The Arne Asplund Mechanical Pulping Award 2016 has been granted to Tomas Björkqvist, Mikael Lucander, and Olli Tuovinen. The award, given every two years by Arne Asplund Mechanical Pulping Award Foundation, promotes the development of new technology for the manufacture of high-yield pulp.

The awarded team has worked together in a systematic way, from laboratory to full scale operation, to show that their hypothesis about a novel surface for grinding stones is valid. The basic idea in their invention is to cover a metal segment stone surface with a defined diamond grid, including finding a proper geometry for the grid and fastening method for diamonds. The new type of grinding stone with diamond covered surface is known as "Galileo technology." The technology is already established and has spread worldwide.

The main achievement for this innovation is the possible energy saving in grinding of wood in the range of 150 - 500 kWh/ton, depending on pulp grade and other operational factors. Simultaneously the shive level is considerably decreased.

Björkqvist received his PhD degree in 2002 from Tampere University of Technology in Finland. After a long academic career, he is currently a senior research fellow at Tampere University of Technology.

Lucander, with a M.Sc. degree in polymer chemistry from Helsinki University, is retired after a long career at KCL in Finland where he held a position as research fellow. He has contributed as an expert to the awarded project

Tuovinen has a M.Sc. degree from Helsinki University of Technology in Finland. He has had several production positions within the Finnish forest industry and has spent the past 30 years with Valmet, Tampella, and Metso. Currently he is R&D manager at Valmet.

The award will be presented Sept. 27, 2016, at the International Mechanical Pulping Conference, IMPC. The event is hosted by TAPPI and will be held in Jacksonville, Fla., USA.

The Arne Asplund Mechanical Pulping Award promotes the development of new technology for the manufacture of high-yield pulp. It is awarded to a person or persons in recognition of outstanding achievement in research and development of mechanical pulping technology.

The Arne Asplund Mechanical Pulping Award Foundation was established in 1985 to commemorate Dr. Asplund's contribution to the pulp and paper industry worldwide. The Award was made possible through a donation from Valmet to the foundation in 1985. The chairman of the Foundation is Professor Göran Bengtsson.