Net Impact, San Francisco, Calif., USA, this past week announced finalist universities for a case competition with International Paper, Memphis, Tenn., and Staples, Boston, Mass. The competition teams MBA students from the Net Impact network to identify recycling solutions to help improve each company's environmental performance and bottom line. From a pool of 10 teams, the three finalist universities selected to participate in a semester-long process are:

• Blekinge Institute of Technology (Karlskrona, Sweden)
• Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (New York, N.Y.)
• University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business / School of Natural Resources & Environment (Ann Arbor, Mich.).

The three finalist teams have been working since February with key leaders at International Paper and Staples, discussing questions and reviewing the progress of their strategic plans. The teams are in the process of submitting their final plans, which will be evaluated by a panel of judges. The winning team will be announced in late June and will receive a $5,000 cash prize, one-year passes to the national parks, and free registration with a travel stipend for the Net Impact Conference at the University of Michigan in November—where the team will present its winning proposal. The other two finalist teams will receive $1,000 each.

"Our partnership with International Paper and Staples is a win-win," says Liz Maw, executive director, Net Impact. "While Net Impact student members are helping IP and Staples come together to uncover environmental opportunities, we are helping build environmentally responsible future business leaders."

Mark Buckley, VP, environmental affairs, Staples, adds that "working with Net Impact and IP on this case competition is a way for Staples to leverage some of the world's top students to apply their business and process expertise to address an issue with significant environmental implications."

David Kiser, IP's VP, environment, health, safety and sustainability, notes that "exploring creative business solutions will help recover more renewable paper products and put them back to use. It will also support improving environmental footprints, sustaining socially responsible business practices, and increasing economic returns."

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Daniel Siegel, father of TAPPI Board of Directors Chairman Jeffery Siegel and founder of Mica Corp., died quietly yesterday, June 9, at his home in Westport, Conn., USA. Born March 1926 in New York, N.Y. to Jesse and Dorothy Siegel, Dan lived in Westport, since 1953 with his devoted wife Alice. In addition to Alice, he is survived by his brother, Dr. Richard Siegel of Santa Rosa, Calif., his sons Jeffrey of Trumbull, Conn., and Andrew of Newtown, Conn., along with their wives Mindy Siegel and Tracy Nashel, and grandchildren Jaclyn, Rebecca, Leah, and Elliot.

Dan was founder and chairman of Mica Corp., a leading supplier of primers, coating, and adhesives to the flexible packaging industry. His innovations in water-based adhesive technology were industry changing in their time and continue to be the standard for world-wide manufacturers of flexible packaging materials. In recognition of a lifetime of technical achievement, he was the 1986 recipient of the TAPPI PLC (now TAPPI PLACE) Division Technical Award and Sam Zwieg Prize.

Dan started his career in the adhesives industry with Polymer Industries in Stamford, Conn., and later became Marketing Manager of Metro Adhesives in New Brunswick, N.J., before starting Mica Corp. in 1971. He was a member of Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport since 1966 and served as Commodore in 1993 and 1994. He was a member of the board of directors of Planned Parenthood of Connecticut and also served as its treasurer. Funeral service will take place this Sunday, June 13, at 10:00 a.m. at Congregation B'nai Israel, 2710 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, Conn. Memorial contributions in his memory can be made to Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.

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Financial results at Canada's major forestry firms were more robust than expected in the first quarter of 2010, but the picture may darken as the year goes on, according to a Reuters news report this week. Higher than expected lumber, pulp, and panel prices reduced the combined loss of nine Western Canadian producers surveyed by PricewaterhouseCoopers to C$3 million ($2.9 million), down from a loss of C$326 million a year earlier.

Reuters noted that the five Eastern Canadian firms surveyed by the company reported C$466 million in losses, compared with C$417 million the year before, but that included a C$521 million loss with one-time charges at AbitibiBowater Corp., which is in the final stages of bankruptcy reorganization.

