TAPPI's PaperCon 2010 program explores one of the forest product industry's most challenging and opportunistic issues in its modern history—carbon management technologies and emerging legislative developments. The Carbon Management Track at this year's PaperCon event in Atlanta, Ga., May 2 – 5, will focus on heart issues in this dynamic, complex playing field, including carbon footprinting, developing cap-and-trade issues and policies, carbon life cycle analyses, national energy security, global trade, balance of payments, altered business sustainability fundamentals, print versus digital carbon tradeoffs, and the emergence of biofuels/biochemicals businesses.

A powerful group of highly experienced speakers will examine these heart issues in three content-intensive, 1.5-hour sessions, beginning with Carbon Management 1 and 11 on Monday afternoon, May 3, and finishing with Carbon Management III on Tuesday Morning, May 4. This three-part, progressive exploration looks closely at the role forest products and pulp and paper companies will and/or could play in this rapidly developing arena. Participants include:

• George Weyerhaeuser Jr. (former Weyerhaeuser executive and Senior Fellow, World Business Council for Sustainable Development)
• Don Carli (director and Senior Research Fellow, The Institute for Sustainable Communication)
• Dr. Marilyn Brown (Nobel Lauriat and global energy policy expert)
• Dr. Ron Brown, executive director, Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance, AF&PA
• Ben Thorp (noted international biofuels and biochemicals businesses expert)
• Tom Rosser, Director General of the Policy, Economics and Industry Branch of the Canadian Forest Service at Natural Resources Canada, and
• Dr. Jacquelyn McNutt (leading global expert on industry emerging issues).

PaperCon 2010 will take place at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga., USA. More information about the program, events, and the trade fair are available online. Contact information about sponsorship/exhibit opportunities is also available on the event website, as well as the Twenty-Third Process Industry Reliability & Maintenance Conference being co-located with PaperCon 2010.

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Willis J. Potts Jr. will receive the 2010 TAPPI Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes an individual for voluntary leadership and service that has significantly and demonstrably contributed to the advancement of TAPPI. It carries a cash prize valued at more than $50,000.

"Willis' long career as a manager and administrator sets him apart from many other leaders in the forest products industry," said Larry N. Montague, president of TAPPI. "In addition to his contributions in the field, he saw TAPPI through its recent reorganization and restructuring, bringing additional value to our membership and strength to the association."

Retired from Temple Inland, Rome, Ga., USA, Potts is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree with highest honors. He also completed the University of Virginia's Executive Program. Potts served Union Camp for more than 30 years, beginning his career as an engineer in Savannah. He held both operational and management positions including resident manager of Union Camp's mill in Prattville, Ala., before becoming GM and senior VP of the company in 1992. He joined Temple Inland in 1999, retiring in 2004 as VP and GM of the Rome operations.

A former board member and chairman of TAPPI, Potts actively has supported TAPPI on all levels, from student activities and regional chapters to numerous conferences and exhibits. He has served in nearly every capacity of TAPPI's divisional structure. Additionally, he served as president of PIMA in 1995 and was chairman of TAPPI when the organization joined forces with PIMA, building a strong management program for the two associations.

A TAPPI Fellow, Potts also has served as chair of the Finance Committee of the TAPPI Board. He has been a member of the TAPPI Foundation Board of Directors as well. He also received the Glen T. Renegar Award for outstanding service and contribution to the growth and betterment of the field of paper industry management from PIMA and the Management Excellence Award from CPBIS/PIMA.

Potts was nominated for the Joachim Award by Harry T. Cullinan, PhD. Cullinan is director of the Alabama Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering, and professor, ChE Department, Auburn University. "Willis' constellation of contributions have quite simply preserved and enhanced the value of TAPPI for the benefit of its members," Cullinan said. "I can think of no one more deserving of this honor than Willis Potts."

Potts will be honored at the Tuesday evening, May 4, awards dinner during the 2010 PaperCon Conference at the Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, Ga., in conjunction with the 2010 PaperCon meeting.

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White Birch Paper Co., Greenwich, Conn., USA, the second largest newsprint manufacturer in North America, and its subsidiaries, this week announced that they have sought creditor protection in Canada under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act to preserve and maximize the value of the business and improve their capital structure. The company's U.S. subsidiary, Bear Island Paper Co., also filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The company intends to continue working with its lenders toward a financial restructuring as expeditiously as possible.

