International Paper keeps hold of number one position in PPI Top 100
RISI today announced that the 2007 PPI Top 100 is now available as a free resource on its new community website. Despite divesting assets, International Paper is still at the top of the annual list. The company posted net sales from its pulp, paper and converting operations of $21,095 million in 2006, some $4.8 billion more than nearest rival, Stora Enso.
The restructuring at International Paper led to the emergence of a new name in the Top 100 in Verso Paper. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, Verso was founded by private equity firm, Apollo Management, following the latter's acquisition of the four US mills that made up IP's coated paper business. Verso posted net sales of $1,611.2 million in 2006, making it the 44th largest firm in the industry and the highest new entrant on the PPI Top 100. Another debutant in the chart is Sun Paper Group. Net sales of $648 million put the Shandong-based enterprise at #86 in the ranking.
This year's joint biggest climbers came from very different ends of the pulp and paper spectrum: Hong Kong-based Nine Dragons Paper Holdings (which rose from #85 to #63 in the Top 100) only began making board a decade ago. By contrast, Glatfelter, which jumped from #86 to #64, began producing paper at its mill in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania back in 1865.
The annual PPI Top 100 is the only ranking of the world's largest pulp and paper companies by net sales. This valuable report from the September issue of PPI Magazine is available at no charge at www.risiinfo.com/top100.
In addition to the full article, RISI has posted pdfs of all the tables in the report, providing access to comparative sales data, earnings for 2005 and 2006, total assets, production figures for pulp, market pulp, paper and board, and more.
To access the PPI Top 100, visit www.risiinfo.com/top100.
About RISI
RISI is the leading information provider for the global forest products industry. The company works with clients in the pulp and paper, wood products, timber, tissue, nonwovens, printing and publishing industries to help them make better decisions.
Headquartered in Boston (Bedford), Massachusetts, RISI operates offices in Brussels, Belgium; Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco, California; Portland, Oregon; São Paulo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Singapore; and Charlottesville, Virginia. More information can be found at www.risiinfo.com.