Industry analysts say lumber prices climbed in the quarter mainly because of tight supplies rather than increased demand, and prices have already begun to fall as companies have increased production to cash in. The weaker lumber prices will be reflected in financial results for the second and third quarters, said Michael Armstrong, a director at PricewaterhouseCoopers's Global Forest, Paper and Packaging Practice.

Higher pulp prices have also prompted some Canadian producers to increase production, but prices will likely drop as production in Chile recovers from damage suffered in the earthquake earlier this year, Armstrong added. PricewaterhouseCoopers' survey of the top 10 U.S. lumber and paper producers found they had combined net income of $22 million, up from a loss of $63 million in the same quarter a year earlier.

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The global market pulp trend remains upward, Mark Wilde, senior analyst with Deutsche Bank reports. "But there are important distances between grades and between regions," he adds. Asian hardwood markets appear to be the weakest spot. "Over the next several weeks, European markets will be worth watching as rising U.S. dollar prices and a falling Euro create a double-dose of cost pressure for non-integrated mills," Wilde notes. In NBSK, producers have announced a $20/metric ton price increase for June 1, taking NBSK to $1,020/metric ton in North America, $980/metric ton in Europe, and $890 -  $900/metric ton in China. While falling Chinese resale prices, weak Euro, and pending restart of close to 2 million metric tpy of pulp capacity in Canada and China suggest that prices may be reaching a near-term peak, a recent announcement by Chinese authorities of prospective closure of around 4 million metric tons of paper, board, and pulp capacity could act as a catalyst for further price increases, Wilde explains.

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List prices for various UFS grades in the U.S. were up $30 - $40/ton (announced = $60/ton) in May, according to Wilde. Fifty-lb offset rolls were up about $30/ton to $915 - $935/ton and 20-lb repro bonds were up ˜$40/ton to $1,090 - $1,135/ton. Producers expect to realize the balance increase in June and July as contract prices are revised and smaller suppliers implement the price increase.

This is the second price increase of the year following the $40/ton price increase in both cut-size and roll grades in March. The recent price increase is driven by capacity cuts (Domtar, IP), low inventory levels (-17% y/y), and sharply higher pulp prices. Trade reports suggest that May activity eased from levels seen in late Q1/early Q2. Imports into the U.S. are likely to begin creeping up over the next few months. Beyond the impact from a stronger U.S. dollar, production issues on Portucel's newest machine appear to have been resolved and export volumes to the U.S. are increasing toward a 200,000 tpy level, Wilde points out.

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Industry fundamentals remain strong: box shipments +4.8% y/y in April, operating rate = 95%, domestic and offshore supplies are tight, he says. "While the debate about box prices remains lively, the reality is that box prices are indeed heading upward."

Conditions aren't tight just in the U.S. Most European producers have announced a third price increase of EUR 50/ metric ton on unbleached kraft linerboard, effective June 1. For U.S. exporters, strengthening of the dollar against the Euro will trim any benefit from the Euro price increase. OCC prices to China continued falling, with prices down $5/ton this week (-$50/ton since May and -$90/ton from mid-March levels of $290/ton). Domestic OCC price fell $10/ton in May, Wilde reports.

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AbitibiBowater, Montreal, Que., Canada, announced this week that its subsidiaries have completed the sale of three idle paper mills in eastern Canada together with certain related assets and the property on which these paper mills are located to a wholly owned affiliate of American Iron & Metal Co. (AIM) for C$8.7 million. The company also announced the sale of assets in British Columbia, Canada, to an affiliate of Conifex Inc. for C$33.9 million.

The three paper mills are located in Beaupre, Que., Donnacona, Que., and Dalhousie, N.B. As part of the sale, AIM has also agreed to acquire a fourth idle paper mill (Fort William), located in Thunder Bay, Ont. In addition, AbitibiBowater will be paid 40% of the net proceeds from any subsequent sale of paper machines from these mills, of which AIM has undertaken to pay C$5 million on September 6, 2010, regardless of whether any such subsequent sale takes place.