White Birch expects operations to continue as usual and says that it remains focused on serving its customers during and after the restructuring process. "This process is about fixing our capital structure," said Christopher Brant, president. "We remain committed to delivering the highest quality product to our many valued customers, and through this financial restructuring, we believe we will be better positioned to continue to do so well into the future."

The company is seeking approval in Canada and the U.S. of a $140 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing with certain of its lenders, which is expected to provide more than adequate liquidity during the restructuring. In conjunction with this week's filings, the company requested customary relief to support its customers and employees during the process. As part of this relief, the company asked the Court for permission to continue employee and customer programs without interruption. The company says it remains in ongoing, productive dialogue with its creditors and other stakeholders regarding the terms of the restructuring.

White Birch Paper, a privately owned, family-run business, operates four pulp and paper mills (three in Canada and one in the U.S.) with a total production capacity of more than 1.3 million metric tons of newsprint and directory paper. Its mills are: Bear Island (Ashland, Va., USA); F.F. Soucy (Rivière-du-Loup, Qué., Canada); Papier Masson (Gatineau, Qué., Canada.) and Stadacona (Québec City, Qué., Canada).

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U.S. P&W Paper Shipments in January were up 9% over the same month of 2009, according to the American Forest & Paper Association' s (AF&PA, Washington, D.C., USA), January 2010 Printing-Writing Paper Report. This is the third consecutive year-ago increase for this grade sector. Three of the four major printing and writing grades recorded double-digit growth compared with 2009. U.S. purchases (shipments + imports - exports) of printing and writing papers also increased in January, up 4% versus year-ago January. Total printing and writing paper inventory levels increased 9,800 tons from December, an increase of 1%.

Some additional highlights from the report include:

• Uncoated free sheet (UFS) shipments up versus year-ago for second consecutive month
• Coated free sheet (CFS) shipments hit double-digit growth versus year-ago for second month
• Year-ago shipments of coated mechanical (CM) reached double-digit growth for third consecutive month
• Uncoated mechanical (UM) shipments surged compared with last January.

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A containerboard price hike is possibly mounting for this spring, according to Mark Wilde, senior analyst with Deutsche Bank (see Published Price Increases below for reported price increase). If it sticks, the spring price hike would be the second of the year (following a $50 -$70 per ton increase in January). A second increase of as much as $80/ton is being mentioned, Wilde says, with April as the targeted date. Fiber costs, both pulpwood and wastepaper, are surging. Also, inventories remain lean while offshore markets are rebounding nicely, which collectively suggests that the prospects are good, Wilde explains. "The biggest question will center on the relatively anemic rebound in domestic corrugated box volumes and the ability to push through another box hike. Will consumer goods companies 'accept' another rapid-fire price hike? Moreover, will the integrated containerboard/corrugated box producers show the fortitude to make the hike stick at the box level?" Wilde ponders. "Most of our sources suggest that the first round box price hike (following in the wake of the January containerboard hike) is proving more of a battle than we would have expected. Historically, if integrated producers can't raise downstream box prices, it is hard to make a containerboard hike stick," he adds. Back To Top

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German paper industry sales fell by 16% to EUR 12.5 billion in the crisis year 2009, the German Pulp and Paper Association (VDP), Düsseldorf, Germany, reported this week. The paper industry has now come out of the trough and the contract situation is improving markedly, VDP added. Only a few companies failed to survive in 2009, said Dr. Wolfgang Palm, president of VDP, at the association's annual press conference. He said that because of rising costs, companies were being forced to adjust prices to safeguard jobs.

Overall production of the German paper industry fell in 2009 by 8% to around 21 million metric tons, and it will be several years before it again reaches the pre-crisis level, Palm said. There were significant differences in the way the various paper grades fared. While the sales of packaging paper and cardboard have more or less stabilized with a decline in sales for the year of about 3%, the surplus capacities in graphic papers are being clearly felt. The market for magazines and newspapers is still weak and sales are down 14%. Hygiene paper manufacturers have been barely touched by the crisis. Most manufacturers of technical and special papers suffered in the 13% drop in sales, although their order situation has improved considerably, VDP noted.

With its 21 million metric tpy of production, Germany has the fourth largest paper industry in the world. It has consolidated its top position in Europe, where it has a 24% market share. Some 43% of the country's production is exported, 65% to Western Europe and 23% to Eastern Europe.

