Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., Chicago, Ill., USA, this week announced that it and each of its subsidiaries and affiliates in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, as well as Canadian subsidiaries and parties in the Canadian Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) proceeding, have filed a Joint Plan of Reorganization (POR) and Plan of Compromise and Arrangement and Disclosure Statement with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. With this filing, the company is aiming to emerge from Chapter 11 protection in early Spring 2010.

The company also announced that it has prepaid all of the approximately $43 million remaining outstanding of the U.S. term loan under its Debtor in Possession credit facility (DIP), and expects to prepay the approximately $7 million remaining outstanding of the Canadian term loan under the DIP by the end of December. The company expects to emerge from its financial restructuring with a significantly improved balance sheet and with substantially less debt. Under the proposed POR, substantially all of the unsecured debt of Smurfit-Stone Container Enterprises will be converted to equity, resulting in a significant reduction of total long-term debt.

Patrick Moore, chairman and CEO, said that "the filing of our Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement is an important step toward Smurfit-Stone's successful emergence from the reorganization process. Our employees, customers, suppliers and other supporters have been instrumental in our ability to reach this important milestone. We will remain focused on tackling the many challenges that remain ahead."

Key elements of the proposed POR are:

• The company and its subsidiary, Smurfit-Stone Container Enterprises, would merge and become the reorganized company that would be governed by a board of directors that will include Moore, Steven Klinger, the company's current president and COO, and a number of independent directors to be selected by the official committee of unsecured creditors in consultation with the debtors.
• All of the existing secured debt of the debtors would be fully repaid with cash or new debt instruments or a combination thereof.
• Substantially all of the existing unsecured debt and claims against Smurfit-Stone Container Enterprises, including all of the outstanding unsecured senior notes and bonds, would be exchanged for common stock of the reorganized Smurfit-Stone, which would be traded on either the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ market, with holders of unsecured claims against Smurfit-Stone Container Enterprises of less than or equal to $10,000 entitled to receive payment of 100% of such claims in cash.
• All of the existing equity securities of Smurfit-Stone would be cancelled and existing shareholders of Smurfit-Stone common and preferred stock would receive no distribution on account of their shares.
• Assets of the Canadian Debtors would be sold to a newly-formed Canadian subsidiary of Smurfit-Stone free and clear of existing claims, liens, and interests in exchange for the repayment of the secured debt obligations of the Canadian debtors, cash or common stock of the reorganized company for distribution to the Canadian debtors' unsecured creditors (if they vote to accept the POR and the assumption of certain liabilities and obligations of the Canadian debtors).
• Reorganized Smurfit-Stone and its newly-formed Canadian subsidiary would assume all of the existing obligations under the qualified defined benefit pension plans in the U.S. and Canada sponsored by the debtors, as well as all of the collective bargaining agreements in the U.S. and Canada between the debtors and their labor unions.
  

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Bad or faulty assumptions about personal hearing protective equipment are hazardous and can result in injury, or worse, according to a new, free white paper from Howard Leight, Smithfiled, R.I., USA. Yet, despite 25 years of government regulation, a handful of persistent bad assumptions are widespread, endangering both the effectiveness of occupational Hearing Conservation Programs (HCPs) and worker hearing.

Titled Bad Assumptions about Hearing Protection, the new white paper provides insight into common and potentially dangerous misconceptions associated with hearing protection. Authored by Brad K. Witt, past president of the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) and director of hearing conservation at Howard Leight/Sperian Hearing Protection LLC, a global provider of passive and intelligent hearing protection solutions, the paper is available as a free download.

"Specifically, the white paper details the six most common 'bad assumptions' about hearing protection for noise-exposed workers. These assumptions, if left unchecked, have the ability to torpedo an otherwise healthy Hearing Conservation Program, and leave the door open for hearing loss among workers exposed to hazardous noise," says Witt. The white paper discusses the following "bad assumptions":

1. Hearing protection is self-explanatory
2. Any earplug in the ear is blocking some noise
3. An earplug halfway in the ear blocks about half the noise
4. Cut the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) in half to predict real-world protection
5. There's no way to measure real attenuation on a worker wearing earplugs
6. There's no way to measure the noise dose of a worker under the hearing protectors throughout their workday.

"Bad assumptions sink many well-intentioned workplace hearing safety initiatives. But avoiding these simple bad assumptions about hearing protection helps a Hearing Conservation Program stay on solid ground, and do just what it is designed to do: prevent noise-induced hearing loss," Witt notes.

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Uncoated Free Sheet prices in the U.S. remained flat in November, with the exception of 24-lb envelope, which rose $25-$30/ton, catching up with the $35-$40/ton hike on offset rolls last month, reports Marke Wilde, senior analyst with Deutsche Bank. These hikes were driven by higher pulp prices, slight pick-up in demand (October shipments -9.3% y/y, YTD -13.1% y/y), and slightly lower October mill inventories (- 0.8% m/m). Outside of the U.S., European producers have begun to announce price hikes for January 1. Back To Top

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Coated Free Sheet remains weaker than LWC. U.S. list prices in November remained essentially flat m/m with No. 3 60-lb rolls in the $905-$930/ton range, and No. 3 50-lb rolls in the $960-$1,000/ton range, according to Wilde. Both domestic and offshore producers, Wilde adds, are trying to raise CFS prices in the U.S. market on the back of improved order books from the seasonally strong printing season and higher operating rate (99% in September). However, it appears that prices in this grade are the "softest" among all of the P&W grades and may be giving back some recent gain, he notes. October preliminary shipment data show signs of improvement (+4.2% m/m, -7.0% y/y, and YTD -22.5% y/y). Inventories fell 11.2% m/m in September. Producers have taken extensive downtime (336,000 tons since the third quarter of 2008) to keep inventories under control. Back To Top

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Uncoated Groundwood list prices in the U.S. during November remained flat for 35-lb offset grade, Wilde reports. October shipment data show signs of improvement (+2.5% m/m). However, underlying demand is still weak (October shipments -17.1% y/y and YTD -22.8% y/y). Mill inventories in September were -5.4% m/m. Back To Top

