by saying that the Choose France Award was the State's way of "recognising, appreciating and congratulating" Norske Skog Golbey for its economic dynamics which finds its strengths in its circular economy model. Then, she handed over the Choose France Trophy to the Norske Skog Golbey CEO, Yves Bailly, and concluded that "the company could be proud of being a model of green transition".

All at Norske Skog Golbey are very proud of this award, which recognises our strategic choices and reinforces our diversification project.

» Go to Norske Skog Golbey's website

Between 100,000 and 150,000 cubic meters of timber will be transported annually via the timber terminal, mainly spruce pulpwood to Norske Skog Saugbrugs in Halden. This amounts to somewhere between 2,500 and 3,750 timber truckloads a year.

Geographically well located 
The terminal at Hauerseter is located just north of Gardermoen. It is thus geographically well located compared to other timber terminals. Hauerseter will relieve the other terminals, contribute to a sharp reduction in the number of timber trucks on the roads and reduce the transport distance from the forest in the area around the terminal.

The background for the establishment of the terminal is, among other things, a challenging capacity situation at Norsenga timber terminal in Kongsvinger. In addition, there are bottlenecks with driving a large number of timber trucks via Oslo.

First timber delivered 
- The terminal, which is located at Hauerseter in Ullensaker municipality, has been established by a private initiative. Recently, we have put in place the necessary approvals from both Jernbanetilsynet and BaneNor to be able to load and transport timber by railway, says general manager Tor Henrik Kristiansen in Viken Skog.

The first timber transporters delivered timber to Hauerseter on 23 December, and the first timber train is scheduled to run during January.

- Now we are looking forward to the official opening, and we are very happy that the Minister of Transport comes to attend, says Kristiansen. 

“Employees and particularly skilled workers for apprentice positions are very valuable to us and key to help us reach our ambitious goals for the future,” says Paal Strand, HR manager at Norske Skog Skogn.
 
Local newspaper iLevanger.no (NB: Article behind paywall) covers the story of the advertised positions for apprentices and summer jobs. 
 
“We are now hiring new apprentices and there is a challenge for us to get as many talents as we need, particularly within chemical processing,” Kari Salater, Information and training manager at Norske Skog Skogn said in the interview with the local newspaper. 
 
She hopes that more students will see Norske Skog Skogn as an attractive employer and apply to study chemical processing at Levanger high school. Norske Skog Skogn also welcomes experienced applicants and adult apprentices studying and working part time at Skogn. 
 
From May to August there is also 35 available summer jobs at Skogn mill, giving interested applicants the opportunity to get to know Norske Skog and to work with an engaged and skilled team gaining valuable industry experience.

"The project started with a sustainable idea and great collaboration between Bane NOR, Norske Skog and CargoNet", says Purchasing Manager Sigbjørn Dalen at Norske Skog Skogn to Nationen (Norwegian newspaper). 

At the end of the year, he is pleased that they have found a much more environmentally friendly and sustainable way to transport timber to the large newsprint mill located in Levanger municipality.

"The idea was to load timber on freight wagons, and drive them quickly and efficiently to the paper mill on rails. It contributes to a sustainable and environmentally friendly operation in several ways; The timber goes on the railway and the factory can use less chemicals", says Dalen, who explains that the newspaper should be as light as possible when printing text and pictures. "If the timber stays put for a long time, it will gradually get darker. Speedy transportation of timber on railways straight from the forest to the mill at Skogn is both environmentally friendly and sustainable"

In recent decades, large quantities of timber have been transported by timber trucks on the road from the south in Trøndelag to the mill in Skogn. Dalen says that the project to get the transport of this timber onto the railway tracks started at a side track at Ulsberg in Støren in Midtre Gauldal municipality in November 2020. Then Senior buyer Bjørn Næsvold in Norske Skog Skogn walked along the empty track, and saw new opportunities: "At Støren there is an emergency terminal for the railway. The freight trains will be routed and reloaded here, if the section towards Trondheim is closed. In Ulsberg, there is a side track towards a quarry. These areas were not used very often", says Næsvold to Nationen. Næsvold contacted CargoNet and Bane NOR to discuss the idea of ​​using this side track in Støren to load timber onto freight wagons and transport the timber by rail up to the mill in Skogn.

"We had the first meeting at the end of November 2020. Everyone thought the idea was good, so we started planning", says Paul Agnar Røvik, Regional terminal manager for Bane NOR's area north. "We quickly found solutions and the road to a result was short in time, but slower in work effort".

​​​​​​​At Støren, a major project was underway with the development of a new train car park, car wash, workshop and diesel tank.

"The emergency tracks were empty, but hectic activity was going on in the surrounding area. At the same time, the site would still have to function as an emergency terminal for reloading goods - from railways to trucks - if the train line is closed. Therefore there cannot be heavy logs along the rail corridor,  blocking transhipment", says Røvik.

He therefore made one demand: We had to be able to clear away the timber to be transported in maximum four hours. This was possible, and thus the collaboration project was in full swing. On 26 January 2021, the first freight train arrived at the terminal. The pace had been high and the effort great in the previous months.

"There has been great commitment and drive. It is impressive how quickly we got started", says Næsvold.

Dalen and Næsvold both thank CargoNet and Bane NOR for having contributed to saving both environment and the business community for climate emissions and money. Røvik, for his part, thanks Norske Skog for the idea, and adds that Spordrift AS has also played an important role in the process.

The result is at least 25 fewer trucks per week on Trøndelag roads, and moving 30,000 cubic meters of timber onto freight trains every year. It's quite a lot, so we are very happy.

"It is fun to work with positive people and achieve something in collaboration with others", says Ola Trolldalen, Sales and marketing manager for industrial trains in CargoNet. ​​​​​​​

Facts

Timber on rails from Støren to Skogn

• 450 cubic meters of timber are driven into the emergency terminal at Støren.
• On Tuesdays, CargoNet arrives with seven carriages, at 164 meters, at a side track at the terminal. The wagons are loaded quickly using two timber trucks. Then they are parked on the side track. 
• Then a new eight carriages of 179 meters are driven in. They stay until Thursday and are continuously filled with timber that comes straight from the forest.
• On Thursday, all 15 wagons will be transported with timber to the newspaper mill in Skogn.
• During 2021, this transport on rails has saved Trøndelag roads for 1,300 timber trucks.