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Consumption of woody biomass for energy at pulp and paper manufacturers worldwide rose to 75 million tons in 2009, equivalent to approximately 1,400 TBTU (trillion British Thermal Units), reports the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ), Seattle, Wash., USA. The global pulp and paper industry has substantially increased its use of woody biomass for energy the past few years, which has consequently reduced dependence on fossil fuels, WRQ notes. From 2006 through 2009, energy generated from biomass has gone up 51%, last year accounting for 18% of the total energy consumption by this industry sector, according to an analysis done with FisherSolve (Fisher International).

While the biggest increases in woody biomass have occurred in Latin America and Asia/Oceania, mills in North America and Europe are still the largest users of biomass material, according to WRQ. Not surprisingly, the leading biomass-consuming countries by volume are regions with large areas of forests, including Canada, the U.S., Brazil, and Sweden. Perhaps somewhat unexpectedly, pulp mills in Finland, New Zealand, Australia, France, and Germany have consumed fairly small volumes of biomass up to now.

As a percentage of total energy usage, the share of energy generated from biomass has, on a global basis, increased from 16% in 2006 to 18% in 2009. Norway and Sweden took the lead in biomass usage at 42% and 38%, respectively, followed by Canada, Brazil, and New Zealand. At the other end of the spectrum are China, Australia, Japan, Spain, and Germany, all of which are countries where pulp mills on average used less than 10% renewable energy at their plants last year.

Another interesting development is that with the increased usage of bark and wood fiber for energy, pulp mills have expanded their external sourcing of the biomass. In 2006, 53% woody biomass was purchased in the open market; in 2009, this share increased to 69%. Pulp and paper mills in Latin America and Asia/Oceania were generally less reliant on purchased biomass than plants in Europe and North America. More information is available on the WRQ web site.

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AbitibiBowater, Montreal, Que., Canada, this week reported that it has received approval for a process to call for employee and other specified creditor claims (the Second Claims Process) by the Quebec Superior Court in Canada and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. This Second Claims Process follows an earlier call for specified creditor claims that was approved by the courts and announced on Sept. 4, 2009 (the First Claims Process).

The Second Claims Process outlines procedures by which specified creditors can make claims against the company. These specified creditors include, among others: certain creditors that were not subject to the First Claims Process, such as company employees who were active as at April 16, 2009, or thereafter; certain creditors who may have claims arising from the breach or repudiation of contracts arising after Aug. 31, 2009; and certain company lenders. A comprehensive listing of procedures and specified creditors has been included in the Thirty-Second Report of the Monitor a link to which can be found on the AbitibiBowater web site.

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Botnia, Finland, has approved "renewal investments" at its Kemi mill in Finland. The investments will include completely new causticizing, and water plants will be constructed on the mill premises. The total investment is approximately EUR 40 million. Negotiations for main equipment will get underway immediately, the company says, and construction will begin in October. The new plants, to be ready for operation at the end of 2011, will improve efficiency, reliability, and environmental performance of the mill.

Botnia is the marketing name for Oy Metsä-Botnia Ab, which is owned by M-real Oyj, Metsäliitto Osuuskunta, and UPM-Kymmene Oyj. Its pulp mills are located in Joutseno, Kemi, Rauma, and Äänekoski in Finland.

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Mohawk Fine Papers, Cohoes, N.Y., USA, has acquired LabPrints, a provider of workflow integration for professional photographers and photo labs. While continuing to develop its existing customer base, LabPrints joins Mohawk's growing list of marketing partners developing products for the converging worlds of print, photography, and graphic design. The addition of LabPrints will allow Mohawk to expand its HP Indigo digital printing products and services, which currently include its i–papers.

LabPrints is a solutions provider to photo labs and professional photographers, offering an integrated toolset that links labs and photographers with lab orders through online storefronts and the fulfillment of printed products. A private, Women-Owned Business Enterprise, Mohawk is the first U.S. paper mill to match 100% of its electricity with wind power renewable energy credits and the first U.S. premium paper mill to shift toward carbon neutral production.

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NewPage, Miamisburg, Ohio, USA, will restart PM 63 its Whiting, Wis., mill on March 1, as customer demand has increased and paper inventories have dwindled, according to a report this past week in The Wausau Daily Herald. The machine, which produces lightweight coated publication papers, was indefinitely idled October 12. The news report noted that of the 58 employees affected by the shutdown, 17 transferred to other mills and 41 were on full or partial layoffs, all who will be recalled for the restart. The Whiting operation has two paper machines producing lightweight coated and ultra-lightweight coated papers primarily for magazines and catalogs. Its annual production capacity is about 220,000 tpy. The mill has a groundwood pulp and a thermomechanical pulp operation on site. Back To Top

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Stora Enso (Finland), Metso (Finland), and Domtar (Canada) have agreed to establish a consortium to develop a pulp mill biorefinery. The project, based on the latest pulping technology, aims to develop a pulp production process with enhanced sustainability and cost efficiency, as well as lower investment costs.