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Coated Groundwood and LWC markets in North America are tightening, Wilde says, noting that trade papers show flat prices, but trade sources suggest N.A. "spot" prices are rising. Despite a recent $20/ton ($1/cwt) price hike initiative by NewPage, Myllykoski, and Verso, prices remained essentially flat in November (No. 5, 40-lb list price = $755-$780/ton). October shipment data show signs of improvement, (+5.6% m/m, -4.3% y/y, YTD -24.2% y/y) and that the market may be stabilizing. Inventories fell 15.0% m/m. However, demand is still weak—H109 magazine ad pages fell 27.9% y/y. NewPage has announced plans to take some 160,000 tons of downtime in the fourth quarter, according to Wilde. Back To Top

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N.A. Newsprint list price in November increased $20/metric ton to $500/metric ton (east), Wilde notes. However, at $480/metric ton, prices in the west are lagging behind due to different price hike implementation dates. Additionally, there are numerous price hike initiatives in the coming months, though the timing and amount vary among producers, Wilde points out. Howe Sound is out with a $50/metric ton price hike on 30-lb newsprint. Catalyst Paper deferred its $50/metric ton December 1 price hike to January 1. Kruger has announced a $50/metric ton price hike, to be implemented in two stages of $25/metric ton each, beginning January 1. Back To Top

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Containerboard price hikes, set for January 1 in the U.S., are getting more support, Wilde points out. November prices remained flat at $530/ton for linerboard and $500/ton for corrugating medium. Longview Fibre, Georgia-Pacific, and Pratt Industries are all out with a $50/ton price hike initiative for January, Wilde says. Back To Top

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Market Pulp prices rose $30/ton in November, the sixth month in a row in the U.S. and seventh in a row in Europe and Asia, according to Wilde. NBSK rose to $830/metric ton. The increase was driven by a sharp rise in U.S. spot prices, low mill inventories in the U.S. and Europe, strong Chinese demand, and a weaker U.S. dollar, Wilde explains, adding that reports suggest an additional hike is looming for this month. For China, NBSK rose to $675/metric ton (from $645/ metric ton). However, anecdotal reports suggest demand in China may slow down in the coming months from inventory overhang, estimated to be around 400,000-500,000 metric tons. Further, higher prices are drawing high-cost Chinese pulp mills back into production, as market prices are now well above cash-cost. Meanwhile, other supply is also creeping back. North American mills considering restarts include Buchanan Forest Products' 475,000 metric tpy NBSK mill at Terrace Bay, Ont., Mackenzie Pulp's 220,000 metric tpy NBSK mill at Mackenzie, B.C., and Fraser Papers' 250,000metric tpy NBHK mill at Thurso, Que. Back To Top

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Celulosa Arauco, Santiago, Chile, the forestry arm of Copec, reports that all of its installations have resumed operations after subcontract workers ended 10 days of protests, according to a Reuters news report this past week. A company spokesman said subcontractors had lifted blockades overnight that they mounted to demand higher wages and caused stoppages at the company's plants and sawmills. The protests began in late November when subcontractors blocked 16 of Arauco's 32 installations mainly in the south-central region of Bio-Bio, denying access to thousands of workers. Police gradually cleared protesters from Arauco plants, arresting dozens of subcontractors in sometimes violent clashes, according to Reuters. Arauco said it did not negotiate with the subcontractors, maintaining the demonstrations were illegal, and declined to comment on how much the interruption to operations may have cost the company, Reuters reports. Back To Top

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Four new paper and forestry companies joined the American Forest and Paper Association (Washington, D.C., USA) this past week. ArborGen is a Summerville, S.C.-based forest genetics research and development firm supported by more than 100 researchers and plant scientists from the U.S., Brazil, and New Zealand. Grays Harbor Paper, based in Hoquiam, Wash., is a locally owned and operated company founded in 1993 that produces printing and writing papers, as well as specialty paper. Marcal Paper Products is based in Elmwood, N.J., and manufacturers paper towels, tissues, and napkins from 100% recovered fiber. Thilmany Papers was founded in 1883 and manufactures specialty lightweight packaging, pressure sensitive paper, and technical and industrial
papers, with two mills in Kaukauna and De Pere, Wis. Back To Top

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Canadian National Railway locomotive engineers walked off the job after talks with management broke down this past weekend. According to a Reuters news report, the strikers are angry about CNR unilaterally imposing a 1.5% wage increase and raising the monthly mileage cap to 4,300 miles from 3,800 miles after 14 months of negotiation failed to produce a new contract. The strike (CNR engineers in the U.S. are not affected) could disrupt the delivery of goods worth millions of dollars, Reuters notes. The rail company is the largest shipper of forest products in Canada and the U.S. It transports pulp, newsprint, wood chips, and lumber as well as a variety of other forest products. Forest products accounted for almost 17%, or C$1.47 billion, of CNR's revenue last year.

On Tuesday, CNR said it would agree to binding arbitration on wage and benefit issues and roll back its demand for a higher cap on the number of miles the engineers must drive each month. The offer is conditional on the union withdrawing unspecified work demands from the bargaining tables. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which represents the striking train engineers, said despite the company's statement it has not actually received the offer, so it could not comment on the proposals, Reuters reports.

CNR and the locomotive engineers were given until last night to reach a deal or Canada's House of Commons would likely begin debate and pass a bill to end the walkout, Reuters adds. If motions to fast-track the bill pass, as expected, debate on the back-to-work bill would start at 8 p.m. tonight, and continue until passage. CNR is said to have some 225 managers capable of filling in for the 1,700 locomotive engineers that are on strike.

