International Pulp Week brought together global market pulp leaders for two days of presentations, market intelligence, and industry dialogue hosted by the Pulp and Paper Products Council. Tim Brown, vice president with PPPC opens and introduced the program before before handing the sessions to day one speaker and moderator Kevin Mason of ERA Forest Products Research, and day two moderator Kelly McNamara of Numera Analytics. Now in its 21st year, IPW remains the premier annual gathering for the market pulp sector — drawing producers, end-users, analysts, and suppliers from across the value chain for a concentrated look at the forces shaping global markets. This year’s program covered an unusually wide range of territory, from geopolitics and macroeconomics to fibre performance, specialty cellulose, bleaching chemicals, carbon capture, and a comprehensive market outlook. For those who missed Tree Frog’s coverage, here are all of our summarized stories.
Day One – May 11, 2026
- The Shifting Landscape with Kevin Mason, ERA Forest Products Research
- A Macro View on Tariffs and Global Markets with Joaquín Kritz Lara, Numera Analytics
- Optimizing Fibre, Elevating Performance with Rodrigo Marchi, Suzano
- Specialty Cellulose: Market Dynamics & Outlook with Christian Chavassieu, CelCo
- Carbon Capture in Pulp & Paper: Monetizing Biogenic CO2 with Jouni Martiskainen, Svante
Day Three – May 12, 2026
- Northern Softwood in TAD Tissue with Ismo Nousiainen, Metsä Fibre
- Global Trends in Bleaching & Pulping with Craig Murphy, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
- Making the Right Fibre Choices with Aki Temmes, UPM Fibres
- Tissue and Other End-Uses with Mathieu Wener, Numera Analytics
- China and Asia in Focus with Li Meng, Pulp & Paper Products Council
- Global Pulp Markets: Review and Outlook with Emanuele Bona, Pulp & Paper Products Council
Key takeaways from Vancouver include:
The 2026 program confronted an unusually turbulent global backdrop — the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of conflict in Iran, escalating US trade policy uncertainty, and a global pulp market navigating the dual pressures of Latin American capacity expansion and China’s accelerating shift toward domestic self-sufficiency. Eleven speakers across two days addressed the forces reshaping the industry, from macroeconomics and fibre performance to specialty markets, chemical supply security, carbon capture, and a comprehensive market outlook. …
Derek Nighbor, President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on International Trade to outline the promise and complexity of growing Canadian forest sector exports to Japan — and to make a pointed case for sustained federal investment to make it happen. Canada currently ships roughly $1 billion annually to Japan, a figure Nighbor put in context: it reflects a century of Canadian forestry trade there and 50 years of work by the Canada Wood Group. “It’s a heavy lift,” he said. Against nearly $8 billion in annual softwood lumber exports to the United States — now facing combined duties and Section 232 tariffs in the 45% range — Japan is a real but incremental diversification opportunity. Canada holds 65% of Japan’s 2×4 dimension lumber market, built by actively developing a wood-building culture where one didn’t naturally exist. Holding and growing that share, Nighbor told the committee, requires sustained technical engagement on codes, standards, and the platform frame system — not simply shipping more product. He also flagged headwinds: declining Japanese housing starts, growing domestic Japanese lumber supply, aggressive European entry across lumber, pulp, and pellets, and tightening Japanese sustainability and traceability requirements.
VANCOUVER, BC — Canfor Corporation announced today that its 77%-owned subsidiary, Vida AB, will permanently close its sawmill operations in Urshult and Orrefors, Sweden. “While this was a difficult decision, the closures are necessary given the ongoing imbalance between production capacity and access to fibre in southern Sweden,” said Karl-Johan Löwenadler, CEO of Vida AB. “By concentrating production in fewer more productive and efficient facilities, we will strengthen Vida’s competitiveness and better position the business for the future.” The closures will reduce Vida’s annual lumber production capacity by approximately 265,000 cubic metres. Following the closures, Vida will operate 13 sawmills across central and southern Sweden, along with its other facilities in packaging, specialty finishing, and logistics.
