Board Converting News, April 20, 2020

Board Converting News, April 20, 2020

BoardConverting Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries for 36 years April 20, 2020 VOL. 36, NO. 16

My Employee Is Requesting Leave Due To COVID-19: Now What? BY JOEL GREENWALD, ESQ. NOTE: The laws are changing rapidly in the current pandemic/crisis. Therefore, the legal issues discussed here are subject to constant change. It is best to consult with counsel concerning any specific legal advice you may need. About three weeks ago, the federal government enacted the Fam- ilies First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which provides job-pro-

Sonoco To Invest $83M In North American URB Mills Hartsville, South Carolina based Sonoco an- nounced that its Board of Directors has ap- proved an $83 million investment to strength- en its uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) mill system in the United States and Canada. The majority of the investment includes trans- forming its Hartsville, SC, corrugated medium machine (No. 10 machine) into a state-of-the- art URB machine with annual production ca- pacity of approximately 180,000 tons. The new Hartsville machine will be de- signed with the goal of being the largest and lowest cost URB machine in the world, with the capability of producing a wide range of high-value paper grades to service Sonoco’s industrial and consumer converted products businesses and external trade customers. Sonoco is one of the world’s leading pro- ducers of URB, with 12 mills and 20 machines in the U.S. and Canada. As a result of the Hartsville No. 10 machine conversion, Sonoco will be exiting the corrugated medium market by the end of 2021, and the expected effi- ciency of the converted machine will give the company the opportunity to rationalize some of the higher cost assets in its mill system.

tected paid leave to employees affected by COVID-19. The law is now in effect and the United States Department of Labor issued a temporary rule on April 1 that clarifies a num- ber of unanswered questions about the law. Below please find responses to Frequently Asked Questions that address business lead- ers’ concerns about how to deal with the com- plex web of COVID-19-related leave issues. Please note that business situations vary and

Joel Greenwald

the answers for your situation are often fact-specific. We hope the fol- lowing FAQs address questions that are relevant and pressing to your business, but they are only general legal information. Q: What’s the FFRCA? A: As a quick reminder, the Act provides a job-protected, paid leave of absence for the employee’s own COVID-19 condition (based on medi- cal recommendations or an order of quarantine), care of someone who has or is suspected to have COVID-19; or care of a child whose school or childcare provider has closed as a result of COVID-19. More informa- tion about the leave entitlements can be found at www.dol.gov . Q: My business was ordered to close by the government because we are a non-essential business. Does that mean all my employees get to take a leave of absence under the federal law? A: No. The inquiry needs to focus on whether the employee him- or herself would be able to work “but for” a COVID-19-related reason. In other words, the employee must be otherwise not just able to work or telework, but must be actually working. Where the government re- quires a business to shut down, if the employee is not able to work (say, because the job requires an in-person presence), the employee’s inability to work is caused by the business being closed, not the em- ployee’s own COVID-19-related situation.

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WHAT’S INSIDE 6 Corrugated Industry Recognizes 422 For Safety Achievements 8 FBA: Shipments Up Again In March 14 AICC Chairman Jay Carman: ‘You Don’t Feel Alone With AICC’ 32 SCT Develops, Donates Disposable Face Shields

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Thacker Industrial Service Company (T.I.S.CO.) is a machinery and equipment manufacturer that has been providing quality parts and support services to the domestic and global corrugated industry for more than 30 years .

Moving and Rigging Control Centers Complete Rebuilds Repair and Service Conveyor Installation Manufacture Tracks Consulting

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April 20, 2020

24/7/365: Error-free, on time and on budget, T.I.S.CO. delivers “turn-key installation of equipment and machinery anywhere in the world.

T.I.S.CO.’s. in-house electrical programmers and technicians can design and install complete electrical control systems for all your corrugated plant equipment. We can also custom design and build specialty equipment to solve your specific production needs. We also manufacture and provide parts and service for the Harper line of products, including wiper blades, print and die-cut sections and digital registers. Reliable. Professional. Dedicated.

ThackerIndustrial.com 800-242-2270

Sonoco To Invest (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )

“We are calling this investment Project Horizon, as we will be creating a much brighter future for our domestic URB mill system while resolving the volatility we have ex- perienced as an independent producer of corrugated me- dium from our No. 10 machine. These investments will drive significant operating cost savings, ensure the long-term vi- ability of our Hartsville paper mill complex and place our U.S. and Canada URB mill system into the top quartile of performance from a cost perspective,” said Howard Coker, Sonoco President and Chief Executive Officer. The Hartsville No. 10 machine conversion will start with the development of a new recycled fiber stock prep sys- tem, which will allow the mill complex to use a wide range of low-cost mixed paper and OCC. As part of the mill sys- tem optimization program, Sonoco will also increase ca- pacity of its Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, mill. After the full ramp up of production, the mill system in- vestment is projected to provide approximately $24 mil- lion in annual cost savings starting in 2023, while deliv- ering returns well above the cost of capital. Sonoco also expects to drive additional savings from supply chain op- timization, along with environmental and power consump- tion savings. In addition, Sonoco is permanently closing its No. 3 URB paper machine in Hartsville and its Trent Valley, On- tario, Canada, paper mill due to market conditions.