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Kruger, Montreal, Que., Canada, this past week announced it will "interrupt production" on paper machine No. 3 at its Wayagamack Mill in Trois-Rivières, Que., for a period of two months starting December 23. The company said it came to this decision because of the high value of the Canadian dollar and the weak demand for directory paper. The temporary curtailment will affect approximately 100 employees. The Mill plans to restart No. 3 machine on February 23. Kruger operates facilities in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland, and Labrador, in the U.S., and the U.K. It has 9,000 employees. Back To Top

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Finnish companies Metso, UPM, and VTT have developed a biomass-based bio-oil production concept to provide an alternative to fossil fuels. Since June of this year, Metso reports that its R&D Center in Tampere, Finland, has been producing high-quality bio-oil from sawdust and forest residues. Fortum, also a Finland-based company, is now joining this development project.

The consortium has developed a bio-oil production process in which a reactor, linked to a conventional fluidized bed boiler, can first gasify solid biomass and then compress it into liquid form. Through their five months of pilot testing and utilization of the R&D Center's 2 MW plant, the partners have improved the bio-oil production methods and the efficiency of the process. Already, more than 20 tons of bio-oil have been produced. An alternative to heavy and light fuel oils, "domestic bio-oil decreases the burden on the atmosphere," Metso points out.

The Finnish technology developers are committed to ongoing improvements in the production of bio-oil from renewable resources. It is the companies' vision that combining bio-oil production with bioenergy-based power plants will also provide them with new business potential, as well as remarkable cost and efficiency benefits. The companies' agreement for bio-oil test production extends through 2010.

Fortum now brings the important energy producer and end-product user angle to the research and development project. "The long-term objective of Fortum is to be a company whose production does not cause carbon dioxide emissions. Use of bio-oil as a carbon-dioxide-neutral fuel is a promising option in our range of methods," notes Strategy Director Maria Paatero-Kaarnakari of Fortum.

Metso is in charge of technological development of the pyrolysis reactor integrated into the fluidized bed boiler. Kari Kuukkanen, VP for Technology in Metso's Power business line, says that "bio-oil is an alternative for fueling bioenergy-producing power plants and oil boilers, and it will also be able to be used as raw material for chemicals and biodiesel production in the future. We plan to improve the energy-efficiency of the process still further."

UPM adds to the project expertise in the use of biomass as raw material. "Our target is to utilize all parts of a tree. Bark, stumps, and small trees can be utilized in the process to produce liquid fuels in a cost effective way. The UPM mills provide an ideal infrastructure for developing the production processes," says Petri Kukkonen, VP for Biofuels at UPM.

The bio-oil production process is based on VTT's earlier R&D and patents. In the test production phase, VTT focuses on the control and quality of the bio-oil. In the longer term, also bio-oil refining will be developed, for example, for feeding a conventional oil refinery. The projects are subsidized by the EU and Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation.

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The Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry (Toronto, Canada) is searching for innovative ways to use logs, branches and other wood in Crown forests for manufacturing or other commercial purposes. This will help create green jobs and new investment in the forest industry, the government agency notes. Proposals are currently being accepted for the use of about 11 million cubic meters of wood. The competitive process is open to anyone, including existing and new forest companies, interested in using Crown wood supply and investing in Ontario. Proposals, which must be submitted by March 4, 2010, will be evaluated on a number of criteria, including fostering effective, cooperative relationships between industry and aboriginal communities. The Provincial Wood Supply Competitive Process is the second stage of Ontario's "Staged Competition for Crown Wood Supply" program. It includes about one-third of the existing wood supply identified in Forest Management Plans. Forests cover almost 60% of Ontario, and 90% of forested lands are provincially owned and known as Crown lands. More information is available on the agency's website. Back To Top

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SFK Pulp Fund, Longueuil, Qué., Canada, this week announced a plan to upgrade activities at its mills in Fairmont, Va. (USA); Menominee, Mich. (USA); and St-Félicien, Qué. The goal of the upgrades is to increase productivity in all operations through an employee training program as well as the improvement of its business processes.

SFK Pulp's program focuses on improving product quality at these mills, while reducing production costs and avoiding unnecessary waste. The company will gradually implement an operational excellence management model to optimize all of its activities. This business-critical approach to improve operational performance, derived from the "Toyota" system, will not only help the mills react quickly to new market conditions, but also adapt to clients' needs and upcoming challenges, maximize its assets, which include its human capital, as well as secure new markets, the company points out.

As part of the upgrade plan, employees will have access to various training programs, which will promote a greater acquisition of skills and a more effective knowledge transfer within the organization. Moreover, this upgrade plan includes the reassignment of 12 unionized employees of the St-Félicien mill, which will lead to an improved management of the workforce at the mill in the future, and the elimination of 42 non-unionized positions within the organization overall, of which 13 are eligible for retirement benefits. All terminated employees will receive various separation payments and be given access to a job transition program, at an overall cost of approximately $1.8 million. This upgrade should lead to annual savings of approximately $4 million, the company says.

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Stora Enso, Helsinki, Finland, is restarting production at its Sunila Pulp Mill in Finland. The company notes that although the pulp market has improved since the beginning of the summer, uncertainties remain concerning trends in the market, profitability of the Sunila Mill in the long term, and availability of reasonably priced wood in Finland. Thus next spring, Stora Enso says it will reassess the option of permanently closing down the Sunila Pulp Mill at Kotka, which has been temporarily shutdown since this past April. The co-determination negotiations that commenced when the initial closure plans were announced in August 2009 have concluded, and production at the mill is scheduled to resume by the end of the year.

"We are very aware that although the mill is being restarted, for the employees uncertainty will persist, and we very much regret that. However, we think this is on the whole the best alternative for our employees. We hope long-term measures will soon be found to secure the viability of the forest products industry in Finland and a lasting favorable solution concerning Russian wood duties can be reached. Solutions to those issues could extend the economic life of Sunila Mill," says Juha Vanhainen, country manager, Finland.

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Tembec Inc., Temiscaming, Que., Canada, this past week confirmed that Tembec SAS, its European subsidiary, has retained the services of investment bankers Houlihan Lokey to review strategic options for the two kraft pulp mills held by subsidiaries of Tembec SAS. The company notes that while still exploring other strategic options, Tembec SAS has initiated a process to explore the interest of third parties in acquiring these two mills.