OTTAWA — The Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association (CKCA) supports the Government of Canada’s launch of a 
The Trump administration has begun processing refunds for billions of dollars in tariffs that the US Supreme Court struck down in February. In what is to be the biggest repayment programme in history, companies can apply online for money they were charged under the “Liberation Day” tariffs – plus interest – to be returned. …But individual consumers, who were hit by the tariffs indirectly through higher prices, are not expected to be compensated. …”All importers of record whose entries were subject to IEEPA duties are entitled to the benefit” from the high court’s ruling, Judge Richard Eaton wrote. As of early April, more than 56,000 importers had completed the necessary steps to apply for refunds online when the portal opened, with their claims worth $127bn. The portal, known as the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (Cape), went live on Monday. 
The highly anticipated summit between US President Trump and his Chinese host Xi Jinping has begun – and Europe is watching from a distance. Yet, whatever the outcome is, there is little Brussels can be optimistic about. For Europe, the Trump-Xi summit is not just about US-China relations. It’s about whether the European Union ends up squeezed between two superpowers cutting tactical deals over trade, technology, energy and security – while European interests are treated as secondary (if at all). In fact, Europe might be watching the summit from a lose-lose position. The most immediate concern in Brussels and Berlin is probably nothing less than industrial survival – and it comes in the form of rare earths. …European officials fear a US-China arrangement could prioritize American access to Chinese rare earths while Europe remains vulnerable to shortages and export restrictions — effectively making it collateral damage.
Researchers at the U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Research Station and Louisiana State University have published a paper that investigates how the European Union Deforestation Regulations could alter global wood pellet trade patterns. The paper is titled “Wood pellet market restructuring under the European Union deforestation regulation: A dynamic spatial equilibrium analysis.” …“Our results suggest the EUDR reallocates global trade rather than reducing global production,” the researchers wrote. While the regulation succeeds in reducing the European Union’s reliance on imports and increases its share of consumption of deforestation-free products, it does not materially lower the total amount of wood pellets produced and burned worldwide. …The main economic result is a shift in trade flows, where pellets that are blocked from the European market are redirected to Asian buyers. …The large production losses projected for the US Southeast, compared to the much smaller losses for Canada.
ARNEBURG, Germany — Valmet will deliver a new ash crystallization plant for Mercer Stendal mill in Arneburg, Germany. This investment is part of Mercer’s long-term vision to further reduce the mill’s emissions and improve its performance. Ash crystallization plant contributes to this target by helping to close the mill’s chemical circulation, reducing the need for make-up chemicals, and by helping to extend the recovery boiler maintenance intervals to 24 months and beyond. …Martin Zenker, mill manager, said “The new ash crystallization plant will help us to further improve both operational and environmental performance.” …Mercer Stendal mill in Arneburg, Germany was started up in 2004 and today has a capacity of 740,000 tonnes per year of bleached softwood kraft pulp. The biomass power plant at the site is one of the largest of its kind in Germany with an output of 148 megawatts.
AUSTRALIA — Timber NSW, the industry body representing the NSW hardwood industry, 
UK — Forestry has long sat at the margins of the insurance market, often folded into broader property portfolios and lightly scrutinised. That position is becoming harder to sustain. The class now requires a level of focus and expertise the market has not always applied, said Daniel Longden, head of forestry at Orvia Underwriting. The sector differs from traditional property risks in one fundamental way: it is constantly changing. Trees grow, are harvested and replanted, altering the risk profile year by year. That dynamic sits alongside an exposure to catastrophe events that can erase entire areas in a single incident. …This variability complicates underwriting and limits the development of standardised data sets, helping explain why the class has remained relatively niche despite growing investor interest. …Where underwriters once relied heavily on historical loss data and third-party reporting, satellite technology now offers a more direct view of exposure.
