China's Pulp Imports Up 18.2%

The figure was 18.2% higher than the 1.109 million tonnes recorded in November last year. Pulp imports for the first eleven months of this year totaled some 13.058 million tonnes, a surge of 27.3% from the previous year.

Chinese Recovered Paper Imports Jump 22.5%

China's total recovered paper (RCP) imports rose 30.1% to around 2.487 million tonnes in November, up from some 1.911 million tonnes the previous month, according to data from China Customs. November's figure was 22.5% higher than the 2.030 million tonnes recorded in the same month of 2010.

Wausau Will Sell Brands, Close Brokaw in Q1

Wausau Paper Enters Agreement to Sell Premium Print & Color Brands: Thw Wausau Paper Board of Directors has approved the sale of its premium Print & Color brands - including Astrobrights(R), Astroparche(R) and the Royal family of products - and closure of its Brokaw, Wisconsin, paper mill. The sale, to Neenah Paper, Inc., is scheduled to close on January 31, 2012. The Brokaw mill will be permanently closed by March 31, 2012, marking the end of the Company's material participation in the Print and Color markets. The Brokaw shutdown will affect approximately 450 hourly and salaried jobs.

Sears, Kmart First Round Closings Cut ~4,700 Jobs

Estimated 4,700 Workers May Be Cut in First Round of Sears, Kmart Closures: Sears Holdings didn't provide an estimate of how many workers will be cut as a result of the 79 store closures. However, the retailer did say that a typical store on the closure list employs 40 to 80 people. At 60 employees per store (the middle point between 40 and 80), that would mean a loss of more than 4,700 jobs — assuming that no workers transfer to other stores.