The two kraft mills are located in Tarascon and Saint-Gaudens, France, and have a combined capacity of 565,000 metric tpy of pulp capacity. The two sites also have in excess of 70 MW of electrical generating capacity between them, with a portion of that being available for sale to the grid. The review of strategic options does not include the Tembec SAS specialty pulp mill located in Tartas.

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UPM, Helsinki, Finland, will supply roughly nine million sheets of copy paper -- in cooperation with office supplies company, Lyreco -- to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, December 7-18. UPM Future from the company's Docelles mill in France was selected due to its environmental features, including sustainable sourcing of wood raw material and the EU Eco-label, the official EU mark awarded only to products that have a reduced environmental impact during their entire life cycle. Since 1990, UPM has invested more than EUR 1 billion in the production of renewable energy. These long-term investments have reduced fossil CO2 emissions by 40% per metric ton of paper. The group is also the world's biggest user of recovered paper in the production of graphic papers. Back To Top

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Lee & Man Paper Manufacturing, Hong Kong, China, reports that it will startup two new containerboard machines, PM 15 and PM 16, by the end of next year. The two machines will add some 900,000 metric tpy to the company's capacity portfolio. PM 15 will produce 400,000 metric tpy of kraft linerboard and PM 16 will produce recycled corrugated case material. The two machines will increase the company's total production capacity for paper to 5.45 million metric tpy and 180,000 metric tpy of pulp. Back To Top

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Sonoco, Hartsville, S.C., USA, reports that it will begin offering semi-chemical corrugating medium to the marketplace from its Hartsville mill, beginning on January 1. Sonoco has been manufacturing medium through its No. 10 machine at Hartsville since 1957, according to Jim Bowen, senior VP, Primary Materials Group. "Our mills and our skilled papermakers have an excellent reputation for quality and service, and we are well positioned to serve much of the U.S. as well as select export markets." Hartsville's No. 10 machine has 170,000 tons of annual capacity, and for the past 52 years has offered that capacity exclusively through contract relationships. "We believe the market is now ready for a proven, independent, and financially sound producer in the Southeast, and we're excited about our opportunity to take on that role," Bowen said. Back To Top

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CPA (the Corrugated Packaging Alliance), Alexandria, Va., USA, has released a new brochure designed to educate corrugated users and the general public about the corrugated industry's excellent sustainability record. Responsibility Starts Here is a multiple-panel folder highlighting accomplishments and ongoing work in support of responsible, sustainable practices. It provides facts about corrugated packaging's recyclability, renewability, carbon emission reductions, sustainable forestry, and more. The brochure was produced by the CPA, a joint initiative of the Fibre Box Association (FBA), the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), and the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC). For more information, contact Laressa Gaitan at lgaitan@aiccbox.org / 877-836-2422. Back To Top

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Voith Paper, Germany, reports that it has received the first order for a curtain coater used for graphic paper coating in a board machine, from a major producer of high-quality carton board grades. This innovative process is thus used for the first time for coat applications beyond the field of specialty papers where the curtain coater has been successfully used for years to apply thermo-reactive or capsule coatings. In this rebuild project, the existing air knife coater is replaced with a curtain coater, allowing the mill to overcome its current speed limit and to substantially increase the coating solids content. In this particular case, the coat drying energy costs will almost be halved, Voith notes, adding that, in addition, curtain coating ensures optimal coverage, permitting the use of more cost-effective coating pigments. Back To Top

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Cereplast Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., USA, a manufacturer of bio-based, sustainable plastics, reported this week that Bunge Alimentos in Brazil has received a 2009 WorldStar Packaging Award for its biodegradable margarine packaging derived from a renewable source. The thermoformed packaging used for the Cyclus margarine tub is 100% based on Cereplast Compostables resins.

Presented by the World Packaging Organization, WorldStar Awards recognize international packaging that illustrates continual advancement of the state of packaging art and creates a standard of international packaging excellence. WorldStars are presented only to those packages that, having already won recognition in a national competition, are compared by an expert panel of judges with similar packages from around the world. Awards are based on the judges' consensus that a package is superior in its own right, and better in its class regarding execution or innovation by comparison.

Cereplast Compostables resins are renewable, ecological substitutes for petroleum-based plastic products that replace nearly 100% of the petroleum-based additives used in traditional plastics with bio-based material such as corn, wheat, tapioca, and potato starches. Bunge Alimentos' use of Cereplast's biodegradable resin enables its packaging to be disposed of in industrial composting sites where, in less than 90 days, the tub will turn into biomass.

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RockTenn, Norcross, Ga., USA, this week announced a $40 per ton price increase on all grades of coated recycled paperboard. Price increases are effective with shipments beginning January 4. RockTenn has operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Chilé, and Argentina. Back To Top

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Sappi Fine Paper Europe, Brussels, Belgium, this week increased prices by 5% to 7% for its flexible packaging, label papers, and release liner grade, effective for deliveries beginning on February 1. The company attributes the price boosts to continuing cost increases for its raw material input, noting that "Sappi Europe faced a major squeeze of its operational margins for specialty grades during recent months. Increased efficiency and cost reduction measures were proactively implemented but proved to be insufficient to offset the steep increase in costs." Back To Top

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Mercer International, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, reports that its Celgar mill in Castlegar, B.C., has entered into a C$40 million contribution agreement with the Canadian government for funding of the mill's green energy project. Using funding from the Contribution Agreement, Mercer expects construction of the Celgar Energy Project to resume shortly and to commence electricity generation by the third quarter of 2010. This non-repayable capital contribution to the Celgar Energy Project will improve the energy efficiency and environmental performance of the mill. Mercer has signed a 10-year electricity purchase contract with BC Hydro, British Columbia's primary public utility provider, for the sale of power generated by the Celgar Energy Project. Approximately C$17.7 million of further funding may be available for use by the Celgar mill on other eligible projects until March 31, 2012, and a number of high return projects are currently under consideration to utilize such funding. Back To Top