India is a strategic priority for New Zealand because of its growing global influence, economic scale, and regional importance. This is why New Zealand is building a broad, deep, and enduring strategic relationship with India. By 2030, India’s GDP is expected to reach around NZ$12 trillion, making it one of the world’s largest economies. India’s rapidly growing middle class is projected to soon reach 715 million – those consumers alone will be a larger market for New Zealand than the European Union or ASEAN. …The impact and value of the NZ-India FTA will grow over time – delivering greater market access through streamlined border processes and phased tariff cuts. …On forestry and timber – a major export to India – over 95% of our exports become tariff-free immediately at entry into force. Almost all other exports benefit from tariff elimination over seven years, providing a valuable market option for wood exporters.
Seven paper mills have closed in France since the beginning of 2024, raising concerns about a broader decline in the country’s paper and pulp industry. The warning comes from COPACEL, which highlighted the trend during its annual press conference. The industry group also pointed to a fragile outlook for several production sites entering 2026. Out of a total of 81 paper mills in France, seven have permanently ceased operations. According to COPACEL, the closures have significant consequences for employment, regional development and industrial sovereignty. France is already a net importer of pulp, paper and cardboard, increasing its reliance on foreign supply. At the same time, two packaging paper companies are undergoing court-led restructuring, while a group operating two large pulp mills is in conciliation proceedings. Several other companies are considered financially vulnerable. Meanwhile, French manufacturers face persistently high production costs linked to energy prices, taxation and administrative complexity.
VANCOUVER, BC — West Fraser Timber reported the first quarter results of 2026. First quarter sales were $1.334 billion, compared to $1.165 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025. First quarter earnings were $(188) million, compared to earnings of $(751) million in the fourth quarter of 2025. First quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $(66) million compared to $(79) million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Included in first quarter Adjusted EBITDA in the Lumber segment is ($114) million of duty adjustments related to prior periods compared to nil in the fourth quarter of 2025. …North America Engineered Wood Products segment Adjusted EBITDA of $11 million, and Europe Engineered Wood Products segment Adjusted EBITDA of $10 million. …Sean McLaren, West Fraser’s President and CEO said “Excluding the impact of prior year duty adjustments, we were pleased to see all of our core segments – lumber, NA EWP, and Europe EWP – report positive Adjusted EBITDA.” 
RUSS TAYLOR provided the latest quarterly report from the 
For the second consecutive month, a leading index reported an increase in North American containerboard pricing. Month-over-month containerboard prices rose $30 per ton in April, following March’s $40 per ton increase, according to monthly data released Friday in Fastmarkets RISI’s Pulp & Paper Week publication. When also taking into consideration the $20 per ton decrease the index reported in February, containerboard pricing has a year-to-date net increase of $50 per ton. …On the boxboard front, most prices remained relatively flat in April. Solid bleached sulfate remains in oversupply, although demand was flat to slightly improved. 
Sentiment within Germany’s timber industry remained under pressure in April, with businesses increasingly pessimistic about the months ahead despite a slight improvement in current trading conditions. …Compared with Germany’s wider manufacturing sector, the timber industry continues to underperform, with the ifo Institute’s broader manufacturing index remaining significantly stronger. The picture across the wood sector remains uneven. Companies involved in prefabricated timber construction were the only group to report positive current business conditions, while sawmills, furniture manufacturers and timber packaging businesses continued to report weak trading environments. HDH linked the relatively stronger outlook in timber construction to improving housing activity. …However, the furniture sector continues to struggle with weak consumer confidence and declining construction completions. …Despite isolated signs of recovery in construction-related segments, HDH said overall business confidence remains at a persistently low level.
JAKARTA — The Industry Ministry is pushing for packaging diversification and the development of alternative materials to strengthen the competitiveness of domestic manufacturers, particularly in the food and beverage sector, as global dynamics continue to drive up plastic prices …“We see the geopolitical situation in the Middle East as a catalyst to improve efficiency and accelerate innovation in more sustainable packaging alternatives,” said Putu Juli Ardika. In response, industry players have begun diversifying packaging materials, turning to paper, glass, metal and recycled plastics such as recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), according to the ministry. Putu noted that the shift reflects both cost considerations and a broader push toward sustainability. Furthermore, the ministry sees strong potential in paper-based packaging, supported by Indonesia’s well-established pulp and paper industry. Paper packaging is increasingly being adopted across the retail, food and beverage, e-commerce and logistics sectors.
