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AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF INTERNATIONAL PAPER'S GLOBAL CELLULOSE FIBERS BUSINESS

American Industrial Partners completed the acquisition of Global Cellulose Fibers from International Paper (NYSE: IP) on January 23, 2026, and GCF now operates as an independent company.

(Neutral)
(Very Positive)

American Industrial Partners completed the acquisition of Global Cellulose Fibers from International Paper (NYSE: IP) on January 23, 2026, and GCF now operates as an independent company.

Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, GCF is a leading producer of absorbent fluff pulp for personal care products, reported approximately $2.3 billion revenue in 2024, employs 3,300 people and operates nine manufacturing facilities across the U.S., Canada, and Poland. BofA Securities provided exclusive financial advisory services and committed financing. Transaction counsel and financing/regulatory advisors are listed.

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Positive

  • GCF generated $2.3 billion revenue in 2024
  • GCF employs 3,300 people globally
  • GCF operates nine manufacturing facilities across U.S., Canada, and Poland
  • BofA Securities provided committed financing and served as exclusive advisor

Negative

  • None.
Argus Jan 26 session
-0.09% close to close Open Argus
Details

News Market Reaction – IP

In the Jan 26 session, IP declined 0.09%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement marks completion of the Global Cellulose Fibers divestiture, transitioning a $2.3 ...
Analysis

This announcement marks completion of the Global Cellulose Fibers divestiture, transitioning a $2.3 billion-revenue business with 3,300 employees and 9 facilities to new ownership. It extends International Paper’s multi-step portfolio reshaping that included the DS Smith acquisition and European plant sales. Investors may track how the remaining operations perform post-divestiture, management’s capital allocation priorities, and whether future announcements continue this optimization trend.

Key Figures

GCF 2024 revenue: $2.3 billion GCF employees: 3,300 employees Manufacturing facilities: 9 facilities
GCF 2024 revenue
$2.3 billion
Revenue generated by Global Cellulose Fibers in 2024
GCF employees
3,300 employees
Global workforce of Global Cellulose Fibers
Manufacturing facilities
9 facilities
GCF plants across the U.S., Canada, and Poland

Previous Acquisition Reports

5 past events · Latest: Oct 17
Same Type 5 events
  1. Oct 17

    Divestiture announcement

    24h Move
    -0.1%

    Sale of bag converting operations in several U.S. states to ProAmpac.

  2. Aug 21

    Major divestiture

    24h Move
    +2.2%

    Announced sale of Global Cellulose Fibers division to American Industrial Partners.

  3. Jul 01

    Regulatory-driven sale

    24h Move
    +5.6%

    Completed divestiture of five European corrugated box plants to PALM Group.

  4. Apr 14

    Divestiture talks

    24h Move
    +1.6%

    Entered exclusive negotiations to sell five European box plants to meet EC commitments.

  5. Jan 31

    Large acquisition close

    24h Move
    +0.4%

    Completed acquisition of DS Smith, targeting sizeable synergies and EPS accretion.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- American Industrial Partners ("AIP"), a focused industrials investor, today announced that an affiliate of AIP has completed its acquisition of the Global Cellulose Fibers (GCF) business of International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC). GCF now operates as an independent company.

Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, GCF is the leading global producer of high-quality absorbent fluff pulp for a wide range of personal care applications including feminine care, incontinence, infant diapers, and other products that promote health and wellness. The company generated approximately $2.3 billion of revenue in 2024 and has 3,300 employees globally, with nine manufacturing facilities across the U.S., Canada, and Poland. 

"We are pleased to officially welcome GCF to AIP and establish the company as a newly independent business," said Rick Hoffman, Partner at AIP. "GCF's leading position in the global fluff pulp market, experienced workforce, well-invested facilities, and strong customer relationships make it well-positioned for future growth. It has been a privilege to work alongside Clay Ellis and the rest of GCF's talented and tenured management team during the carve-out from International Paper. We look forward to further implementing our combined Operating Agenda, rooted in our commitment to safety, quality, operational excellence, reliability, and long-term value creation." 

"Becoming an independent company marks an exciting new chapter for GCF, and we are proud to partner with AIP in this next phase," said Clay Ellis, Chief Executive Officer of Global Cellulose Fibers. "AIP's long-term investment approach and deep operational expertise align well with our culture and priorities, and we remain focused on serving our customers, supporting our employees, and building on the strong foundation already in place."

BofA Securities acted as exclusive financial advisor to AIP and provided committed financing for the transaction. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP acted as transaction counsel, Ropes & Gray LLP acted as financing counsel, and Baker Botts LLP acted as regulatory counsel to AIP.

About AIP
American Industrial Partners is an operationally-oriented industrials investor. AIP seeks to achieve differentiated returns by investing in quality industrial businesses with strong management teams and working with those teams to implement transformative Operating Agendas to build long-term value. The AIP team has deep roots in the industrial economy and has actively invested across three economic cycles. AIP has completed over 145 platform and add-on acquisitions and invests in all forms of corporate divestitures, management buyouts, recapitalizations, and going-private transactions of established businesses with sales greater than $500 million. Current AIP portfolio companies generate aggregate annual revenues of approximately $29 billion and employ 72,000+ employees as of September 30, 2025.

About Global Cellulose Fibers
Global Cellulose Fibers ("GCF") operates seven pulp mills and two converting facilities that produce fluff pulp, papergrade pulp, and specialty pulp products used in a wide range of consumer applications, including diapers and other hygiene products, as well as tissue, towel, and specialty paper applications. GCF generated annual revenue of approximately $2.3 billion in 2024 and employs approximately 3,300 people across eight countries.

Contacts:

For American Industrial Partners:

Media Inquiries: American Industrial Partners – pro-AIP@prosek.com

For Global Cellulose Fibers:

Media Inquiries: Global Cellulose Fibers – newsroom@gcfibers.com

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-industrial-partners-completes-acquisition-of-international-papers-global-cellulose-fibers-business-302669253.html

SOURCE American Industrial Partners

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did American Industrial Partners announce on January 23, 2026 regarding IP (NYSE: IP)?

An affiliate of American Industrial Partners completed the acquisition of Global Cellulose Fibers from International Paper and GCF now operates as an independent company.

How much revenue did Global Cellulose Fibers report in 2024 after the IP carve-out?

GCF reported approximately $2.3 billion of revenue in 2024.

How many employees and facilities does GCF have after the acquisition of IP's business?

GCF has about 3,300 employees and nine manufacturing facilities across the U.S., Canada, and Poland.

Who provided financing and advisory services for AIP's acquisition of IP's Global Cellulose Fibers?

BofA Securities acted as exclusive financial advisor and provided committed financing; Davis Polk & Wardwell, Ropes & Gray, and Baker Botts served as legal and regulatory advisors.

What products and markets does Global Cellulose Fibers serve after the IP divestiture?

GCF produces high-quality absorbent fluff pulp for personal care applications including feminine care, incontinence, infant diapers, and other health and wellness products.

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