The assets sold to Conifex, all located in Mackenzie, B.C., include a paper mill, two sawmills, including planer mills, as well as timberland operations with a forestry license providing an annual allowable cut of approximately 932,500 cubic meters.

AbitibiBowater notes that it has streamlined its asset portfolio to focus on top-performing facilities by closing or idling 3.4 million metric tpy of capacity, moving from an overall production capacity of 10.4 million metric tons to 7 million metric tons, since 2007. During this period, the company has also sold aggregate assets and land for total proceeds of more than $980 million.

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Appleton Coated, KImberly, Wis., USA, has announced winning entries in its U360 Competition for 2010, which are printed all, or in part, on the company's Utopia and/or Curious Collection papers.

"These selections recognize the effective, creative role that print communication plays in marketing mix," says Phil Cavalier, VP of marketing at Appleton Coated. "As the name suggests, '360' reflects an 'all around' assessment—from concept and writing, imagery, and design, and finally, quality of print and bindery execution." An online gallery of winners is available online, in the U360 section.

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Glatfelter, York, Pa., USA, this week announced an executive succession plan under which Chairman and CEO George H. Glatfelter II will retire as CEO on December 31, and concurrent with his retirement, Dante C. Parrini, executive VP and COO, will be promoted to president and CEO. Parrini joins the company's board of directors effective immediately.

Glatfelter, who has been chairman since 2000 and CEO since 1998, will remain on the company's board of directors as its non-executive chairman for a brief transitional period, after which time a new chairman will be elected. He represents the fifth generation of the Glatfelter family to lead the company, which was founded by his great-great-grandfather, Philip H. Glatfelter, in 1864. Prior to serving as chairman and CEO, he was the company's president and, before that, senior VP. During his 34 years with the company, Glatfelter has held positions in human resources, maintenance, and engineering, operations, planning, and sales and marketing. He has more than 15 years of experience as a director of public companies, including serving as a director of Met-Pro Corp. since 2004. He is also a trustee of York College of Pennsylvania, the American Forest and Paper Association, The National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, and The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

Parrini started his career with Glatfelter in 1997 and has been executive VP and COO since 2005. With full global P&L responsibility in his EVP and COO capacity, Parrini has been charged with leading worldwide operations, international and domestic sales, marketing, new product development, global supply chain, information technology, and corporate program management. Lee Stewart, chairman of the nominating and corporate governance committee, pointed out that Glatfelter and Parrini have been key architects of the company's growth strategy, including overseeing four acquisitions in the U.S., Canada, and Europe that nearly tripled the company's revenues since 2005 while diversifying its business portfolio and expanding its global footprint.

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Metsä Tissue, Finland, reports that it has completed the rebuild and started up PM 10 at its Mänttä Mill in Finland ahead of schedule. The revamped machine produces toilet paper and hand towel base paper for products marketed under the company's Lambi, Serla, and Katrin brands. The goal of the EUR 6 million rebuild was to improve product quality over and above brand promises and customer expectations, the company says. Another key goal was to improve energy efficiency, which is one of the company's strong focus areas.

The rebuild will reduce water consumption and contribute to energy savings in line with Metsä Tissue's commitment to cut energy consumption by 20% within three years. "The rebuild schedule was ambitious, but the project, implemented together with Vaahto Pulp & Paper Machinery Group, was very successful and actually proceeded ahead of plan. Runnability and speed of the paper machine and converting lines improved clearly, resulting in increased efficiency. We now have good potential for a further productivity increase in the future," says Jori Sahlstén, regional operations director, Northern Eastern Europe, and mill manager at Mänttä.

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SCA, Stockholm, Sweden, is reportedly considering a major expansion of its Östrand pulp mill near Sundsvall, Sweden, that would almost double its current capacity of approximately 500,000 metric tpy. According to a report this past week in Dagens Industri, a Sweden-based business daily newspaper, the expansion would be aimed at increasing SCA's pulp self-sufficiency.

