Paper, Nonwoven and Film News for August 8, 2026

PaperAge reported the Palm Group will convert paper machine 7 at its King's Lynn mill in the UK from newsprint to corrugated case material, with completion expected in the first quarter of 2027. After conversion, PM 7 will produce 700,000 tonnes per year of lightweight recycled corrugated paper from 60 g/m2 on a 10.6-meter-wide machine, up from the current 400,000-tonne newsprint capacity.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Another newsprint-to-packaging conversion raises recycled containerboard supply in Europe, so box-plant feeders should expect more roll-grade options and plan finishing flexibility as basis weights and widths shift.

Source: PaperAge on Palm King's Lynn conversion

Business Wire reported ST Group of Companies, through subsidiary Barnwell Tissue Solutions, is reopening and upgrading a 300,000-square-foot tissue mill in Barnwell, South Carolina, with $18 million in New Markets Tax Credit financing. The facility closed in 2023, and the project supports equipment upgrades, working capital and about 90 jobs for a company that is one of the largest parent-roll marketers in the country.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Restarting tissue mill capacity changes regional parent-roll availability, so converters should requalify suppliers, roll widths and delivery timing before changing their sourcing plans.

Source: Business Wire on Barnwell Tissue Solutions restart

IndexBox reported International Paper completed the $250 million conversion of the No. 16 machine at its Riverdale mill in Selma, Alabama, from uncoated freesheet to containerboard, with ramp-up progressing as expected. During the quarter, the company also completed the NORPAC mill and Delmarva corrugated packaging facility acquisitions, adding containerboard and converting capacity in North America.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Large containerboard supply additions can change regional grade availability and pricing, so converters should watch board mix changes and keep slitting and rewinding setups flexible.

Source: IndexBox on International Paper Q2 results and Riverdale conversion

Pulp Paper News reported Sylvamo is progressing on USD 145 million in strategic investments at its Eastover mill and Sumter sheeting operations in South Carolina. The $100 million No. 2 paper machine optimization, scheduled during the fourth-quarter 2026 outage, is expected to add about 60,000 short tons of uncoated freesheet capacity annually, while a $45 million 13-pocket cutsize sheeter will process larger rolls at Sumter.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Faster paper machines and larger sheeting rolls change downstream roll handling and cut-size throughput, so converters should confirm unwinding and finishing capacity for bigger parent rolls.

Source: Pulp Paper News on Sylvamo Eastover investment

SunSirs reported Nine Dragons Paper raised kraft linerboard prices by RMB 50 per tonne, about USD 7, at its Hubei, Beihai and Dongguan bases effective July 22-23, with some Dilong kraft linerboard grades up RMB 80 per tonne. The increases follow broader August price announcements across Chinese containerboard and corrugated paper producers as costs rise ahead of peak-season demand.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Packaging paper price increases pass into roll material costs and finished-box pricing, so converters should reprice near-term orders and lock qualified supply early.

Source: SunSirs on Nine Dragons kraft linerboard price increases

Alaska Public Media reported Anchorage utility workers say disposable wipes are the most common item caught on quarter-inch sewer screens at the Asplund wastewater treatment facility, combining with fats and grease into bundles that cost more than $100,000 a year to remove. The U.S. House and Senate both have versions of the WIPPES Act that would require clear labeling of whether wipes truly break down in water.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Flushability scrutiny affects substrate choice, wet-strength and perforation design, so wipes converters should verify dispersibility claims and roll quality before investing in new lines.

Source: Alaska Public Media on flushable wipes clogging Anchorage sewers

Nasdaq reported The Honest Company's second-quarter wipes consumption grew 26 percent, compared with 2 percent growth in the relevant category, with flushable wipes up more than 200 percent and sanitizing wipes up 55 percent. Management said flushable wipes remain a low-penetration, high-growth format where the brand is already the fourth-largest in the U.S.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Fast-growing flushable and sanitizing wipes formats increase demand for precise perforation, wet-strength handling and high-speed rewinding, so converters should audit line speed and roll quality before scaling.