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SCA, Stockholm, Sweden, reports that Senior VP of Corporate Communications Bodil Eriksson has decided to leave her position at the company to assume the role as executive VP of the newly established Swedish pharmacy chain, Apotek Hjärtat. The process to find her successor has been initiated. "Bodil Eriksson has worked at SCA for the past four and a half years, and I wish her the very best in her new position," says Jan Johansson, SCA's CEO and president. Back To Top

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Hadera Paper, Hadera, Israel, has elected Ofer Bloch as its new CEO; replacing Avi Brener, who recently announced his retirement. Since this past September, Bloch has served as CEO of Leadcom Integrated Solutions, a public company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. From 2006 to 2009, he served as president and CEO of Netafim Ltd. Prior to that, from 2003 to 2006, Bloch served as CEO of DBS Satellite Services. Back To Top

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Finch Paper, Glens Falls, N.Y., USA, reported this week that its senior forester, Roger Dziengeleski, VP of external operations and continuous improvement, has been elected VP of the world's largest association of professional foresters, the 13,000-member Society of American Foresters (SAF), beginning on January 1. Following the Society's normal chain of succession, Dziengeleski will become SAF president in 2011. A Finch forester for 33 years, he has overseen all forest management services for the company since 1991. Dziengeleski has been a member of the not-for-profit SAF since 1976, and was honored as the Forester of the Year by the New York State Society of American Foresters in 2001. As national VP, he said he hopes to unite SAF members across the country to become more effective educators and advocates on forestry-related issues. A respected voice on forestry-related issues throughout his career, Dziengeleski has held leadership positions with the SAF, the AF&PA, the Empire State Forest Products Association, the New York State Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee, the New York Center for Forestry Research & Development, the New York Forest Practice Board, the New York State Region 5 Open Space Advisory Committee, the New York State Tree Farm Committee, and New York Project Learning Tree. Back To Top

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International Paper, Memphis. Tenn., USA, announced this past week that Tom Gestrich, senior VP and president, IP Asia, will retire from the company, effective December 31. He will be succeeded by Paul Brown, currently VP, Asia. Gestrich joined IP in 1990 and also has served as VP of the company's Bleached Board and Beverage Packaging businesses and senior VP of Consumer Packaging. Brown started his career in 1984 with Union Camp Corp., where he held positions in engineering, manufacturing management, sales, and general management in Union Camp's paper and packaging businesses. He also held leadership roles in IP's P&C Papers, Supply Chain, and Industrial Packaging businesses before being named VP, European Container in 2005. The company also announced other retirements and new assignments in its North American Printing & communications business as well as its businesses in Brazil and Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Russia. Back To Top

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FFIF (the Finnish Forest Industries Federation) has appointed Timo Jaatinen as its next president. Currently managing director of the Finnish Port Association, Jaatinen will assume his new position early next year. He previously held various positions as Adviser to the Minister in several ministries in Finland. "Timo Jaatinen's strong lobbying background, understanding of business life and society, as well as his experience of EU-level issues and participation in the activities of European industry organizations make him well qualified to serve as president of the Federation," said FFIF Chairman Kari Jordan, CEO of the Metsäliitto Group."Promoting the forest industry's operating environment to create operating conditions in Finland that are equal to those of the competitor countries will be the central task of the new president. At the same time, it is important to strengthen the industry's opportunities for success. This will facilitate the creation of new business activities based on the utilization of a renewable raw material alongside the manufacturing of existing bioproducts." Back To Top

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MeadWestvaco Corp., Richmond, Va., USA, has named Alejandro  Cedeño as VP, Global Innovation. In his new role, Cedeño is located at the company's Center for Packaging Innovation (CPI) in Raleigh, N.C., where he oversees CPI and is also responsible for implementing and managing an enhanced innovation process across MWV. Cedeño comes to MWV from a distinguished career at Procter & Gamble, where he was involved in technology, product, process, and packaging research and development, as well as brand management and new business development. He has worked in several of P&G's businesses, including Beauty Care, Home Care, and Fabric Care, and has led product and package design efforts for global and regional brands. Most recently, he led Package and Device development for P&G's North American Fabric Care business, as well as for new fabric care product launches globally. In addition, he was responsible for packaging R&D for the Global Liquid Fabric Enhancers business. Cedeño is a native of Cuba and a citizen of the U.S. Back To Top

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Hannu Anttila, Metsäliitto Group's Executive VP, Strategy, has been appointed acting CFO as of January 1, in addition to his regular duties. The current CFO, Ilkka Pitkänen, will leave his post by the end of the year to pursue a career with another company in January. Pitkänen became CFO for Metsäliitto Group in 2005. "Throughout the years I have worked here, Metsäliitto Group has been undergoing a significant restructuring process. This has made my responsibilities as CFO challenging but also highly rewarding," Pitkänen said. "Begun in 2005, the work has now reached a point where I feel I can move on to pursue new challenges with a clear conscience and pass on the duties of CFO as the Group enters a new phase." Back To Top

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A Stradivarius is a stringed instrument built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari (okay, there's our 360-year-old Italian.) These instruments have a reputation for a superlative quality of sound that defies comparison. The name "Stradivarius" has also become a superlative applied to designate excellence. To be called "the Stradivari" of any field is to be deemed the finest there is. There are fewer than 700 genuine Stradivarius instruments in existence today.

Today, music experts still discuss theories about how these extraordinary instruments produced their special sound. (There's our passion for the violin!) What we do know is that the most prominent theories trace it back to the species of wood – which included spruce, willow, and maple – as well as how the wood was coated. The coatings included potassium borate (borax), sodium, potassium silicate, and vernice bianca, a varnish composed of Arabic gum, honey and egg white.

Recently Jeff Siegel, president of Mica and current TAPPI Board Chair, and I had the privilege of visiting the Michelman corporate headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio (the company I hint at in my opening riddle, of course.) Our gracious hosts included Rick Michelman, VP Technology and Flexible Packaging; Bob Poletti, VP Marketing and Paper; John Homoelle, Director of New Technology; Don Hoesl, Marketing Manager, Paper; and Ginger Cushing, New Business Development Manager, Flexible Packaging.