Marketing Director of Norske Skog Bruck, Michael Schramböck says: “Poland will be an important market for Norske Skog, and we are very pleased to have Paperboard on our side there. They know our future customers and their needs, and that is a big plus.”

Norske Skog will enter the European packaging market at the end of 2022, when the converted PM3 at Norske Skog Bruck in Austria will start producing recycled containerboard under the brandname Strato. Almost one year later Norske Skog Golbey in France will follow, when their converted PM1 will start production. Both mills will produce Strato Liner3 and Strato Fluting. With local organizations in Austria, France, Germany and Italy, Norske Skog is well placed to provide customers in most European markets with the products and services they require.

Tomasz Bachniak, VP of Paperboard says: “The Polish packaging market is developing fast, growing fast; there are a lot of opportunities for a new, independent supplier, like Norske Skog. At Paperboard we are very excited about introducing the company, the conversion projects, and the products. I know the organization from within, their dedication to their products and customers – I’m sure that together we’ll be able to create a solid position for Norske Skog in this exciting market. We look forward to starting in January!”

Norske Skog
Communications and Public Affairs

For further information:

Norske Skog media:

Vice President Communication and Public Affairs   
Carsten Dybevig
Email: carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 917 63 117

Norske Skog financial markets:                                                                                                

Investor Relation Manager
Even Lund
Email: even.lund@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 906 12 919

Paperboard: 
Vice President
Tomasz Bachniak
Email: tomasz.bachniak@paperboard.pl
Mob: +48 606 842 742

About Norske Skog
Norske Skog is a world leading producer of publication paper with strong market positions and customer relations in Europe and Australasia. The Norske Skog Group operates four mills in Europe, two of which will produce recycled containerboard following ongoing conversion projects. In addition, the Group operates one paper mill in Australia and a wood pellets facility in New Zealand. Norske Skog aims to further diversify its operations and continue its transformation into a growing and high-margin business through a range of promising energy and fibre development projects. The Group has approximately 2 150 employees , is headquartered in Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker NSKOG.

Industry top performer 
Since 2015, Norske Skog Golbey has been assessed by EcoVadis for its performance on environmental and social impact, human rights and responsible purchasing. For 2021, the company scored higher than the industry average across all categories. This means Norske Skog Golbey have achieved a score of 73/100 which awards them an EcoVadis Platinum rating and ranks them in the top 1% of companies in the pulp and paper manufacturing industry.

“We couldn't have asked for a better Christmas present than this Platinum Certification from EcoVadis! We at Norske Skog Golbey are proud to be among the companies achieving this badge of honor. It rewards the daily work to make our factory a virtuous company in terms of respect for the environment, Human Rights, ethics and responsible purchasing,” says Yves Bailly.  

Independent evaluation 
EcoVadis is an independent organization in charge of evaluating supplier’s performance in terms of sustainable development. Associating sustainability experts, an innovative technology and their evaluation methodology, Ecovadis ratings contributes to promote transparency and trust between business partners.

“Over the next two years, Norske Skog will convert two paper machines, entering a fast- growing packaging market with 760.000 tons of recycled containerboard. PM3 at Norske Skog Bruck will start production in Q4, 2022. Norske Skog Golbey will follow almost one year later with their PM1,” says Marleen van den Berg, VP Containerboard Sales at Norske Skog.

Marleen van den Berg has been with Norske Skog since the beginning of 2020 and together with the Norske Skog sales team she has already started to reach out to potential customers across Europe. “Although we have a long history in producing high quality papers, we are a newcomer in the packaging industry; we need to introduce ourselves, inform people about our projects and our organization,” she says.

This is done during personal meetings as much as possible, but Norske Skog has also launched a dedicated campaign to inform and engage potential customers. Van den Berg: “For Norske Skog the conversions are an exciting journey and with our campaign we aim to share that journey with potential customers throughout Europe. And of course, we hope that they will welcome us and our products on arrival.”

Part of the campaign is the introduction of the brand name of the Norske Skog products, Strato. “The brand name is actually the result of an internal contest and one of our Austrian colleagues won with Strato, which means layer in Italian.  We felt that ‘Strato’ perfectly symbolizes the corrugated products that will be made with our papers,” says Van den Berg.

Although the campaign has just begun, it is already a success. “We got a lot of positive feedback. Quite a few potential customers contacted us after receiving our first mailing,” says Marleen van den Berg. In the meetings that took place as a result, the dominant topic of conversation has been the fast- growing demand for lightweight, sustainable products. “Looking at how this market developed the past years that is no big surprise, and it confirms Norske Skog’ view on the future. With Strato Fluting and Strato Liner (TL3) we offer 100% recycled containerboards, ranging from 70 to 160 gsm, meeting the demand in the market,” says Van den Berg.

However, at Norske Skog Bruck and Norske Skog Golbey it’s not only about the conversions of the PM. They are part of the development of both sites into fine examples of the circular economy, investing heavily in reducing their footprint. Not only by focusing on recycled fibers, but also by building new biomass boilers and investigating new logistical concepts, for example.

“As such both sites are excellent examples of the exciting transition Norske Skog is undergoing from a pure publication paper producer into a sustainable and innovative industrial player,” concludes Marleen van den Berg,  

“The new Norske Skog website shall be a one-stop-shop for those who wish to learn more about our company and what we do. Whether it is investors, customers or potential collaboration partners, we believe that the new site structure and design will help users find what they are looking for,” says Carsten Dybevig VP Communications and Public Affairs at Norske Skog.

Designed for the future

The updated website has an improved site structure to make it easier for users to navigate the site, and includes updated content sections on investor relations as well as a new and bigger section covering the packaging material product segment. Another key change is the user friendly and welcoming design.

“We are very happy with the new design, and the use of images and video to tell the story of Norske Skog and our products. It reflects that we are an innovative and future oriented company moving into new products and exploring innovative projects and concepts within fibre and energy,” says Carsten Dybevig.

The new norskeskog.com is live from Thursday 18 November 2021.

Read the inteview with Hugo here: https://nemitek.no/norske-skog-pipelife-plastror/trefiber-gjor-rorene-sterkere/194220

Read more about this exciting innovation here: https://www.norskeskog.com/products/energy-bio-products/cebico

Biokraft at Skogn produces biogas from fish residue, manure and residue material from Norske Skog Skogn.