"We see promising opportunities for a breakthrough in sustainable chemical pulping technology. The new major innovations will give stronger fiber and improve the pulping yield. The innovations will also enable malodorous gases to be eliminated and increase the energy efficiency of the pulp production process," says Jukka Kilpeläinen, Stora Enso's senior VP, Group R&D. Back To Top

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SMART Papers, Hamilton, Ohio, USA, this week reported that its Kromekote digital printing papers helped HP Indigo presses achieve top ratings for print quality, color consistency, and image permanence in new third-party tests conducted on behalf of HP Indigo, whose specialized presses are marketed to photofinishers, printers, and publishers worldwide. According to an HP press release, Kromekote digital photo papers performed better than advanced-formulation silver halide photo papers marketed by two of the world's most recognized photo industry brands. The tests were conducted by the international imaging authority, Wilhelm Imaging Research. Kromekote's triple cast-coated, ultra-glossy surface is specifically designed for digital printing. The papers are RIT-certified and available in 8- and 10- and 12-point caliper, 18 in. x 12 in. size, and are sealed in 250 sheet packs, 1,000 sheets per carton. Mohawk Fine Papers is the exclusive marketer of all SMART Papers products including Kromekote, Knightkote Matte, and Digital premium coated papers. Back To Top

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Stora Enso, Finland, reports that it is planning to centralize the use of recovered fiber-based packaging in Finland at the company's Corenso Pori coreboard mill. A recycling plant investment at the Pori coreboard mill will enable all of the used packaging collected from households in Finland to be utilized at Pori. This includes used beverage cartons collected in Finland.

The plans involve permanent closure of the recycling plant at Varkaus at the end of the third quarter of 2010, but the Ecogas gasification plant associated with the Varkaus recycling plant will continue to operate, Stora Enso noted. The Varkaus recycling plant employs 15 people.

As part of the restructuring, Stora Enso's wholly-owned subsidiary Corenso also plans to centralize core production in Finland at Loviisa and Imatra, and permanently close down the core plant at Pori in the third quarter of 2010. The company said that demand for cores has drastically decreased in Finland in recent years due to paper machine shutdowns and production curtailments. The Pori core plant employs 15 people.

"Recycling recovered fiber-based packaging at the same site as a board machine using the material is logistically efficient and reduces costs significantly. The plan to centralize core production at Loviisa and Imatra would also yield significant cost savings and improve Corenso's operating conditions in difficult and uncertain markets," Sampo Antti, head of the Corenso business unit, explained.

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Stora Enso, Finland, reports that newsprint production on No. 2 newsprint machine at its Varkaus mill in Finland will be curtailed, with temporary layoffs, until further notice, due to weak market conditions. Newsprint production at Varkaus will be concentrated on PM 4, improving its operating rates. The total number of employees affected by the co-determination negotiations concerning temporary lay-offs is around 90.

Plans are subject to co-determination negotiations with employee representatives, the company notes. Any decision on closures and other measures will be taken later when the co-determination negotiations concerning the units have been undertaken and concluded as required. Back To Top

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According to the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), Washington, D.C., USA, January 2010 U.S. Containerboard Statistics Report released this week, total containerboard paper production again rose sharply compared with the same month last year. This month follows a trend set in December 2009. Total production saw an increase of 335,500 tons or 13.8% over January 2009. Production increased compared with December 2009, and the daily average percent change was up 1.1%. The recent reduction in capacity is reflected in the current operating rates. The containerboard operating rate for January 2010 rose 15.3 points (to 93.1%) over January 2009.

As with total containerboard, linerboard production saw a large increase over last year. It rose 14.1% from January 2009. The current linerboard production saw a slight increase compared with December 2009, and the daily average rose 1.5%. Once again, production for exports showed a substantial increase of 72.4% over this time last year but was down 11.7% compared with December 2009. Linerboard's January operating rate mirrors the rise, increasing 15.0 points to 92.5%.

