Agenda 2020 Holds All-Members’ Meeting at U Maine; Reviews Team Action Plans

The Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance held its Spring 2016 All-Members’ Meeting April 12 at the University of Maine, Orono, Me., USA, in conjunction with the university’s annual Paper Days events. Team leads from five action teams reviewed progress on defining their projects and implementing their research roadmaps to achieve significant reductions in energy, water, and natural resource consumption and to develop new products from renewable forest-based materials. 

 

The first of the five roadmaps, Reuse of Process Effluents, was released March 22 in conjunction with the White House Water Summit and the United Nations World Water Day. Agenda 2020 expects to publish the remaining roadmaps by the end of April. 

VP Steve Govoni (photo right) of Nalco (an Ecolab Company), who serves as co-lead of the Reuse of Process Effluents team with Matt Rachford of Georgia-Pacific, hailed the usefulness of the roadmaps.  "Our company has really valued the opportunity to work with the team, for the insights it provides on how to support the industry’s efficiency and sustainability improvements."

Agenda 2020 executive director David Turpin thanked the university for hosting the meeting. "We appreciate the opportunity to share opportunities for collaboration with our colleagues at the University of Maine," he commented. "This visit is one of many we plan to our affiliate universities and research institutes as well as government and other funding agencies as we move from ‘roadmaps’ to ‘road trips’," added Agenda 2020 chair Fritz Paulsen, Kapstone Paper.

 

"Just remember—we are responsive!" urged Chemical and Biological Engineering Department Chair Hemant Pendse, in welcoming the group. "Just call."

Agenda 2020 has also worked with the Renewable Bioproducts Institute at Georgia Tech to identify areas of mutual interest. A September visit is planned at NC State and others are being scheduled. TAPPI is arranging presentations at appropriate conferences to help publicize the research programs. Interested schools and institutes are encouraged to contact David Turpin.

The Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance is an industry-led consortium that promotes development of advanced manufacturing technologies for the pulp and paper industry, with the objective of increasing its sustainability, efficiency, and competitiveness.

 

In the photo on the left, Cellulose Nanomaterials team co-lead Paul Durocher, SAPPI, updates the membership. Durocher is currently vice-chair of TAPPI.

 

In the first photo below (l-r), Beth Cormier (SAPPI), Peter Hart (WestRock), Steve Govoni (Nalco), Subrata Sen (GP), and Lew Shackford (GL&V) listen to Agenda 2020 team updates April 12, 2016.

 

 

 

In the final photo below, members enjoy the all-members’ meeting at the University of Maine.