Michelman has been a TAPPI Sustaining member since 1992. The company was established in 1949 as a specialty chemical supplier. Today, Michelman is a global concern with more than 200 employees (over 10% work in their labs). The company is family-owned and professionally managed. Michelman technologies include surface modifiers, polymer dispersions, and coatings. Its three business units are Chemical Specialties, Paper Coatings, and Flexible Packaging. The company serves a range of markets including paper packaging, flexible packaging, specialty coatings, graphic arts, fibers & composites, and floor care.

One of the most unusual and refreshing characteristics of Michelman is the walls-down approach between divisions. This allows cross-divisional communications, which equates to cross selling their product lines. "We connect the dots between divisions," says Rick Michelman. Michelman's stated values include Integrity, Respect, and Success, with the slogan "The story of our past, the foundation for our future."

The firm also recognizes that sometimes two heads are better than one when it comes to providing customer solutions. Michelman has formed several alliances with other companies, which gives both firms the capabilities to co-develop commercial solutions that they may not have been able to offer by themselves.

Oh yes, I almost forgot the riddle at the beginning of this article. How do all these things tie together?

Well as fate would have it, Rick's grandfather, Joseph, was a very inquisitive person. He set out on a quest to discover the secret of the sweet sound produced by a Stradivarius. He sided with the coatings speculators, and was convinced that his tests with varnishes and coatings would lead him to discover the "Secret". I don't know if his experiments with coatings solved the mystery -- but his quest led to the founding of one of our industry's "Stradivari" coating solution providers. For more information on Michelman please go to www.michelman.com.

A final thought: There are two types of people in our industry: TAPPI members, and those who should be. For more information on TAPPI please go to www.tappi.org.

Until next time!

Larry Montague, TAPPI President

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TAPPI members are encouraged to vote in the 2010 TAPPI Board of Directors Election. Under the provisions of the TAPPI Bylaws, Article VIII, the TAPPI leadership is elected by ballot of the voting members. During the first week of December 2009, ballots and voting instructions for the 2010 Board of Directors election were sent via email to TAPPI Members. Emails were distributed by Election Services Corp (ESC), an independent election firm.

The Nominating Committee has recommended a slate of three candidates. Members are encouraged to visit the TAPPI website to review members of the current Board and learn more about the slate of three nominees.

Online voting is fast and easy. Voting began December 1, 2009 and will end on January 15, 2010. Be sure to cast your ballot, which is available online for your convenience -- have your ballot number and TAPPI Member number ready.

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We are striving to have all 2010 Membership renewals completed in a timely manner to prevent interruption in your TAPPI benefits. Please note that membership payment is due December 31, 2009. To renew online simply login to TAPPI's website (www.tappi.org) with your username and password and choose the Renew TAPPI Membership link in the Membership drop down listing on the home page.

For faster service you can renew your dues with a credit card over the phone by calling TAPPI's Member Connection Center at 1-800-332-8686(US), 1-800-446-9431 (Canada), or +1-770-446-1400.

New Multi-year Membership: Save time and money! Receive two full years of TAPPI membership for US $328, and save $20 off the list price; join for three years and save $42. Call Member Connection to take advantage of this offer.

Our members have asked for help in making a business case to management about the value of TAPPI Membership. Easy! Just check out the Value Proposition on page two of our membership flyer.

If you're not already a TAPPI member, this special offer makes TODAY a great time to join -- just give us a call. If you are already a TAPPI member, thank you for your support. Be on the lookout for your renewal notice, which will offer you a choice of multi-year memberships.

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Date: January 16-18, 2010

Location: Charleston, S.C.

If you're available over the Martin Luther King Holiday, you'll want to catch the great program for students being offered at the 2010 TAPPI/PIMA Student Summit. Program highlights include:

• State-of-the-Industry Address on "Sustainability and Eco-Confusion"
• Effective networking
• The Annual Engineering Challenge
• Job recruitment interviews with hiring companies
• Sessions on job transition and getting the right job
• Area mill tour

Need travel money? TAPPI has two ways to help you cover up to US$500 in travel costs:

1) The Deborah Ann McNutt Memorial Student Summit Stipend: Thanks to the generosity of Hercules, there are four stipends available. Each one will fund up to US$ 500 in travel costs. Requirements and application details are available online. (Apply no later than December 18, 2009.)

2) TAPPI Travel Stipend Drawing: If you would like to enter your name, send your resume to dtrimmer@tappi.org by December 18, 2009 and agree to be interviewed at the Summit. A random drawing will determine the winner of the stipend, and the winner's resume will be reviewed by our participating companies.

Everyone who attends the Student Summit is a winner and here's your chance to be a special winner compliments of TAPPI & PIMA. So mark your calendar and act now while there's still time!

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Date: January 11-14, 2010
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

TAPPI's 2010 Kraft Recovery Course will examine key recovery operations in a kraft pulp mill to help participants increase their ability to improve pulp production efficiency while minimizing operating costs and environmental problems. Register by December 15, 2009 to save 40%, even on the reduced price for members. Save even more when you register three or more attendees from the same location!

The TAPPI Kraft Recovery Course will help you discover new ways to cut costs, solve problems and increase productivity. You will also learn about new energy saving methods at the Energy Reduction Panel Discussion.

Engaging team activities and practical exercises help attendees hone problem-solving skills and retain knowledge. Attendees are encouraged to bring their specific problems to the expert course leaders for solutions you can use back at the mill.

Course Chairman Honghi Tran serves as Professor and Director of the P&P Centre at the University of Toronto. Tran has authored or co-authored more than 200 publications, including chapters 9 and 10 in the TAPPI PRESS book Kraft Recovery Boilers, and has obtained eight U.S. patents. He was named a TAPPI Fellow in 2000. The faculty includes experts who are recognized leaders in their field and veteran instructors: Bob Bartholomew, Jim Brewster, David Clay, Doug Foran, James Frederick, Tom Gencarelli, Thomas Grace, Glenn Hanson, Mikko Hupa, Paul Johnson, Jean-Claude Patel, Dale Sanchez, Sandy Sharp, and Richard Wessel.