The construction of a biogas plant at Norske Skogs pulp mill at Skogn was started in 2016. The plant has the capacity to produce 12.5 million cubic meters liquefied vehicle fuel using waste from the fish- and forest industry in the area.

The upgraded gas is today mainly used as bus fuel, but the liquefied gas is also an excellent fuel for shipping and heavy, land based traffic. The construction of the plant was managed by the Scandinavian Biogas subsidiary Biokraft AS.

The opening of the biogas filling station will be important to heavy transportation from the Trondheim area, and was also covered by the local newspaper Nidaros.no.

See the full news coverage from NRK here (Norwegian only): 5. Biogassfyllestasjon åpnet i Trondheim 

“Thomas Moser from Norske Skog Bruck provided the idea of establishing Interliner as an alternative product in Skogn. The project in turn received active support from HQ,” says Håvard Busklein, Head of Production at Skogn. 
 
The production of interliner started on Skogn’s second production line in March of 2021. Operations progressed well, although the product had a lighter colour than anticipated. The product was delivered to our customers over the summer, and the end users provided positive feedback upon testing the Interliner. Based on the feedback the test deliveries received, Skogn is actively working to improve the product and to carry out the next test deliveries with enhanced product characteristics.

"The next delivery is taking place this October in a test production which will see Skogn produce 1000 tonnes of Interliner and deliver the product to existing Asian clients, as well as several new clients in the region,” says Håvar Fjerdingen, Head of Technical Customer Service at Skogn. 
 
“We aim to further develop the product and produce greater volumes in 2022. At the same time, we are prioritising the important work of strengthening our expertise surrounding the Interliner product, both in order to enhance its quality, and in order to facilitate the Interliner production process’ compatibility with our newsprint production,” says Fjerdingen. 

Reduced footprint by 97% since 2004

Norske Skog has worked on reducing climate emissions over many years, and has achieved significant reductions. In 2020 the mill reached a level of 1185 tonnes CO2–emissions. based on the EU ETS regime. This is a reduction of 97 % since 2004. The shut down of the mill’s oil boiler in 2021 will reduce the carbon footprint with another 20% compared to 2020 performance.

“One of the main reasons behind achieving such large emission cuts is the energy recovery from our thermal mechanical pulping (TMP) process. This process is the largest electricity consumption at our mill, and over the last decade, we have been able to reduce the specific energy consumption through this process by 37 %. Today the generation of thermal energy consist of 99.8 % renewable energy; mostly heat recovered from the TMP process and, combustion of both internal and external bio-fuel,” Lisa Grimstad explains.

Climate and circular economy integrated in the business plan

And the long-term ambitions at Saugbrugs are even higher.

“We have set a specific target to reduce the CO2 emission according to the EU ETS regime by 20 % compared to 2020 and to have a net zero CO2 emission kg/ton paper in 2030,” Lisa Grimstad says.

To achieve this, alongside other environmental and energy efficiency benefits, Saugbrugs has an integrated plan for circular economy at the mill.

“We are already working on several circular economy initiatives, and we see that the use of resources and energy is tightly connected to business results. We work on reducing, reusing and recycling all the resources we use at our mill, including energy,” says Lisa Grimstad.

After extensive development work and successful investments over several years, Norske Skog Saugbrugs has created one of the world’s most energy efficient processes to produce thermo-mechanical pulp (TMP) for SC- and UMI-paper. With the NEXT and Therminator projects that were implemented in the beginning of 2021 the mill has improved their processes further. These projects were funded by ENOVA and the NOX-Fund with a total of NOK 66 million. Norske Skog Saugbrugs is investing a total of NOK 165 million in these energy-efficiency measures at the plant.

Listen to the E24 podcast with CEO Sven Ombudstvedt (The podcast is in Norwegian.)

“The sale of CEBINA into a new application is very exciting, as it provides further evidence of the wide-ranging and environmentally beneficial potential of the product. In addition, we will be able to generate regular sales and revenues, and start building the financial foundation for the CEBINA business. The development of CEBINA is done in close collaboration with companies, consultants and researchers, who see the need for green and sustainable products,” says Hugo Harstad, Commercial Development Director of CEBINA at Norske Skog Saugbrugs. 

CEBINA is a natural fibre-based product that adds rheology control in fluids and armouring in solid materials. It has been developed at Norske Skog Saugbrugs since 2006. CEBINA is produced by breaking down the wood fibre to very small parts, called cellulose nano fibrils (CNF) or micro fibrillated celluloses (MFC). CEBINA forms a network of micro-length threads at nano-width. One gram of CEBINA can cover an entire tennis court, or be stretched eight times around the earth. These incredible surface and length properties give CEBINA its unique qualities. Norske Skog Saugbrugs has worked closely with the R&D institutions RISE PFI, NORCE and Re-Turn. Support from The Research Council of Norway and Innovation Norway has been key to the success.

“Currently our CEBINA production capacity ranges between 100 and 500 tonnes per year depending on grade. Demand is currently within the existing capacity. However, expansions will be considered depending on future demand development, ongoing commercial discussions and potential international sales agreements. An expansion would to a significant extent make use of existing infrastructure and raw material access at the Saugbrugs industrial site, and would thus be relatively capital light,” says Hugo Harstad.

About Norske Skog

Norske Skog is a world leading producer of publication paper with strong market positions and customer relations mainly in Europe and Australasia. The Norske Skog Group operates four mills in Europe, two of which will produce recycled containerboard following ongoing conversion projects. In addition, the Group operates one paper mill in Australia and a wood pellets facility in New Zealand. Norske Skog aims to further diversify its operations and continue its transformation into a growing and high-margin business through a range of promising energy and fibre development projects. The Group has approximately 2 150 employees, is headquartered in Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker NSKOG.

Norske Skog
Communications and Public Affairs

For further information:

Norske Skog media:
Vice President Communication and Public Affairs                                                                                                
Carsten Dybevig
Email: carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 917 63 117

Norske Skog financial markets:  
Investor Relation Manager
Even Lund
Email: even.lund@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 906 12 919

“We are humble and proud to receive this award for the investments in our Golbey mill. This recognition proves that our future oriented projects not only make business sense but also contributes to the benefit for the environment, the societies and the economy in the societies in which we operate,” says Norske Skog CEO Sven Ombudstvedt.