The company has been buying some 60% of the pulp used at its Swedish mills, and the escalation of pulp prices in recent months has weakened its profitability. SCA has made recent investments in the Östrand mill, almost all of them designed for a higher capacity than the mill currently has. The company is in the process of installing a new lime kiln that is scheduled for startup in November 2011. In the newspaper article CEP Jan Johansson said that a decision to expand the mill likely will not be made until after the new kiln is up and running.

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The Paperboard Packaging conference in Budapest, Hungary, begins in just 13 days. This 1.5-day event, June 23 -25, features an unrivaled agenda as well as an excellent networking platform. More details on presentations, who will be there, and regular event updates is available on the conference web site.

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Mayr-Melnhof Packaging, Wien, Austria, reported this week that it has made a "first step into the region of Latin America" by acquiring a 70% participation in Marinetti S.A., located in Santiago de Chile. The former family shareholders hold the remaining shares.

Marinetti produces folding carton packaging for multinational as well as local producers of branded goods. Currently the site employs some 650 people and generates annual sales of approximately EUR 45 million. Mayr-Melnhof plans a "significant investment program" for the acquisition, to broaden its technological basis and support development of market potential in neighboring countries.

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New research by Finland-based M-real Consumer Packaging shows that, within the same grade, the carbon footprint of a cartonboard reduces at least in proportion to its basis weight. A 15% reduction in board weight equates to an 18% reduction in carbon footprint. This is important to users concerned about sustainability, the company notes.. If they can specify a lighter weight board, provided all criteria regarding stiffness and performance are met, their own carbon footprint will diminish accordingly.

The research, commissioned from an external research institute, aimed to produce Life Cycle Assessments for three different weights of board. Carbon footprints were calculated for 10,000 biscuit cartons produced in 250, 270, and 295 g/m² weights, to discover if the footprint would reduce proportionately when a lighter weight board was used. Calculations assessed energy used in forestry, transport, and manufacturing at all stages from harvesting the wood to making the cartons, including, for example, transporting the board to the customer.

Riikka Joukio, VP Marketing, said that "by making packaging more effective and less wasteful, sustainability goes hand in hand with cost savings, which can be achieved both by the choice of 'lightweighted' materials and by a design that has the right impact.

Packaging has a relatively small global warming potential in food products, when compared with other activities taking place in the production of a food product, most notably fertilizer and cultivation. At the same time, packaging's importance in reducing food waste, which might otherwise rot in a landfill, producing methane—a harmful greenhouse gas—is also well established. Up to 50% of food is wasted in developing countries, where food packaging is less common, compared with western countries, where waste averages 2% and is mostly attributable to over-purchasing."

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RockTenn, Norcross, Ga., USA, announced this week that its Specialty Paperboard Products mill in Chattanooga, Tenn., has achieved certification to Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC) chain of custody (CoC) standards. NSF International Strategic Registrations, Ltd. independently audited and validated the mill's sustainable fiber sourcing practices against these standards.

Established in 1917, RockTenn's Chattanooga mill became the South's first recycled paperboard mill.. Today, it produces 100% recycled, uncoated specialty paperboard focusing on solid fiber partitions, tubes, cores, various chip grades, and paperboard.

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Fibertect Cotton-Soaking (CS), a three-layer flexible, inert, nonwoven, non-particulate decontamination system that has been proven to be successful in absorbing and adsorbing chemical warfare agents, may now prove useful in recovery efforts in the British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon disaster and other oil spills of similar size and severity. Fibertect CS was developed by Texas Tech University's (Lubbock, Texas, USA) The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) Associate Professor Seshadri Ramkumar and is manufactured by Hobbs Bonded Fibers for First Line Technology, Chantilly, Va.

As of May 29, Fibertect CS is officially approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. TEarlier this month (June 1), the Fibertect CS technology was featured on CNBC's Power Lunch as a plausible solution to the BP Oil Spill. The three layers of material consist of a top and bottom fabric with a center layer of fibrous activated carbon that is needle punched into a composite fabric. The top and bottom layers provide structural coherence, improving mechanical strength and abrasion resistance, while the center layer holds volatile compounds, suich as oil.