The Price is Right More readers rely on Board Converting News’ containerboard pricing to negotiate their contracts. SUBSCRIBE TODAY.

Robyn Smith at 910-553-4055 /[email protected] Len Prazych at 518-366-9017 / [email protected]

Calling Profero Systems just another equipment supplier is like calling the Tour just a bike ride. Profero Systems

Proven unsurpassed customer service over the long run, commitment to our customers is second to none!

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April 20, 2020

AVERAGE CONTAINERBOARD PRICES The average prices reported are tabulated from prices PAID by various sources throughout the United States the week previous to issue. Prices in some areas of the country may be higher or lower than the tabulated average. The prices tabulated here are intended only for purposes of reference. They do not connote any commitment to sell any material at the indi- cated average. Transactions may be completed at any time at a price agreed upon by seller and purchaser.

REGION E. Coast Midwest Southeast Southwest

42# Kraft liner $885.00-890.00 $900.00-910.00 $900.00-910.00 $900.00-910.00 $930.00-940.00 $903.00-912.00

26# Semi-Chem. Medium

Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del.

$820.00-850.00 $835.00-855.00 $835.00-855.00 $835.00-855.00 $865.00-875.00 $838.00-858.00

West Coast U.S. Average

SHEET PRICES BY REGION (AVERAGE) Per 1MSF, local delivery included, 50MSF single item order, truckload delivery. Sheets

PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN CORRUGATED SOLUTIONS

E. Coast Midwest South-SW S. CA N.CA/WA-OR US Aver.

200# 275#

$62.26

$72.05

$62.69 $82.80

$85.35 119.54

$73.13 101.29

97.32

99.89

90.86

113.65

OYSTER UP-CHARGE 8.34

8.34

8.34

8.34

8.34

8.34

275# DBL-WALL 350# DBL-WALL

107.46 118.45

114.69 129.32

116.54 137.25 117.82 145.56

141.08

122.76

148.46

131.80

CANADIAN SHEET PRICES (AVERAGE) In Canadian Dollars, per 1MSF, local delivery included, under 50MSF single item order, truckload delivery. 200# 275# Oyster UC 275#DW 350#DW $78.56 $99.18 $9.00 $96.32 $105.83 CANADIAN LINERBOARD & MEDIUM The average prices reported are tabulated from prices PAID by various sources throughout Canada. Prices may be higher or lower in various areas of the country. The prices tabulated here are intended only for purposes of reference. They do not connote any commitment to sell any material at the indicated average. Transactions may be completed at any time at a price agreed upon by seller and purchaser. Prices are Canadian $ and per metric ton.

At EAM-Mosca, we partner with you to provide the best corrugated strapping solution for your application. To learn more about our strapping systems for the corrugated industry visit www.eammosca.com/corrugated or contact us at [email protected] | 844-859-6968

42# Kraft Liner 26#

Semi-Chem Medium

East West

$920.00 $965.00

$910.00 $945.00

AVERAGE CONTAINERBOARD PRICES.indd 1

3/7/19 2:04 PM

High performance corrugated medium Coated and laminated papers

Greener innovations for wax replacement boxes

A new strain of recyclable corrugated board is your green defense against moist, wet processes and environments. Cartons made from FluteSHIELD ® corrugated medium and SurfSHIELD TM coated or laminated liners stand up stronger and last longer—all the way to the retailer. You get the strength you need (ECT, BCT, stiffness) plus the wax-free, recyclable, repulpable properties that your customers are demanding. Contact your Cascades Sonoco representative today to learn why FluteSHIELD medium and SurfSHIELD liners are fast becoming the picks of industry.

The wax-free carton solution that truly bears fruit

Leading the way in coating and lamination innovations

888/203-6548 • cascades-sonoco.com

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April 20, 2020

Corrugated Industry Recognizes 422 Plants For Safety Achievements The Fibre Box Association (FBA) and AICC – The Inde- pendent Packaging Association will recognize 422 cor- rugated industry plants for safety achievements in 2019. Safety Awards are given based on >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44

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