January corrugating medium production was up 88,600 tons or 12.9% from January 2009. Production was flat compared with December 2009, which was reflected in the daily average percent change, which rose just 0.1%. Exports, as well, showed a sizeable increasing, posting a 33.2% growth over January 2009. The January corrugating medium operating rate showed the largest gain, increasing 16.3 points over January 2009.

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The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) this week also released its January Paperboard Report, which shows that production increased from December totals by 81,800 tons or 8.0%. Total paperboard production decreased by 2.1% in January compared with January 2009.

Unbleached kraft folding production increased 12.5% from December 2009. January's production was flat when compared with last year. The Current month production of Solid bleached folding increased 14.7% compared with December 2009 and decreased 3.1% over January a year ago. Solid bleached packaging operated at 86.3% of capacity in January, up 0.1 point from last month, and down 0.8 points from January 2009.

Recycled folding production rose 6.4% over December 2009 and 0.5% against January 2009 production. Recycled board operated at 90.7% capacity in January, up from 84.2% in December 2009, and up 9.7 points over the same month last year. Current solid bleached kraft paperboard inventories fell 12.2% compared with January 2009, and 9,689 tons or 2.9% over last month.

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SunOpta Inc., Brampton, Ont., Canada, announced this week that its Grains and Foods Group has completed an upgrade and retrofit at the Alexandria, Minn., USA, aseptic processing and packaging facility. The Alexandria facility has the capacity to produce the equivalent of approximately 170 million liters annually of natural and organic alternative beverages such as soy, rice, almond, and others as well as broth and soup products. The recently completed upgrade and retrofit expands packaging size capabilities for these products to include 500 ml and 1.5 liter packages in addition to existing 1 liter and 2 liter package formats. The additional configuration also enables packaging the full array of aseptic pint, quart, 1 1/2 quart and 1/2 gal sizes. Back To Top

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Document Security Systems (DSS), Rochester, N.Y., USA, a manufacturer of secure identification and authentication technologies for documents, packaging, labels, ID cards, and electronic data, reported this week that it has acquired Victor, N.Y.-based Premier Packaging Corp., a manufacturer of paperboard packaging for clients in the pharmaceutical, beverage, photo packaging, toy, specialty foods, and direct marketing industries, among others. An early innovator of upscale photo packaging, Premier has expanded its product offerings to include everything from basic mailers and sleeves to folding cartons and complex three-dimensional solutions. It has 32 employees and operates from a 40,000 square foot plant in Victor. Last year, Premier reported $6.9 million in sales and approximately $530,000 in profit. DSS expects that savings from redundant printing and binding costs, along with additional cost savings, will result in at least an additional $400,000 per year of net profit from the acquisition, which will be accretive to combined earnings of the company this year. Back To Top

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The Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), Springfield, Mass., USA, and the North American Packaging Association (NAPA) have merged, creating a united North American-based packaging industry association. The merged association will operate as the Paperboard Packaging Council, offering expanded member benefits and "a strengthened industry voice." The merger, which brings together nearly 200 paperboard packaging industry companies, became effective February 19. Further details will be announced in the coming months.

PPC Board Chair Tony Petrelli notes that "this is one of the most historic, extremely significant moments in PPC's 80-plus year history. This merger expands and enhances the work, resources, and impact of our association at a critical time in the packaging industry."

NAPA Board Chair Dave Ellis added that "it's a win-win for industry and association members. The synergy established between these two associations throughout the years helped create this unique opportunity to unite as a larger, stronger, and better-positioned voice to address the challenges of our ever-changing global marketplace." Back To Top

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Eastman Kodak Co., Anaheim, Calif., USA, this week introduced two new products for the commercial display market that its says brings "the premium look and feel of photo grade printing to UV-curable inkjet media." The new offerings (UV-Curable Display Film and UV-Curable Display Paper) enable the creation of point-of-sale and backlit display materials faster and at a lower cost, the company notes. UV-Curable Display Film can be recycled and UV-Curable Display Paper end-of-life can be managed though waste-to-energy (WTE). The UV-Curable Display Paper is currently available in the U.S. The UV-Curable Display Film will be available in the U.S. beginning in April. More information is available online. Back To Top

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Dirt and other defects in manufacturing and shipping can be easily spotted during quality control when using TAPPI's (Norcross, Ga., USA) Size Estimation Charts, now available to those in the medical manufacturing and pharmaceutical fields. The TAPPI Size Estimation Chart is a transparency that is used to measure the size of spots, defects, or inclusions over the range of 0.02 to 5.00 square millimeters in paper and other industrial materials such as pharmaceutical packaging, medical devices, textiles, or plastics. For quality control applications where exact dimension specifications are required, TAPPI also offers its Calibrated Size Chart which eliminates the need for individual calibration.