The Choose France Award is organised annually by Business France, the French agency dedicated to France’s international economic attractiveness. The Choose France awards rewards international investors and their contribution to the France Relance Recovery plan in the five categories green transition, competitiveness & innovation, cohesion & solidarity, contribution to the Recovery Plan, and talent.

More than 50 foreign companies established in 12 different regions in France participated and submitted applications.

“Norske Skog is aware of the role it has to play for the climate. Thus, it has always oriented its strategy towards ambitious and virtuous industrial and environmental objectives. Since the start up, our French paper mill has integrated this strategy into its own environmental policy, says Yves Bailly, Managing Director of Norske Skog Golbey

"Our investment projects emphasize this commitment", he continues. "It will enable us to diversify our business, but also to reinforce our circular economy approach and to achieve the Norske Skog Group’s climate ambitions of having a net zero CO2 emission in 2050.

To achieve this, we will continue to work actively on the development of alternative transport, reinforce further the use of green energy and pursue our efforts in favor of a responsible water management and the recycling and recovery of our waste".

You may watch the broadcast on inQrate (Link to the event: https://inqrate.com/xtravideos/norske-skog-nskog-presentasjon-med-qa-september-2021/) (the broadcast is in Norwegian), while the presentation is in English. Just click the image below to open the presentation.

It will be possible to ask questions along the way or in advance to: carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com

Link to the event: https://inqrate.com/xtravideos/norske-skog-nskog-presentasjon-med-qa-september-2021/

Link to the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/400347101464317

The event will be in Norwegian; whereas, the presentation itself will be in English and be available after the event. 

“We are proud to receive an A- grade on the ESG 100 list for our ESG report. In Norske Skog we are committed to create green value and the UN Sustainable Development are an integral part of our strategy, our operations, and our reporting,” says VP Communication and Public Affairs Carsten Dybevig in Norske Skog.

Each year, The Governance Group evaluate and rank the quality and transparency of the ESG reporting of the 100 largest companies listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The ESG 100 report was published in Oslo on September 7th with leading representatives from businesses, boards and financial institutions invited on stage to discuss ESG developments and share experiences.

Download the ESG report for 2020 here.

CEBINA is developed and produced by Norske Skog for use in a diverse range of applications such as paint, glue, cosmetics and skin care products, and armoring.

Close to core business 
The original intention when developing CEBINA was enhancing the strength and quality of paper, but CEBINA proved to be useful in other applications as well. A dash of CEBINA made an impressive improvement in the quality of the magazine paper, and attracted interest from other industries, leading to the launch of CEBINA.

“CEBINA development is today integrated with our core business, while at the same time proving promising results as a stand-alone product for other applications. Innovation is a long-term activity and derives from a strong commitment to research and development with close collaboration with our customers to create new and improved solutions,” says Hugo Harstad.

Driven by sustainability 
“Our customers want CEBINA because they are often driven by the wish to replace fossil-based products with sustainable bio-based solutions. But we also see the potential for customer cost savings and new improved properties,” says Hugo Harstad.

CEBINA is a renewable product, using sustainably sourced kraft pulp from wood as raw material. 98 % of the energy used in the process originates from hydropower plants.

“We have a lot of different customers testing CEBINA solutions in their products. Alternative use can be as an additive in paint, glue, coatings, cement, oil field chemicals used in drilling mud, to mention a few,” says Hugo Harstad.

“The conversions of Bruck PM3 and Golbey PM1 to producing of recycled containerboard, as well as the two new energy facilities at Bruck and Golbey, are four individually large, sustainable and attractive growth projects. Together, they reinforce each other and will contribute to Norske Skog quickly picking up the pace on revenue and earnings growth,” says Hansesætre.

The total investment of EUR 350 million for the two conversions to production of recycled containerboard is a considerable amount, but at the same time materially lower than what is needed to build comparable containerboard capacity of 760 000 tons.

« I am very enthusiastic about our conversion projects ongoing in Bruck and Golbey. They represent a unique and attractive opportunity for Norske Skog to establish us as a highly competitive supplier in a large and growing packaging market,” he says.

A combination of green and cost-efficient energy supply, close proximity to customers in Continental Europe, as well as scale and existing infrastructure at the Norske Skog mills are drivers for the ability to compete in a new market.

«New capacity is needed to meet the increasing demand of sustainable packaging material, among other coming from the growth in online shopping,” says Hansesætre.

But the projects in Continental Europe are not the only exciting projects going on in the company these days.

“In Norway we apply our knowledge about fiber and energy to make new, innovative products such as bio-composites and nano-cellulose, and in New Zealand we have expanded our wood pellets production, all products that will replace fossil materials. We are also looking into partnerships on carbon capture and storage. This is just to mention a few of the things we are doing,” says Hansesætre.

Some of these other interesting projects in the company’s pipeline are less capital intensive. What they all have in common is that they are targeted towards growing markets.

“These growth projects stem from the unique competence of Norske Skog’s talented people, combined with the possibilities of our asset base and our position in the value chain. Finally, we must not forget that we are also implementing innovative projects within our existing paper production as well, particularly within energy efficiency,” says Hansesætre.

Read more here to learn more about Norske Skog’s products.

- We are very pleased to be able to cede the wetland area south of Hotranelva to the Norwegian Environment Agency, as an important contribution to ensuring lasting protection of important wetland areas for migratory birds, says Bjørn Einar Ugedal, CEO of Norske Skog Skogn. 

The Norwegian Environment Agency writes in its press release:
The Norwegian Environment Agency perceives the process with Norske Skog Skogn as constructive. The starting point is an area regulated for industrial purposes, where approximately 200 acres will now be sold to the Norwegian Environment Agency with a view to protection, while the rest of the area north of Hotranelva will be used for industrial purposes.

» Read Norske Skog Saugbrugs' Sustainability report 2020 .

You can also read

• Norske Skog Group Sustainability report 2020 and 
• Norske Skog Skogn's Sustainability report for 2020.

The decision to close the mill follows a detailed review and addresses the imbalance between newsprint production capacity and customer demand in the Australasian region. 

Norske Skog's annual newsprint capacity will be permanently reduced by approximately 150 000 tonnes following the closure.​​​​​​​ Norske Skog will honour all redundancy and contractual obligations to the mill’s approximately 160 employees as the mill moves towards shutdown in the third quarter.