Sumitomo Forestry’s $4.5 billion Tri Pointe buyout was approved with more than 99% support, taking the combined Japanese-owned share of US single-family home construction from just 0.2 per cent in 2015 to close to 6 per cent in 2026. Sumitomo Forestry’s buyout of Tri Pointe Homes, one of California’s largest builders, was approved at a special meeting in Irvine, California, earlier this month, with the deal set to be completed by mid-year. The Tri Pointe transaction, first announced in February, is the largest US homebuilder acquisition by a Japanese forest-based conglomerate in history, and follows the same playbook Sumitomo has already run across Australia, where Japanese conglomerates wholly or partly own just under 30 per cent of the country’s top 20 housebuilders. …Tri Pointe gives the Tokyo-listed parent access to California and Nevada, the two major US growth states where Sumitomo… had no meaningful presence. 
WASHINGTON — The Intertribal Timber Council (ITC) expressed deep disappointment following the European Commission’s release of its EUDR simplification review, saying the package offers no meaningful relief for Indigenous Tribal Nations and leaves major concerns raised by Tribal forest managers unresolved. Despite months of engagement from Tribal representatives and repeated warnings about unintended impacts on Indigenous communities, the Commission declined to reopen the regulation and instead proposed only limited technical adjustments through implementing acts, FAQs, and guidance documents. As a result, compliance obligations affecting Tribal Nations in low-risk countries remain fundamentally unchanged. …US Tribal Nations manage 7.8 million hectares of forestland under sovereign governance systems. …The ITC is calling on the European Commission to recognize Tribal forests in the United States as low-risk, legally protected systems.
Spain is one of the southern European countries on the front line of climate change as higher average temperatures stoke heatwaves, droughts and forest fires. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presented what he called Spain’s biggest-ever campaign against forest fires on Thursday after deadly blazes devoured a record amount of land last year. Spain is one of the southern European countries on the front line of climate change as higher average temperatures stoke heatwaves, droughts and forest fires. The country sweltered through its hottest summer on record in 2025, when almost 4,000 square kilometres of land went up in smoke, the highest figure registered by the European Forest Fire Information System. “We will put in place all the resources” available to the government “to mitigate this emergency situation as much as possible and to prevent it happening again on this scale,” Sánchez said at the Torrejón airbase outside Madrid.
PORTUGAL — Devastating wildfires gripped Portugal in 2025, when more than a quarter of a million hectares of land burned. With fears that this year could be even worse, Portugal has mounted an intensive nationwide operation to clear fallen trees and dry leaves – the tinder that wildfires thrive on. Citizens are being asked to clear the land around their homes – known to be one of the most effective ways of saving lives – as well as flagging up blocked roads to authorities as these could prevent emergency services from getting to them. …As part of this anticipatory approach, specialist reconnaissance teams will be deployed in each of the country’s sub-regions, tasked with providing the operations commander with essential information on the risk and type of fire. …999 fires were recorded on Portuguese soil in 2025, burning 284,012 hectares. The burned area was twice that of 2024, making 2025 the second-worst year of the last decade.
Brazil’s Atlantic forest, the country’s most threatened biome, last year recorded its lowest level of deforestation since monitoring began 40 years ago, a new report shows. The forest is Brazil’s most populous biome, and home to 80% of the population and major cities such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. In 2025 it recorded 8,658 hectares of deforestation, marking the first time it has fallen below 10,000 hectares since 1985. Environmentalists have welcomed the results, which they say could even lead to “zero deforestation” in the Atlantic forest within just a few years, but warned of potential risks that could reverse the downward trend of recent years. One is the recent approval of the so-called “devastation bill” in Brazil’s congress that drastically weakens environmental law. The other is the prospect of a far-right government, opposed to environmental protection policies, returning to power in the October presidential election…
UK — The significant decline in the number of trees produced by Britain’s nurseries provides a “stark illustration” of the sector’s ‘falling’ confidence, an industry leader has said. Around 139 million trees were grown in the UK’s private and public nurseries across 2025/26, a sharp fall on previous years. In both 2024/25 and 2023/24, nurseries grew slightly over 160 million trees, with 2022/23 totalling slightly under 152 million. This means the total number of trees produced fell by around 14% between 2024/25 and 2025/26. …The findings were contained with the Forestry Commission’s new Tree Supply report – published in late April – which pointed to reduced planting expectations in Scotland as being a major cause of the decline. Stuart Goodall, chief executive at industry body Confor, said: “the report provides a stark illustration of the concerns that have been raised for a number of years – government targets for tree planting are not being met and this is affecting confidence and business activity in the sector.
