Finally an answer to that age old argument—is it the people or the equipment that make a good plant and product?

 

Greif Inc., Delaware, Ohio, USA, this week announced that Greif Packaging LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary, plans to make significant improvements to the semi-chemical corrugating medium machine at its Riverville, Va., mill

 

DS Smith, U.K., reports that it is bringing its packaging, paper, plastics, and recycling businesses together under one new unified corporate identity and brand

 

Smurfit Kappa Group plc, Ireland, this week confirmed that officials from the Venezuelan government announced a "temporary intervention" at the Group’s subsidiary Smurfit Kappa Carton de Venezuela

 

Every day we come across great people in the pulp and paper industry

 

Below is the latest listing of job openings in the TAPPI Career Center.

 

Total U.S. printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments were down 1% this past October compared with October 2012

 

Global dissolving pulp capacity (pulp with cellulose content above 90%, including wood and bamboo pulp) is concentrated in regions with abundant forest resources such as North America, South Africa, and Brazil

 

Total U.S. October kraft paper shipments were 131,300 tons, 3.6% higher than the prior month

 

Brazil’s Pulp and paper exports totaled $5.97 billion from January to October of this year, which is 9.5% higher than for the same period in 2012

 

Wood costs for pulp and lumber producers in the two largest producing countries in Latin America, Brazil and Chile, have fallen during much of 2012 and 2013, and were in the 2Q/13 at the lowest levels in more than two years

 

Total U.S. boxboard production increased by 0.3% compared with October 2012, but decreased 0.2% from last month

 

The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment, U.K., (ACE UK) reported this past week that 40% of beverage cartons in the EU were recycled in 2012, equivalent to approximately 380,000 metric tons of cartons

 

Abu Dhabi National Paper Mill (ADNPM) will install a complete Metso (the future Valmet) Advantage NTT tissue line at its mill in the United Arab Emirates

 

Ahlstrom, Finland, reports that the European Commission and the Brazilian competition authority CADE have approved Perusa Group as the buyer for its pre-impregnated décor papers and abrasive paper backings businesses

 

Burgo, Italy, reports that it will permanently remove 180,000 metric tpy of coated wood free (CWF) paper capacity from the market at its Avezzano, Italy, mill in January

 

Canfor Corp., Vancouver, B.C., Canada, has agreed to form a 50/50 joint venture with Tangshan Caofeidian Wood Industry Co. of China (TCW) to review the potential construction of a secondary manufacturing facility to be located at the deep water Caofeidian Port Tangshan City, Hebei Province, China

 

The former textile, paper, and emulsions business of Clariant is now Archroma

 

Ilim Group, St Petersburg, Russia, reports that it has completed the first stage of its $21 million rebuild project at the company’s Ust-Ilimsk Mill in Russia

 

Orchids Paper Products Co., Pryor, Okla., USA, will invest $30.4 million to upgrade its tissue making and converting assets

 

Stora Enso, Helsinki, Finland, reports that the company’s Enocell Pulp Mill's power plant will be transferred from Fortum Power and Heat Oy to Stora Enso for approximately EUR 16 million in accordance with an existing finance lease agreement

 

Tembec, Montréal, Qué., Canada, has completed the sale of approximately 7,150 hectares of land within the Regional District of East Kootenay, B.C., Canada, to Teck Resources Limited

 

Thiele Kaolin Co., Sandersville, Ga., USA, has announced changes in its sales leadership. Eric Tillirson (photo) has been promoted to SVP and director of sales development

 

U.S. October 2013 containerboard production increased 4.2% over September 2013, and was 1.4% higher than the same month last year

 

Huhtamaki Group, Finland, has acquired BCP Fluted Packaging Ltd. in the U.K. BCP specializes in corrugated packaging for the foodservice, confectionery, and cosmetics markets and is based in Blackburn, Lancashire

 