Complete course information and online registration is available online - don't miss this excellent opportunity for practical knowledge building and networking that make TAPPI Courses an industry mainstay.

TAPPI Intro to P&P Technology Course

Date: January 11-14, 2010
Location: St. Petersburg, FL

With a comprehensive program and the expert leadership of NCSU's Mike Kocurek, TAPPI's 2010 Introduction to Pulp and Paper Technology is one of the most highly-rated courses TAPPI offers. Register by December 15, 2009 to save 40%, even on the reduced price for members. Save even more when you register three or more attendees from the same location!

A popular choice for new hires, sales reps, non-technical personnel or anyone seeking to expand their industry know-how, this course delivers a broad overview of the entire pulping and papermaking process. Attendees are encouraged to bring specific questions about any aspect of pulp and paper production, including new technologies, operating issues, or industry trends.

Course instructor Michael Kocurek is Professor of Paper Science & Engineering at North Carolina State University. He is one of the most recognized educators in the paper industry, and has been leading the "Introduction to Pulp and Paper Technology" course since 1974. In 2005, he was inducted into the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame, an honor bestowed on those who have made preeminent contributions to the global pulp & paper industry.

Complete course information and online registration is available online - don't miss this excellent opportunity for practical knowledge building and networking that make TAPPI Courses an industry mainstay.

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Nominations are now open for management level awards through PIMA's prestigious and well-established industry awards program. All the awards recognize accomplishment and expertise in the field of management. The first three highlight leaders who have made significant contributions to the paper industry over time. The deadline for submission is January 31, 2010.

Nominations are open for the following awards:

• PIMA'S Executive of the Year: PIMA's highest honor, traditionally presented to senior-level executives in the pulp, paper or converting industries for excellence in management and outstanding contributions to the industry as a whole.
• Mill Manager of the Year: Recognizes the mill manager who has best demonstrated outstanding leadership, management, and organizational skills leading to improved results at the facility for which he or she is responsible.
• The Brookshire Moore Superintendent of the Year: Recognizes the mill superintendent who has shown high personal standards and professional management qualities that contribute to the betterment of those under their management and in their company.
• Technologist of the Year
• Ray H. Cross Community Service Award
• Delano L. "Del" Boutin Local Section Service Award
• Thomas F. Sheerin, Sr. Service Award
• IT Service Award
• Kenneth H. Phillips Specialist Group Award
• Student of the Year Award

The one-page Nomination Forms are available online, in both a printable PDF format or as an interactive online form. Complete award descriptions are also available online. Honor your peers, coworkers, and managers, and help promote management excellence in our industry, by making your nominations for PIMA Awards.

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The National Network for Pulp and Paper Technology Training (npt2) was granted continuing support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the project entitled "NPT2 -- Building a Technologically Advanced Pulp, Paper, and Allied Industries Workforce and Contributing to the Development of the Nation's Renewable Energy Capacity." The grant is under the direction of T. J. Murphy (Executive Director of the Center), Dumont B. Henderson, Barbara McDonald, Harry T. Cullinan, Mary B. Cornell and Ralph Benefiel.

Effective August 15, 2009 the award is a continuing grant that has been approved on scientific/technical merit for a three-year duration. Other NSF Centers of Excellence have been established for the fields of Aerospace, Agriscience, Biotechnology and Marine Advanced Technology.

Established in June 2004, npt2 has the mission of providing the pulp and paper sector of the U.S. forest products industry with a globally competitive, technologically advanced workforce, and giving students and workers across the nation exciting and effective education and training opportunities. Since its inception, the National Network members have provided critical training and education services to the pulp and paper industries through a scholarships-internships-jobs model based on academic and industry partnerships.

The renewal funding will be used to support the following areas: (1) Broad Outreach, (2) Curriculum Development and Enhancement, (3) Sustainability, (4) Student Recruitment, Retention and Job Placement, and (5) Faculty Development. It also provides provisions for the research, development and implementation of curriculum to accommodate the cellulose-based, renewable energy initiatives currently undertaken at the country's pulp and paper mills which could then be used as a model program for other colleges and universities to help meet the nation's energy needs.

The National Network is a part of the Technologically Advanced Workforce (TAW) platform supported as an important technology platform by the American Forest and Paper Association's special project group Agenda 2020 and TAPPI. Visit www.npt2.org to learn more.

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In November, the 2010 Papermakers Technical Program Committee met at TAPPI Headquarters in Norcross, Georgia, to plan the Papermaking Program for PaperCon 2010, which will be held May 2-5, 2010 in Atlanta. The group met to select the best papers from nearly 100 abstracts submitted for the conference. The Papermaking Program will feature presentations describing the latest innovations and best practices in:

• Papermaking
• Paper Machine measurement & control systems
• Fluid Dynamics (Headboxes and forming)
• Tissuemaking innovations
• Chemistry -- fillers and additives

The full program will be posted on the PaperCon 2010 website by mid-December. To find out more about the conference, visit www.papercon.org.

Pictured are (L to R) Larry Anker, Craig McKinney (TAPPI), John Neun, Shih-Chin Chen, Darren Swales, Rosy Covarrubias-Mirza, Jeff Reese, Marc Foulger, Philip Wells, Scott Springmier (TAPPI), and Bandaru Ramarao.

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Gulf Coast TAPPI will offer a two-part program sure to deliver great ideas to your mill. The meeting will also feature a mill tour of Abitibi-Bowater in Coosa Pines.

First, the Corrosion & Materials Engineering Committee will be conducting a free, one-day Corrosion & Materials Engineering Seminar seminar on TIPs and topics relating to the identification and control of corrosion within the pulp mill processes. The Friday Technical Session will focus on topics relating to the Recovery processes.

Call for Papers: Gulf Coast TAPPI is looking for presentations, preferably with direct mill experiences or applied research, relating to the following topics, or other current topics in the recovery area:

• Na/S; white/green liquor balance
• Sulfidity purge strategies
• Purge for chlorides
• Dissolving tank controls
• Black Liquor Evaporator operations
• Liquor cycle impact on digesters, lime kiln, caustic plant, recovery boiler

If you are interested in presenting information for the benefit of our industry, please contact Chris Dietel at dietelc@dteenergy.com.