The Norske Skog Boyer mill will thereby be the only domestic Australasian publication paper producer with a capacity of 150 000 tonnes newsprint and 135 000 tonnes LWC magazine paper. The Boyer mill will continue to serve the Australasian publication paper market under long-term contracts. 

 
The closure after 66 years is a special and sad moment, especially for the employees.

Norske Skog will invest approximately EUR 250 million in the conversion of Golbey PM1, and a syndication of financing facilities of approximately EUR 175 million is being finalised, subject to final documentation and final approval from the relevant export credit agency. The remaining investment amount will be covered by cash on balance and cash flows from operations. The converted machines are expected to generate an annual EBITDA of approximately NOK 700-800 million in 2025/26, based on historical trend prices for containerboard and recycled fibre.

“This investment decision marks an important step in Norske Skog's development as we look to enhance long-term value for all our stakeholders. Increased focus on environmentally friendly products and the continued rise of online shopping have created a significant need for renewable packaging solutions. Recycled containerboard production at Golbey will meet this demand with cost-leading and environmentally friendly capacity. Located centrally in continental Europe, the Golbey industrial site is well positioned for the large containerboard market, and it has good and established access to recycled fibre", says Norske Skog’s CEO Sven Ombudstvedt.

This is the third time Norske Skog Skogn receives this recognition since the award was established in 1985. The award pointed to Norske Skog Skogn as a sustainable cornerstone business.

Norske Skog Skogn received the award specifically for their efforts in the road to rail strategy, which has brought Norske Skog Skogn’s timber transportation from trucks to trains. In collaboration with Bane NOR and CargoNet, Norske Skog Skogn has taken 30 000 cubic metres of timber off the roads, corresponding to 25 fewer trucks on the roads per week in the district of Trøndelag, Norway. 

This means reduced CO2 emissions, safer roads, less airborne dust, and lowered exhaust emissions in the communities in which Norske Skog operates. In addition, the change in transportation mode means shorter transportation times, ensuring that Norske Skog Skogn receives timber that is fresher, which in turn allows for less usage of chemicals in the production process. 

- Three awards in 35 years are great, but we strive to win even more often. We hope to see more opportunities to increase transportation by train to the north and east, where transportation by sea is unavailable, said Bjørn Einar Ugedal, Managing Director of Norske Skog Skogn. 

Last time around, it was indeed Norske Skog Skogn’s transportation by sea which secured the award.

New Zealand’s Energy Excellence Awards were held in Wellington on the 5 May  with Nature’s Flame and Fonterra jointly being selected as finalists and then overall winners of the ‘Low Carbon Future Award’ category.  

"The public recognition through this award is a great result and a proud moment for the Nature’s Flame and Fonterra teams", says Rod Bender, VP Renewables and Business Development.  ​​​​​​​

The award was judged on the collaboration between Nature’s Flame and Fonterra after the companies worked together to significantly reduce carbon emissions.  A key part of the collaboration was Fonterra’s investment to convert their Te Awamutu boiler from burning coal to instead use renewable and sustainable wood pellets.  This environmentally friendly conversion was only made possible after Nature’s Flame’s successful capacity upgrade.  This allowed Nature’s Flame to utilise waste geothermal energy in the Taupo district, adding another great environmental aspect to the upgrade.  As a result of Fonterra’s Te Awamutu boiler conversion to wood pellets, Fonterra’s total coal usage in New Zealand  was reduced by about 10%, eliminating 84,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, which is the equivalent of removing over 32,000 cars off New Zealand’s roads. This represents an important part of Fonterra’s goal of reducing their carbon emissions by 30% by 2030.

“This investment decision represents the coming of a new era for Norske Skog and is a major step to become a leading independent European producer of high-quality, renewable and environmentally produced containerboard. The conversion project illustrates the inherent potential of our industrial sites and will strengthen Norske Skog’s asset base and cash flow generation for decades ahead,” says Norske Skog’s CEO Sven Ombudstvedt.

As announced in June 2020, Norske Skog plans to introduce 765 000 tons of competitive recycled containerboard capacity in Europe by investing approximately EUR 350 million to convert Bruck PM3 and Golbey PM1 (France). The converted machines are expected to generate an annual EBITDA of approximately NOK 700-800 million in 2025/26, based on historical trend prices for containerboard and recycled fibre. The final investment decision to convert Bruck PM3 was taken on 22 April, and a similar decision for Golbey PM1 is expected in the second quarter of 2021.

Norske Skog will invest approximately EUR 100 million in the conversion of Bruck PM3, and financing facilities of EUR 70 million have been committed by banks at agreed terms subject to final documentation. The remaining investment amount will be covered by cash on balance and cash flows.

Recycled containerboard production at Bruck PM3 will start in the fourth quarter of 2022 following a three-month production stand-still. Full production utilisation of 210 000 tonnes of testliner and fluting is expected in the second half of 2025. The waste-to-energy plant starting up at the Bruck industrial site in the first half of 2022, will supply cost efficient and sustainable steam for the containerboard production. The second machine at Bruck, with capacity of 265 000 tonnes of LWC magazine paper, will continue production unaffected by the project. Norske Skog will still remain a committed supplier of high-quality publication paper products, and a strong and reliable supplier of all publication paper grades after the planned conversion.

The Bruck conversion project consists of the following main installations;

• new OCC plant for production of 100% of the pulp needed for the containerboard production,
• rebuild of PM3 to production of recycled containerboard, including a new winder, electrical, automation and auxiliary systems, and
• mill site integration and civil works.

“This investment decision marks an important step in Norske Skog's evolution as we look to enhance long-term value for all stakeholders. Increasing focus on environmentally conscious products and the continued rise of online shopping, has created a significant need for renewable packaging solutions. Recycled containerboard production at Bruck will meet this demand with cost-leading and environmental-friendly capacity. Located centrally in continental Europe, the Bruck industrial site is well positioned for the large containerboard market, and it has good and established access to recycled fibre,” says Norske Skog’s CEO Sven Ombudstvedt.

Webcast presenting the first quarter results and providing an update of the Bruck conversion project

About Norske Skog
Norske Skog is a world leading producer of publication paper with strong market positions and customer relations in Europe and Australasia. The Norske Skog group operates four mills in Europe, of which two will produce recycled containerboard following planned conversion projects. In addition, the group operates one publication paper mill, a converting grade mill and one wood pellets facility in Australasia.