Ramkumar said that documented research published by many scientists show that raw cotton can absorb up to 20 times its weight. But when chemically modified, the material can hold more than two to three times that amount. And unlike synthetic materials such as polypropylene that are currently used in many oil containment booms, Fibertect made from raw cotton and carbon is biodegradable.

"Fibertect has already proved to be effective in the bulk decontamination of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals, but our proposal here is to use it to aid in the clean-up efforts in the Gulf," said First Line Technology President Amit Kapoor. "Fibertect allows for a green, environmentally safe, biodegradable technology that is perfect for the expanding effort to protect and decontaminate coastal lands and wildlife. We welcome the opportunity to work with the government, BP, or other oil companies in a joint effort to defend and preserve our planet."

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Appleton, Appleton, Wis., USA, has introduced two new paper colors for its line of DocuCheck Basic security papers. The company has also enhanced the performance of indicator stains and increased the level of invisible fibers throughout its portfolio of DocuCheck and DocuMark security papers.

The addition of DocuCheck Basic blue and green color options expands the range of products for safeguarding important documents from fraud, illegal distribution and counterfeiting. The enhanced indicator stains provide tamper evidence against chemical alteration by changing colors. The increased concentration of invisible security fibers makes authentication easier for end users, and makes it more difficult to counterfeit documents.

The new security products marketing materials from Appleton include selector guides for five product grades and identify standard, recommended and situational features, as well as common applications. In addition, the company has a product sample kit that includes 27 different grades of its security paper. The sample kit was designed to make it easy to select and mock-up the right security solution for the application. The new marketing communications materials and sample kits are available online or by calling Appleton at (800) 533-9421.

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MG Digital, Rochester, N.Y., worldwide distributor of KODAK Media Products ( CDs, DVDs, VHS, etc.) has introduced Eco-Friendly optical media packaging that is said to remove more than 98% of all plastic packaging components from the consumer waste stream. According to a report in GreenerPackage.com, KMG Digital is launching 10 new Kodak-branded Eco-Friendly packs. The packaging is made of paper and includes 100%-recyclable storage containers that do not include PP or PS plastics.

In the report, Brad Yeager, MG Digital director of marketing, said that "paper and cardboard are the most efficient materials to recycle. Plastics are one of the least efficient due to sorting, overseas transportation, and re-melting. Many municipalities do not have the ability to recycle all of the different types of plastic. Approximately 1,400 tons of polystyrene are deposited into landfills every day. KMG Digital wants to do our part to decrease waste."

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Geami, Morrisville, N.C., has made its paper packaging available to Lite Volume shippers in 150' ft roll sizes that can be easily purchased online . The packing material provides opportunities to save on overall shipping costs, reduce product damage during shipping, and improve the public image of companies by improving the in-the-box presentation of products shipped to their customers.

Geami notes that its paper packaging materials are a sustainable, renewable ,and recyclable product, adding that currently more than 4 million packages are shipped every year using these materials

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The Paper Specialties Business Unit of Clariant, Muttenz, Switzerland, this past week announced global price increases for its entire paper chemicals portfolio, depending on the specific product group, by up to 30%. Clariant notes that the price adjustments are necessary to address "strongly rising feedstock costs in all raw material segments during the first half of 2010, including increased transportation and energy costs."

During the past six months of this year, Clariant says that its Paper Business has absorbed significant cost increases through production optimization measures, adding however, that "recent raw material cost developments leave no other alternative than to increase prices." Clariant customers will be contacted individually regarding the specifics of the price increases as they apply to their products and regions. The increases will become effective immediately or as contracts allow.

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Metsäliitto, Finland, reports that Riikka Joukio has been appointed senior VP, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs. Joukio has previously held the position of VP, Marketing, for M-real Consumer Packaging, Finland. She assumes her new position with Metsäliitto on June 21.

