Paperindustry News I

Paper and packaging group Sappi said on Wednesday that its chemical cellulose business, which accounts for most of its operating profit in Southern Africa, continued to perform strongly, helped by a weaker rand/dollar exchange rate. The business is based on dollar chemical cellulose prices, which makes the rand price of its sales sensitive to exchange movements.

South African banking firm Nedbank Capital and public engagement project Face the Future have signed a pioneering memorandum of understanding (MoU) designed to facilitate collaboration between the two with the sole intention of enabling them to jointly develop sustainable forestry projects in Africa.

Smallholders, with less than 50 ha in Malaysia, are earning a steady income from the production of palm oil, which is linked to the large-scale, corporate industry manufacturing oils, cosmetics components, biofuels, natural fertilisers and soaps, says Malaysian Minister of plantation industries and commodities Bernard Dompok.