"Developed from strict ANSI-accredited TAPPI Standards, the TAPPI Size Estimation Chart has been used in medical applications with great success," said Lisa Stephens with TAPPI Press. "Our research shows that these charts are being used outside of the paper industry to detect defects, dirt, and other colored specks in the material in which it is embedded, improving quality control. To measure the accuracy of the defect in the end product, each spot is measured by looking at the 2.0 dot with a 100-power magnifier that has a reticle (scale), incremented in 5/10,000s of a millimeter, on the lens," Stephens notes. "The dots on the chart are correct within an average 10% or 0.005 square millimeters, whichever is the larger." Back To Top

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Stora Enso, Finland, reports that its Natura liquid packaging board now provides improved print quality and lower basis weight. The improved Natura liquid packaging board "provides the utmost material efficiency, a low carbon footprint, and excellent packaging performance," says Vesa Simola, SVP Liquid and Food Service Board at Stora Enso. Lower-weight packaging board helps brand owners to meet the requirements of the EU packaging directive to minimize the impact of packaging and packaging waste on the environment, Stora Enso notes, adding that improved material efficiency generates savings in material and transport costs and environmental fees.

Improvements in the Natura board came through a EUR 45 million investment in No. 4 board machine at the company's Imatra Mills in Finland during 2008 and 2009. The investment included reforms in the wet end, press section, and calender. Natura includes board grades for packaging of milk and dairy products, juice, tea, coffee, wine, and water. Typical non-food applications include detergents, fabric softeners, and personal care. The main markets are Europe and Asia.

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Botnia, Finland, will increase its pulp prices in Europe as of March 1 until further notice. The new prices are: Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (NBSK) pulp $890 per metric ton and Bleached Birch Sulfate pulp $790 per metric ton. Back To Top

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DuPont Titanium Technologies, Wilmington, Del., USA, has announced a price increase for all of its Ti-Pure titanium dioxide grades sold in North America. Effective April 1, or as permitted by contract, prices in North America (U.S. and Canada) will increase by $0.05 per pound. Back To Top

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International Paper Co., Memphis, Tenn., USA, reportedly has raised containerboard prices by $60/ton, effective April 1. Mark Wilde, senior analyst with Deutsche Bank, notes that "this is not a surprise," adding that Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., USA, already has announced an export hike for March, "and export hikes are often precursors to domestic ones." Back To Top

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Södra, Sweden, reported this week that it is increasing the price of its softwood pulp by $30 per metric ton, beginning March 1. The new price will be $890 per metric ton. In announcing the increase, Ulf Edman, president of Södra Cell International, noted that the pulp market remains solid with increased demand and low stocks. Back To Top

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Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l., Brussels, Belgium, this week announced that it will raise prices for all of its uncoated recycled paperboard grades in European markets by EUR 50, or £40, per metric ton on all shipments effective March 8. "The cost of recovered paper has doubled over the past three quarters, which is a reflection of increased fiber demand around the globe," said Eddie Smith, VP, Sonoco-Alcore Europe. "Harsher than normal winter weather has also impacted the supply of recovered paper in Europe, and mills in all of the recycled paperboard markets are running full with low levels of finished stock. Because of the rapid rise in recovered paper prices, we must begin to recoup our costs in our coreboard, partition board, and other uncoated recycled products," Smith added. Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l. is wholly owned by Sonoco, Hartsville, S.C., USA, and operates 30 tube and core plants and six paper mills on the European continent and in the U.K. Back To Top

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The Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), pringfiled, Mass., USA, recently brought on board Kim Guarnaccia as its new director of marketing and communications. Guarnaccia will be responsible for all marketing and communication efforts related to PPC's meeting and event planning, committees, newsletters, website, and project and programs. She joins PPC with more than 20 years experience in advertising and publishing, is a graduate of Yale University, and most recently founded, designed, and edited several nationally distributed magazines. Prior to that she co-owned Nantucket Advertising and managed the design department at the Connecticut Law Tribune. Back To Top

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The 2010 International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference (IBBC) is now an important conference component of BioProExpo™. IBBC will include technical presentations, expert panels, case studies, and reports from projects that address the production of biofuels and bioproducts through: the use of forest and agricultural biomass resources; biorefining technology; feedstock and harvesting improvements to increase yield and quality of biomass; and leveraging forest products manufacturing infrastructure.