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Laidlaw Berlin BioPower LLC, Berlin, N.H. USA, an affiliate of Laidlaw Energy Group, reported this week that it has reached an agreement for Public Service of New Hampshire to purchase the energy from its proposed wood-fired power generation facility planned for New Hampshire's North Country. When operational, the 70 MW biomass facility in Berlin will be the largest wood-burning power plant in the state, and will move New Hampshire closer to its goal of 25% renewable energy by the year 2025. The agreement between PSNH and Laidlaw runs for 20 years.

When operational, the plant will consume wood chips that are byproducts of the local forest products industry and land management practices. "One of our key development strategies is to have Coös County become the renewable energy capital of Northern New England," said Max Makaitis, Economic Development Director, Androscoggin Valley Economic Recovery Corp. (AVER). "We are particularly excited about biomass projects like Laidlaw's, because they help create jobs, not only at the plant itself, but also in the forest, and in those services that support our foresters."

As a generation source that utilizes biomass, the Laidlaw plant will produce not only energy, but also renewable energy certificates (RECs), which all providers of electricity in New Hampshire must obtain in order to comply with the state's renewable energy law. PSNH's agreement with Laidlaw calls for the utility to purchase the energy, the generating capacity, and the RECs produced by the biomass plant.

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BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany, this past week announced changes in its management team. Jacques Delmoitiez, currently president of BASF's Polyurethanes division located in Brussels, Belgium, will become president of BASF's regional division Europe, located in Ludwigshafen, effective October 1. Current President Dr. Walter Seufert is retiring as of September 30.

Wayne T. Smith, currently president of BASF's Catalysts division located in Iselin, N.J., USA, will take over responsibilities for the Polyurethanes division as of September 1. Frank Bozich will become head of the Catalysts division. He is currently responsible for the area of precious and basic metals in the Catalysts division. Back To Top

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AbitibiBowater, Montreal, Que., Canada, has announced the appointment of Richard Garneau to its board of directors. The company also announced the departure of Anthony F. Griffiths as a member of the board.

Garneau most recently served as president and CEO of Catalyst Paper from March 2007 to May 2010. Prior to his tenure at Catalyst, he was senior VP for the Forest Products Group of Domtar before assuming the role of executive VP, Operations for the overall company. He also held a variety of roles at Norampac, Copernic.com, Future Electronics, St. Laurent Paperboard, Finlay Forest Industries, and Donohue Inc.

Griffiths has been a member of the AbitibiBowater Board since April 15, 2008, having joined as a result of Fairfax Financial Holdings exercising its right to appoint two directors to the board, pursuant to the terms of a purchase agreement of Fairfax's private placement, announced on March 24, 2008.

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Mohawk Fine Papers, Cohoes, N.Y., USA, named Vincent Giannetti director of envelope operations. Giannetti has more than 28 years experience in the envelope industry. He began his career at Old Colony Envelope (later acquired by National Envelope) and has subsequently held positions at Niagara Envelope and Williamhouse. Most recently he was GM of the Old Colony Division of National Envelope, overseeing both the Westfield and Hamburg, N.Y. facilities.

"In September of last year, we began to distribute our own envelopes to ensure consistent supply and availability to our customers. Vinnie's market understanding and experience in the envelope industry will be an asset to us in the marketplace," Paul Biesiadecki, Mohawk's executive VP, Sales and Marketing, said.

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TAPPI is pleased to announce that its 11th TAPPI Advanced Coating Fundamentals Symposium  is scheduled for October 11-13, 2010. It will be held at one of the world's leading paper research centers, PTS (Papiertechnische Stiftung) in Munich, Germany.  Held every two years, this content-rich symposium provides a forum for a range of paper coating topics. Its audience includes research and development professionals, chemists, and technical service managers involved in paper coatings to discuss the latest technical developments.
  
The 2010 technical program includes 30 peer-reviewed papers covering a wide range of topics. A short listing includes advanced printing fundamentals, sustainable barrier coatings, liquid interactions, optical control and an advanced understanding of curtain coater application, among others. A peer-reviewed poster session will also be held.