Source: Nasdaq on Honest Q2 wipes demand

Nonwovens Industry reported Premier Care Industries completed its new manufacturing campus in Arlington, Texas, and is in final equipment testing, process validation and customer qualification, with commercial production expected in late Q3 2026. The project adds U.S. wet wipes and disposable hygiene manufacturing capacity.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: New wipes converting capacity raises regional competition, so buyers evaluating machines should compare automation, changeover speed and consistent roll quality against the newest plants.

Source: Nonwovens Industry on Premier Care Arlington campus

Textile World reported DiloGroup received an order for a complete nonwoven needling line for hygiene-material production in the United States. The line covers fiber opening and filtration from TEMAFA, Dilo Spinnbau carding, crosslapping and high-performance needlelooms with the CV1 system, emphasizing stable web formation and uniform quality for hygiene grades.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: New hygiene needling capacity means more parent-roll supply with demanding uniformity, so downstream slitting and rewinding must preserve web consistency without edge damage or telescoping.

Source: Textile World on DiloGroup U.S. hygiene needling line

Technical Textiles reported Aksan Kozmetik, a wipes converter based in Istanbul, ordered a high-capacity neXline spunlace production line from Andritz to produce nonwoven roll goods in-house. The line, equipped with Andritz TT cards for consistent web quality, is included in Andritz's fourth-quarter 2026 order intake, with start-up scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Wipes converters moving to in-house roll production need slitting and rewinding capacity matched to their new line widths and speeds, plus stable wound rolls for downstream converting.

Source: Technical Textiles on Aksan Kozmetik spunlace line

plasticker reported Coveris acquired the business of Gefo Folienbetrieb GmbH in Gera, Germany, expanding its cast polypropylene film production beyond the Kufstein site, which had reached capacity limits. Coveris says the CPP market is growing about 3 percent annually, driven by recyclable mono-material packaging demand for retort, lidding, bakery and medical applications.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: More mono-material CPP rollstock gives converters an alternative film supply, but new structures should be tested for slitting, seal strength and rewind quality before full-scale conversion.

Source: plasticker on Coveris-Gefo CPP film acquisition

IPG launched a PCR Air Pillow Film containing 50 percent total recycled content, including 35 percent third-party certified post-consumer recycled content and 15 percent post-industrial recycled content. The film is manufactured in the USA at a TRUE Zero Waste certified facility and is designed to run on IPG's G4, G6 and A3 Pro inflation machines and existing AirSpace delivery systems.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: High-PCR air-fill film raises demands on gauge consistency, puncture resistance and roll tension control, so converters should qualify rollstock performance before switching packaging lines.

Source: IPG on PCR Air Pillow Film launch

Recycling Today reported Trioworld's Ajax, Ontario facility became the first packaging facility in North America to achieve RecyClass Recycled Plastics Traceability Certification, covering three LOOP stretch film products verified to contain at least 30 percent post-consumer recycled content. The company also released a free guide for operations, procurement and sustainability teams ahead of the August 12, 2026 PPWR compliance deadline.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Verified recycled content and compliance documentation are becoming purchasing requirements, so film converters should prepare traceability records and test PCR grade runnability.

Source: Recycling Today on Trioworld RecyClass certification and PPWR guide

Future Market Insights forecast the global MDO-PE films market to grow from USD 882.19 million in 2026 to USD 1,370.01 million by 2036, a 4.5 percent CAGR, as PPWR and EPR rules push converters away from multi-material laminates. Cast films are expected to lead with a 67.8 percent share, high-density polyethylene to account for 33.6 percent of revenue, and India to be the fastest-growing market.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: MDO-PE adoption changes film stiffness, draw and rewind behavior, so converters should test tension and winding profiles when replacing BOPP or PET layers with mono-PE structures.

Source: PR Newswire on MDO-PE films market forecast

IndexBox reported Melodea launched MeloPack, an end-to-end mono-material flexible packaging system using MelOx-NGen and VBseal coating technologies in three structures: BOPP plus PP, PE, and bio-PE. The 40-200 micron film is compatible with flexographic printing up to eight colors and VFFS and HFFS machines, with batch-level Technical Data Sheets and Certificates of Analysis and delivery to filling operations in as little as 30 days.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Drop-in mono-material rollstock can run on existing filling lines, but converters should still verify unwind, slitting and seal behavior before wide commercial rollout.

Source: IndexBox on Melodea MeloPack launch