Presentations are being sought in the following topic areas:

Technology Track: Seeking strong technical papers with a focus on presenting new findings in Biomass Supply & Demand, Biomass Harvesting & Preparation, Advances in Conversion Pathways and Advances in Bioproducts.

Deployment Track: Seeking case studies and updates from pilot scale, commercial, and pre-commercial operations in Biorefineries, Repurposing the Traditional Pulp and Paper Mill, Harvesting and Preparation, Technical Economic Analyses, Commercial Collaborations for Enabling Technologies and Project Deployment Issues.

For more information on the IBBC Call for Papers, visit http://www.bioproexpo.org/ibbc_call.asp.

Abstract Requirements: Abstracts should be no more than 200 words.
Submission Deadline: March 22, 2010
Presentations Deadline: August 2, 2010
Submit Abstracts to: IBBC@tappi.org
Event Website: www.bioproexpo.org

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Offered for the first time in years, TAPPI is pleased to unroll the Tissue Runnability Course, April 19-21, 2010 – an essential program for paper professionals at TAPPI's Atlanta headquarters. This course offers a comprehensive understanding of the tissue making process at many levels that can be applied immediately on the job. Instructional topics are focused on helping attendees improve the quality of their products, diminish waste and poor output and reduce frustrating down-time. The course material is designed with the objective of helping participants thrust production into high gear.

The Tissue Runnability Course is designed expressly for engineers, machine supervisors, technical resources, lead operators and technical personnel in tissue and towel mills. The three-day event covers the impact of recycled furnishes on paper characteristics, the principles of wet-end chemistry with machine operation, cleaning and conditioning of felts and wires, causes of tissue runnability problems in the press/Yankee/hood drying systems, identifying improvement opportunities on the dry-end of the paper machine, and pinpointing problems with the Yankee dryer steam, coating, and hood systems to increase machine productivity. The course schedule is led by industry-recognized instructors.

Tissue Runnability is limited to 30 participants, so prompt registration is encouraged for this course. Early bird registration ends March 19, 2010.

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TAPPI offers congratulations to three new Board of Directors members: Robert J. Gallo (Voith), Jeff Hamilton (Sappi Fine Paper North America) and Chris Luettgen (Kimberly-Clark). Elected to begin their three year terms in March 2010, they will join Jeffrey J. Siegel (Mica Corporation) and Norman F. Marsolan (Institute of Paper Science & Technology-IPST @ GA Tech), who continue to serve as TAPPI Chair and Vice Chair, respectively.

A member of TAPPI since 1979, Gallo is president of Voith Paper North America based in both Appleton, Wisconsin and Wilson, North Carolina. Hamilton, who comes from a paper-making family, is Corporate Director of Manufacturing Services and deeply involved in Sappi's manufacturing, technical and R&D activity, driving the sharing of best practices and encouraging knowledge transfer with teams from Sappi sites around the world. An active member of TAPPI since 1986, Luettgen has worked in Research, Engineering and Operations with Scott Paper and with Kimberly-Clark Corporation. He currently serves as Senior R&E Manager, Business Support, K-C Professional Business.

Special thanks also go to the following TAPPI Board of Directors members: Carlos A. Aguiar (Fibria), Mark Watkins (MWV) and Jukka Tiitinen (Metso Paper USA Inc.), as they complete their terms in March of 2010.

A complete list of the TAPPI Board of Directors is available online.  

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Attendees at PaperCon 2010 (May 2-5, 2010, in Atlanta) will hear first-hand about Starbucks Coffee Company's long-term commitment to environmental stewardship and its goal to develop a comprehensive recyclable cup solution. Jim Hanna, Starbucks Director of Environmental Impact, will kick off the conference on Sunday, May 2, in Atlanta with his keynote address: "It Takes a Village – Starbucks Quest for the Recyclable Cup."

Hanna will provide an overview of Starbucks efforts to significantly reduce its environmental footprint through energy and water conservation, recycling and green construction. He will also discuss Starbucks aim to achieve recyclability or compostability.