Registration, the tentative technical program, and sponsorship information are available at www.tappi.org/10acf.  

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YOU can become a published author, working hand-in-hand with TAPPI PRESS to complete and publish your manuscript.

TAPPI PRESS is currently seeking manuscripts for consideration of publication. See details on how to submit your manuscript or contact Lisa Stephens at lstephens@tappi.org or by phone at +1 770 209-7313. Back To Top

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TAPPI is pleased to announce the Call For Papers for the 2010 NETInc. The deadline for submissions has been extended until June 25, 2010.

Technical Program. NETInc. stands for the Innovative Nonwovens Conference organized by the Nonwovens Engineers and Technologists (NET) Division of TAPPI in collaboration with the Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University.

The following key areas of application will be of interest: Health & Well Being, Safety & Security, Environment & Sustainability, Energy & Infrastructure, Emerging Technologies/Market Trends, Nanotechnology and Training Future Leaders.

Authors interested in presenting a paper on these or related topics should submit an abstract with full contact information to NET@tappi.org. The deadline for submissions has been extended to June 25, 2010; authors will be notified in early July regarding acceptance. Extended Abstracts will be due on August 30, 2010.

For more information please visit www.netincevent.org or contact: Craig McKinney, TAPPI Program Manager at cmckinney@tappi.org or 770-209-7294 Back To Top

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On Tuesday, June 1, Jeffrey (Jeff) A. Smith appeared as the second TAPPI member to be featured on the new website addition, Member Spotlight (http://www.tappi.org/Membership.aspx).  In May, Spotlight debuted with an article on longtime member Chuck Klass. 

Would you like to be featured in the Spotlight?  It's easy to do.  Simply fill out the Spotlight Questionnaire and email it to MemberSpotlight@tappi.org.  If you would like to nominate a member, simply send their name (or names) to the same email address.

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Harnessing the promise of technology, one of TAPPI's program partners, VoIPcare Technology, has started a six-month trial period with members of the pulp and paper industry. The purpose is to evaluate the benefits and ROI associated with the use of VoIPcare's qMetrix™ software product for Transportation applications. 

The trial program began out of efforts of the TAPPI's Shipping, Receiving and Warehousing (SRW) Committee following a yearlong study.  Because of their design philosophy and background in data collection and information delivery, VoIPcare was chosen by the SRW team to design and implement the system.

Information that used to take days and even weeks to gather is now ready immediately at each step in the supply chain.  As a result, participants throughout the supply chain transaction have access to the inspection data and photographs support the inspections.  The VoIPcare system provides detailed information necessary to help the industry reduce the amount of in-transit damage currently experienced. 

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The TAPPI Introduction to Kraft Pulping and Bleaching Course -- August 9-10 -- covers in only two days the introductory elements of four other excellent, more in-depth TAPPI courses on the same topics.

This course will be held at the Kemira Training Room in Kennesaw, Georgia, and will help you:

• Expand overall understanding of kraft pulp mill operations and bleaching processes
• Broaden awareness of how one part of the process affects other operations
• Demonstrate the affect of processes on kraft pulp quality
• Build confidence for effective interaction among experienced process engineers and operators
• Help you troubleshoot product quality problems

Why should your boss send you?

This course offers a fundamental overview of kraft mill fiber line operations.  It's perfect for anyone new to the kraft pulping processes, particularly engineers and operators.

View the Preliminary Course Schedule developed by instructor Dr. Michael Kocurek, one of the most recognized educators in the paper industry. He has taught undergraduates, graduates and in-mill courses for more than 3,000 industry professionals and operators for over 50 paper industry corporations and government agencies.  Register soon. Secure your seat before July 12 for the early-bird savings.  This course will sell out at 30 registrants.
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Be among the first in the industry to have a copy of Paper Machine QCS – Volume 1: Measurement Systems and Product Variability, an excellent resource to help paper machine professionals maximize output and minimize quality issues.

It covers five in-depth QCS measurements – Basis Weight, Moisture, Caliper, Ash and Color.