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Available in both English and Spanish, this DVD directly addresses safety concerns and safe practices in corrugated manufacturing facilities. It is a great source for training new employees and a valuable refresher for industry veterans. Topics included are:

• General safety
• Flexo folder-gluer safety
• Diecutter safety
• Stacker safety
• Material handling safety
• Corrugator safety

By special arrangement with the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC), TAPPI members can purchase this DVD for the same reduced rate as AICC members. Order details are online.

Special note: Disponible en español, también. Available in Spanish, too.

2009 EPE Proceedings Now Available
The latest innovations in energy, fiber, and environmental compliance drew a large crowd to TAPPI's 2009 Engineering, Pulping, and Environmental Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, USA October 11-14, 2009. If you were unable to attend this meeting, you missed a wide-ranging program of presentations, panel discussions, and workshops. But thanks to TAPPI Press, you won't have to miss out entirely: 2009 EPE Conference Proceedings are now available. Highlights include:

• Business Trends that explored global shifts in supply and demand, along with worldwide investment trends within the industry.
• A Pulping Track to help mills achieve high contribution, low-cost pulping operations without negatively affecting yield or quality. There were also separate sub-tracks for pulping, bleaching, recycling and non-woods themes.
• An Engineering Track with four complete sub-tracks covering energy, power and recovery; corrosion and materials; biorefinery; and maintenance and mill operations.
• An Environmental Track focused on how mills should respond to the shifting environmental and regulatory landscape.

The 2009 TAPPI EPE Conference Proceedings CD-ROM is fully searchable and includes the written papers, presentation slides, and poster session from most of the sessions. It is the next best thing to having been there! Check the online Table of Contents to learn more about this excellent value.

The List Price for this complete Proceedings is US$111; the TAPPI Member Price is only US$74 (a savings of 33%.) If you are not already a TAPPI member, you can join and receive the discount. For details, visit www.tappi.org/join.

Logo gear makes great corporate gifts
Whether you're at the plant, visiting customers, or hitting the links, make sure everyone knows you're a TAPPI supporter. New TAPPI or PIMA logo merchandise looks good and lets potential contacts know that you're serious about your commitment to our industry. Logo items are also a great way to thank your boss for supporting your involvement in TAPPI and PIMA.

This collection of quality apparel includes polo shirts, woven shirts, caps, and wind shirts. Now available: Eagle Dry Goods Classic Polo Shirts, Eagle Dry Goods Classic Twill Shirts, Harriton Brand Caps, Harriton Brand V-Neck Microfiber Pullover Wind Shirt, and more. Visit the TAPPI Bookstore for easy, online ordering.

FBA & TAPPI Help you benchmark plant performance
TAPPI and the Fibre Box Association (FBA) are offering this updated FBA/TAPPI Productivity and Waste Survey, which provides useful benchmarking data that is otherwise unavailable from any other source. With the information provided in this report, companies can evaluate their productivity, waste and starch consumption data against participating plants. Surveying top performers, it includes information on machinery and labor operations, as well as waste from box plants from primarily U.S. operations as well as several international plants.

For more information on the Productivity and Waste Survey, or to order your copy today, contact Peggy Lacy, FBA Director of Data Services, at placy@fibrebox.org or 847-364-9600.

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TAPPI is offering a presentation forum for researchers and coating technologists to present their findings among colleagues concerning coating fundamentals or leading edge developments relating to paper surface treatment, converting and printing operations. The 11th Annual Coating Fundamentals Symposium will be held October 11-13, 2010, in Munich, Germany.

The Technical Program Committee has tentatively planned sessions to include the following subject matter:

• Advanced understanding and developments of paper coating processes and structures
  • chemistry and interactions
  • coating structure and functional process properties
  • mathematical and computational modelling
• Advanced understanding of paper requirements (including surface characterization)
  • calendering / finishing
  • printing and functional imaging, e.g. electronic printing
  • converting
• Sustainability: Advances at the forefront
  • sustainable components and processing (including e.g. energy saving, coating recycling)
  • sustainable products (e.g. bioactive and barrier coatings, binder systems)

Deadlines: Extended abstracts are due to TAPPI by February 1, 2010; full manuscript drafts are due April 19, 2010; final manuscripts will be due June 30, 2010. Authors interested in being a speaker or poster presenter should send their abstract(s) as an email attachment and cover message to Advcoat@tappi.org. All manuscripts will also be considered for potential publication in TAPPI JOURNAL. If you encounter any difficulty sending your abstract, please contact Craig McKinney at +1 770-209-7294 or cmckinney@tappi.org.

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TAPPI has unveiled its exciting new event -- BioPro Expo™ -- a major conference and exposition scheduled for August, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. BioPro Expo covers the entire biomass processing spectrum, from supply through processing and utilization. It also connects diverse industry groups interested in renewable energy resources, from suppliers of agricultural, municipal and wood wastes to producers of dedicated energy crops and food processing facilities.

BioPro Expo's educational program and comprehensive tradeshow will focus on practical ways to transition products, residues and wastes to energy and biofuel resources. The program also covers supply and demand issues and government policy. By bringing together member expertise in bioenergy production with experts from various industries, TAPPI brings a unique perspective to the bioenergy field with BioPro Expo.

"We are excited to combine our industry experience in wood waste feed stocks and conference organization with information from government and academic entities, technology suppliers, renewable energy consumers and associations in industries looking for more sustainable and profitable ways of doing business," said TAPPI President and CEO, Larry N. Montague.

Subject matter experts from related associations and agencies will consult in program development, including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Forest Landowners Association, and the Georgia Poultry Federation.

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Share YOUR favorite advice -- about life, business, work or leadership -- by sending in a quote to share with other Over the Wire readers. Email your quote suggestions, along with your name and company information, to jbottiglieri@tappi.org. We value the input of our OTW readers.

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