Norske Skog aims to further diversify its operations and continue its transformation into a growing and high-margin business through a range of promising conversions, energy and fibre projects. The group has approximately 2 300 employees in five countries, is headquartered in Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker NSKOG.

For further information

Norske Skog media:
Vice President Corporate Communication and Public Affairs
Carsten Dybevig
carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 917 63 117
Twitter: @Norske_Skog

Norske Skog investor relations: 
Investor Relations Manager
Even Lund
even.lund@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 906 12 919

Webinaret holdes med utgangspunkt i rapporten: «Ny industri – greier Norge omstillingen?» fra AgriAnalyse. 

Tidspunkt: Onsdag 20. januar kl. 08.30-10.15

Møteleder: Per Skorge, adm.dir i Norges Skogeierforbund 

Program:

08.30 Skogbruket og industrien
Olav Veum, styreleder i Norges Skogeierforbund
Arne Rørå, adm.dir. i Norskog  
08.45 Ny industri – greier Norge omstillingen?
Chr. Anton Smedshaug, daglig leder i AgriAnalyse  
09.00 Hva skal til for å øke investeringene i norsk treforedlingsindustri?
Sven Ombudstvedt, konsernsjef i Norske Skog  
09.15 Økt produksjon i norsk industri – hva trengs?
Ole Erik Almlid, adm.dir. i NHO  
09.30 Verdiskaping og velferd og norsk industri
Hans-Christian Gabrielsen, leder i LO  
09.45 Spørsmål og kommentarer ved stortingspolitikere  
10.15 Slutt

Deltagelse på webinaret er gratis. Påmelding her. 

Last ned AgriAnalyses rapport her.

“The CEBINA sales in the fourth quarter are incredibly exciting. We have been able to establish promising cooperation with companies, consultants and researchers, who see the unique potential in the green and sustainable product we have developed,” says Hugo Harstad, Commercial Development Director of CEBINA at Norske Skog Saugbrugs.

Product development of CEBINA continues at full speed, and Saugbrugs works closely with, among others, Re-Turn in Fredrikstad to identify new applications. In 2020, a new variant of CEBINA has been developed in which the water in which the fibrils are suspended has been replaced with a polymer. This enables the use of CEBINA in, for example, epoxy floor coverings and adhesives. In collaboration with Re-Turn, Gjøco and Solberg Gulv & Industribelegg, Saugbrugs has developed CEBINA in epoxy coatings from laboratory demonstration to industrial production and floor demonstrations. In November, the first floor was laid on a 60 square meter area at Saugbrugs, followed by a 400 square meter area in December.

“CEBINA replaces existing viscosifiers used in epoxy, adding improved flow properties. Epoxy based on CEBINA is of particular interest due to its health and environmental qualities, as well as reduced time in deployment. Beyond epoxies, new variants of CEBINA will add similar benefits to glue and paint. Production capacity for CEBINA will be expanded in line with increased demand,” says Hugo Harstad. 

CEBINA is produced by breaking down the fibre to very small parts, called cellulose nano fibrils (CNF) or micro fibrillated celluloses (MFC). CEBINA form a network of micro-length threads at nano-width. One gram of CEBINA can cover an entire tennis court, or be stretched eight times around the earth. These incredible surface and length properties is what gives CEBINA its unique qualities.

Owner and Managing Director of Solberg Gulv & Industribelegg, Jørn Solberg, says: “The CEBINA product floats well on horizontal surfaces and works smooth on walls. CEBINA saves preparation time when laying floors, and removes health challenges with existing products.”

The research on CEBINA started in 2006, and resulted in industrial production that commenced in 2017. Support from The Research Council of Norway and Innovation Norway has been key to the success. CEBINA was initially targeted towards publication paper, but quickly showed potential far beyond publication papers. Development of new and sustainable products requires healthy collaboration with R&D institutions and industry. Norske Skog Saugbrugs has worked closely with the R&DI institutions PFI RISE, NORCE and Re-Turn.

“Norske Skog Saugbrugs has for several years worked to develop new and sustainable products. In addition to CEBINA, we have developed biogas production based on water effluent treatment and technology to strengthen plastics with fibre,” says Kjell-Arve Kure, Managing Director at Norske Skog Saugbrugs.

About Norske Skog Saugbrugs 
Norske Skog Saugbrugs has 450 employees, turnover of approximately NOK 2.0 billion, and production capacity of 330 000 tonnes (as of 1. January 2021) SC magazine paper targeting markets in Europe and North-America. Saugbrugs produces 2.7 million normal cubic metres of biogas annually.

“The Tasman mill management and the larger Australasian organisation have shown entrepreneurial spirit in quickly developing an alternative business case for the mill, making good commercial use of existing assets and infrastructure on the site. I am certain that the continuing work will result in further ways to maximise the potential in the Tasman mill’s excellent fiber access and fiber processing competencies” says Norske Skog Chief Executive Officer, Sven Ombudstvedt.

Pulp on reel at Tasman mill 
Norske Skog has commenced production of paper in the form of Pulp on Reel at its Tasman mill in New Zealand that can be used directly in the manufacture of containerboard, or alternatively re-pulped. The primary market for the product is the Asian packaging producers. Existing assets and infrastructure on the Tasman site allow for production of approximately 200,000 tonnes of annual paper as Pulp on Reel. The transition is enabled by using the same production process, employees and equipment with very limited investments, and is in reponse to material market demand for the product qualities that the Tasman mill can produce. Pulp on Reel is produced by drying mechanical pulp, made with specific properties suited to each customer, and based on roundwood and sawmill chips, through the paper machine. 

This product transition is part of the ongoing strategic review of the mill and will, as announced on 9 October 2020, allow for cessation of standard newsprint production, while continuing operations at the site until the strategic review comes to a conclusion. Ceasing standard newsprint production at Tasman will reduce regional capacity by 150,000 tonnes, and Norske Skog’s Boyer mill will become the only domestic publication paper producer with 150,000 tonnes newsprint capacity and 135,000 tonnes LWC magazine capacity.