TAPPI/PIMA's PaperCon is North America's largest pulp and paper conference, bringing together industry leaders and technical experts to explore market trends and the latest technologies for paper, board and tissue making, coating and printing. For the 2010 event, PaperCon will focus on the talent, technology and transformation needed to ensure long-term competitiveness. The May 2-5 gathering in Atlanta, Georgia, offers a unique opportunity to network with colleagues from all aspects of the industry. For more information, go to www.papercon.org.

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TAPPI is pleased to announce the 2010 recipients of the Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award, Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service Award, and the Paul W. Magnabosco Outstanding Local Section Member Award:

• Richard J. Kerekes, PhD., Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, will receive the 2010 TAPPI Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award.
• Willis J. Potts, Jr., retired from Temple Inland, Rome, GA, USA, will receive the 2010 TAPPI Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service Award.
• Empire State TAPPI/NY Canadian PIMA Local Section Member Scott Frasca, Senior Account Manager, RohmNova, Sidney, ME, USA, will receive the 2010 TAPPI Paul W. Magnabosco Outstanding Local Section Member Award.

In addition, the following nine individuals have been named 2010 TAPPI Fellows:

• Gerald M. Dykstra, Retired Buckman, Bartlett, TN, USA
• Martin A. Hubbe, PhD., Associate Professor, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
• John C. Husband, PhD., Lead Scientist, IMERYS Minerals Ltd., Cornwall, United Kingdom
• Cheryl M. Lamb, Retired from Buckman, Ellenton, FL, USA
• Patrice J. Mangin, PhD., General Director, Centre Integre En Pates Et Papiere, Trois-Rivieres, Canada
• Frank J. Sutman, Global R&D Platform Lead, Ashland Hercules Water Technologies, Wilmington, DE, USA
• Jukka H. Tiitinen, President, Metso Paper North America, Atlanta, GA, USA
• Ronald L. Van Gilder, Research Fellow, Sappi Fine Paper N.A., Westbrook, ME, USA
• Mark T. Watkins, Senior Vice President, MWV(MeadWestvaco) Corporation, Glen Allen, VA, USA

The 2010 award winners will be honored at the Tuesday evening, May 4, 2010, awards dinner during the 2010 PaperCon Conference at the Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, GA, USA. The new TAPPI Fellows will be honored at the TAPPI Fellows Luncheon, Sunday, May 2, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, GA, USA in conjunction with the 2010 PaperCon meeting.

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Date(s):
Spring 2010 -- April 12-14
Fall 2010 -- October 4-6
Spring 2011 -- April 4-6
Fall 2011 -- October 3-5

Location:
Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport

The Black Liquor Recovery Boiler Advisory Committee (BLRBAC) guides the safe installation and operation of recovery boilers at kraft paper mills. Their meetings draw attendees from all over the world, from the operating mills, the manufacturers of recovery boilers and associated equipment, to engineers from the insuring companies. Many members of BLRBAC are also TAPPI members that serve on the Steam and Power Committee.

Visit www.blrbac.org for registration information and additional details or contact David Parrish at david.parrish@fmglobal.com.

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Date: March 15-19, 2010
Location: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

Need to know more about pulping, bleaching, chemical recovery, recycling, papermaking and converting to do your job better? Gain an excellent overall view of the basic concepts in pulp and paper manufacturing while increasing your understanding through hands-on laboratory exercises.

Using a combination of balanced lectures and laboratories, this workshop will provide you with an easy-to-learn and lasting introduction to pulp and paper technology, operations, and markets, including:

• Overview knowledge of the entire pulping and papermaking process
• How different processes affect paper properties
• Hands-on lab experiments to enhance your understanding of process
• Run a pilot plant paper machine
• Close interaction with Pulp and Paper Professors in small groups

Learn more about the course, and register to attend, here. You can also download the complete course brochure.

CEUs available. This course will also be held June 7-10, 2010; and October 4-8, 2010.

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A Call for Presentations/Posters has been issued for the 2010 TAPPI International Conference on Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry, 27-29 September, 2010, in Espoo, Finland. This annual, internationally recognized event brings together leading researchers, industry experts, government representatives, and other stakeholders to share  advances and perspectives on nanotechnology-based products for the forest products and related industries.

To leverage research advances and offer participants new opportunities for knowledge sharing, the 2010 Technical Program Committee invites contributions from participants working with nano-enabled bio-materials, products, and their processing. Analysis of challenges and trends in emerging markets for forest products that are based on nanotechnology are sought to provide a foundation for new research and industrial activities. The organizers also  encourage submissions on other aspects of nanotech products including law, policy, economics and environmental health and safety. View the Call for Papers.

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