Oji Holdings Corp., Japan, this week announced that it will acquire 75% of all of the issued shares of United Packaging Joint Venture Co., (UPJV) of Vietnam

 

Despite a limited supply of recovered paper in Russia, recycled containerboard production is outpacing virgin containerboard production

 

Grupo Gondi, Mexico, reports that it will build a new box plant in Nava (Piedras Negras), Coahuila, Mexico

 

Invensys, London, U.K., has introduced its Foxboro Eckardt LevelWave Radar Series measurement solution for liquids, including corrosive, sticky or difficult media

 

Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG, Austria, reports that its new cartonboard grade FOODBOARDTM is a protected internal development "representing a quantum leap in the protection of cartonboard packed foodstuff

 

In response to increased market needs and always seeking to exceed customer expectations, Siemens Industry Inc., Washington, D.C., USA, has announced a further reduction in lead times for Generation II of its Simotics® 1FK7 servomotors

 

Voith (Germany) reports that its winder service now covers all three areas—mechanics, automation, and technology

 

Metsä Fibre, Finland, increased prices of its Botnia Nordic Pine and Botnia Nordic Strong (Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft pulps) in China, effective December 1.

 

Södra, Växjö, Sweden, this week reported that its December price for NBSK (northern bleached softwood kraft) pulp will remain flat at $920 per metric ton

 

Archroma, Switzerland, a global supplier of color and specialty chemicals, and the former paper, textiles, and emulsions businesses of Clariant, announced this week that Stephan Sielaff has been named COO

 

The Supervisory Board of Arctic Paper S.A., Poland, has named Wolfgang Lübbert (acting CEO since June 19, 2013), CEO of the company, and has appointed Małgorzata Majewska-Śliwa a member of the company’s management board, responsible for finances

 

At its Capital Market Days in November, BillerudKorsnäs, Solna Sweden, presented a clear focus on profitable growth in its various business areas going forward

 

Horizon Pulp & Paper, an Estonia-based sack kraft producer, has appointed Bashyam Krishnan its new CEO and chairman

 

Moorim Group, South Korea, has appointed Kim Suk-man president of the company, effective December 2

 

This comprehensive course, January 6-9 in St. Petersburg, Fla., USA, is ideal for anyone new to the pulp and paper industry as well as for anyone who is in the industry and wants to learn about mill wide operations. The course delivers a comprehensive overview of the entire pulping and papermaking process.

 

This TAPPI webinar, hosted by Linda Robertson of International Microbial Associates, will discuss freshwater treatment and the impact water system closure has on paper and board.

 

This is the second part of a series covering the various methods used to produce nonwoven materials. Nonwovens Processes Part II, held January 16 at noon EST, will continue to explore the various processes used in nonwovens manufacturing and will provide an overview of commonly used nonwovens language.

 

TAPPI member John Neun finds great satisfaction in career, industry.

 

This intermediate-level course combines the skills and knowledge from 14 internationally recognized kraft experts who will help you improve efficiency, minimize operating costs, and reduce environmental impact. Save more than $900 if you register by December 7.

 

This course, being held February 17-21, 2014 at the TAPPI Training Facility in Atlanta, Ga., USA., equips you with the safety skills and confidence needed for nearly any role you serve in your company.

 

TAPPI Journal is a world-recognized technical publication focused on the forest products and related industries. For a limited time, you can see for yourself a sample of the high caliber content published in TJ. "Scaling Risk Assessment in a Closed Circuit Recycled Board Mill by Speciation Methods" by Patrick Huber and Sylvie Nivelon was the runner-up to the 2012 TJ Best Research Paper Award.

 

A project of the Water Removal Committee of TAPPI’s Engineering Division, this book will be helpful to papermakers and those responsible for solving drying-related problems.

 

Written at an introductory level, this book will be an especially useful tool for introducing students and new industry employees to the field of nonwovens.

 

Highlights of conference content, contained on this flash drive, include sessions in the area of Pulping, Engineering, Environmental, Recycling, and Sustainability.