Nature’s Flame
Following the initiation of the Tasman strategic review process, Norske Skog has experienced significant inbound interest for the Nature’s Flame pellets facility located approximately 100 kilometers southwest of the Tasman mill in Taupo. It is a state-of-the-art Andritz facility producing premium certified pellets from FSC certified and long-term contracted fibre using renewable geo-thermal energy. The majority of pellets are sold on long-term contracts to domestic and Asian customers, with approximately 50,000 tonnes being contracted to the New Zealand dairy producer Fonterra as part of Fonterra’s program to migrate from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The Nature’s Flame facility has an annual pellets production capacity of more than 85,000 tonnes, representing more than 425 GWh of thermal energy. Facility design and infrastructure provides opportunity to more than double production capacity through a relatively modest expansion investment. KPMG has been engaged to assist Norske Skog with the sales process. 

“Norske Skog acquired Nature’s Flame in 2015 and have since engaged broadly in efficiency optimization of the  production and also made an investment during 2019 to increase capacity to 85,000 tonnes. Since the ramp-up of the increased capacity in early 2020, the facility has produced efficiently and delivered production at an annualised rate of around 90,000 tonnes. We are naturally very satisfied to see that this promising performance has gained attention in wider circles,” says Norske Skog Chief Executive Officer, Sven Ombudstvedt. 
 

About Norske Skog 
Norske Skog is a world leading producer of publication paper with strong market positions and customer relations in Europe and Australasia. The Norske Skog Group operates four mills in Europe, of which two will produce recycled containerboard following planned conversion projects. In addition, the Group operates two publication paper mills and a pellets facility in Australasia. Norske Skog aims to further diversify its operations and continue its transformation into a growing and high-margin business through a range of promising fibre projects. The Group has approximately 2,300 employees in five countries, is headquartered in Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker NSKOG.

For further information
Norske Skog media:
Vice President Corporate Communication and Public Affairs
Carsten Dybevig
carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 917 63 117
Twitter: @Norske_Skog

Norske Skog investor relations: 
Investor Relations Manager
Even Lund
even.lund@norskeskog.com
Mob: +47 906 12 919

- We have acquired new train wagons and we use electrical train engines. We are planning weekly deliveries thereby saving 1650 truck loads per year. These trucks now being replaced by train would otherwise have travelled on the E6 through Oslo centre, giving huge environmental benefits, says Kjell Arve Kure, managing director of Norske Skog Saugbrugs.

- We have worked with this project for a long time and we are very happy that we now have managed a smooth transition from road to rail for this kind of transport. Freight by rail is a much more environmentally viable solution with the additional benefit of being more cost efficient, says Jørn Nøstelien, managing director of Gausdal Brucoll.

The wood industry company Gausdal Bruvoll in Oppland produces building materials. Wood chips is a by-product which is transported to Norske Skog Saugbrugs in Halden where the chips are processed into different types of magazine paper.

Dr. Hugo Harstad, Business Development Leader says: “Product qualification in new industries involve extensive testing, certification and IP investigation. Our aim is to be able to commercialize CEBINA in 2020. As part of the development, we are working closely with external key companies. One of the possible applications is drilling mud where the animation demonstrates some of the unique benefits of CEBINA”.

In a research project amounting to NOK 20 million, Norske Skog Saugbrugs will seek to find solutions to problems related to plastic raw materials, fiber blending, technology development and biocomposite testing, in which Innovation Norway will contribute NOK 7 million. Borregaard's project, pulp-enhanced biocomposites, has a total budget of NOK 30 million, with funding from Innovation Norway amounting to NOK 10 million. The research and development to produce biocomposites will mainly take place at a demonstration plant being built at Norske Skog Saugbrugs.

- The goal is to reduce the use of fossil plastics by offering solutions for high value segments and advanced applications in plastics. In this way, the wood processing industry can help solve sustainability challenges in the plastics industry, says Per A. Sørlie, CEO of Borregaard.

The biocomposite consists of fiber from spruce, produced at the Saugbrugs and Borregaard plants, which together with thermoplastics are mixed and delivered as pellets to the plastics industry to produce various products such as furniture, car interiors, pipes, construction articles, consumables, packaging and more. The new innovation provides a biocomposite that replaces plastic, reduces fossil CO2 emissions, reduces oil consumption, provides better utilization of resources through increased use of recycled and renewable raw materials.

 - If these projects succeed, the potential for reducing CO2 emissions is considerable. At the same time, it is important to develop products that will be in great demand. Using recycled plastic and developing recyclable biocomposites can be an important step in the direction of a circular economy. These two companies have both the ability and the will to implement this demanding technology development. We see the collaboration between Borregaard and Norske Skog Saugbrugs as very positive, and hope the projects lead to the development of unique expertise in wood fiber, cellulose and biocomposites, says Håkon Haugli, CEO of Innovation Norway.

About Norske Skog Saugbrugs
Norske Skog Saugbrugs has 445 employees and a turnover of NOK 2.5 billion, as well as a production capacity of 485,000 tonnes of magazine paper with main markets in Europe and North America. Saugbrugs produces 2.7 million nm3 of biogas annually.

About Borregaard
Borregaard has one of the world's most advanced and sustainable bio-refineries. Using natural, sustainable raw materials, Borregaard produces advanced and environmentally friendly biochemicals that can replace oil-based products. Borregaard has 1,100 employees at factories and sales offices in 16 countries in Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Borregaard also has strong positions in ingredients and fine chemicals.

Oslo, 10 December 2019

Norske Skog media:
VP Communication and Public Affairs
Carsten Dybevig
carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com
Phone: +47 917 63 117

Borregaard ASA media:
Communication Manager
Tone Horvei Bredal
tone.horvei.bredal@borregaard.com
Phone: +47 924 67 711

Innovasjon Norge media: 
Divisional director PR and Communication
Kristin Welle-Strand
Kristin.Welle-Strand@innovasjonnorge.no
Phone: +47 934 58 303

The committee awarding the prize on behalf of the Woodworking Industry Association gives the following description of Mr. Jens Borge’s qualifications for the prize:

“Jens Borge is actively committed to share learnings across locations, both in Norske Skog and in the industry. A key example of this is the introduction of shared standards and reporting tools, SYNERGI, for HSE in Norske Skog which enables strong routines and learning across mills throughout the company. He has established and leads the HS Forum as part of CEPI to ensure learning for actors across the woodworking industry in Europe. He systematically works on sharing knowledge and “best practices” between mills and units.”

In addition to Mr.Borge’s strong technical and professional HSE skills, the committee also highlights his leadership and communications talent.