For the last few decades, the working assumption in European fire management was geographic: the real threat lives at lower elevations. In countries like Greece, Portugal, and Spain, the threat was tied to parched lowlands, flammable scrub, and summer drought. The Alps, Pyrenees, and Carpathians sat above the areas at risk, written off as too cold and wet to carry serious fires. A 25-year satellite record now challenges that assumption. Tracking fires across eight European mountain ranges, researchers found flames climbing the slopes at a steady rate — and the pace has picked up sharply since 2015. A team led by Dr. Mirela Beloiu, an ecologist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), tracked wildfires across eight European mountain regions from 2000 to 2025. The pattern was hard to miss. Fires are climbing the slopes at roughly 236 feet per decade, finding fuel in stands that almost never burned before.
Russian timber and cellulose exports have collapsed by 50% between 2021 and 2025, the steepest fall of any sector tracked by NATO-frontline intelligence across four years of Western sanctions, with the same Latvian assessment revealing that sanctions have cost Moscow more than US$130 billion as it scrambled to source banned goods between 2022 and 2025. That is according to a new analysis published in April by the Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB), one of Latvia’s three security intelligence services, drawing on internal Russian institutional forecasts obtained through intelligence collection alongside SAB’s own assessment. Russia was the world’s largest softwood lumber exporter in 2021, ahead of its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. …According to the analysis, Russia paid an additional US$32.5 billion each year to acquire sanctioned Western goods through intermediaries at inflated prices, excluding cases where no substitute was available. 
Commission attempts to retrospectively curb “rampant bureaucracy” in the EUDR are “inadequate”, according to the German Sawmill and Timber Industry Association (DeSH). DeSH says the new simplification package for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) falls far short of the goal of genuine simplification and continues to create uncertainty rather than clarity in practice. Instead of solving structural problems, DeSH says the Commission is attempting to retrospectively curb the rampant bureaucracy with ever-new guidelines, FAQs, and exemptions. …Ms Möbus says the goal of the EUDR – to combat global deforestation – is correct and important. “However, the EU has taken a wrong turn on the way there. The regulation has developed into a bureaucratic behemoth that poses enormous challenges for the companies affected.” …“The association call for a significant reduction in bureaucratic requirements, practical solutions for implementation in the supply chain, and genuine risk-based approaches that adequately consider regions without deforestation risk.”
Our warming world is set to enter an 
Many US pellet exporters are evaluating new potential markets abroad to diversify their portfolios and adjust to evolving policy landscapes. At the same time, other countries around the world are increasing production and use of wood pellets as a coal replacement for power generation, as well as renewable heating option for residential heating systems and industrial utilization. From Vietnam to smaller markets such as Poland, global wood pellet production continues to grow. …US manufacturers produced over 11 million tons of wood pellets in 2025, including premium and utility pellets. A majority of that volume was exported—an estimated total of 9.37 million tons last year. Globally, pellet producers are experiencing a tug of war between increased biomass use due to decarbonization efforts and increased scrutiny from programs such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation and other countries’ evolving policy mechanisms. …Finding new substantial markets for US pellets may prove to be a challenge. 
LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO – Octopus Energy Generation, one of Europe’s leading renewables investors, is ramping up efforts to slash CO₂ pollution at scale – inking a major US deal that will help remove up to 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the air. Octopus’s fund management team is set to invest $500 million in afforestation and reforestation projects in the US developed by public benefit and climate technology company Living Carbon. On top of that, Octopus has put nearly $13 million into Living Carbon’s fast-growing, cutting-edge carbon removal development business. …Across the US, roughly 130 million acres of land lie degraded and could be reforested. …The locations include old mining sites and worn-out farmland, transforming these spaces into CO₂-absorbing sinks that slash emissions and combat climate change. These projects will also have a host of additional benefits: restoring wildlife habitats, improving water quality, strengthening soils, and supporting local economies in rural communities.
Drax has extended its wood pellet shipping contract with Ultrabulk through March 2031, with a mechanism to reduce carbon emissions year on year from sea freight journeys, according to Drax. The agreement follows the first UK arrival of the M.V. Ultra Yorkshire, a Handymax carrier operated by Ultrabulk, which completed its first transatlantic voyage carrying over 29 thousand tonnes of biomass pellets from the Port of Greater Baton Rouge to the Port of Liverpool. The cargo is set for rail transport to Drax Power Station in Selby. …The company estimated the voyage produced around 90% less CO2 than standard maritime fuels such as VLSFO or ULSGO.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Verra are pleased to announce a collaboration that will bring greater transparency and credibility to the voluntary carbon market. Under this new arrangement, Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) issued through Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program can now carry an FSC label when they are generated from forests that hold valid FSC Forest Management (FM) certification. This means that buyers and stakeholders can readily identify carbon credits that come from responsibly managed, FSC-certified forestlands. This means projects that are dual registered under both the VCS Program and FSC FM certification will be eligible to apply the FSC label to their VCUs in the Verra Registry. To qualify, projects must demonstrate full spatial and temporal overlap between the VCS project area and the FSC-certified forest, and must hold a valid FSC FM certificate for the entire verification period.
According to a new report from Allied Market Research, the global biomass market size was valued at $59.0 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $121.0 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2024 to 2033. The rapid shift toward renewable energy sources, growing environmental concerns, and supportive government policies are significantly contributing to the expansion of the biomass market across the globe. The increasing focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy security is encouraging governments and industries to invest heavily in biomass energy technologies. Unlike fossil fuels, biomass is considered carbon-neutral because the carbon dioxide released during energy generation is offset by the carbon absorbed during the growth of biomass feedstocks. This advantage is making the biomass market increasingly attractive for sustainable energy development. The growing demand for renewable energy is one of the major factors fueling biomass market growth. … Biomass energy provides a reliable and stable source of renewable power…
Across the UNECE region, understanding how wood energy use relates to forest resources and energy supply remains a central question for policy. These relationships are reflected in material flows from forests and forest-based industries into energy supply. Drawing on data from the Joint Wood Energy Enquiry (JWEE), this report shows that increasing wood energy consumption has coincided with declining reliance on roundwood and a growing contribution from industrial by-products, processed wood-based fuels and post-consumer recovered wood. Over the same period, the share of forest net annual increment directly used for energy remained broadly stable, even as wood energy increased its contribution to total primary energy supply. Together, these developments point to changes in the composition of feedstocks, uses and consuming sectors rather than a simple intensification of harvest pressure, while cross-country differences reflect variation in forest endowments, industrial structures and trade patterns.
Finland’s economy has long been rooted in its forests—but in 2026, the sector sits at the intersection of energy transition, environmental regulation, and global market uncertainty. A glance at Finland’s real-time energy production reveals a system increasingly diversified across nuclear, hydro, and renewables. Yet beneath this transition lies a quieter but equally critical story: the evolving role of forestry in powering both industry and energy systems. Finland’s energy picture depends heavily on whether we look at electricity output or total primary energy consumption. …The broader energy balance tells a different story. When heat, fuels, and industrial energy are included, bioenergy remains Finland’s largest energy source, at roughly 135 TWh, ahead of nuclear energy at about 105 TWh. Oil remains significant at around 70 TWh, while hydro and wind contribute roughly 25 TWh and 20 TWh, respectively. This matters for forestry because forest-based energy remains central to Finland’s energy system, even as its role is slowly declining.