PLUS additional information about sensor performance measurement and reporting, impact of scanning, filtering, scanner designs and construction, and sensor calibration and correlation.

Paper Machine QCS, Volume 1 is a must-have to be competitive and productive in the papermaking industry.

Product Pricing:

List price $205
Member price: $135


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Paperboard Packaging 2010 will bring the paperboard packaging community to Budapest, Hungary 23 - 24 June 2010.
 
Chaired by leading paper and packaging industry experts from Pira International and TAPPI, Paperboard Packaging 2010 will bring together leading minds in paperboard and associated industries - creating the leading forum where the current challenges and opportunities facing converters, mills and end users will be discussed and real solutions proposed. Learn more about the Conference. Back To Top

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Lean Principles are made up of a number of tools.  But "Lean" is also an art.  High-performing companies that do well as the result of using Lean Principles have them ingrained it into the corporate culture.  These companies succeed by focusing on lean culture and lean leadership. 

Attend this one-day workshop and gain a working knowledge of the values and principles of Lean Methods and how to apply them with results. 

Seats are limited to 30 participants, so register now to assure your spot!

What will you learn?

You'll learn by experiencing – in small groups – how lean methods are superior to traditional methods and can bring quantifiable results. 

• Learn how an integrated system of continuous improvement can be applied to your manufacturing facility – and return back to work with new ideas and methods you can apply immediately. 
• Learn how to improve quality, value and speed – and understand how companies that have applied Lean Principles throughout their enterprise (holistically) have higher customer satisfaction, great customer loyalty and increased profits.

Learn more about this workshop and register to attend.
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Why the change?  "The name more accurately captures the broad range of technical topics discussed, and highlights the important peer-to-peer networking that happens during the event, "  according to Danny Haynes of Eka Chemicals, current Pulp Manufacture Division Chair.  The new name also means enhancement to the program in 2010.   David White of the Herty Advanced Materials Development Center and Engineering Division Chair commented, "We plan to continue the tremendous technical sessions offered at EPE, plus add more bioenergy and business content to address the interests of our attendees" 

The PEERS Conference will include an extensive program of technical papers, invited speakers, peer-reviewed technical sessions, workshops, roundtables and a mill tour.  Co-located with TAPPI PEERS this year is the 9th Research Forum on Recycling, co-organized by TAPPI and PAPTAC.  To accommodate tight budgets, one registration fee will allow attendees to access both conferences.  

For detailed information, go to www.tappipeers.org Back To Top

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Attend TAPPI's Lean Maintenance for the Corrugated Industry Course, August 17-18, 2010 in Norcross, Georgia.

Designed to provide you with the information and knowledge required to create a smoothly functioning, effective and efficient maintenance team in your corrugated plant, this two-day course focuses on the critical elements that drive maintenance efficiency and effectiveness. 

What will you learn?

You'll learn how to organize a maintenance department and put into place the processes required to reduce downtime and improve productivity.

The six elements will be presented in a "Lean Maintenance" context focused on eliminating waste at every opportunity.  Excess repair parts inventory, excessive downtime, excessive crew size and poorly defined jobs are examples of areas that have waste that can be reduced.  Root Cause Failure Analysis will be reviewed as a tool to reduce repeat failures.  In addition, application of 5's and visual work practices will be covered as well as processes such as Reliability Centered Maintenance and the Visual Workplace.

The six elements will be reviewed in sufficient detail to allow you to develop an action plan for making improvements upon return to your plant.

Each participant will receive a workbook containing a copy of the presentations used during the two days and space for notes.

As a result of attending this course, you'll be able to:

• Understand the part maintenance plays in plant operations.
• Use of Root Cause Analysis to define problems.
• Define maintenance tasks that prolong the life of equipment, reduce downtime and reduce the cost of maintenance
• Understand the requirements for the maintenance department to maintain keen troubleshooting and problem solving skills, as well as sharp technical and craft skills.

Learn more about this course.
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"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself." -- Henry Ward Beecher Back To Top

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