Concerns over the supply chain – and paper, in particular – drew the most interest among L&NW readers in 2022. The Pixelle Mill in Jay, ME, USA, announced it will officially close its doors. This news comes during a volatile time in the labeling industry where raw material shortages continue to run rampant.

News of the shutdown comes only two years after a catastrophic explosion rocked the facility. Back in April 2020, a pulp digester exploded, destroying part of the mill and temporarily halting production.

This event dealt a huge blow to their entire operation because it removed the part that made them fully integrated. And that’s a key feature that made the Androscoggin mill special. Full integration meant this location was able to produce its own pulp, allowing for controlled costs instead of having to buy from outside suppliers. The pulp making process also meant the mill was generating its own energy; yet another way to cut costs and save money.

Meanwhile, the UPM strike was a hot topic for many months. In late April, UPM and the Paperworkers’ Union agreed on their first-ever business-specific collective labor agreements for five UPM businesses. 

The strike covered UPM Pulp, UPM Communication Papers, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Raflatac and UPM Biofuels units in Finland. The conciliator submitted settlement proposals for separate collective labor agreements for UPM Pulp, UPM Communication Papers, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Raflatac ja UPM Biofuels yesterday, and both parties approved them.

Plus, acquisitions for Mactac and Brook + Whittle garnered plenty of interest, as M&A activity continues to surge in the label and package printing space.

Here are the Top 10 stories from L&NW this year:

1. The Pixelle mill closure and its impact on the label industry
2. UPM strike extended again
3. ePac Flexible Packaging announces global expansion
4. Sticker Mule launches Stimulus, a ‘happy social network’
5. Mactac acquires Spinnaker Coating
6. Apex International breaks ground on new PA manufacturing facility
7. TLMI urges swift resolution of UPM paper mill strike in Finland
8. ePac to purchase 50 new HP Indigo digital presses
9. Brook + Whittle to acquire Cenveo Custom Labels Group
10. Negotiations suspended between UPM and Paperworkers’ Union, strike extended to May 14