“Jens Borge demonstrates hands-on leadership concerning risk assessments and proactive preventive measures. This is demonstrated through annual safety inspections with Mill managers on each mill, through quick responsiveness and his great engagement for his work on getting to the root-cause and the causality behind unwanted incidents and accidents. His motivation is always “how to prevent this from happening again?”. He is a champion for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), by actively training Norske Skog employees. Jens Borge is a highly skilled HSE professional. Han points out and documents potential risks concerning equipment or processes. He is internationally recognised for his knowledge and engagement, even among Norske Skog’s competitors.“

Congratulations, Jens Borge!

Norske Skog’s long-term strategy remains to improve the core business, to convert certain of the group’s paper machines and to diversify the business to the bioenergy, fibre and biochemical markets.

In the picture from left are the CEO Sven Ombudstvedt and then the board members: Arvid Grundekjøn, Anneli Finsrud Nesteng, Trine-Marie Hagen, Idunn Gangaune Finnanger and John Chiang (chair).

- We are pleased to welcome Bjørn Einar Ugedal as new Managing Director at Norske Skog Skogn. Together, we share the ambition to create as competitive Norske Skog Skogn as possible in this demanding industry. Today Skogn is a well-run mill with great development potential, and we believe that Ugedal will be able to add new competence to further develop the operations at Skogn, says Sven Ombudstvedt, CEO of Norske Skog AS.

Ugedal demonstrates solid production results and had an impressive career development.

- I am very motivated and ready for this new challenge. In a constructive and close collaboration with our suppliers and customers, we will continue to produce and deliver world-class publication papers. Norske Skog Skogn has many talented and competent employees, and we will together ensure the competitiveness of the mill and at the same time create growth opportunities for new initiatives, says Bjørn Einar Ugedal.

When Ugedal takes over as Managing Director, he will replace Amund Saxrud (47), who has been Managing Director since 2011. Amund Saxrud will from October 15 take over as new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Norske Skog Group, responsible for monitoring operational activities at the Group's 7 mills.

- We are very grateful for Amund’s impressive efforts to strengthen Skogn's competitive position over the past 9 years. Considering the fierce competition in the paper industry, Amund's extensive operational experience will be valuable in his new job as COO, says Ombudstvedt.

About Norske Skog

Norske Skog is a leading producer of publication paper with strong market positions in Europe, where it occupies a top-tier publication paper position, and Australasia, where Norske Skog is a leading producer of publication paper in a concentrated market.

Norske Skog operates a total of seven profitable paper mills strategically located close to attractive markets and with total paper production capacity of 2.6 million tons, comprising 1.7 million tons of newsprint and 0.9 million tons of magazine paper (supercalandered and coated mechanical). The Norske Skog Group has approximately 2,400 employees, and had in 2018 annual revenue and EBITDA of approximately NOK 12.6 billion and NOK 1.0 billion, respectively.

Norske Skog Skogn has 390 employees and had in 2018 annual revenue of NOK 2.2 billion. The mill has an annual production capacity of 510 000 tonnes of newsprint.

The Ministry of Climate and Environment amends The Norwegian Environment Agency's decision of 19 December 2013 on the basis for CO2 compensation for Norske Skog Saugbrugs AS. The changes are that Saugbrugs will not receive a reduction in CO2- compensation for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Sven Ombudstvedt, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Norske Skog, commented:

- This is a very gratifying message, and I would like to pay tribute to the Government, which has used the legal scope here to provide one of the world's most climate-friendly paper mills with CO2 compensation in line with other qualified industries”.

Norske Skog’s long-term strategy remains to improve the core business, to convert certain of the Group’s paper machines and to diversify the business within the bioenergy, fibre and biochemical markets.

Kjell Arve Kure, Managing Director of Norske Skog Saugbrugs AS says:

- The significant competitive disadvantage Saugbrugs has had since 2012, compared to our largest competitors, is now eliminated. The future CO2-compensation depends on the CO2 quota price, but for the years 2018 and 2019 the compensation for us amounts to NOK 32 million and NOK 86 million respectively. The government's decision to give us CO2-compensation is thus a significant contribution to maintaining the existing business and investing in new forward-looking business in synergy with the paper production.”

Norske Skog Saugbrugs is currently exploring the opportunity to create new, promising bio-based products. Already in 2016, biogas production commenced based on waste streams from paper production, which is delivered to local public transportation. Research and development work is now taking place concerning wood based construction board, biocomposites and nanocellulose (MFC) in collaboration with other industrial companies and with support from, among others, Enova, Innovation Norway and the Research Council of Norway.

In a press conference today the Minister of Climate and Environment Ola Elvestuen, Minister of Industry Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, CEO Sven Ombudstvedt and MD of Saugbrugs Kjell Arve Kure was present. Along with the Mayor of Halden Thor Edquist they elaborated on the very positive decision made.

Norske Skog AS is currently owned by funds managed by Oceanwood Capital Management Limited. The possible IPO is expected to comprise a public offering of shares in Norway and a private placement to institutional and other professional investors in certain other jurisdictions. The transaction may include a secondary sale of shares by Oceanwood and/or a sale of new shares by Norske Skog. The process to consider an IPO and listing of the shares is expected to be concluded in the second half of 2019, subject to prevalent market conditions.

The CEO of Norske Skog concluded:
- Our long-term strategy remains to improve our core business, convert relevant parts of our paper machines and to diversify the business within the bioenergy, fibre and biochemical markets”.

THIS ARTICLE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA) (THE "UNITED STATES"), AUSTRALIA, CANADA, THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA OR JAPAN, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

- We have re-introduced Norske Skog to the capital markets through this bond issue. It is satisfactory that the issuance has met strong interest among investors. We will now be able to implement our long-term strategy with great force and speed by continuing to improve our core business, convert relevant parts of our paper machines and diversify within the bioenergy, fibre and biochemical markets.

The bonds will have a coupon of 3 month EURIBOR + 6% p.a. and will be applied for listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Settlement will be June 14, 2019.

“Saugbrugs gets the President’s HSE prize for 2018 for their improved performance and for achieving their best year ever within HSE. The prize is meant as recognition of good work within HSE over time, but also as an inspiration for further improvement as we also in 2018 experienced unwanted incidents at the mill. We congratulate the Saugbrugs team!” says Sven Ombudstvedt, President and CEO of Norske Skog.

Picture from left:
Managing director Kjell Arve Kure, head safety delegate Magnar Liegård Pettersen and main employee representative Paul Kristiansen